I AM BLESSED TO LIVE IN THIS IDYLLIC VILLAGE OF EPHRAIM.
IT WAS FOUNDED BY BELIEVERS IN 1853,
WHO IN MANY WAYS REMIND ME OF THE PILGRIMS
WHO LANDED AT PLYMOUTH, TWO CENTURIES BEFORE.
LIKE THEM THEY LOST SO MANY THEIR OWN IN THEIR EARLY YEARS.
IN THE CEMETERY WHERE MY HUSBAND IS BURIED,
I AM MOVED BY THESE THREE LITTLE MARKERS,
OF THREE CHILDREN OF ANDREAS IVERSON,
THE FIRST PASTOR OF THE FIRST CHURCH IN DOOR COUNTY.
WHAT MUST IT BE LIKE TO BURY ONE CHILD AFTER ANOTHER?
THAT’S HOW IT WAS, INDEED, FOR THE PILGRIMS.
HERE IS A CHART OF THOSE WHO CAME OVER ON THE MAYFLOWER.
THE ONES WHO SURVIVED THE FIRST WINTER ARE IN BLACK.
YET THE REST, DESPITE BURYING SO MANY LOVED ONES,
GATHERED TO GIVE THANKS TO GOD THAT FIRST THANKSGIVING.
MAY WE DO THE SAME,
WHETHER WE ARE IN PLENTY OR IN WANT,
IN SICKNESS OR IN HEALTH,
WITH FAMILY OR WITHOUT.
FOR WHEN WE GIVE THANKS FROM OUR HEARTS, WHATEVER OUR LOT,
IT WILL ALLOW GOD TO MAKE US “FRUITFUL IN THE LAND OF OUR SUFFERING.”
This week we will use 7 of the songs of Korah from the psalms we have just studied,
as a springboard for our prayer, for as Dietrich Bonhoeffer said:
It is a dangerous error, certainly very widespread among Christians, to think that the heart can pray by itself. Prayer does not mean simply to pour out one’s heart. If we wish to pray with confidence and gladness, whether the heart is full or empty, then the words of Holy Scripture will have to be the solid basis of our prayer. For this we need the psalms…
I will keep it fairly simple this week so that you can enter in, despite all you may have to do.
Share freely for this is a different kind of week.
You may also find help from this week for sharing at your Thanksgiving tables, particularly Thursday and Friday.
Let me say how thankful I am for you, and how your fellowship gives me joy.
Next week Advent begins and I’m excited for the journey I believe He is taking us on!
Sunday Icebreaker
1. What stood out to you from the above and why?
Monday: Psalms 42/43
Prepare your heart:
When God shakes the foundations of our world, the way he shattered this dock next to my home in a storm this fall, instead of falling apart with it, we can give thanks, as Hebrews says, that we have an unshakeable Kingdom, whose builder and architect is God.
In psalms 42 and 43, the psalmist’s world has been shaken. He cannot find God, he is isolated, and he is depressed. But he is talking to his soul, telling her repeatedly “to put your hope in God.” The enemy as well, is whispering, “Where is your God?”
2. What do you remember about Psalms 42 and 43?
3. Take Psalm 42 and pray it, telling your soul reasons to be thankful, even in the midst of want and trouble and loneliness, because you have a salvation and an eternal Kingdom and a God who is good. Make it as personal as you can. I’m going to pray it first — and then you do it. Our lives are all different, but there is power in using Scripture to guide us.
Father, I am driving to Iowa to see Beth and Seth, who are experiencing unemployment, want, fear, and discouragement. How I pray that they would remember they have a Kingdom that cannot be shaken, and help them look forward to the city that You have built. Please make them fruitful in the land of their suffering. I have heard Seth express despair in You, and how I pray that instead of backing away from You, that he would seek you, as this psalmist does, for this psalmist finally hears your deep voice speaking deep into his soul. I want to thank you for a few unshakeable truths so that I too might put my hope in You:
- Death is the final enemy — but one day we who are yours, my parents, my husband, my friends who have died will be raised as You were raised.
- I love love love how you turned in sympathy to your disciples and promised that you were preparing a place for them, and if it were not true, you would have told them.
- One day Beth will have her arm restored — for you are going to make all things new.
Read Psalm 42:5 and pray it for your own life circumstances.
