May 9 - Psalm 27-32

Good morning everyone,

We begin this morning with one of my very favorite Psalms. 27:1 begins, “The Lord is my light and my salvation -  whom shall I fear?” As I sit here listening to the rain literally pour down through a darkened morning sky, reading about the wicked advancing, and war breaking out against me, I am reminded about a time when I felt so lost and alone and I literally did cry out to God to rescue me. Those who know me may have already heard the tale, if so feel free to skip to section “B”.

It happened one rainy morning a few years ago, a huge storm had blown down several trees across the fences of our pasture land the night before, taking out a section of fence making the slightest of exits possible for our, apparently ever searching, cows to escape; and that they did. They went on a walkabout up behind our property into the tree farm’s thousands of acres in quest of the perfect blade of grass or shrub to munch on. When Matt and I realized early in the day they were gone we both took to hiking the many paths that grid the area, each of us (oh please picture this) with a tub of grain in hand shaking it with every step and in our very best cow voice bellowing out “MOOO, MOOO.” Right? Well after a couple of hours searching and not even the slightest clue where they were, Matt had to get back to the house to go to work. I, agreed to stay out and look for them in an effort to get them home.

Like I said before it was raining, and dark and cold and we had been on most of the paths so I got it into my head to go off the beaten path and cut cross the grid in hopes of picking up their trail. BIG mistake! Huge! I had walked maybe fifteen minutes into the center of the grid block of forest when I tripped and fell, rolling over my ankle. When I stood to continue on my way I found that it all looked the same. I was in the middle of a forest picture, if that makes sense. I remember turning from left to right to right quickly, like you would see in a movie trying to find something, anything that looked familiar or give me some clue as to which way to go. There was nothing. I looked up and the sky was just grey giving me no help at all either. I’ll be honest, it was then fear started creeping round the back streets of my mind so I started walking, I was getting really cold and knew I wouldn’t get home just standing there. I walked what felt like forever, then I saw it, and my mind began to whiz. It that? Could it be? It is … the very same tree that tripped me! I had gone in a huge circle. Now fear is no longer on the back street, it is pounding on the door. 

Once more I try to get my bearings, but I got nothing. Once more I started walking, now with a bit of a panic in each step, I was so totally lost, fear really beginning to engulf of me. The terrain is so uneven from clear cutting decades ago, bushes and shrubs growing over downed branches camouflaging them and big pot holes, that it should come as no surprise I fell again. This time with more force. I promise you I lay there on the ground believing a demon of the enemy had stuck out a hand and tripped me. Seriously! I was terrified, I was cold, I was in pain, I was desperate … it crossed my mind that that would be my last day alive. No joking, that is how forlorn the situation was for me. I considered just laying there as I was beyond exhaustion but instead I pulled myself to my knees and prayed for God to help me. I prayed for deliverance from the storm, from the dark and lonely place, I prayed He would guide me and with that I stood and began placing one foot in front of the other. It was only ten maybe twenty steps when I saw a pink trail marker indicating a path, when I reached it I immediately knew where I was, I fell to my knees (on purpose this time) and thanked God then began the half hour trek down the hill back to my house. I had not seen hide nor hair of the cows, and at that point I felt I had done all I could. The whole way home I fervently prayed, asking God to keep me strong enough to get my totally soaked, pruned up, freezing cold, crazy exhausted, self home and to please return the cows for me as I was not able to do that in my own strength. Well, suffice to say, He did see me home, where I wrapped my wet head in a towel, changed out of my saturated clothes and fell on my bed where I quickly fell asleep thanking God for delivering me home safely. Sometime later, I heard a strange noise out my bedroom window. I lifted my head, to see a little bit of sunshine and, yes by golly, everyone of our stinkin’, trouble makin’ cows, grazing lazily on the front lawn. I do not have the words to put to the emotion, the reverence of the Lord, the beauty of His care, the miracle, raw state of emotion, of that moment. Rarely are we allowed such as fine a gift as that. Oh, not just the cows coming home, but the comfort and the peace of God being right there, the total, “I love you my child, I heard your cry. and her I am.” I do know He is here all of the time, I do, but this was so much different. I honestly can not adequately relate it to you but if this is how cool it can be on this weigh station called earth, I can hardly wait to see how awesome it is in heaven.

Section “B”: -)

David knew this, the main thing he wanted in life is to be close to God. What he counted on most in life was that when his days were over he would be in heaven with God. 27:13-14 says, “I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.” To this I say … Amen!

Have a great day, to God be the glory.

God bless you'll