SCRIP-BITS

Psalm 7:1.    O Lord my God, in thee do I put my trust: save me from all them that persecute me, and deliver me.
 
Oh Friends, another day has dawned, somewhat cloudy, but filled with promises of bright sunshine, as well as the Lord’s daily new mercies and blessings. However, for whatever reason, many of us don’t seem to feel, to experience that sunshine in our lives, our souls are devoid of God’s light. It’s like the quote attributed to Steve Martin: ‘A day without sunshine is like, you know, night.’ Yes Friends, many of us have hearts and souls that are dark and dismal like the night, although the Lord God Jehovah is offering us a chance of eternity, a chance to put brilliant sunshine in our lives through His Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Now why are our souls and lives still dark like night eh, with such glorious promises available? Is it because we haven’t put our full trust in God, haven’t completely surrendered our souls, our lives to Him? That would surely create darkness in our beings. And the only answer to that sad state of affairs my people, is to completely surrender our souls and lives to Almighty God! We need to say like Bruh David does in our Bit: ‘O Lord my God, in thee do I put my trust: save me from all them that persecute me, and deliver me.’ The problem here though Friends, is that we don’t only have to say those words, but we also have to sincerely mean them. Oh Friends, without that absolute trust our lives will be even more confused and topsy-turvy than they already are. Psalm 7 is a prayer for deliverance, a song that Bruh David wrote when he heard of the death of his rebellious son, Absalom, from whom he was then running. And he continues in the second verse: ‘Lest he tear my soul like a lion, rending it (tearing me) in pieces, while there is none to deliver.’ (Ps.7:2) Oh my people, the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is the ONLY ONE who can save us from persecution, who can deliver us from the evil arms of our enemies! That’s why in all his troubles, with all his sins, Bruh David kept on crying out to the God of his fathers. For example, in Psalm 31, where he sadly exclaims: ‘For I have heard the slander of many: fear was on every side: while they took counsel together against me, they devised (schemed) to take away my life. But I trusted in thee, O Lord: I said, Thou art my God. My times are in thy hand: deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, and from them that persecute me. Make thy face to shine upon thy servant: save me for thy mercies sake.’ (Ps.31:13-16) Yes my people, our numbered days are all set in the Lord’s hands. He is our creator and can do with us as He pleases, but He’s a good God and wants to shower us with mercy and blessings as well as justice and truth. However, He can’t do it unless and until we come to Him with trusting hearts and surrendered souls. If we want to taste of His goodness and LOVING-kindness, which includes delivering us from the wrath and persecution of our enemies, we must bare our souls to Him. And because Bruh David never tried to whitewash his sins, we can understand why God had such compassion and mercy on him. Listen to these words, as he continues to lay bare his soul. ‘O Lord my God, if I have done this; if there be iniquity in my hands; If I have rewarded evil unto him that was at peace with me; (yea, I have delivered him that without cause is mine enemy); Let the enemy persecute my soul, and take it; yea, let him tread down my life upon the earth, and lay mine honour in the dust. Selah.’ (Ps.7:3-5) Oh Friends, Bruh David was strong enough and contrite enough to open his heart to the Lord and accept any punishment for his wrongdoing. Are we strong and contrite enough to do that? We need to be, because that’s the only way our God operates. Being open and above board is our only hope of forgiveness, for the Lord will search our hearts before making up His mind on whether to help us or not. So it pays to be truthful, admit our wrongdoings, and not try to hide anything from God. Hn, hn! As though we can ever do that, although some of us still foolishly try. My people, our God operates on one simple, infallible, unassailable principle; that of unblemished, unvarnished, unrestrained trust and truth! Consequently, in our dealings with Him, He expects the same from us. Regardless of how terrible our sins might be, there’s no need to be afraid, for He’s promised that all who sincerely trust in Him, through His Son Jesus, and come and lay bare their souls with openness and honesty, will be forgiven, cared for till eternity. Wow! What a magnificent and magnanimous God we serve my brethren! It just boggles my imagination every time I consider how wonderful He is to us, His rebellious, sinful children! So why do we still insist on not coming to Him? And when we do approach His throne of grace and mercy, of not coming clean with Him? Oh people, our God is such a great and ever-LOVING God, that the biggest mistake we can ever make is not fully trusting Him and going to Him for all our needs, both in good times and in bad. He’s very broken-hearted when we don’t come to Him. So please, let’s stop breaking His heart by staying away, and instead bring Him the joy He so longs for and richly deserves by sincerely trusting and taking all our troubles to Him. It’s the ONLY wise approach available to the human animal. And if we don’t do it, then we’re foolishly denying ourselves His great benefits of truth, justice, mercy and forgiveness. Please let that not be numbered amongst our numerous faults. Much LOVE!…in times of prosperity…take it to the Lord in prayer…in times of trouble…take it to the Lord in prayer…at all times…take it to the Lord in prayer…  P.S. It’s late because I’m a night owl and still can’t get the hang of this early waking up business. (smile)