This morning, I woke up feeling ready to go, wide awake and encouraged for the day ahead. I had gotten just enough sleep last night, and was ready to hit the day with a vengeance. Which was fortunate today, because I had a full day ahead at work teaching school, making lunch, and getting some cleaning out of the way.
Note: The pictures are from a birthday party we had out at a local beach last Sunday evening.
And this evening as I was finishing up, the song Be Unto Your Name got stuck in my head. So as I scrubbed bucket tops, mopped floors, and cleaned out the vacuum (again), I sang.
But some days…I don’t wake up feeling refreshed. Or I plan on doing one thing in my day, and it turns into something else. I don’t appreciate change enough as the medium for blessing it is.
So today, I thought I’d share a few verses that have encouraged me lately, and perhaps would be a blessing to you, too.
“And I was strengthened as the hand of the Lord my God was upon me…” (Ezra 7:28)
“Thou art the Lord the God, who […] hast performed thy words; for thou art righteous:” (Nehemiah 9:7-8)
Cleaning fresh-caught fish
“Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.” (Psalm 43:5)
“It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes.” (Psalm 119:71)
Rain out to sea
“Thou art my hiding place and my shield: I hope in thy word.” (Psalm 119:114)
“They that trust in the Lord shall be as mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever.” (Psalm 125:1)
Fish baking on the fire—yum!
“Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.” (John 7:37-38)
One thing that really struck me when I read through Ezra and Nehemiah within the last month or so was the amount of times the phrase “good hand of our God” appears. I’ve found it at least five times between the two books, and I’m pretty sure there may be a couple more, yet.
And today, I was encouraged with the thought that the “good hand of our God” that was on Ezra and Nehemiah is on us, too. We have hope! He is faithful, and we can commit our ways to Him with confidence!
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