During my personal time with God this morning, I read two versions of same scripture Psalm 143:7-10 MSG and KJV.
The Message Bible reads:
“Hurry with your answer, God! I’m nearly at the end of my rope. Don’t turn away; don’t ignore me! That would be certain death. If you wake me each morning with the sound of your loving voice, I’ll go to sleep each night trusting in you. Point out the road I must travel; I’m all ears, all eyes before you. Save me from my enemies, God — you’re my only hope! Teach me how to live to please you, because you’re my God. Lead me by your blessed Spirit into cleared and level pastureland.”
While the King James Version reads:
“7 Hear me speedily, O Lord: my spirit faileth: hide not thy face from me, lest I be like unto them that go down into the pit. 8 Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee. 9 Deliver me, O Lord, from mine enemies: I flee unto thee to hide me. 10 Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness.”
Both let the reader know that we need God to love us and direct our path. They both read with an urgency of what the reader needs of the Lord. The difference, the language. Sometimes we are speaking the same message but in different ways. This is how I choose to look at the past year.
Today is the last day of the year. Celebrations and prayers will happen tonight. People will be jovial at the year of this year. 2020 came in and rearranged our lives. I submit to you however that not all re-arrangement is bad. Sometimes we get so out of alignment that we forget where we are supposed to be. Suppose God allowed this virus to realign His people. No, you couldn’t go into your house of worship or your workplace. But what if He wanted was for us to realign ourselves with Him? To get back to daily conversations with Him. To get back to the joy of the Lord being our strength. To get back to wearing our halos straight and not tilted. To get back to actually wearing the full armor of God and not just speaking on it. What if? What if? What if?
Some months ago, I was in a store to grab some necessities. I saw more “God Bless” inscribed items than I had ever seen before. In polite conversation, more talk centered around faith than the gossip at the water cooler. There was more love in the air, more compassion toward each other. These actions are all found in scripture. Did Jesus not command us to love one another? Do we not overcome by testimony? Have we not been warned not to deny Jesus?
2021 is coming but don’t write off 2020 as a wasted year. Take time to really think on what you learned of yourself. Before taking your first communion in 2021, re-evaluate where you are in this walk. Go into 2021 ready to praise God, love God and be more of what you have been born to be. Each of us should strive to have more God in us and less of ourselves. Our flesh should be dying daily as He takes up more territory in our hearts and minds. If you have no other resolution, think on needing God more in 2021 than you did in 2020.
Happy New Year!!!
Be A Blessing and Not Just Blessed
- Nakya
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