The Secret Garden Chronicles-Sheltered and Protected

I tried to sit in the Secret Garden today, but the chickadees are still trying to build their nest in the birdhouse, and it became quite apparent that I was hampering their progress by my presence in the garden.

I tried to just sit real still and quietly, but as soon as they saw me there they started chattering back and forth...and looking at me, and then flying around to other limbs, and the birdie with the nesting materials in her mouth just would NOT go in the birdhouse as long as I remained sitting there.

And then a bug dropped on me from the tree above that looked too much like a tick or small spider or something...I didn't let it stay on me long enough to get it's entomological identification...I quickly brushed him off, checked myself for other bugs, gathered up my stuff and decided to move to the front porch.  The porch has been rather sadly neglected since I developed the Secret Garden.  So I thought this would be a good time to enjoy it before the weather gets too hot to sit out there!

So, as I sat there on the porch trying to "relax" and get focused on what the Lord would say to me today...it took me a few minutes to adjust to my new surroundings...and finally I just had to pray...

"Lord, help me to focus my thoughts and attention on YOU and YOU alone!"

I had written down this verse the other day when I saw it referred to in one of my daily devotions:

"And He (God) said, 

'My Presence will go with you,

and I will give you rest.'"

Exodus 33:14

Rest is my "One Word" for this year, and so I know that is why this verse caught my attention.  I love what God is saying actually to Moses here, when the Israelites were wandering in the wilderness after escaping Egypt.  I am sure Moses needed to find rest as he was under so much pressure from the people on every side. What a comfort this must have been to Moses, to hear God tell him that His Presence would go with him, and that He would give him rest.  

And then further down, in verses 18-23, Moses had asked the Lord if He would please show him His glory...and God explained to Moses that "no man shall see Me, and live..." (verse 20), but God did something very special for Moses in verses 21-23. 

21.  "And the Lord said, 'Here is a place by Me,

and you shall stand on the rock.

22.  So it shall be, while My glory passes by, 

that I will put you in the cleft of the rock, and cover you

with My hand while I pass by.

23.  Then I will take away My hand, and you shall see 

My back, but My face shall not be seen."

I love how God did not put Moses down for asking this special request, but instead He placed Moses in a safe place, actually right beside Him, and He covered Moses with His hand while He passed by so that Moses would not die...and yet he would witness the Lord passing by. God must have loved Moses very much, don't you think?

Also, in another place, Isaiah 51, verse 16, God tells Isaiah

"I have covered you with the shadow of My hand."

Perhaps this is the message God is wanting to get across to me (and maybe you) today...nothing too deep or profound...just to know that He is sheltering me here, in the "cleft of the rock", "under the shadow of His hand"...

Isaiah 51:12-13 further tells me this:

12.  "I, even I, am He who comforts you.

Who are you that you should be afraid 

of a man who will die,

and of the son of a man who will be made like grass?

13.  And you forget the Lord your Maker,

Who stretched out the heavens

and laid the foundations of the earth..."

Yes,, Lord, sometimes I DO give in to fears...not so much the BIG fears of life, but often the little insignificant fears that nag at my mind...stupid stuff  (like bugs falling out of trees?...Well maybe it's okay to be a little afraid of that, isn't it Lord???)

Well, maybe I do worry about some of the big stuff too...like getting older, health concerns for myself and/or my hubby, financial issues, etc....

Psalm 71 reminds me in David's "Prayer for Old Age"

5.  "For You are my hope, O Lord God;

You are my trust from my youth.

6.  By You I have been upheld from birth;

You are He who took me out of my mother's womb.

My praise shall be continually of You."

9.  "Do not cast me off in the time of old age;

Do not forsake me when my strength fails.

17.  "O God, You have taught me from my youth;

and to this day I declare Your wondrous works.

18.  Now also when I am old and grayheaded ,

O God, do not forsake me,

Until I declare Your strength to this generation,

Your power to everyone who is to come."

As most of you know by now, I love to include old hymns with these posts, because often as I am writing the Lord reminds me of a song and I can't stop until I've looked it up and sung it for all to hear...(probably what keeps scaring the birds away...), but today this song blessed my heart as I read about God hiding Moses in the cleft of the rock...and I wanted to share it with you.  

Click on THIS LINK to sing along with The Haven of Rest Quartet as they sing "He Hideth My Soul", an old favorite by Fanny Crosby.

1. A wonderful Savior is Jesus my Lord,
   A wonderful Savior to me;
   He hideth my soul in the cleft of the rock,
   Where rivers of pleasure I see.
   • Refrain:
     He hideth my soul in the cleft of the rock,
     That shadows a dry, thirsty land;
     He hideth my life in the depths of His love,
     And covers me there with His hand,
     And covers me there with His hand.
2. A wonderful Savior is Jesus my Lord,
   He taketh my burden away,
   He holdeth me up and I shall not be moved,
   He giveth me strength as my day.
3. With numberless blessings each moment He crowns,
   And filled with His fullness divine,
   I sing in my rapture, oh, glory to God!
   For such a Redeemer as mine.
4. When clothed with His brightness transported I rise
   To meet Him in clouds of the sky,
   His perfect salvation, His wonderful love,
   I’ll shout with the millions on high.

