Psalm 7:2-3, 9-12 ~ O searcher of heart and soul

 

(Not Aunt Eloise's art)

Psalm 7:2-3, 9-12

2  O Lord, my God, in you I take refuge.

O LORD, my God, in you I take refuge;

save me from all my pursuers and rescue me,

Lest I become like the lion's prey,

to be torn to pieces, with no one to rescue me.

O Lord, my God, in you I take refuge.

Do me justice, O LORD, because I am just,

and because of the innocence that is mine.

Let the malice of the wicked come to an end,

but sustain the just,

O searcher of heart and soul, O just God.

O Lord, my God, in you I take refuge.

A shield before me is God,

who saves the upright of heart;

A just judge is God,

a God who punishes day by day.

O Lord, my God, in you I take refuge.

We don't really listen to melodious melodies. We don't often listen to the sounds of birds. Or even a rainstorm.  Instead, we entertain ourselves with noise and constant inputs.  And from time to time, have stress we don't always understand. There is no condemnation in Jesus Christ. 

God of Love

God of Encouragement

And His Word reveals Himself to our core

Proverbs 3:25 

 “Do not be afraid of sudden panic, 

or 

of the storm that strikes the wicked

For the LORD will be your confidence

 and 

will keep your foot from being caught.”

My great aunt, Eloise, had a prayer beside her front door.  The gardener, the chef, the farm in her yard, the painter, the student of painting, the needle pointer, the weaver of wool thread, the knitter.  The Church Shepherd bringing meals to those in need. The wife. The speaker.  The daughter, the sister to her younger sister, my grandmother since she was a toddler, sewing teacher, dry goods advisor and sales. Smocking guide and doer. The mother.  The quilter.  The hospitality to family in need.  The conversationalist. A ready help.

Aunt Eloise's prayer next to her front door and beside the staircase:

Lord, My God, Be with me today, 

Father, I shall be very busy. 

Do not forget me. 

I need You, Father.  

In Jesus Christ, Amen.

It is an old Scottish Gaelic prayer and isn't spelled in the vernacular of today. 

The Prayer is on a rust piece of roofing slate and the color yellow Ochre for the words.  When quoting the prayer, it isn't touching to read it exactly, with the inflections, as it is in her place, in her home. Aunt Eloise told me she placed the prayer, to have the daylight of the front door illuminate the prayer. It was very dear to her.   And she placed it on the staircase to rise above the business and the self-care.

Sincerity to the Lord is in the heart. And His Heart is always open to real and earnest prayer. 

2 Timothy 1:5

I am reminded of your sincere faith,

 a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother

 Lois 

and your mother Eunice and 

now, 

I am sure, dwells in you as well.

If we lead busy lives. If we lead lives to wander and, yet, not to be lost.  We should, each day, consider how those we love will remember us. 

I'll be sittin' when the evenin' come 

Watching the ships roll in 

And then I watch 'em roll away again, 

yeah I'm sittin' on the dock of the bay 

Watching the tide roll away 

I'm just sittin' on the dock of the bay

Everything still remains the same 

I can't do what ten people tell me to do 

So I guess I'll remain the same, yes

Aunt Eloise passed on when I was in college. She led a life of being actively busy, planning, active doing, generosity, boundaries, starts and stops due to her convictions. With her flaws, we all have. She definitely did not want a Church meal brought to her.  And no one would remember Eloise without remembering her faith and her care.  I came across the Scripture, 2 Timothy 1:5 when she was dying. And wept with sorrow and joy to have had my Aunt Eloise live in my years. 

In her quiet, widow years, Aunt Eloise painted more and more. I remember and know almost all of her family has her paintings. The really well done, good paintings ... did not have a signature because she had help from her instructor.  These were the paintings we had discussions over and locators to the fore. And, you may be certain, we wrote her name on the back. 

We all have times we feel sad. Stressed, weepy or emotional.  Or simply have fears. To have so much being input, we feel blasé about sorting it all out. Overwhelmed. Disinterested. Slogging on. 

The Lord gives us His Word, He understands. 

Stands ready to be Help, Helper, Comfort and Comforter. 

And in this, we say, we know, we understand.  And remember, we can't quote His Word saying, “Are you weeping. Oh, pathetic. Oh, My Father, are you whining again. My Heavens. Wailing, Weeping, Whining, Woo. Poor you.” Nope, that is not Jesus Christ, Son of God, Deliverer.  

Aunt Eloise and Grandmother believed, we can't judge if Jews, Canadians, French, Germans or Baptists or Pentecostals go to Heaven. Jesus gets to decide. (The first part was true, and it was the humor. H U M O R. Aunt Eloise was married to a devoted Baptist, Cary. Grandmother loved Confucius and wanted to see when he was introduced to Jesus Christ in His Kingdom.)  And we all have our days of being down, but we all go on. We press forward.

We live on every Word of God.  It's ok to condense and apply correctly.

Proverbs 3:25 

Do not be afraid of sudden panic

Faith. Stay in Faith.

Philippians 4:1

 Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, 

my joy and crown, 

stand firm thus in the Lord, 

my beloved.

Abba, Father,

In the Name of Jesus Christ,

our Savior,

Your Only Son,

We pray for those needs

we have daily.

Thanking You,

Your Gate is always open

and Your Heart to our

Prayers is Open.

We pray

for

worldwide Peace.

We pray

For Freedom.

We saw lost for the last 4 years. 

Freedom grows again

as

a Light to the world.

We pray

evil

departs

and is gone

for 

ALL

our lives.

In Jesus, we ask Your Blessing of Goodness 

for

ALL.

We pray for the safety

of the children

at all ages.

Healthcare

is Care.

Educators

and Educations

Safe and Loving

in Health

and Soul 

for 

our children

of

ALL ages.

We pray for

those who

Govern

to Govern

with Love in their Hearts

and not control, power or greed.

Malice

to

be 

stopped.

We pray over

Housing

for our

Nation

will be for

Families

and Home Ownership.

Not lost

in old age.

We pray

for the 

good growth

of Science

and Technology

and Health

to be 

Philanthropic

and not control.

We thank You

for revealing

Good is Good

and evil grows in evil.

Let the Righteous

Prevail.

Help us

in our

human need

not

to allow

self-pity

guide us

in harm

false words

cruelty

as a crutch.

To become

Lights

and not darkness.

We pray

for the weather

to be more stable

as we stabilize

Safety for all children

Care for one another

The Promotion of Goodness

the turning away from evil

The ability to provide for families

and their needs.

For Hope 

within the Culture.

And kindness and Love

Good Health

to

dwell

in us

asking for You

to dwell in those we love.

Let the Light

of Jesus Christ

shine more brightly.

The Love.

The Light.

The Peace.

For

ALL.

And in Jesus 

This Hope.

Faith and Love 

- we will rise up 

Believing Jesus.

Amen

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

Yes Bless the Lord Jesus

Thank You Jesus