An encounter to remember

After a wonderful visit with Dan, Amy and Swen last weekend, I've returned to real life back home and as usual, it is taking a few days to get back in the swing of things. My mind feels a little like jello and I can't get enough coffee. But this evening, my jello brain has stopped jiggling around and I feel more like myself.

I had an amazing encounter with God last night. Getting ready for bed, I was talking to Him about my day. A thought shined in my mind, a brief statement I heard Beth Moore say on tv one night while I was channel surfing. "You can choose how you respond to problems. You can whine, act on the feelings of despair, or you can choose to live trusting in God." I put quotes, but actually that's a paraphrase of what I heard her say. Thinking about that, I asked God to teach me more about this truth. Lovey, my cat, came upstairs right then, ready for me to read outloud to her (yes, you read that right). So, instead of reading A History of the Middle East (my newest interest), I picked up Dan's Bible. Remembering a verse in Psalm 118, I ended up reading the entire psalm and it was as if He was answering my request to teach me more about that truth through this psalm.

This passage is filled with so much truth, so much great spiritual "food". King David was faced with many real enemies, people kind of enemies. And he shares some real emotions, real fears. But he counters with more characteristics of God: He is good; His love endures forever (5 times); He answered me...; the Lord is with me; He is my helper; it is better to take refuge in the Lord; the Lord helped me; the name of the Lord; He has not given me over to death; and on and on.

I felt my heavenly Father lean in close and whisper: I know you also have enemies - fear, uncertainty of the future, loneliness from missing Dan, a relentless sinful nature waging war against your spiritual nature. Just like David, you feel anguish (vs. 5), surrounded and swarmed around like bees (vs. 11-12). But keep crying to Me, and I will answer by setting you free (vs. 5). Freedom ... what a breath of fresh air just to say the word!

He then whispered another life-altering truth: verse 14 says "The Lord is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation." How often I have prayed for the Lord to give me strength... God says that He is my strength, my song, my salvation. Strength, song, salvation...is actually God Himself.

And, if that encounter last night wasn't enough, God sealed that truth by Dan's latest journal entry. As I posted Dan's blog a few minutes ago, I think I heard a heavenly chuckle and I felt a heavenly hug from my heavenly Father. A delightful surrender, indeed.

One more thing. Dan, do you remember our recent conversation? God gave me a promise for our future: verse 12: "I will not die but live, and will proclaim what the Lord has done." Dan, you are the love of my life and my best friend. I wait for you and with you, and will proclaim with you what the Lord has done for us.

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. (Ps. 118:1 and 29)

Debbie