King David learned how to “encourage himself in the Lord his God” (1 Samuel 30:6, KJV). All of us who follow Christ need to learn this lesson. Since my last couple posts have been a little dark (that’s what my wife said, and I’m sure she’s right), I thought I’d share briefly what has encouraged me in the Lord in the last couple weeks.
1. A new granddaughter.
Chloe Jane was born to our son Andy & his
wife Cheryl on July 5, their fourth. A little early, she weight 5 lb. 13 oz, and was 20.5 inches long. Having a new little one reminds you
of all God’s good gifts.
2. The prayers of God’s people. Four friends sat with me while Dionne was still in the ER, and prayed before they left. My cell phone didn’t get reception in the pre-op section of the hospital, so after they wheeled Dionne into the OR, I walked outside and I found I had 85 texts, mostly from our friends pledging their prayers and support.
3. God’s word. The Lord led me to one of my favorites, Isaiah 41, the other night when I was struggling. Here’s what I read. (The bold is what encouraged me the most.)
8 But you,
Israel, my servant, Jacob,
whom I have chosen, the
offspring of Abraham, my friend;
9 you whom I took from
the ends of the earth, and
called from its farthest corners, saying to you, “You are my servant, I
have chosen you and not cast you off”; 10 fear not, for I am
with you; be
not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I
will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
13 For
I, the Lord your God, hold
your right hand; it is I who say to you, “Fear not, I
am the one who helps you.”
4. Meditating on Jesus’ suffering. I’ll probably write a post on this, but I’ve been thinking a lot about the only time Jesus said anything about His personal pain on the cross:
I thirst (John 19:28). It’s just one word in both Greek and Aramaic. I find it easy to complain about the slightest discomfort, but Jesus said only this word as He was dying. Our Savior knows what it feels like to be overwhelmed, beset by pain and stress and trouble. That’s why He is a sympathetic High Priest and why, in drawing near to Him,
we receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need (Hebrews 4:16).5. Oyster tacos. Okay, I guess this isn’t spiritual, and I realize for some people, eating an oyster seems like a form of torture. But, for me, the oyster tacos at
TJ Oyster Bar (the older, little one) were sublime. I think they did my soul good. I know they did my stomach.
I hope you're encouraged in the Lord!
