His Love Endures Forever

Naming my favorite psalm is like being asked to name my favorite food--I like so many different things, even Brussels sprouts. The psalms are the first place I go to in the Bible for comfort food. The psalms of David are especially good stews to chew on, because of the richness his thoughts toward God and his honesty about the complexities of life and faith. David and the other psalmists keep it real.

Psalm 118, since I must pick one for this blog, is like a good Shepherd’s Pie or an Irish boiled dinner (I have to throw at least one St. Patrick’s Day reference in here!). This psalm covers a lot of the ground in my walk with God, and starts with the very thing I am more and more reminded that I lack in my daily life: thankfulness. Then, the comforting and awesome knowledge that God is good, and His love goes to “infinity and beyond!”

Psalm 118 reminds me of the first day I asked for forgiveness and that “he answered me by setting me free” (v. 5). It reminds me that I am not alone--ever! “The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid...he is my helper” (v. 6). If my priorities are messed up, I receive a quick jolt of reality with verses 8 and 9. When I am tempted to stray or placed in a difficult situation, verses 13-14 encourage me with God’s strength and care. I am again reminded, “He is my salvation” (v. 14).

I don’t have to doubt my future, according to verse 17: “I will not die but live, and will proclaim what the Lord has done.” Psalm 118 prophesies about Jesus, the author of salvation: “ The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes” (v. 23).

Verse 24 contains the little ditty we sing in church, say to one another, and preach to ourselves: “This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.”

Verse 25 is a short prayer that reveals the tension we live in: “O Lord, save us; O Lord, grant us success.” I need saving from my own version of success. But, I am blessed whenever I go out “in the name of the Lord” (v. 26).

Psalm 118 closes with the tasty morsels (or Irish pint, depending on your preference) from its beginning: who the Lord is (God), His creation and power, His being worthy of thanks and glory, His forever love, and His goodness (v.28-29).

I was reminded by a friend yesterday by a prayer traditionally attributed to St. Patrick (but probably not written until 300 years after he ministered in Ireland), and this portion of his beautiful words sums up Psalm 118’s message:

“I arise today 〜 Through God’s strength to pilot me, God’s might to uphold me, 
God’s wisdom to guide me, 
God’s eye to look before me, 
God’s ear to hear me, 
God’s word to speak for me, God’s hand to guard me, God’s way to lie before me, God’s shield to protect me, God’s hosts to save me 
〜 From snares of the devil, from temptations of vices, from every one who desires me ill, Afar and near 〜 Alone or in a multitude."

Called to be His Royal Bride by Jenna Vick Silliman

The train arrived in the Redwood City train station at 5:50 a.m. In a rush, as usual, and wearing a dress, nylons and heels, I climbed the three steps of the passenger car with my purse, my lunch sack, and my Bible. Men in black suits, with white shirts and ties, filled the seats all around me. They read the San Francisco Chronicle and I read my Bible.

For one year I commuted to my insurance office job in the city. I was twenty years old and my dad got me the job. I typed information on insurance forms all day—one of the most boring jobs you could ever have—but I grew a lot spiritually that year.

I was not happy at home. My dad had just gone through his second divorce and my three younger siblings and I were not good friends at this point. Most of my friends had gone away to college so I was floundering about who I was and what to do with myself. I didn’t have anyone to talk to—no one except the Lord Jesus that is.

My favorite was Psalms. My heart resonated with the poetic King David crying out to the living God. Each morning I read a page or two of the New Testament, a bit of the Old Testament, and a Psalm.

One day, it was a summer day, the Lord spoke to me through Psalm 45. I was stunned. Could it be true? Could the God of all creation speak to little ol’ me? Yes! There was NO denying it. This particular passage in Psalm 45, verses 10 to 17, jumped off the page and spoke directly to me.

In my New American Standard Bible the heading says “A Song Celebrating the King’s Marriage…A Song of Love.” This is the passage that spoke to me: “Listen, O daughter, give attention and incline your ear; Forget your people and your father’s house: Then the King will desire your beauty; Because He is your Lord, bow down to Him. And the daughter of Tyre will come with a gift; The rich among the people will entreat your favor. The King’s daughter is all glorious within. Her clothing is interwoven with gold. She will be led to the King in embroidered work; The virgins, her pure companions who follow her, will be brought to Thee. They will be led forth with gladness and rejoicing; They will enter into the King’s palace. In place of Thy fathers will be Thy sons; Thou shalt make them princes in all the earth. I will cause Thy name to be remembered in all generations; therefore the peoples will give Thee thanks forever and ever.

My King Jesus spoke to me about being ready as a part of His royal bride, His chosen princess. Just as He called Peter to leave his nets and follow Him, He called me to leave my family and follow Him, day by day. The divine romance between my Lord and I began on the train that summer’s day. Reading now in my old Bible I see I marked down the date, “July 13, 1978.”

Shortly after that, I did leave my family. I rented an upstairs bedroom, for a hundred dollars a month, from a Christian family in a house called The Birch House—right down the street from the train station. Within a few short years I was married and began a family of my own—after twenty-three years of marriage we had one daughter and seven sons! The Lord truly has made them princes, and one princess, in all the earth for they belong to Him too, and they live all over the world. One son lives in Germany, my daughter is in Chicago, and another son is in Redding, California.

