This morning while I was in my garden I stopped to look at the plants, the clear blue sky above, my two happy dogs, my one grumpy dog and I thank God for giving me yet another day to live.
One more beautiful day to enjoy his creation, to experience the love of my family members, the affection of my wife, the fellowship of the saint, another day to experience his grace and mercies. Not what I deserve but what he has bless me with, his grace. It is a beautiful day and I would have it no other way. I need to take more time to stop, pause and look, reflect on the people, things around me before I go about my daily business. Life is beautiful when we take time to look at the beauty of God's creation, it is like those 3D posters, the 3D images is embeded in it and sometime you just can't find it despite staring into it for a long time.. but if you take time, change your perspective and be patient.. When you get it, it is there and it stays. The rest of the seemingly unnecessary prints around it serves as a background for the image, take away all the other prints then the 3D image is no more. Without the noise, we would not know what serenity is, without the difficult times, we would not appreciate the good. Without the dark storm clouds, we would not admire the clear blue skies. It all helps us to have a proper perspective, to be able to enjoy the real thing.
God is good! He is good to me this morning!
I am the man who has seen affliction
by the rod of his wrath.
He has driven me away and made me walk
in darkness rather than light;
indeed, he has turned his hand against me
again and again, all day long.
He has made my skin and my flesh grow old
and has broken my bones.
He has besieged me and surrounded me
with bitterness and hardship.
He has made me dwell in darkness
like those long dead.
He has walled me in so I cannot escape;
he has weighed me down with chains.
Even when I call out or cry for help,
he shuts out my prayer.
He has barred my way with blocks of stone;
he has made my paths crooked.
Like a bear lying in wait,
like a lion in hiding,
he dragged me from the path and mangled me
and left me without help.
He drew his bow
and made me the target for his arrows.
He pierced my heart
with arrows from his quiver.
I became the laughingstock of all my people;
they mock me in song all day long.
He has filled me with bitter herbs
and sated me with gall.
He has broken my teeth with gravel;
he has trampled me in the dust.
I have been deprived of peace;
I have forgotten what prosperity is.
So I say, "My splendor is gone
and all that I had hoped from the LORD ."
I remember my affliction and my wandering,
the bitterness and the gall.
I well remember them,
and my soul is downcast within me.
Yet this I call to mind
and therefore I have hope:
Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.
They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
I say to myself, "The LORD is my portion;
therefore I will wait for him."
The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him,
to the one who seeks him;
it is good to wait quietly
for the salvation of the LORD .
It is good for a man to bear the yoke
while he is young.
Let him sit alone in silence,
for the LORD has laid it on him.
Let him bury his face in the dust-
there may yet be hope.
Let him offer his cheek to one who would strike him,
and let him be filled with disgrace.
For men are not cast off
by the Lord forever.
Though he brings grief, he will show compassion,
so great is his unfailing love.
For he does not willingly bring affliction
or grief to the children of men.
To crush underfoot
all prisoners in the land,
to deny a man his rights
before the Most High,
to deprive a man of justice-
would not the Lord see such things?
Who can speak and have it happen
if the Lord has not decreed it?
Is it not from the mouth of the Most High
that both calamities and good things come?
Why should any living man complain
when punished for his sins?
Let us examine our ways and test them,
and let us return to the LORD.
Lamentations 3:1-40
Read entire Lamentations for context.
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