Jesus the Lord My Savior Is

Jesus the Lord, my Savior, is

Jesus the Lord, my Savior, is

My shepherd and my God

My light, my strength, my joy, my bliss

And I His grace record.

Whate’er I need in Jesus dwells,

and there it dwells in me.

‘Tis Christ my earthen vessel fills

with treasures rich and free.

Mercy and truth and righteousness

And peace most richly meet

In Jesus Christ, the King of grace,

In whom I stand complete.

As through the wilderness I roam,

His mercies I’ll proclaim.

And when I safely reach my home,

I’ll still adore His name.

“Worthy the Lamb,” shall be my song,

“For He for me was slain.”

And with me all the heavenly throng

Shall join and say, “Amen."

- Sandra McCracken

"The God of my strength, in whom I will trust;
My shield and the horn of my salvation,
My stronghold and my refuge;
My Savior."

- II Samuel 22:3

All the Paths of the Lord are Good

It’s been raining for two days steady. The lake is that curious blend of blue, grey, and green that Sarah Wheaton missed when she moved from Maine to join Jacob, Anna, and Caleb in the Great Plains. A mist hovers over the lake and the winds throw tiny droplets of rain at the windows. Yesterday gave us the first thunderstorm of the spring, but today there is enough chill for one last fire in the fireplace. It’s the perfect weather for sitting inside, drinking tea, reading, writing, and reflecting.

 

“All the paths of the Lord are lovingkindness”

 – Psalm 25:10

 

I’m not sure when the Lord first brought this verse to my attention, but it has been on my heart a lot during the past month. This last year was very different than I would have ever imagined. Different, but not in a bad way.

 

As I’ve noted before, it seems like we set out on the straight and narrow path with a picture of what the Christian life will be like. We imagine what the good will be, how the Lord will bless us, or even what suffering we might have to go through. Somehow, much to our surprise (and sometimes chagrin) it is very different than what we had expected.

 

I find that it’s the same way with many of the verses I read. Almost subconsciously, I find myself expecting how the Lord will teach me the truth of what I just read. Maybe it will be through this, or maybe that will happen. More often than not, His lessons are usually harder and I learn the lesson in a much more significant way. 

 

The further I go, the more I realize that His ways are not our ways (Isaiah 55:8-9), but they are so much better than anything I could have chosen for myself.

 

My job as an EMT is not what I would have chosen. In fact, it was one of those things I told the Lord I would NEVER do. Through working on the ambulance, He has brought me to my knees and shown me anew how sufficient His grace and daily measure of strength really is. He has stretched me in ways I would have never thought possible, demonstrating His utter faithfulness in every last detail.

 

The speaker at a college-age Bible study I attended recently pointed out that, logically, we have no reason to ever doubt God again. The testimonies of His faithfulness in the lives of those recorded in Scripture are more than sufficient proof – not to mention the answered prayers, deliverance, and guidance in our own lives.

 

I should never doubt God again. Yet, in my human finiteness, I do, again and again. And, because of His grace, He proves Himself to me, over and over.

 

All the paths of the Lord are good. I honestly would have doubted that, even two months ago. I was wrestling with God over my future and trying to discover what His plan might be. Was it more school? Was it moving away? Was it both? Was it neither? Was it something entirely different? Was I missing it?

 

Those questions swirled in my head every day, all day as I prayed for grace and strength for each day and the homework, classes, people, and work that awaited me.

 

Looking back, I see He was testing my faith. His path had not disappeared, as I may have wondered, but rather it was revealed very slowly, a single day at a time. He was taking me to a new level of waiting on Him and sifting my heart to show me which desires were His and which were my fleshly ones. He was asking me to trust His promises of guidance, even though it seemed like He wasn’t guiding.

 

My questions aren’t all answered. I don’t know why the Lord brought me through some of the things He did in this past year. I’m not sure what lies ahead, but I do know what He’s called me to do right now: take one step at a time in humble obedience and faith.

 

All the paths of the Lord are good. The KJV says they are “mercy and truth.” His ways are His best for us.

 

The entire verse: “All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth unto such as keep His covenant and His testimonies” (Psalm 25:10). From us, He wants nothing more than our obedience – our demonstration of our love for Him.

 

David begins this Psalm with a humble surrender: “Unto Thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul” (Psalm 25:1).  It begins with surrendering our all to Him and an earnest seeking for His ways. “Show me Thy ways, O Lord; teach me Thy paths. Lead me in Thy truth, and teach me” (Psalm 25:4-5).

 

David realized that God’s way was best. He wanted to be taught the Lord’s ways, to be led in the Lord’s paths. He was willing to give up his own plans, hopes, and dreams and exchange them for something far better: the Lord Himself.

 

“You will show me the path of life;

In Your presence is fullness of joy;

At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”

 – Psalm 16:11

 

On the Heart

Image via Pinterest.

"The life of a Christian ought to be adorned with all virtues,

that he may be on the inside what he appears to be on the outside.

And it should be even better on the inside than on the outside,

for God is a discerner of our hearts."

- Thomas á Kempis

"For the LORD does not see as man sees:

for man looks at the outward appearance, 

but the LORD looks at the heart.”

- I Samuel 16:7

"For the word of God is living and powerful, 

and sharper than any two-edged sword, 

piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow,

 and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart."

- Hebrews 4:12