December 25, 2009

I awaken early on this the Birthday of Jesus. I'm awakened not of my own accord but by discomfort brought on by an animal that shares a bed with me but is getting old and losing control of her faculties. My knee is aching prompting me to not got back to sleep which actually affords me time to be in the Word this morning before anyone else awakens and before the hussle and bussel of this busy day begins. In the quietness of a still house I sit with Thanksgiving in my heart for this, the greatest gift of all......Christ!

Psalm 4 and Proverbs 4:

The psalm today continues with David's theme of God's presence and protection in the midst of stressful times when he is under attack. A nugget is found in this psalm and that is one that says: "In your anger do not sin...." and "When you are in your beds search your heart and be silent......" When we go to bed with anger on our hearts and unconfessed stuff stirring around our sleep is sure to be disturbed. David tells us something important here......It's part of the whole theme of keeping God with us all the time. In a previous psalm David tells us to write the Words of God on our heart....memorize it, have it with us all the time to be able to recall it and let it guide us. Here he is saying, even as you go to sleep have contact with the One who can shine on our hearts and bring us joy even in the worst of circumstances. David in essence is saying no matter how bad it gets, even if I have nothing to eat, God is there with a hedge of protection and that gives him greateer joy then if the harvests abound....At the end of the day when we have walked with God all day and then searched our hearts before we go to sleep and give it all to Him then we will sleep peacefully knowing God is in control.....

In Proverbs today Solomon continues to instruct on the importance of gaining wisdom and understanding. It seems as though in each chapter thus far he hammars at the importance of soaking up all the instruction that you can and then he reveals one nugget of instruction. Today's nugget continues to be an admonishment that we walk on the straight path and do not even put our big toe on the path of "evil and wickeness" Again Violence is the example given of evil and wickedness. He also instructs that perverse and corrupt speech leads down that path of unrighteousness. May my words and my heart be pure and may I continue to fill my brain so that I may achieve this all important wisdom.