Tuesday: Psalm 44
Prepare your heart for this psalm by singing along with this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFn_f_mSaj0
Our God is so mysterious, sometimes it feels like He is sleeping. His ways are not our ways, He allows some of His best to die terrible deaths.
How do we use a psalm like this that actually ends with “Why are sleeping, Lord?” during Thanksgiving week? We see Jesus in this psalm and give thanks for the time when he was taunted, on the cross, by his enemies, when it seemed His Father was sleeping. For He did it for us.
4. What do you remember about Psalm 44?
5. Take Psalm 44:13-24 and, remembering what Jesus endured for us, give thanks to Him for that, being specific.
Wednesday and Thanksgiving Day: Psalm 45:1-9
Prepare your heart with this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vhnb2GS8llo
6. You can actually pray Psalm 45:1-9 as a thanksgiving praise to our fair Lord. Read a verse and then come here and let it lead you to praise. It may lead you to questions too, which is fine — if you have questions, so your sisters can better see them, CAPITALIZE THEM. Go for it!
THANKSGIVING DAY: PSALM 45:10-17
The bride, the body of Christ, is beautiful because she is joined to Christ. This is the tie that binds. This is what makes us love as well as we do. Prepare your heart with this:
Sara Groves – Blessed Be The Tie (Official) from sara-groves on GodTube.
6. If you are at a Thanksgiving table with others, even if they are unbelievers, you can have a time of thanksgiving for qualities you see and admire in each. For even if they do not know Him, they are made in the image of God, and you should be able to find something beautiful in them. (Tomorrow’s lesson would also work around the table) Think ahead what you might say, and if you do not have a chance to express it, send them an e-mail or a note expressing why you are thankful for them. I encourage you to do this today and report back how it went!
Friday: Psalm 46
Prepare your heart with:
http://youtu.be/Snj9yR5Ae_k
7. What do you remember about psalm 46?
8. Praise God for ways He has been your refuge and strength in times of trouble. Be specific.
9. In the midst of turmoil, the Lord of host is with us. Share a way He has been mindful of you this year.
Saturday
10. What is your take-a-way and why?
196 comments
Praise God specifically for ways He has been your refuge and strength this year…there are almost too many ways to count. The bottom line outcome has been my discovery that He cannot be my refuge, my rock, my fortress or my deliverer if I still have one ounce of self-sufficiency within me. This year has brought me to the place of being willing to let go of my self sufficiency and truly admit me desperate need for Him. Only now can I be His bride and He be my provider.
The Lord protected my Aunt with dementia (who was refusing all help- hmmm…family trait?) and brought circumstances together whereby she was put i a safe place without our having to go through a competency hearing. Her home sold for an extravagant amount of money even when it seemed to have very little value.
My father was given a grim diagnosis and is still with us despite what the doctors had to say about that:-)
I had a cancer diagnosis and despite many complications during several surgeries…the enemy did not have his way! I have had paralysis of the right vocal cord and would ask you all to pray for the ful restoration of my voice for His glory.
The Lord has provided a way financially for my mother in law to get care at an assisted living facility. She has been living with us for 5 years and we were reaching the end of our strength. The decision was so hard for us and God blessed us mightily on the day we shared with her our decision to place her…she was in such a clear place mentally that day and in full agreement and she was able to offer much needed comfort to my husband, her son, who was feeling like he had failed in providing for her.
The truths I am speaking to my soul today are that God is LOVE; He is LIGHT; He will never leave me nor forsake me; God is good ALL the time!
What truths are you speaking to your soul?
Lucy, I so admire how you are speaking to your soul in all of this-even in your suffering with cancer in the past and the lingering paralysis of your right vocal cord. You have and are walking in some deep valleys yet still you are speaking truth to your soul and He is meeting you there.
Lucy, your stories inspire me! Isn’t God good in the midst of all that is seemingly hopeless?? Praise Him! You are SO right, until we give in completely, we will struggle with this earth; this time. Thank God for the eternal life! Thank God for our “second” chance. Thank You Lord Jesus for all You have done for Lucy and for all of us this year. You are King, You are the Light! Amen.
