Sunday, January 13, 2013

My Source of Help: Not Allowing Satan to Steal My Joy - A Treasured Moments Devotional



Psalm 121
I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
    where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord,
    the Maker of heaven and earth.
He will not let your foot slip—
    he who watches over you will not slumber;
indeed, he who watches over Israel
    will neither slumber nor sleep.
The Lord watches over you—
    the Lord is your shade at your right hand;
the sun will not harm you by day,
    nor the moon by night.
The Lord will keep you from all harm—
    he will watch over your life;
the Lord will watch over your coming and going
    both now and forevermore.---  NIV translation via BibleGateway


The words of Psalm 121 wrap around my heart with such a warm and tender embrace as I read that my Lord is the source of my help (vs. 2) and protection (vs. 7). To know that He is with me both now and forevermore (vs. 8) floods my soul with His amazing peace and comfort.

I had difficulty sleeping last night due to the burning sensation in my left knee, which is caused by nerve damage from my knee surgery over a year and a half ago. I awoke to even more pain. My Fibromyalgia flares-up when my body does not get the proper rest it needs. The damp, cold rainy weather also causes my Lupus to flare-up while the change in barometric pressure often triggers migraines. Can you see how very tempting it would have been for me to take my pain medication, which makes me sleepy, and burrow back under the warm, comforting covers this morning rather than to jostle about as I prepared myself to attend church services? Believe me, the thought was very enticing.

If I had given into the temptation to stay nestled in bed this morning, I would have missed out on all of the wonderful blessings God had planned for me from the worship songs that stirred my heart (one of which I have shared below in the hopes that it will also encourage you), to hugs and precious moments spent with friends: dear women of faith, to our pastor's wonderful sermon on making a choice to resist temptation, to soul-searching prayers of healing. If I had chosen to give in to the temptation to stay home, Satan would have won a victory today and he would have stolen my joy.

Does this mean that my body no longer aches? To the contrary, my body is in even more excruciating pain this afternoon. Yet, my soul is filled to overflowing with God's merciful love, His never-ending joy, and His unfathomable peace. In my time of pain, God is my source of help both now and forevermore. Spending time with my Lord and Savior helped to renew my strength and resolve so that I can overcome the pain and continue to be the mom my son needs me to be and the encourager God has called me to be. May you know Him this intimately as well, dear one. He longs to be your source of help and protection, as well, both now and forevermore.


  

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