God, my Exceeding Joy

"Then will I go unto the altar of God, unto God my exceeding joy: yea, upon the harp will I praise thee, O God my God." Psalm 43:4

Name:
Location: Oregon, United States

I met my husband while I was a missionary in Hong Kong. He had swum out of China after the Cultural Revolution. We have been married 32 years and have four children (2 biological and 2 adopted), ages 22-30. My mother also lives with us (she just turned 90). I am truly a blessed woman.

Thursday, August 30, 2007

Solace, Security, Satisfaction

Today's entry from Faith's Checkbook by Spurgeon, was a real encouragement to me. Here it is for you to enjoy with me.

Solace, Security, Satisfaction

Although my house be not so with God; yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure: for this is all my salvation, and all my desire, although he make it not to grow. (2 Samuel 23:5)

This is not so much one promise as an aggregate of promises—a box of pearls. the covenant is the ark which contains all things.

These are the last words of David, but they may be mine today. Here is a sigh: things are not with me and mine as I could wish; there are trials, cares, and sins. These make the pillow hard.

Here is a solace—"He hath made with me an everlasting covenant." Jehovah has pledged Himself to me, and sealed the compact with the blood of Jesus. I am bound to my God and my God to me.

This brings into prominence a security, since this covenant is everlasting, well ordered, and sure. There is nothing to fear from the lapse of time, the failure of some forgotten point, or the natural uncertainty of things. The covenant is a rocky foundation to build on for life or for death.

David feels satisfaction: he wants no more for salvation or delectation. He is delivered, and he is delighted. The covenant is all a man can desire.

O my soul, turn thou this day to thy Lord Jesus, whom the great Lord has given to be a covenant to the people. Take Him to be thine all in all.

Saturday, August 25, 2007

Rejoice

Today marks our 28th wedding anniversary. That hardly seems possible in many ways, and yet at the same time much has taken place in those 28 years. As I think back over all the events that even led to Samuel and I meeting each other halfway around the world, I stand in awe at God's wonderful grace and guidance and sovereignty in everything! It is good to have special times of remembering what He has done for us.

Today's reading in Daily Light seemed written for us as we rejoice together in what God has done.

I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul

shall be joyful in my God.

I WILL bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make her boast in the LORD: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad. O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together.--The LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly. O LORD of hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in thee.--Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.

Is any merry? let him sing psalms.--Be filled with the Spirit; speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; giving thanks always for all things.--Singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

At midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.--Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.


ISA. 61. 10. Ps 34. 1-3.--Ps. 84. 11, 12.--
Ps. 103. 1. Ja. 5. 13.--Ep. 5. 18-20.--
Col. 3. 16. Ac. 16. 25.--Phi. 4. 4.

Saturday, August 18, 2007

How Great Thou Art!

I was quite overwhelmed as I read the verses from this morning's page in Daily Light.

What God is there in heaven or in earth,

that can do according to thy works,
and according to thy might?

W HO in the heaven can be compared unto the LORD? who among the sons of the mighty can be likened unto the LORD? O LORD God of hosts, who is a strong LORD like unto thee? or to thy faithfulness round about thee?--Among the gods there is none like unto thee, O Lord; neither are there any works like unto thy works.--For thy word's sake, and according to thine own heart, hast thou done all these great things, to make thy servant know them. Wherefore thou art great, O LORD God: for there is none like thee, neither is there any God beside thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears.

Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit.--The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children.

DEUT. 3. 24. Ps. 89. 6, 8.--Ps. 86. 8.--
2 Sa. 7. 21, 22. 1 Co. 2. 9, 10.--De. 29. 29.

Truly our God is great and greatly to be praised!

Friday, August 17, 2007

God's Mercy

What an encouragement to me it was to read the following from Spurgeon this morning:


"The mercy of God."—Psalm 52:8.

EDITATE a little on this mercy of the Lord. It is tender mercy. With gentle, loving touch, He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds. He is as gracious in the manner of His mercy as in the matter of it. It is great mercy. There is nothing little in God; His mercy is like Himself—it is infinite. You cannot measure it. His mercy is so great that it forgives great sins to great sinners, after great lengths of time, and then gives great favours and great privileges, and raises us up to great enjoyments in the great heaven of the great God. It is undeserved mercy, as indeed all true mercy must be, for deserved mercy is only a misnomer for justice. There was no right on the sinner's part to the kind consideration of the Most High; had the rebel been doomed at once to eternal fire he would have richly merited the doom, and if delivered from wrath, sovereign love alone has found a cause, for there was none in the sinner himself. It is rich mercy. Some things are great, but have little efficacy in them, but this mercy is a cordial to your drooping spirits; a golden ointment to your bleeding wounds; a heavenly bandage to your broken bones; a royal chariot for your weary feet; a bosom of love for your trembling heart. It is manifold mercy. As Bunyan says, "All the flowers in God's garden are double." There is no single mercy. You may think you have but one mercy, but you shall find it to be a whole cluster of mercies. It is abounding mercy. Millions have received it, yet far from its being exhausted; it is as fresh, as full, and as free as ever. It is unfailing mercy. It will never leave thee. If mercy be thy friend, mercy will be with thee in temptation to keep thee from yielding; with thee in trouble to prevent thee from sinking; with thee living to be the light and life of thy countenance; and with thee dying to be the joy of thy soul when earthly comfort is ebbing fast."

