Psalm 71:7 I am as a wonder to many: but thou art my strong refuge.
Oh my Friends, the young people an’ dem figure they know what life is all about, but tell dem for me deh lie. They don’t have a clue to real life cause you don’t really understand life until you have lived it, experienced its many ups and downs, ins and outs, twists and turns and all its other vagaries. That means you must have some years on your shoulders, but to the young that means you’re old and useless. They are wrong; it’s the exact opposite, since it’s only in your advanced years that you see life for what it really is, and appreciate it the most. As Frank Lloyd Wright declares; ‘The longer I live, the more beautiful life becomes.’ And that’s an indisputable fact my people. It’s in your maturity that all the missing pieces of life begin to fall into place, then you really understand all the strange and funny things that happened to you earlier on. As the Psalmist says; ‘I am as a wonder unto many.’ Psalm 71 is a prayer for help in old age, but even in his advanced years, he still elicits wonder in the eyes of many around him. Why? Because ‘thou art my refuge.’ Yes my Friends, it’s the Lord God Jehovah that keeps us going on strong. Look at Caleb; when he was 85, he claimed he was as strong and healthy as at 45, and asked the Lord for a new mountain to climb. As Isaiah declared: ‘Behold I and the children whom the Lord hath given me are for signs and for wonders in Israel, from the Lord of hosts which dwelleth in Zion.’ (Is.8:18) And since the Psalmist knew which side his bread was buttered on, he could afford to plead; ‘Let my mouth be filled with thy praise and with thy honour all the day. Cast me not off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength faileth.’ (Ps.71:8-9) Oh my people, our most merciful and forgiving God will never do that, if we have been faithful and obedient to him all our lives. Remember, He rewards those who seek Him, and a long, healthy life is one of those rewards He hands out for bringing glory to His Holy Name. When it suits His purpose the Lord extends signs and wonders to mankind. For instance the fourth vision of Zechariah; that of Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, dressed in filthy clothes, with Satan standing close by to resist him. But the Lord vindicates Joshua, takes away his sin and dresses him in fine garments. ‘Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, thou and thy fellows that sit before thee: for they are men wondered at: for behold I will bring forth my servant the Branch.’ (Zec.3:8) The scholars claim that the significance of Zechariah’s vision is though Israel was sinful, it did not stop the fulfillment of God’s program, while the inclusion of Joshua and the priests mean that the sanctity of the priesthood will be restored and once again play a significant role in God’s work when sin is permanently wiped out by the coming of the Branch, the Messiah, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. That was the greatest gift, the most glorious sign and wonder that God ever bestowed on man. But he was too busy and taken up with his selfish human lusts back then to really notice. And sadly Friends, the same situation exists today; we’re still too entranced by our selfish desires of the flesh, to pay much, if any attention to Jesus, who will one day return, not as a poor, itinerant preacher, but in great glory, as a Prince, upon a throne. Just more signs and wonders my brethren which the Lord has been showing from the beginning of time until this day, but which we unfortunately ignore, thus jeopardizing our chances of salvation and eternal life. But listen to the Psalmist, sitting in his rocking chair, with his adversaries just waiting to pounce because they figured his God had forsaken him. But the Psalmist knew better than that, cause he’d heard and believed the promise of never leaving or forsaking us, so he could emphatically declare: ‘But I will hope continually and will yet praise thee more and more. My mouth shall show forth thy righteousness and salvation all the day; for I know not the numbers thereof. I will go in the strength of the Lord God: I will make mention of thy righteousness, even of thine only. O God, thou hast taught me from my youth: and hitherto have I declared thy wondrous works. Now also when I am old and grayheaded, O God, forsake me not; until I have showed thy strength unto this generation and thy power to every one that is to come. Thy righteousness also, O God, is very high; who hast done great things: O God, who is like unto thee!" (Ps.71:14-19) Oh my people, what powerful words of faith and inspiration! Will we be saying those things, wanting to teach and show the new generation the Lord’s awesome strength and His faithfulness? I certainly hope so, for that’s the only way one generation will really come to know the Lord; from the lips of those that have gone before. Let’s endeavour to do that nuh Friends, cause this generation is bordering on being lost and we need to reclaim them before they become totally lost. Much LOVE!…the best advertisement…word of mouth…so talk up Jesus…
