Embrace Bible Study
Tonight I enjoyed sharing the Bible
with friends at our local nursing center.
It’s a privilege to get to know these folks
whose hearts are soft and tender.
The Bible lesson tonight from Psalms
was about how to handle despair.
We all face such emotions at times –
especially during holidays everywhere.
When our families are far away
and we have no way of traveling,
it feels to some they are “trapped”
and their lives are unraveling.
But while Psalm 42 begins in sorrow,
expressing ways life is unfair,
the tone quickly changes to joy
when touting the wonders of prayer.
Psalm 42: 1-8
1 As the deerf pants for streams of water,g
so my soul pantsh for you, my God.
2 My soul thirstsi for God, for the living God.j
When can I gok and meet with God?
3 My tearsl have been my food
day and night,
while people say to me all day long,
“Where is your God?”m
as I pour out my soul:n
how I used to go to the house of Godo
under the protection of the Mighty Oned
with shouts of joyp and praiseq
among the festive throng.r
5 Why, my soul, are you downcast?s
Why so disturbedt within me?
Put your hope in God,u
for I will yet praisev him,
6 My soul is downcast within me;
therefore I will remembery you
from the land of the Jordan,z
the heights of Hermona—from Mount Mizar.
7 Deep calls to deepb
in the roar of your waterfalls;
all your waves and breakers
have swept over me.c
8 By day the Lord directs his love,d
at nighte his songf is with me—
a prayer to the God of my life.g
We talked about the way a waterfall
endlessly sends its spray below
and washes away all debris
in its consistent, cleansing flow.
God does that for each of us
when we turn to Him in prayer.
He washes away despair and
replaces it with love beyond compare.
At night God’s song reverberates
in our souls as we fall asleep.
“Joy to the World” we sang –
His peace is ours to keep.
May the peace of the Baby Jesus
be yours these precious holidays.
Live at peace with others –
and share Christ’s love always!
Tell others about the Good News
and let them know that God’s Word
is your ticket to peace and joy.
Let your actions be love that’s heard.
Lead or join a Bible Study
and let the message come alive
in the way you live each day.
Let’s all help the Good News to thrive.
Amen?
Merry Christmas season, my friends.
Be sure to take time for Bible Study each day…
It’ll brighten your path with the Lord’s Word as a lantern.
Do you have a favorite verse that speaks to you today?
See ya tomorrow (God willing)
Love,
JanBeek
JanBeek 