What Do You See Outside YOUR Open Window Today?

What Do You See Outside YOUR Open Window Today?
Remember: "When God closes a door, He always opens a window!" You never know what might be out there waiting for you!

Friday, January 27, 2017

The Secret Garden Chronicles-Day 4 "Keep Silence Before Him"

"The Lord is in His holy temple.
Let all the earth keep silence before Him."
Habakkuk 2:20


"Truly my soul silently waits for God.
From Him comes my salvation.

My soul, wait silently for God alone,
for my expectation is from Him."
Psalm 62: 1, 5

Some thoughts on entering "The Secret Place" (Garden)...an excerpt from the book I've been reading entitled "Live Free, The Inner Journey to Healing" by Gayle Belanger, shared with permission of the author. (pages 27-28)

"As you enter the secret place, picture a communion table set just for you and your Lord.  Allow your table to be a joyful place; a place you feel comfortable and safe; a place set up just for you to share your heart and be transparent with Jesus.  This is a time to give Him ALL of you.  Let Him have complete access and recall..."not my will, but yours be done" (Luke 22:42b NIV).


As I opened my heart and mind and soul and ears to what the Lord would say to me today...as I sat silently waiting for Him, I could sense His Presence surrounding me.  I could hear His voice singing in the cooing of the doves in the background, and I could feel His warmth enveloping me as the light of the sun filtered through the cool breeze and shade of the trees over me.  As I sat silently waiting for Him to lead me, I was somewhat distracted by the chattering of a little chickadee...who obviously wasn't sure he wanted me invading his space.


But as I focused on the Lord, and His Presence, and the sweet communion we would share, He directed me to Psalm 37:3-7.... a familiar Psalm for sure, but perhaps He wanted me to see something differently today.

3.  "TRUST in the Lord, and DO GOOD,
DWELL in the land, 
and FEED on His faithfulness.
4.  DELIGHT yourself also in the Lord,
and He shall give you the desires of your heart.
5.  COMMIT your way to the Lord,
TRUST also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass.
6.  He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light
and your justice as the noon day.
7.  REST in the Lord, and WAIT PATIENTLY for Him.
DO NOT FRET because of him who prospers in his way.

As I read through these verses I noticed that there were 10 commands from the Lord...action words for me to perform.  I wrote those "commands" in all caps above.   Then I was directed down to verse 23-24, which is where I understood that God meant the above to be the STEPS of a good man (or woman)

23.  The STEPS of a good man (woman) 
are ordered by the Lord,
and He (God) delights in his way.
24. Though he (she) fall, he shall not be utterly cast down,
for the LORD UPHOLDS him WITH HIS HAND!!

As we learn to walk with the Lord, these will be our STEPS, and God will DELIGHT in the way we are walking with Him!  And even if we should fail, He will uphold us with His very own hand! Now that's a comforting thought.

Then I went on to read verses 25-26:

25.  I have been young, and now am old;
Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his descendants begging bread.
26.  He is ever merciful and lends;
and his descendants are blessed."

I always had misinterpreted the "He" in verse 26 to mean GOD, but as I read it today I realized that it was talking about "the righteous" man ...is ever merciful and lends.  We, God's people, (me) are to be merciful and "lend"--be generous and kind, show mercy to others...and our own descendants will be blessed.  In other words, don't be selfish with what we have been given, even though we may not feel that we have much...but be kind and merciful and our own descendants will be blessed.  

Verse 37 says:

"Mark the blameless man,
and observe the upright;
for the future of that man is PEACE."

Who doesn't long for PEACE?  Follow the STEPS of a good man/woman, and you will find PEACE.

Thank You, Lord, for shedding a new light on these passages today.  Today I want my steps to be ordered by YOU...I want to:

  1. TRUST in the Lord
  2. DO GOOD
  3. DWELL in the land
  4. FEED on His faithfulness
  5. DELIGHT myself in Him
  6. COMMIT my way to Him
  7. TRUST in Him again!!!  (He mentions the TRUST word twice! Must be important!)
  8. REST in the Lord, (which literally means to "be silent to the Lord)*
  9. WAIT PATIENTLY for Him
  10. DO NOT FRET
* Reference to Psalm 62:1 "Truly my soul silently waits for God..."


"Truly my soul silently waits for God.
From Him comes my salvation.

My soul, wait silently for God alone,
for my expectation is from Him."
Psalm 62: 1, 5

Amen

Here are a few pictures from in and around the Secret Garden today that I think will bless you as we delight ourselves in the Lord....spring is coming!  Have a blessed day in the Lord, my friends.












