Always Before Me!

I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.

Psalm 16:8

Reading:

Psalm 22:1,14-24; 16:8-11

The title — borrowed for this post — of Christian Light’s lesson for Easter Sunday is good for me.

I’ve been struggling of late with a sense of abandonment. Oh, I know intellectually that I have not been abandoned. But that knowledge has had quite a wild battle at times with feelings of abandonment.

But this title gives me some perspective and sense of proportion which I’d forgotten.

The Son suffered.

Wow.

So where is my sense of proportion and perspective when I suffer?

And where is my faith when I feel abandoned?

Might my feeling of abandonment be indicative of my having forgotten God too much?

Where is God’s praise from me?

Do I keep the Lord before me? How? When? Why?

What makes my heart glad?

Will I rest in hope?

Where am I in relationship to the path of life?

In His presence is fullness of joy!

“But be not thou far from me, O LORD: O my strength, haste thee to help me” (Psalm 22:19).

[The Scriptures say in Psalm 22:24 -- Neither hath he hid his face]
from Psalm 22:24

I have a copy of the February 2010 Our Daily Bread, so a few minutes ago I read the entry for the 24th. Here’s a paragraph:

Paul and his companions suffered greatly while spreading the gospel. In 2 Corinthians 6, he listed their outward trials, their inward traits, and their spiritual resources (vv.4-7). Try to imagine the circumstances in which all these things interacted — beatings, patience, prison, kindness, distresses, love. Although broken physically, depleted emotionally, and tested spiritually, the authenticity of their faith in Christ clearly shone through. “As sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things” (v.10).

Source: Being Real