[Faith-talk] Fwd: Morning Thoughts for Thursday, May 26, 2011

[Amy Ragain]

Begin forwarded message:

> From: Stephen Smith <stevesmith1943 at me.com>
> Date: May 26, 2011 7:05:09 AM CDT
> To: Morning Thoughts 1 <stevesmith1943 at me.com>
> Subject: Morning Thoughts for Thursday, May 26, 2011
> 
> Psalms 34:1-19 (NASB)
> The LORD, a Provider and Deliverer.
> A Psalm of David when he feigned madness before Abimelech, who drove him away and he departed.
> [34:1] I will bless the LORD at all times;
> His praise shall continually be in my mouth.
> [2] My soul will make its boast in the LORD;
> The humble will hear it and rejoice.
> [3] O magnify the LORD with me,
> And let us exalt His name together.
> [4] I sought the LORD, and He answered me,
> And delivered me from all my fears.
> [5] They looked to Him and were radiant,
> And their faces will never be ashamed.
> [6] This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him
> And saved him out of all his troubles.
> [7] The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear Him,
> And rescues them.
> [8] O taste and see that the LORD is good;
> How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!
> [9] O fear the LORD, you His saints;
> For to those who fear Him there is no want.
> [10] The young lions do lack and suffer hunger;
> But they who seek the LORD shall not be in want of any good thing.
> [11] Come, you children, listen to me;
> I will teach you the fear of the LORD.
> [12] Who is the man who desires life
> And loves length of days that he may see good?
> [13] Keep your tongue from evil
> And your lips from speaking deceit.
> [14] Depart from evil and do good;
> Seek peace and pursue it.
> [15] The eyes of the LORD are toward the righteous
> And His ears are open to their cry.
> [16] The face of the LORD is against evildoers,
> To cut off the memory of them from the earth.
> [17] The righteous cry, and the LORD hears
> And delivers them out of all their troubles.
> [18] The LORD is near to the brokenhearted
> And saves those who are *crushed in spirit.
> [19] Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
> But the LORD delivers him out of them all.
> 
> Good morning family.  My heart is heavy this morning with awareness of the pain and suffering of so many as search and rescue, and recovery teams try to locate the hundreds of missing folk from the tornadoes of the past week.  This, on top of the hundreds killed in Missouri, Oklahoma and Alabama.  Some of those who are missing, perhaps, are secure in the knowledge of their salvation; some are little children, under the protection of our Loving Father.  Yet their loved ones now live in that state of shock and disbelief, in denial of the possibility of their death.  I've read of two accounts of children being pulled from the clutching arms of their parents, and my mind is drawn to memories of our own loss.  
> 
> In our time of need, Jesus was immediately with us, carrying me, just as in the poem "Footsteps".  Through that turmoil my wife was brought into a renewed and life-changing personal relationship with God, and began a faith-filled seven-year vigil for me.  Those prayers were answered with my own rededication to Christ in 1981.  For the past 30 years, this ride of life with God has taken many turns, somewhat like a roller coaster.  There have been times of great joy and lonely sadness, times when my prayers were answered in ways that pleased me, and in other times when the answer to those prayers was not what I wanted.  But in hind-sight, the answers were always perfect for the journey God set before me.
> 
> Please join me in praying for God's will to be done in the lives of family, friends and loved ones of those currently missing, and for God's Glory to be revealed to the world through the lives of the survivors, even as they are carried through the waiting, and afterwards.
> 
> With great love, appreciation and affection for each of you,
> 
> <3Steve:-))