Tuesday, May 22, 2012

A Psalm in the Night




Are you wondering why I’m up writing a blog post in the middle of the night? I couldn’t sleep.  Not a common problem for me actually. I usually don’t have too much trouble falling asleep or staying asleep. But tonight there was much on my mind that I could not relax and rest. So what else was there to do but get up and try to clear some of the troublesome thoughts from my mind?

 I came to the computer to check emails and such and found a scripture from a friend. Psalm 37.  Comforting words. Some of the verses that spoke most gently to me were verses 4-5: “Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.”   Delight. The word seems to even taste good as it passes from my lips. I realize that I must begin to delight in the LORD more than I have been recently.   Commit. To put in the charge of. My way must be committed to the LORD…not to myself!  Trust. The firm belief in the reliability of another. If our LORD is not reliable, then we have no hope.

Delight. Commit. Trust. And THEN God will give the desires of our heart and cause our prayers to be answered.  He wants to bless me! He really does! But there are these things that I must do first.

 As I feel my eyelids begin to get heavy, I read another verse. The seventh. “Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.  The words that get my attention here are rest…wait…and fret not. Rest. So often I am still. I am quiet. But I am not resting.  Wait. It’s so hard to be patient and wait on the LORD. I want to see my prayers answered NOW!  But it may not be the right time yet in God’s eyes.  And fret not. Fret means “to gnaw, chafe, wear away, to irritate or be irritated”.  I hate to wear shoes that rub blisters or some kind of clothing that is too tight. It keeps my mind on whatever it is that’s hurting. Sometimes things and situations irritate me just as bad or worse than a blister from an ill fitting shoe! But God says in this verse that I should rest IN HIM and wait patiently FOR HIM and in doing so to fret NOT.

 Why is it that I get so bent out of shape over things that I have no control over? I think tonight that I will soon be able to lie down and sleep.  I believe if I can delight…in the LORD….commit….my way unto the LORD….trust…in HIM…rest…in the LORD…and wait patiently for HIM…that I will be more likely to be able to relax and FRET NOT !

Thank you LORD for reminding me yet again tonight that You ..not me…are the One that is in charge and the One that can change the hearts of men!

Sweet dreams…….

Marilyn

8 comments:

Natalie Monk said...

Love this, Mrs. Marilyn. Those verses have always been special to me. I always feel so tenderly cared for, after being unable to sleep, when the Lord leads me to a scripture that gives me spiritual rest so that I can physically rest. Very ministering post.

elaine @ peace for the journey said...

Trust in the Lord... that's a hard one for me, even though I know He's completely trustworthy! I think it's more active than simply saying "I trust you, Lord." I must actively participate in that trust. You've given me something to think about this morning. Hope you're sleeping in!

peace~elaine

Anonymous said...

Martha Greer: This really hit home with me. I get too impatient and don't rely on God when I should. I pray every day to be able to do His will and not mine. Thanks for this.

Yolanda said...

Sweet dreams.....I pray that they were pleasant and that you awoke in peace and rested. Love you!

Runner Mom said...

This is one of my favorite Scriptures, Marilyn. Thanks for sharing it and for your thoughts that made me ponder. Hope you've caught up on your sleep!
Hugs!
Susan

Positively Alene said...

I love how that translation is plain and simple . . . FRET NOT! Great word for me today friend. I think there is plenty we can give up and over to our Lord. Then sweet friend, we'll find that peaceful rest we so deserve. Blessings!!!

Beth Herring said...

love this post my friend. those scriptures speak power!

Karin said...

Thanks Marilyn! I needed to catch up on your two posts tonight before I go to sleep. I'd love to be able to sleep through the night-time construction noises down the road, those people that walk past our apartment at 3 in the morning - arguing and some young dude skateboarding! That's was woke me last night and I had a hard time getting back to sleep. God is good and knows I need a refreshing sleep!