"I was pushed hard, so that I was falling, but the Lord helped me." (Psalm 118:13, ESV)
From what I can gather, the Hebrew here is addressed in the second person. The NASB translates it as, "You pushed me violently so that I was falling, but the Lord helped me." Can I ever say this. Indeed, this is thematic to my testimony. Whether, "hard," or, "violently," most of us have experienced this at some time in life.
As I have shared before, the summer of '70 was the lowest point in my soon-to-be 70 year sojourn on Planet Earth. The death of Stephen Paul was the hardest and most violent push of Satan I have experienced. There is no doubt his intent was, "so that I was falling." And I can tell you, I was indeed falling, falling into a bottomless pit. But, "I waited patiently for the Lord [Jesus Christ]; and He inclined to me, and heard my cry. He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my steps. He has put a new song in my mouth-- praise to our God; many will see it and fear, and will trust in the Lord." I surely pray so.
Bonhoeffer once said, "We might think that God's blessings should always lead into the way of peace and happiness. But this is not always the case. God's blessing can also be the preparation for the fight, the provision for the difficult journey, the enabling for the challenge, the power to face the enemy, and the grace to resist the temptation," grace for the, "pushed hard, so that I was falling." This truth was written in my heart in the summer of '70. Life to that point was relatively "easy." Oh, I had had my setbacks, disappointments, but nothing like what was to come. I am so thankful for grandparents and parents and others in my life who were such a great "preparation for the fight." Moreover, just 4 years before Stephen's passing, I had received the Baptism in the Holy Spirit. Little, or not at all, did I know what four years later would bring. I am so thankful that Jesus does indeed know, "the end from the beginning," which, I can add, includes yours and mine.
I encourage you to walk today in those blessings, "of peace and happiness," that therein you will find Jesus Christ's "preparation for the fight, the provision for the difficult journey, the enabling for the challenge, the power to face the enemy, and the grace to resist the temptation," just as did Dietrich Bonhoeffer---------------------- as he walked to the gallows!
Father, in Jesus' Name, what a marvelous Provider are You. Amen.
From what I can gather, the Hebrew here is addressed in the second person. The NASB translates it as, "You pushed me violently so that I was falling, but the Lord helped me." Can I ever say this. Indeed, this is thematic to my testimony. Whether, "hard," or, "violently," most of us have experienced this at some time in life.
As I have shared before, the summer of '70 was the lowest point in my soon-to-be 70 year sojourn on Planet Earth. The death of Stephen Paul was the hardest and most violent push of Satan I have experienced. There is no doubt his intent was, "so that I was falling." And I can tell you, I was indeed falling, falling into a bottomless pit. But, "I waited patiently for the Lord [Jesus Christ]; and He inclined to me, and heard my cry. He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my steps. He has put a new song in my mouth-- praise to our God; many will see it and fear, and will trust in the Lord." I surely pray so.
Bonhoeffer once said, "We might think that God's blessings should always lead into the way of peace and happiness. But this is not always the case. God's blessing can also be the preparation for the fight, the provision for the difficult journey, the enabling for the challenge, the power to face the enemy, and the grace to resist the temptation," grace for the, "pushed hard, so that I was falling." This truth was written in my heart in the summer of '70. Life to that point was relatively "easy." Oh, I had had my setbacks, disappointments, but nothing like what was to come. I am so thankful for grandparents and parents and others in my life who were such a great "preparation for the fight." Moreover, just 4 years before Stephen's passing, I had received the Baptism in the Holy Spirit. Little, or not at all, did I know what four years later would bring. I am so thankful that Jesus does indeed know, "the end from the beginning," which, I can add, includes yours and mine.
I encourage you to walk today in those blessings, "of peace and happiness," that therein you will find Jesus Christ's "preparation for the fight, the provision for the difficult journey, the enabling for the challenge, the power to face the enemy, and the grace to resist the temptation," just as did Dietrich Bonhoeffer---------------------- as he walked to the gallows!
Father, in Jesus' Name, what a marvelous Provider are You. Amen.
When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"
"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2
"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2
