Saturday, March 16, 2013

My Most Recent Wall

 
 
Walls... Yep.
 
We all find ourselves facing them. In fact, there is not one of us who at one point in time has not stared at our shadow as it was bouncing back at us from a wall.
 
Our paths have them every day, and after we have climbed them we know that they were just a step, but as we face them they might as well be a mountain.
 
 
I wanted to share something with you about a wall that I came to just this past Monday evening. I never saw it coming, but I would not have traded it for anything because that wall carried a significant message for me that I am passing on to you.
 
First I need to share with you the passage of scripture that this wall brought to my mind.
 
"O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me." ~ Psalms 139:1 
 
God Knows me. I mean He really knows me! He knows everything that is in me, and He still wants me! This applies to you as well, but hey, I am really excited to apply this thought to me! He knows what I need to help me conform to the image of His Son and He is not afraid to use it!
 
"Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off."
 ~Psalms 139:2
 
He not only knows me and you, but He knows everything that we find on our path. He designed it custom fitted for us, and He knows what our initial reaction to that wall will be... And He still loves and wants us!
 
"Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my way  For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether."
~Psalms 139:3-4 
 
He knows that we will falter in our faith when we come to these walls, and He knows that we will even doubt Him during these times in our path. He knows it and still...Yes you guessed it, He still loves us and wants us!
 
This next verse rocks my socks!
 
"Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it." ~Psalms 139:5-6
 
Did you see that? He has "Beset my past and the things that lie ahead! The word beset means to "fortify, attack, and overwhelm". God is attacking everything I am going to go through so that it will be for my good in the end! (Romans 8:28) 
 
"Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee." ~Psalms 139:7-12
 
Where are you possibly ever going to go to get away from God? You hear people say, "Pray for so and so, because they are away from the Lord right now". Ummm...FALSE!
 
God is very much with so and so, and there is nothing they can do if they are His child to ever change that. If they go to the worst place in the world, make room so and so, because you are taking a big God with you! 
 
"For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb. I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them."
~Psalms 139:13-16
 
Nothing takes God by surprise with me. God made every part of me. He carved and molded the person named Dan, and HE molded and shaped you as well. What part of you feels broken today? Take it to Him! He has the factory certification to work on you and restore!
 
"How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee."
 ~Psalms 139:17-18 
 
I love this part. You could make it through anything of you really knew how much God loves you.
 
You read that too fast and I am afraid you missed it so I will say it again in bold caps...
 
YOU COULD MAKE IT THROUGH ANYTHING IF YOU REALLY KNEW HOW MUCH GOD LOVES YOU!
 
 
I think that is why people who have seen heaven say that the only thing they could see or feel was complete and unconditional love that you could physically feel.
 
"Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God: depart from me therefore, ye bloody men. For they speak against thee wickedly, and thine enemies take thy name in vain. Do not I hate them, O LORD, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee? I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies."
 ~Psalms 139:19-22
 
I see here a complete exercise of faith on the part of the psalmist. God is taking care of those who come at me with harm in mind. He is my fortress! Praise is faith in action. What wall do you see your shadow on today? Try thanking God now for His deliverance!
 
"Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting."
 ~Psalms 139:23-24
 
What is the first thing you do when you trip or fall? Look around to see if anyone noticed right?
 
The psalmist invites God to thoroughly examine his life. Look in the front room God, but look in every closet as well. Search me like a doctor searches an x-ray for any room that is not surrendered to you.
 
I need to tell you about my wall.
 
It was Monday night and I was with my family watching my four year old daughter Brynn at her very first soccer practice.
 
I had B.D. (Blake Detail). Blake is my one year old son, and he has no interest in a career in soccer. He wanted to run all over the field, and that is dangerous when you are as tall as a soccer ball and wearing a black and white jacket.
 
He decided that he just wanted to walk away from the field and explore the buildings that surrounded the field. Blake walked, and I as his father followed. We went quite a ways away from the field, and as we neared one of the buildings we found a path to walk on. The path twisted around the building and as we rounded the corner we saw that the path ran smack dab into a wall.
 
This wall was different from any wall that I had seen.
 
 
 
There it was! The wall and the message of Psalms 139.
 
The walls are there just as sure as the path is there and God is in every wall that I come to.
 
The cross is the reason that I am an overcomer. It is through Christ which strengthens me. When I reach a wall that takes me to the end of my own ability I find that His grace is sufficient for me!
 
 

 
 
 I am not sure what walls that you have found your shadow on today but I do know who is in the midst of that wall. God is your Father and He is in every wall you come to. Look for Him in your wall, and if you can't find Him , ask Him to reveal Himself.

He is closer than we think!

Climbing with you,

~Dan

 

4 comments:

  1. I love this, Dan! Any many of the things that you said above are why Psalm 139 is one of my favorite passages of Scripture. Thanks so much for sharing!

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  2. Dan This is very good thank you for sharing your heart and letting God use you. I Pray that God will continue to show you what he has for you my friend. I trust that you do understand what it is to walk with God verses walking in just the paths of Christianity. God Bless You.

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  3. Awsome i am blessed with your posts thanku

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  4. Thank you for this post, it is a blessing to my soul.

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