Lucy, I’m SO glad you’ve joined us and your sharing has touched and blessed me too. How the wisdom of one depending on Him for every moment is shining through you. The longer I live, the more I see that we will never be able to ‘predict’ the seasons in our lives. I have sometimes felt guilty if I was going through a fairly pain-free season when I had friends and loved ones going through such hard times. But, then I began to see that we will all go through seasons of pain and seasons of joy and what’s important is our utter dependence on Him. No matter the circumstance. You stated that SO well. I have been speaking to my soul this week with Psalm 43:3. Lord, YOU are the light. YOU are the truth. Soul, let HIS light and HIS truth lead you. HE alone can ascend to the holy hill, yet HE clothes you in HIS righteousness so you can be where HE is.”
MANY CONSOLATIONS, LUCY. THANKS FOR SHARING.
I haven’t been posting much this week, but I’m so glad I scrolled through and looked at each question earlier, because #6 helped me begin to think about the qualities I admire and appreciate in each of the family members who would be with us for Thanksgiving. So I prayed and I even ‘rehearsed in my head’ what I was really feeling in my heart about my 3 children who would be with us. (daughter, son and daughter-in-law). Since only half of my family was able to be together, it actually worked well for me to think through this and to feel I could take a few minutes to share personally for each one. Often when all of our adult kids are together, there’s lots of laughter, banter and fun but it’s hard to have a meaningful conversation with any of them individually. And oh…..they are all so different. Our two sons; polar opposites in almost every way though they still love each other and get along well. Usually, my husband shares something personal before we eat and I’m often mentally exhausted by the time the meal is all prepared, so I’m content to just sit and listen. This time, I so strongly felt that I wanted to share from my heart. (which can be very hard for me to do verbally. I so prefer writing) I felt God’s hand and I think it permeated some ‘barriers’ I’ve sometimes felt. Memorable and very good to do this. So grateful for the momentum from this fellowship group.
Wanda,
Your post is so relatable. That is how I feel after preparing a Christmas or Thanksgiving meal-exhausted by the time we sit down to eat. Love how you pressed into Jesus and how He permeated some barriers because of it. So wonderful to hear!
Wanda, I too am not always able to articulate what I would like, and find that writing it down is helpful. Thanks for the reminder…personal notes would be a nice addition to my daughters’ Christmas cards.
Wanda, your Thanksgiving meal and discussion sounds wonderful. I’m so glad it went well and you were able to speak to each one 🙂
WONDERFUL REPORT ON BLESSING YOUR KIDS AND SEEING SOME BARRIERS SOFTEN.
Good morning, sisters. I’ve been rather absent from the blog these past days…I hope you all enjoyed a blessed Thanksgiving…I still need to go back and read comments more thoroughly; I have no doubt I will be blessed.
7. What do you remember about psalm 46?
“the Lord is my refuge and my strength”…these words so often come to my mind. In times when I am fearful (like the other day when I was driving on slippery, snowy roads fearful of sliding into a ditch or another vehicle), times when I feel “less than,” times of friction, times when solitude is desired. These words provide such comfort to me…He is my strength, He is my refuge…if the Lord is for me, I have nothing to fear.
9. In the midst of turmoil, the Lord of host is with us. Share a way He has been mindful of you this year.
The Lord’s “happen chance” blows me away. It is often subtle and/or appearing coincidental. Examples include, how a devotion that I read for the day is perfectly fitting for where I am, exactly the words that I need to read/hear (sometimes words of encouragement, other times needed reminders, other times convicting “wake-up calls”)…I may “just happen” to hear a song or a podcast that speaks especially to my heart, that gives provides me with a special message or inspires me to act. Or I may reach for a book and find that it fits perfectly the circumstances of the day, week. A sister’s comment opens up a whole new perspective for me and/or provides a wonderful start to contemplation and pondering. I could go on and on…oh, how mindful He is of me; I am fully aware that these things aren’t coincidence, but is the mindfulness of my loving and faithful Lord.
Oh, I love those ‘God-incidences’ too, Nanci! I just re-listened to Ann Voskamp’s video about ‘staying fully awake’ to cherish every moment and I’m seeing you do that in your words about how He meets you in so many ways.
