March 18, 2014

Praise the Lord...who daily bears our burdens - Ps. 68:19

Every day the Lord Himself is near me, with a special mercy for each hour.
All my cares He fain would bear and cheer me. He whose name is Counselor and Power.
The protection of His child and treasure, is a charge that on Himself He laid;
"As your days, your strength shall be in measure," This the pledge to me He made.
Hymn "Day by Day" by Karolina W. Sandell-Berg
 
The hymn writer of this song knew well the mercy of God.  She and her pastor-father were boating in Sweden when her father was tossed overboard and drowned.  She held on tight to the Lord and His word and she wrote many poems during that time about the strength the Lord provides. This poem was made into a hymn.
 
The strength she wrote about is the same strength our psalmist, David, wrote about.  He knew his God was merciful and powerful and even in trials He carries our burdens day by day.  Are we "day by day" grateful for those mercies...as Charles Spurgeon says about "common mercies":
 
Let us daily praise God for common mercies - common
as we frequently call them, and yet so priceless that when deprived of
them we are ready to perish.
 
Ephesians 6:20 says we should "...always give thanks to God for everything...".  Can you right now give thanks for a hundred "common" things that have been provided for you today?  Like a roof over your head, like a warm shower, like cereal, like holding a Bible in your lap, like green grass, like the promise of a meal tonight?
 
He has made provision for so many things in our day.  We wake up burdened by a child who has gone astray - He bears that burden for you.  We wake up wondering about our husband's health - He bears that burden for you.  We wake up wondering if we can pay the rent this month - He bears that burden for you.  We wake up depressed and sad - He bears that burden for you.  It is my opinion that when we can praise Him for His presence in our burdens, His blessings will pour down on us.  Were your last words to Him a praise or complaint?  I want to be like our hymnwriter and our psalmist that we praise Him and believe in His promises to us.
 
For further study:  Exodus 15:2, Deu. 33:25, Nehemiah 8:10, Psalm 27:1, Psalm 46:1, Lam. 3:23-24, John 1:16,  Romans 9:14-15, 2 Cor. 12:9, Phil. 4:13.
 
Be blessed in your understanding of God's word.
 
Love,
Holly

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