Tuesday, April 26, 2011

"Support and Stronghold"

Last night we had rain and thunderstorms and tornado warnings in our area! This morning as I drove to work I saw a fence damaged from the storm, limbs everywhere, someone told me of trees that had been uprooted, the wind had blown fiercly things off our porches and garages!
So many times in our lives "great storms, (TRIALS), come in our lives and we seem to think all our support is gone! But, we must remember in whatever we face, God will give us the grace to face it, and He is our support and stronghold! God gives us so many verses of scripture on this for us!
Scriptures:
1. (2 Samuel 22:19): "They confronted me in the day of my calamity, But the Lord was my support."
(This verse speaks of David explaining how God reached down from heaven to save him on the earth! David's Psalm of Deliverance-Chapter 22)
2. (2 Samuel 22:3): "My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge; My savior, You save me from violence."
(In this verse David extols God as his defense, refuge, and deliverer in the many experiences of his agitated life.)
3. (Psalm 9:9-10):"The Lord also will be a stronghold for the oppressed, A stronghold in times of trouble. And those who know Your name will put their trust in You, For You, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You,"
( These verses speak of God's gracious dealings with dependent disciples.)
4. (Psalm 59:9): "Because of his strength I will watch for You,, For God is my stronghold."
(Verse from Chapter 59 on Prayer for Deliverance from Enemies, When Saul sent men they watched the house in order to kill David.)
5. (Psalm 62:2): "He only is my rock and my salvation, My stronghold; I shall not be greatly shaken."
(In this verse David's absence from his homeland compounds his feelings of discouragement and exhaustion. David's hope and courage were failing. David expresses his disregard of personal autonomy and his reliance on his God in this metaphor for refuge.)
6.(Proverbs 10:29): "The way of the Lord is a stronghold to the upright, But ruin to the workers of iniquity."
(In this verse,"the way of the Lord,"-this is the spiritual path in which God directs man to walk.)
Lord, I pray that just as a "beam" need support, that I would ever remember that you are my support and my stronghold and that You will help me weather all the storms in my life!