DELIVERANCE......

"Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivers them out of them all."
Psalm 34:19

I am inviting you to come and sit and sip a cup of encouragement with me while we journey into the past. I am only going to share a little part of this story; the part that I think might help us garner strength in adversity. A few years ago I found myself walking through a very dark time indeed. I was feeling overwhelmed by shifting emotions and circumstances beyond my control, helplessness coupled with fear settled in. When no one else, including myself, seemed to understand my plight; I knew that the Lord knew not only what I was feeling but what I needed to garner a measure of peace. My only recourse was to cry out to Him for deliverance.

Some days it was difficult to read my Bible or to pray. I mostly lived in the Psalms, God’s beautiful poetry, which often echoed my very hearts cry or emotions. Some days I had to rely on others to pray for me when I could not pray for myself. Some days I simply thumbed through the Psalms scanning all the previously underlined or written beside passages and let them minister to me. Some days the words of a hymn would sustain me. Some days it was just knowing that God’s Word was true, His promises sure, and His peace permanent. Other days it was a hug, a kind word, or a friendly note that kept me going. Some days it was demand of duty and others it was sheer will power and determination. But every day in this time of darkness I found His grace in my time of need. He never left me even in the times of silence. It must have pleased Him, been His will, for me to walk this dark path, yet He sustained me.

He did not remove the duty and demands of each day. He did not move me swiftly through the valley. He did guide me through it, every step of the way. He provided me with nourishment from His Word. He let me express myself freely to Him in prayer. He had a compassionate and understanding heart when no one else understood. He had an ever listening ear when my cry was a feeble as, “God, please help me!” He had an ever present extended hand for me to hold onto and to pull me up when I was down. He had a heart of compassion and eyes full of love that were ever watchful over me. He made Himself evident in the little cups of kindness offered through others. He never hid Himself from me. His deliverance did not happen all at once, but in His timing, it slowly dawned.

No one but God knows the depth of our emotions or our most intimate needs and He is the only one who can really help us. Friends and family support us but it is God who sustains us through all trials. His Word is true and His promises are sure. One such promise that I truly love in His Word is Psalm 34:19 “Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivers them out of them all.” This verse speaks of preservation and deliverance from all. This is one of the verses I literally clung to during my trial.

My prayer is that the following entry penned in my journal on February 3, 2005, will encourage, sustain, and preserve those of you who may be walking through a season of discouragement.

DELIVERANCE

“Father, today, all that I can do

Is to lean wholly and souly upon you

Weak, infirm, and frail I be

All I can do is lean on Thee

My body is sick, my emotions scattered

My feeble attempts at prayer seem to hit the ceiling and shatter

The weather is dreary, dank, and damp

My thoughts drift off to a place where I wish not to camp

Despite the fiery darts of the foe

One truth invades this gloomy state, Jesus loves me so

He will lift me from this pit of slime

He will renew the thoughts of my mind

He will put the Son back in His place

He will return the smile to my face

He will provide for my every need

I have His Word and promises to read

All I need do is sit here quietly and wait

He will show me the path narrow and straight

He will strengthen and patch up my heart

He will repel every fiery dart

"This battle is mine He whispers to me

Be still, wait, watch, and see

Knowing that I am greater than he who desires to have you

Stand firm and pray, this is what I want you to do."

Oh to Him be the glory, honor, and praise

Someday I'll be able to look back on these days

And see the deliverance of His mighty hand

As He moves me from Egypt to the Promised Land

Oh what glory and praise there will be

When from this dark place of bondage I am set free

Oh to watch the work of His hand

And to know that this was all part of His plan

To grow me and stretch me and to strengthen me still

That I would be better equipped to do His will

He may send someone to me who travels in this present dark place

And maybe He will use me to point them to His saving grace

Oh thank You, Father, for letting me

Travel this dark path with Thee

Open my eyes and heart to see and hear

All that You want me to learn while I’m here

Help me to discover Your wisdom and truth

I don’t want to remain an unlearned youth

Or be as the foolish woman in Your Word

Ever learning but never understanding or applying what she has heard

This is my hearts cry, my prayer, my plea

Oh dear Savior, draw me closer to Thee

Though I walk through this valley dark and steep

I know no mountain is too high or pit too deep

For us to travel, traverse, or climb

Especially when my heart and hand is in Thine

To You be the glory, honor, and praise

Even on these, the most difficult of days!”

May your cup of encouragement runneth over with grace, mercy, peace, and divine deliverance in your time of need!
Miss Sandy