Devotional Song: … GO TO THIS LINK … Please take the time to take in a YouTube video of images and lyrics from The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir singing from Psalm 121 … My Help … poignantly singing of God’s promise of His watchcase for His chosen and obedient followers to never leave us nor forsake us.
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Highlight Verse[s]: Psalm 121:8 [NKJV] … 8 The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in from this time forth, and even forevermore.
… God’s watch-care over His beloved and chosen ones is eternal.
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Highlight Passage [context]: Psalm 121 [NKJV]… USE THIS LINK …
… On of several Songs of Ascent, which believing Jews sang as they ascended to Jerusalem three times a year for God’s anointed festivals, proclaiming God’s eternal watch-care over His beloved children.
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Reference Passage : … Psalm 23:4 [NKJV] … 4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; … Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
… God will deliver us from the valley of the shadow of death.
Reference Passage : … John 16:33 [NKJV] … 33 These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”
… Jesus’ promise to His disciples (you and me, too) that He’s our overcomer when we face trials.
Reference Passage : … 1Corinthians 10:13 [NKJV]… 13 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.
… God, thru Paul, promising His faithfulness to give us His strength when we are weak to deal with the trials and temptations of life.
Reference Passage : … Hebrews 13:5 [NKJV]… 5 Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
… God’s watch-care promise to never forsake us when we’re willing to rely on His watch-care (see also Joshua 1:5 for the same promise).
Reference Passage : … 1Peter 5:6-7 [NKJV]… 6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, 7 casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.
… God, thru Paul, promises that He will lift us up when we’re willing to humble ourselves and surrender to His Spirit.
My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, Xochitl Dixon, uses a personal story to illustrate God’s eternal watch-care over His children. The ODB author wrote: When Xavier was two, he darted into one aisle after another in a … store. Hiding ... [as the little boy in the photo], he giggled when my husband, Alan, said, “I see you.”
Moments later, I saw Alan dash frantically from aisle to aisle, calling Xavier’s name. We raced to the front of the store. Our child, still laughing, ran toward the open door leading to the busy street outside.
Within seconds, Alan scooped him up. We embraced as I thanked God, sobbed, and kissed our toddler’s chubby cheeks.
A year before I became pregnant with Xavier, I’d lost our first child during the pregnancy. When God blessed us with our son, I became a fearful parent. Our shoe store experience proved I wouldn’t always be able to see or protect our child. But I discovered peace as I learned to turn to my only sure source of help—God—when I struggled with worry and fear.
We’re no different than that parent in today’s ODB as we go thru life, are we? No, … we’re going to face many situations in life which cause us to realize our weakness and our need for God’s watch-care and His enabling/empowering grace. We are his occasionally, if not often, recalcitrant children; and we encounter situations which we cannot handle on our own. However, for those of us who truly believe in all of today’s truth from God’s word (above), we can know that our God will NEVER leave us, nor forsake us. He’s always watching and will always lift us up when we’re lost or weak.
And that’s why the Jews, during and after the times of Moses, sang the songs of ascent, like the highlight passage from Psalm 121, as they went up to Jerusalem three times a year for God’s anointed festivals. They were singing of God’s promises to watch over the obedient followers of Yahweh! And we, as the followers of that promised One, Jesus, The Christ, have discovered likewise - and believe - that our Lord would (and does) watch over us, promising His grace and watch-care from His Spirit.
So, today, … I charge any reader to use the above YouTube link and hear the Brooklyn Tab sing Psalm 121. And I know you will be uplifted - maybe even to tears of joy - as I was, … knowing that our God will always lead us thru the valleys of the shadow of death to His table of plenty as we surrender humbly to His Spirit.
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My THANKFULNESS: … Oh Lord, Jesus, thank You for ALWAYS being there, watch over my life, and leading me out of the darkened valleys.
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My Prayer Today: Abba Father, … King Jesus, … Precious Spirit … As I so often pray, … Lord, shine Your light brightly - as you have today - on my path that even when I’m covered by the darkness, I can see Your way to follow You. … Amen
Blogger Note: Everyday during this year, my daily devotional blogs are influenced by the reading and study of the online devotional blog entitled “Our Daily Bread,” distributed online via email by RBC Ministries. If you GO TO THIS LINK on the date of my blog, you can read/study the ODB blogs; or you can subscribe to the blog via email at that site.
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