I hope you all had a Blessed Thanksgiving. We lost power as did so many other people and there are folks still without. Makes you realize how much we have and how much you take for granted. So it does add to my thanksgiving. Praying the Lord will continue to give me the eyes to see all I have to be thankful for and that I can reflect on those things, especially for YOU Lord!!!!!! You are my rock of refuge , my shelter in the storm and my hiding place. Thank you for being there for all of these blog sisters and I am thankful to be a part of this very special community. I thank You for bringing me here. Continue to help me with the balance in my life as my desire is to be well balanced. Lead me by your Holy Spirit and by Your peace. Help me to let go of the good things for Your best and show me what is Your best for Me. Thank You for the messages You have been giving me that You are in control and I am not. Help me To yield to that truth in my life. Help me to love all of my family right where they are at and to know what loving them really looks like. Help me to love like You.i want to glorify You in all that I say and do. I know you forgive me when I have fallen short help me to forgive myself again letting go of my control. You are a great and mighty God and You are mighty to Save. I am putting my trust in You and will not lean on my own understanding I will acknowledge You in EVERYTHING knowing You will make my path straight. I love you Lord.
Liz, you voiced my needs also…need to find balance in life, daily reminding of Who is in control, help in loving family right where they are and the wisdom to know what that kind of love looks like!
May He make your path straight!
My take-away and why?
The Sara Groves song Bless Be the Tie. Because it poignantly expresses the kindred heart we can have as believers…. that we do not do this journey alone….. that there is a beautiful fellowship of suffering and joy….. and that these holy friendships give us glimpses of that “better country.”
Before our Father’s throne
We pour our heart in prayer
Our fears and hopes are one
Our comforts and our cares
Blessed be the tie
That binds our hearts
In Christian love
We share each others woes
Our common burdens bare
And often for each other
A sympathizing tear
Oh, the kindred heart
It’s like Heaven above
It’s like Heaven
>
10. My take-a-way is the pattern I see in these psalms. It is the way to live.
In Psalm 42 the psalmist recognizes his heart’s longing for fellowship with God and also that He is not near. He asks why.
In 43 he cries out to the Lord and asks why He is far away. He cries out for His light and His truth. We must ask but so often if forget.
Psalm 44 is his lament. He remembers what God has done in the past, knows what He is capable of yet complains to God that He has not shown up.
Then, in 45 He shows up. There we see who He is to us and this is the reality. I kept coming back to this chapter. It just seemed that something was not penetrating my heart. Then the penny dropped as you say. I saw how like marriage our relationship with Him is. Marriage is the physical form of the relationship we will have with Him in eternity. While we live in these physical bodies, they are what we understand and so, in time, He has given us a picture of the eternal.
Then chapter 46 tells us how to live on this earth until He returns for us. Though nations rage and kingdoms fall; the earth melts when He lifts His voice. We will not fear for He is our stronghold. God is within His city, us, and she will not be toppled.
My take away is how much these Psalms are a solace to me.
Thinking back to ways that God has been my refuge and strength this year was a wonderful exercise in gratitude.
Specifically I thought about my difficulty in decision-making, and then I realized my problem was my own selfish desire and when
I turned to God, seeking His will, it all became clear to me. The one accomplishment -with God’s direction and provision -I was able to
let go of my own desire to remain in my Mother’s (and my) home. So now it is resolved and I am back to my home in Ma. where I can assist my husband which he really needs.
There are other specific ways I find refuge and strength, with health issues and relationships.
“In God we make our boast all day long, and we will praise your name forever.”
This week with the storm coming in I was so tempted to give in to my fear and let it cause distress to me.
However I was able to give this to God and we had a safe trip, even in the midst of the storm. I was blessed by
being with my eldest daughter’s family and enjoy each family member, being so grateful for their gifts.
Today’s reading from ODB is Happy ending, written by Philip Yancey! What a delight to read from Revelation 21,
I saw a new heaven and a new earth. Yes, The Bible begins with the promise of a Redeemer and ends with that same promise- a guarantee of future reality. The end will be the beginning.
I was so touched by seeing his entry to Dee, and today to read his devotional.
Blessings to each of my blog sisters. It has been a week of praise and adoration.
Listening to a beautiful praise song now Hosanna to the Lamb, Derek Jermaine-
Yes, I will give praise and adoration , Hosanna to the Lamb. I will forever sing…
I WAS SO TOUCHED BY THAT, TOO, SHIRLEY. HE HAS ENCOURAGED ME BEFORE AND IT OVERWHELMS ME BECAUSE I HOLD HIM IN SUCH HIGH ESTEEM.