I'm sorry that video didn't include all of the verses, but you can keep singing now that you know the tune!

I pray that today you will feel the wonderful protection of the Lord over your life, as He shelters you in the cleft of the rock, and covers you there with His hand!  We are so blessed to be His children! Amen?  Praise God!!  Have a beautifully blessed day, my friends.

Senior Moments ??

"I have become as a wonder to many, but You are my strong refuge.  Let my mouth be filled with Your praise and with Your glory all the day.  Do not cast me off in the time of old age; do not forsake me when my strength fails..."  Psalm 71: 7-9

This picture says it all.

The 71st Psalm is entitled (in my Bible) "A Prayer for Old Age".  I had "old age" on my mind today...what's left of my mind, that is.  It seems as though I had a major senior moment today when one of the young whippersnappers at work asked me if I had prepared a check for "Joe"...and I had no clue who "Joe" was, and certainly no idea as to why he needed a check and for how much...   Then this young smart fella asked me if I remembered a conversation several days ago regarding this "Joe", and the fact that he should be paid for something he apparently did...and I honestly could not remember a word of it.  At that moment I "became a wonder" to this young man.  He could not believe that I could forget such a thing.  However, a word in my favor...I never received any written confirmation of this request, and therefore, I am not held responsible for writing checks without written requests and backup information. So I was saved.  God was my strong refuge...He gave me a way out...and my mouth IS filled with His praise!

But the fact remains startingly clear...I truly did not remember this conversation until after being prodded (hit over the head practically)...and that is what troubles me. Now, I could make lots of excuses, like I have been working through some major work related projects, stressful meetings, huge responsibilities and constant demands for my attention to many details beyond the normal scope of my usual load. I recently took a brief vacation out of state to visit my son who has cancer and to celebrate my grandson's 13th birthday.  I'm still playing catch up at work and at home as a result of that excursion. (It was well worth the extra work to spend that time with my family...regardless of the mess on my desk when I returned).

"Do not cast me off in the time of old age; Do not forsake me when my strength fails. For my enemies speak against me; and those who lie in wait for my life take counsel together, saying, "God has forsaken him; (her) Pursue and take him, for there is none to deliver him."  Psalm 71:9-11

Actually, I am not fearing for my job or my sanity at this point.  I know that God is with me...and He will NOT forsake me either way.  But in this day and age one can see how quickly people can lose their jobs for the simplest of reasons...and we know that we are all like a "dime a dozen" when there are so many younger, smarter people out there begging for work.  So when these "senior moments" come along it makes us stop and think..."Could I be slipping mentally?" (no comments from the peanut gallery out there please).  "Am I really getting to the point where I need to consider retirement?"  "But Lord, I still have too many bills to pay and need to keep working for at least XX number of years so we can survive..."

"But I will hope continually, and will praise You yet more and more.  My mouth shall tell of Your righteousness and Your salvation all the day, for I do not know their limits.  I will go in the strength of the Lord GOD; I will make mention of Your righteousness, of Yours only."  Psalm 71:14-16.

"O God, You have taught me from my youth; and to this day I declare Your wondrous works.  Now also when I am old and grayheaded (almost), O God, do not forsake me, until I declare Your strength to this generation, Your power to everyone who is to come." Psalm 71:17-18.

I know that God is still in control of my life...whether I work or whether I find that I just can't continue on.  I am secure in Him.  He, who has brought me this far in life, will not fail me now when I start to fail.

"You, who have shown me great and severe troubles, shall revive me again from the depths of the earth.  You shall increase my greatness, and comfort me on every side." Psalm 71:20-21.

"Also with the lute I will praise You, and Your faithfulness, O my God!  To You I will sing with the harp, O Holy One of Israel.  My lips shall greatly rejoice when I sing to You, and my soul, which You have redeemed." Psalm 71:22-23

Yes, I will continue to praise my God and Savior no matter what...as long as I have breath (and a sound mind).  (Maybe even when I don't have a sound mind...I will still praise Him). 

"In God I have put my trust; I will not be afraid.  What can man do to me?"  Psalm 56:11

Thank you for listening as I worked this out.  I was trying not to let it bother me...but I guess it did. That's why this blog is such good therapy for me.  It forces me to think these things through and explore it through the eyes of God. When I put these issues under the microscope of God's Word, I realize that I have nothing to fear...no matter what.  Amen?

I hope you have this same confidence and hope in the Lord.  It sure does help! 

"In You, O Lord, I put my trust; Let me never be put to shame."  Psalm 71:1

Senior Moments? Bah Humbug!!