May 6, 2001
"You O Lord keep my lamp burning;
my God turns my darkness into light.
With your help I can advance against a troop;
with my God I can scale a wall.
Psalm 18:28-29
Psalm 18 has long been one of my favorites for many reasons. I was reading in Jeremiah and it didn't seem to be what my heart needed today and so I turned back here to read a little. I am so comforted by the truths in this psalm... I have and continue to learn so much about God here. He continually works in my life in amazing ways.. I have had days and moments recently when I thought I couldn't go on.. surely my lamp will be snuffed out. Sometimes the pain a single day can hold out is more than my mind or heart can bear but it's not more that I can bear with God! He keeps my lamp burning, he provides what I need in terms of encouragement, support and answered prayer so I can keep going just a little longer. He takes the darkest situations and brings light to them to I can see them for what they are and not be so afraid. At those times it's enough to stand still and not run - I count that a victory many days but in verse 29 I see that God goes beyond that.. he gives me strength so that I can move from where I am to going on the offensive... I can take the victory of standing still, of just showing up, and eventually (not overnight) grow in strength to where I am ready to take on challenges, challenges that seem impossible.. like scaling walls!!