18 comments:

  1. Your Chronicles are fast becoming one of my daily devotions. I did go back and read that scripture several times. Like you I had always thought it was God speaking but now must agree with you, it is the righteous man(woman). The Secret Garden is a beautiful place to meet with God each day.

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    1. Thank you for confirming my thoughts on this today...I think I assumed it was God because it was a capitalized HE, but it is also the beginning of a new sentence, and it follows vs. 25 "his descendants", etc. So we both learned something new today! Thank you for following along with me as the Lord is leading in these Chronicles. I pray He will help me to continue with this for as long as He leads and I am able. This is a new discipline for me to do this every day like this...and it is fast becoming such a blessing that I find myself wanting to get out there to the Secret Garden right away...but I have to consider my husband and other responsibilities before I do that...God is helping me. Thank you so much for your encouraging words.

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  2. Pam : As I read this I post, I had a peace come over me that relieved my heart after a few frustrations that came into my life this afternoon and evening. I love the Psalms. Blessings on you.

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    1. Praise the Lord that He is working even through this humble vessel. May the Lord continue to relieve your heart and give you the grace you need to get through the frustrations that come along. I am in awe of what the Lord is doing right here and now. May you be blessed and comforted by His Word.

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  3. Pam, I do hope that at some future date you would consider doing a book of your days chronicled in the Secret Garden. I am so enjoying your posts each day.

    FRET NOT...that would be a command I would have to work at, but I am learning that as I learn better to rest in Him that the FRET NOT isn't as hard.

    xx
    Dianna

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    1. Dear Dianna, Thank you for your words of encouragement and kindness. I don't know if the Lord would lead me to put this into a "real book"...I just pray He will use it for His honor and glory here and now and if there is a future ministry in this, may He lead the way and open the doors as He wills. I am thankful that the Lord is ministering to you in this! Fret Not, indeed! We all need that reminder from time to time...some of us oftener than others. Isn't our God and awesome God? He knows how to reach us in so many ways. God bless you my friend. I'm so glad you came back!

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  4. Spring is indeed coming to Florida (your photos are wonderful!), but not yet to Georgia, Pamela. Your scripture shared here and your insights breathe life into me, reminding me that we can always allow our amazing God to speak to us in a fresh perspective and appreciation as we continue this walk of faith with Him.
    Blessings, my friend!

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    1. Thank you, Martha Jane, for your kind words and encouragement. It is such a blessing to me to see that God is indeed using this vessel for His glory...and to know that this is touching lives even as it is touching my life...Our God is an awesome God! I'm sorry spring hasn't arrived yet in GA., and I am concerned that we are being teased here in Florida, thinking it is here, and then winter will show back up. It's going to be chilly these next few days...but hopefully not freezing. Yes, Our God is amazing...and His messages are new every day...even when we think it's old...He makes it new again! I love what He is doing. Praise God!!

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  5. God is using you in a mighty way, I pray you continue in your Chronicles. I am blessed by the words you wrote. Some of it went along with my morning devotion, waiting on the Lord patiently, doing His will, trusting! As the author in my devotional said, Patience is a high way of doing God's will.
    Have a great weekend and may God bless you!

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    1. We humans tend to have a difficult time with the waiting patiently part...at least I know I do. So this is a good training experience for me as well. Thank you for your words of encouragement and prayers. I thank the Lord for you.

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  6. I'm loving reading your Chronicles of your Secret Garden. God certainly speaks to you so beautifully.

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    1. I am thankful for this new discipline and exercise the Lord is giving me. I needed it...and I am so happy that it is blessing others as well. Thank you for your encouragement. Praying for you!!

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  7. Pam, I appreciate how you share your insights from your Scripture reading. It's amazing how the Holy Spirit opens our eyes at times to see new insights in the Word. The pictures of your garden are amazing--spring is beginning come to Florida. In Iowa, I still have a couple months (at least) to wait.

    Blessings!

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    1. Thank you Kim, for your kind words and encouragement. Yes, I am amazed at how the Lord works through the simple things of life. This has been a real blessing to me as well! I wish I could send you some springtime sooner. We are actually having a quite chilly day today...feels like winter here! But no snow, thankfully! :) Have a blessed and happy day my friend.

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  8. I am really enjoying these teachings, Pamela! Beautiful pictures too.

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    1. Thank you Sandi. I thank the Lord for His words and wisdom...and I thank Him for you!!!

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  9. Your posts from your beautiful (not so) Secret Garden are such a blessing. Thank you!

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    1. "It is no secret...what God can do..." Remember that song? God is blessing here...and I give Him praise. This is His work. Thank you for being a part of this with me.

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