The Lord has given me spiritual children as well. I am privileged to help lead a youth group for our church, Deep River. I love those kids like they are my own! I take them with me folk dancing at the Sons of Norway every Sunday night too. We have such a good time together. I tell them I am the biggest kid--after all, I am the tallest at 5’ 8”. Hahaha! I have enjoyed their company in my travels to hear speakers, go shopping, and once we drove to California together to go to Bethel Church for the Open Heavens Conference.

One of the highlights of my Bethel experience was receiving a prophetic word in the healing rooms on Saturday morning. I was stunned to receive Psalm 45—again emphasizing my identity as a part of His beloved royal bride. Whoohoo!

I am good friends with my pastor’s oldest daughter, Camille, age 15. She and I are both the oldest of our siblings, we share a love of dance and colorful, twirly skirts for dancing, and she is also a teacher/leader type, a writer, and a devoted follower of King Jesus. We both love the colors purple and turquoise. One day last summer she told me she was going to paint her bedroom these colors and then paint a rose and a Scripture verse. When I saw her gorgeous art work I shrieked. She inscribed Psalm 45 on her wall!!! I realized another part of Psalm 45 has come true. The Lord has given me these awesome “pure companions.”

For over thirty years I have kept going back to my favorite Psalm, Psalm 45. I also, spiritually, continue to be led forth with gladness and rejoicing to enter into the King’s palace—His very presence! The Lord Jesus loves me and desires my company!

AHA-AHA

The Psalms are good medicine.  They are soothing and inspiring.  They speak to the deepest levels of our lives.  I am not sure I have a favorite.  However, I do have one that I have returned to many, many times in my life.  It's Psalm 70.

I've had a lot of turmoil in my life.  I have had a lot of times when it seemed the whole world was coming crashing down on me.  The first time I used this Psalm as medicine was in Hannibal Missouri.  I've written some about Hannibal on my blog (you can read the beginning of that series on my blog here)- but I've shared with only a few select people the true horrors of Hannibal.  There were destructive people in our lives that I still have a hard time forgiving.  There were days I thought my family would disintegrate.  There were days I thought I'd be alone raising six children.  There were days I despaired for the well being of our youngest child.  All I can say is however horrible you think it was, it was worse.

During that time, every night I'd get out my Bible and read Psalm 70 aloud.  Every night I'd declare "May those who say to me AHA-AHA turn back because of shame."  And with tears streaming down my face I'd cry out to God - Come Quickly!... Do not delay.

In 1997 I returned to this passage for another year long daily recitation and declaration of my needs.  False accusations, a career crumbling, more family issues that most people deal with in a life time within a few short months - death, fire, illness, etc. all while evil people plotted my ruin because I prayed every day.  Sounds dramatic? It's true.  All I knew to do is come back to Psalm 70.  May those who say to me AHA-AHA...

God didn't seem to come fast enough during these two crisis periods of my life, but He did come... and He delivered me.  Those who sought my ruin are a distance (although painful) memory.  They didn't win.  God did.

Andale! Andale! Arriba! Arriba!

O the B-I-B-L-E, yes that’s the book for me! I stand alone on the word of God.

The B-I-B-L-E
O the B-I-B-L-E, I'll take it along with me, I'll read and pray and learn God's way.
The B-I-B-L-E

Sometimes I feel like telling God to Andale! Andale! Arriba! Arriba!  It's scriptural you know?

This week your Kingdom Bloggers will be talking about their favorite book of the Bible and an opportunity to apply it to their life.

I am very partial to the Old Testament or Hebrew Bible.  I love the narratives.  I love the glimpses of God as He forms humans as potter does clay.  I love the picture that He sews clothes for Adam and Eve before they leave the garden.  Reminds me of times I’ve been so mad at my children for something and then turn around and make their favorite cookies or something.  I love the story of creation.  My husband was reading it recently and his comment was that the story of creation is “wondrous.”  It is.

My favorite book of the Bible is Genesis.  It is the book I most love to teach.  As my Hebrew and Hebrew Bible professor used to say, “if you don’t understand Genesis, you don’t understand the Bible.”  I wish you could hear him teach Genesis – you’d love it too.

But an application is harder with the Book of Genesis.  I think that would take a book rather than a blog to explain.  As I thought about this some more, I thought about the book of Psalms.  There have been several times in my life where I have been in great despair.  During many of those times I would turn to Psalms.  I love how the Psalmists start off with their lament but usually, before the Psalm is done, they are praising God again.
 

During these times, I often turned to Psalm 70.  I would read it out loud each morning and again at night.  It became my lament and prayer. 


It reads:

Hasten, O God, to save me; come quickly, LORD, to help me

May those who want to take my life be put to shame and confusion;

may all who desire my ruin be turned back in disgrace.

May those who say to me "Aha! Aha!" turn back because of their shame.

But may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; may those who long for your saving help always say,

"The Lord is great!"

But as for me, I am poor and needy; come quickly to me, O God. You are my help and my deliverer;

Lord do not delay.

I love that "Aha! Aha!" part.  I also love how The Message translates that last verse:

But I've lost it, I'm wasted!

God, quickly! quickly!

Quick to my side, quick to my rescue!

God don't lose a minute.

I have told God Andale! Andale! Arriba! Arriba!  How about you?

It's okay to do that.  The Bible even says it. What are you wishing God would hurry up and do?