Psalm 5:11

I was encouraged by this thought from www.365Promises.com

 

Psalm 5:11 KJV
11 But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy,
because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee.

“Promise #199: I will blanket My protection over all who trust in Me.

In the NLT & NIV Bible versions of this verse, the psalmist asks God to ‘spread His protection over them‘. The Amplified Bible says ‘make a covering over them’. When I think of this promise, I imagine that Papa God spreads a huge canopy, a nice warm comforting blanket over us that provides warmth, protection and shelter all the days of our life.

The knowledge of a loving God that is brooding over us and protecting us will cause us to trust Him even more and fill us to overflowing with unspeakable joy. I chose this particular photo of cloud cover to remind me that just as the clouds can shield us from the heat of the sun’s rays, so God’s love covers us and shields us from the harshness that life can bring our way.  May each one of us snuggle under the blanket of God’s protecting love today and may our hearts be filled with joy knowing that we are safe and secure today and for the rest of our lives.”
Photo by Barry Adams

 

This quote was challenging to me this morning:

 

“The dominant characteristic of an authentic spiritual life is the gratitude that flows from trust—not only for all the gifts that I receive from God, but gratitude for all the suffering. Because in that purifying experience, suffering has often been the shortest path to intimacy with God. -Brennan Manning

 

 

My prayer today–

Father, I pray that You would help me to GENUINELY have a heart of gratitude, even especially and specifically for the suffering You are allowing in my life right now. It’s easy to be thankful and cheerful when things are going well and prayers get answered the way we desire.  I’m asking You to do a supernatural work in my heart, please change me Lord and conform me to the image of Your Son.  Please help me to be HONESTLY, DOWN-DEEP THANKFUL for this constant invisible tourniquet sensation on my arm and for the cancer, the treatment, and all this seemingly awful, rough stuff—knowing that YOU are the One  orchestrating all that You allow in my life and You are always loving, wise, and kind. I know You are the only One Who can take it all away and so far You have not chosen to do that.   Oh, how  I wish you would, Lord!  I am pleading with You to do that, asking in the name of Jesus for You to do that, crying out to You continually.  So far it seems You’ve either been saying “no” or “wait” to most of my prayers.  You must have a better plan for me than healing and relief from the arm pain, at least for right now.   Please help me to trust You completely, purify me, draw me into sweet intimacy with You; loving You will all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength–nothing held back.  Please help me not to waste a single thing You have for me in all of this, including the lessons and joys  that suffering can teach a child of God who is fully yielded to her Savior.  Please give me the grace I need.  Please help me to be brave and strong IN CHRIST instead of scared and weak like I am in my own flesh–make me completely soft and supple and surrendered in Your Hands.  I pray for joy, for peace, for contentment, for endurance, and patience–for all my hope and expectations to be all wrapped up in Jesus Christ alone.  I can’t do that work in me but YOU CAN, LORD.  I let go, I let go, I let go of my life Lord, and how I want things to be, and cling to You alone. 

In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

 

God’s Beloved bald-headed Paula  🙂