Oh my Friends, the young people an’ dem figure they know what life is all about, but tell dem for me deh lie. They don’t have a clue to real life cause you don’t really understand life until you have lived it, experienced its many ups and downs, ins and outs, twists and turns and all its other vagaries. That means you must have some years on your shoulders, but to the young that means you’re old and useless. They are wrong; it’s the exact opposite, since it’s only in your advanced years that you see life for what it really is, and appreciate it the most. As Frank Lloyd Wright declares; ‘The longer I live, the more beautiful life becomes.’ And that’s an indisputable fact my people. It’s in your maturity that all the missing pieces of life begin to fall into place, then you really understand all the strange and funny things that happened to you earlier on. As the Psalmist says; ‘I am as a wonder unto many.’ Psalm 71 is a prayer for help in old age, but even in his advanced years, he still elicits wonder in the eyes of many around him. Why? Because ‘thou art my refuge.’ Yes my Friends, it’s the Lord God Jehovah that keeps us going on strong. Look at Caleb; when he was 85, he claimed he was as strong and healthy as at 45, and asked the Lord for a new mountain to climb. As Isaiah declared: ‘Behold I and the children whom the Lord hath given me are for signs and for wonders in Israel, from the Lord of hosts which dwelleth in Zion.’ (Is.8:18) And since the Psalmist knew which side his bread was buttered on, he could afford to plead; ‘Let my mouth be filled with thy praise and with thy honour all the day. Cast me not off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength faileth.’ (Ps.71:8-9) Oh my people, our most merciful and forgiving God will never do that, if we have been faithful and obedient to him all our lives. Remember, He rewards those who seek Him, and a long, healthy life is one of those rewards He hands out for bringing glory to His Holy Name. When it suits His purpose the Lord extends signs and wonders to mankind. For instance the fourth vision of Zechariah; that of Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, dressed in filthy clothes, with Satan standing close by to resist him. But the Lord vindicates Joshua, takes away his sin and dresses him in fine garments. ‘Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, thou and thy fellows that sit before thee: for they are men wondered at: for behold I will bring forth my servant the Branch.’ (Zec.3:8) The scholars claim that the significance of Zechariah’s vision is though Israel was sinful, it did not stop the fulfillment of God’s program, while the inclusion of Joshua and the priests mean that the sanctity of the priesthood will be restored and once again play a significant role in God’s work when sin is permanently wiped out by the coming of the Branch, the Messiah, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. That was the greatest gift, the most glorious sign and wonder that God ever bestowed on man. But he was too busy and taken up with his selfish human lusts back then to really notice. And sadly Friends, the same situation exists today; we’re still too entranced by our selfish desires of the flesh, to pay much, if any attention to Jesus, who will one day return, not as a poor, itinerant preacher, but in great glory, as a Prince, upon a throne. Just more signs and wonders my brethren which the Lord has been showing from the beginning of time until this day, but which we unfortunately ignore, thus jeopardizing our chances of salvation and eternal life. But listen to the Psalmist, sitting in his rocking chair, with his adversaries just waiting to pounce because they figured his God had forsaken him. But the Psalmist knew better than that, cause he’d heard and believed the promise of never leaving or forsaking us, so he could emphatically declare: ‘But I will hope continually and will yet praise thee more and more. My mouth shall show forth thy righteousness and salvation all the day; for I know not the numbers thereof. I will go in the strength of the Lord God: I will make mention of thy righteousness, even of thine only. O God, thou hast taught me from my youth: and hitherto have I declared thy wondrous works. Now also when I am old and grayheaded, O God, forsake me not; until I have showed thy strength unto this generation and thy power to every one that is to come. Thy righteousness also, O God, is very high; who hast done great things: O God, who is like unto thee!" (Ps.71:14-19) Oh my people, what powerful words of faith and inspiration! Will we be saying those things, wanting to teach and show the new generation the Lord’s awesome strength and His faithfulness? I certainly hope so, for that’s the only way one generation will really come to know the Lord; from the lips of those that have gone before. Let’s endeavour to do that nuh Friends, cause this generation is bordering on being lost and we need to reclaim them before they become totally lost. Much LOVE!…the best advertisement…word of mouth…so talk up Jesus…
SCRIP-BITS 