Meditate on His great mercies to you today, remembering that they are new every morning.

Tuesday, August 14, 2007

The Joy of the Lord

The joy of the LORD is your strength.

S ING, O heavens; and be joyful, O earth; and break forth into singing, O mountains: for the LORD hath comforted his people, and will have mercy upon his afflicted.--Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation.--The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.--My soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.

I have therefore whereof I may glory through Jesus Christ in those things which pertain to God.--We . . . joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.--I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.


NEH. 8. 10. Is. 49. 13.--Is. 12. 2.--Ps. 28. 7.--
Is. 61. 10. Ro. 15. 17. Ro. 5. 11.--
Hab. 3. 18.

Monday, August 13, 2007

"I have hoped in thy judgments"

Hope, in Scripture, means so much more than a wishing for something for which there is no guarantee. I was impressed with Thomas Manton's commentary on the last part of Psalm 119:43.

"...hope in God's judgments. Consider who hath made the promises. Is it not God, whose word cannot fail of its effect? 'He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strong in faith, giving glory to God: and being fully persuaded that what he had promised he was also able to perform' (Rom. 4:20, 21). And then consider how he standeth affected to us, doth not he love us? And also in what relation he is obliged to us; as a father? And then consider, what doth the promise say? And how it maketh for his glory to accomplish it? what plentiful means he hath in store to bring to pass what he hath spoken? And what a potent and wise intercessor we have to plead our cause at the right hand of the father, and to mind him still of whatever concerns our comfort!"

I would say that was a great way to begin another day and week. "Hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God." Psalm 42:11

Wednesday, August 08, 2007

Trust

I've been thinking about trust a lot over the past several months. I have come to realize just how much actual unbelief resides in my heart. It has not been a pleasant experience! And yet, for the first time in my Christian life, I am learning the true meaning of joy as the Lord continues to open my eyes to behold wondrous things out of His Word. I am coming to "know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings" and I can't get enough.

Probably the biggest encouragement to me has come through the reading and meditation on Psalm 119. The first two verses alone set the pattern for realizing true blessedness in life - following after God's word, and seeking Him with the whole heart.

I have also been re-reading John Piper's book, Future Grace. Here are some quotes that have helped me from his book: "...the essence of faith is 'being satisfied with all that God is for us in Jesus.'...in all the acts of saving faith, the Holy Spirit enables us not just to perceive and affirm factual truth, but also to apprehend and embrace spiritual beauty...The spiritual beauty we need to embrace is the beauty of God that will be there for us in the future, certified for us by the glorious grace of the past. We need to taste the spiritual beauty of God in all his promises. Our confidence and trust must be in all that God himself will be for us in the next moment, and in the next month, and in the endless ages of eternity. It is HE and HE alone who will satisfy the soul in the future...We need to go deeper, and become stronger by understanding biblically what God has wrought in us. I join the apostle Paul in praying that the eyes of our hearts would be enlightened so that we might know the surpassing greatness of his power in us who believe (Ephesians 1:18-19). That power has awakened in us, not just a desire for God to give us a happy future, but for God himself to be the essence of our happy future. It has produced in us, not just a delight in the promises of God, but in the God of the promises. Faith embraces God in all his promises."

"Lord, I believe. Help Thou my unbelief."

Wednesday, August 01, 2007

Precious promises

C. H. Spurgeon


"Let me now go to the field, and glean ears of corn."—Ruth 2:2.

OWNCAST and troubled Christian, come and glean to-day in the broad field of promise. Here are abundance of precious promises, which exactly meet thy wants. Take this one: "He will not break the bruised reed, nor quench the smoking flax." Doth not that suit thy case? A reed, helpless, insignificant, and weak, a bruised reed, out of which no music can come; weaker than weakness itself; a reed, and that reed bruised, yet, He will not break thee; but on the contrary, will restore and strengthen thee. Thou art like the smoking flax: no light, no warmth, can come from thee; but He will not quench thee; He will blow with His sweet breath of mercy till He fans thee to a flame. Wouldst thou glean another ear? "Come unto Me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." What soft words! Thy heart is tender, and the Master knows it, and therefore He speaketh so gently to thee. Wilt thou not obey Him, and come to Him even now? Take another ear of corn: "Fear not, thou worm Jacob, I will help thee, saith the Lord and thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel." How canst thou fear with such a wonderful assurance as this? Thou mayest gather ten thousand such golden ears as these! "I have blotted out thy sins like a cloud, and like a thick cloud thy transgressions." Or this, "Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool." Or this, "The Spirit and the Bride say, Come, and let him that is athirst come, and whosoever will let him take the water of life freely." Our Master's field is very rich; behold the handfuls. See, there they lie before thee, poor timid believer! Gather them up, make them thine own, for Jesus bids thee take them. Be not afraid, only believe! Grasp these sweet promises, thresh them out by meditation and feed on them with joy.