FRAIL BODY – SPIRITUAL STRENGTH

Our faith, borne out over the years has withstood us through many a storm. It was taught to us as children, lived out before us and expressed in corporate worship. Weekdays would find all the extended young adult family members working Grandpa's crops of cotton, corn, whatever the season brought. We children had our jobs too, keeping the water supplied and, in mid‑afternoon delivering Grandma's special treat of the day, a hefty plate of flapjacks or perhaps her very special apple turnovers. We somehow managed to always find our way back to the field to pick up a ride on the horsedrawn sled bringing the tools in at day's end. Come Saturday, the day would be spent preparing for church on Sunday – we children giggling and teasing as we got our baths in a tub of rainwater warmed by the sun; polishing our shoes and finding our best socks, checking clothes to be worn, everything to be in readiness for Sunday morning. No time to fool around on Sunday morning; like as not, there was a chicken to be caught, killed, dipped and de‑feathered to be prepared for the meal later that day. Grandpa was the inspector general on Sunday mornings. He would check us out for appearance, socks turned down, no slip showing, etc. Grandpa would make sure that each one had a clean handkerchief in our pocket and he would give to each child a nickel for Sunday School.

IN SILENCE WILL I WAIT

“My soul, wait in silence for God only, for my hope is from Him. He only is my rock…" Psalm 62:5-7 David was a great king. We know that from his lineage came Jesus. But David was not a perfect man. He - like we are - was weak and vulnerable. He was guilty of great sins. But David was used by God. Many of the Psalms were written by King David, as were these. In this passage, David is giving recognition to the work of God in his life. He doesn’t try to hide his sins. He comes clean with God and opens up his life before Him. He speaks to his soul and says, “Soul, be silent. My hope is in God. God is my ROCK." What do we see when we think of a rock? A rock can be very small or very large. But it’s hard; solid. It doesn’t surrender to a squeeze and come apart; it fights back at a sledgehammer. It doesn’t give way easily to breaking up. A life built on The Rock can withstand the uncertainties and storms of our lives.

MEDITATE WITH GOD, QUIET THE SOUL

“When I remember Thee on my bed, I meditate on Thee in the night watches, for Thou hast been my help. And in the shadow of Thy wings I sing for joy. My soul clings to Thee; Thy right hand upholds me.” Psalm 63:6-9 Today our minds are full of troubling thoughts. Our lives are so busy that we can’t hear ourselves think. But, like David, we must learn to say, “Soul, be quiet.” We must learn to come before the Lord in quietness. A wonderful way to come before the Lord is to silently sing a quiet worshipful song until your mind is quiet and you can begin to talk to God and to listen to what He has to say to you. Wait quietly in His presence. Acknowledge your total dependence on Him. Thank Him and praise Him for what He does in your life. “When I remember Thee on my bed, I meditate on Thee in the night watches for Thou hast been my help. And in the shadow of Thy wings I sing for joy.”