With Him all things are possible

If I am worrying/being anxious about the future, I am essentially not trusting my Father.

One more thing to work on…

It’s been a while since that happened.  I needed it.

When I was on the plane from San Francisco to Pittsburgh yesterday, I had the priviledge of

1. having a 4 hour long time with just me and Jesus!
2. listening to worship music without my iPod battery going down AT ALL for four hours - WOW!
3. sitting by the plane window watching the sun set into the layer of clouds we were flying above

I was thinking about how magnificent that sunset was, yet how hidden from the view of a person’s everyday life.  How, before men could fly, no one ever saw anything like that, except for the angels—yet David still wrote in Psalm 19,

The heavens declare the glory of God;

The skies proclaim the works of His hands.

Day after day they pour forth speech;

Night after night they display knowledge.

Their voice goes out into all the earth;

Their words to the ends of the world.

I was in awe of that sunset, and of God’s handiwork—that David had never even seen or probably imagined when he wrote Psalm 19!  Of course, I haven’t seen everything there is to see either, but I may have seen more than David had.  :P

The sun got redder and redder as it sank, and the sky turned from light blue to greyish-blue and then got darker and darker, starting from the very top, with the darkness creeping slowly down towards the horizon.  Along the layer of clouds there was a brilliant red with pink and purple and orange streaks coming out from it, like the sun was setting the blanket of clouds on fire as it barely touched them. 

I had memorized Psalm 19 when I was very young… and had not practiced it for years; but when I saw that sunset, the words came into my head just as easily as they used to when I was 10 years old, as an instinctive reaction to seeing the skies declaring God’s glory!  I sat on that plane in awe of the marvelous work of God.  He created me to be a lover of beauty, and He also created indescribably beautiful occurences in nature for His glory.  Soooo cool.  :)

In the chaos, in confusion, I know You’re sovereign still

             - Hillsong United,”None But Jesus”

“He tends His flock like a shepherd:

     He gathers the lambs in His arms

and carries them close to His heart;

     He gently leads those that have young.”

****

“Do you not know?

     Have you not heard?

The LORD is the everlasting God,

     the Creator of the ends of the earth.

He will not grow tired or weary,

     and His understanding no one can fathom.

He gives strength to the weary

     and increases the power of the weak.

Even youths grow tired and weary,

     and young men stumble and fall;

but those who hope in the LORD

     will renew their strength.

They will soar on wings like eagles;

     they will run and not grow weary,

     they will walk and not be faint.”

***

“I took you from the ends of the earth,

     from its farthest corners I called you.

I said, ‘You are my servant’;

     I have chosen you and have not rejected you.

So do not fear, for I am with you;

     do not be dismayed, for I am your God.

I will strengthen you and help you;

     I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

 ***

“For I am the LORD, your God,

     who takes hold of your right hand

and says to you, Do not fear;

     I will help you.”

 ***

“I, the LORD, have called you in righteousness;

     I will take hold of your hand.

I will keep you and will make you

     to be a covenant for the people

     and a light for the Gentiles,

to open eyes that are blind,

     to free captives from prison

     and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.”

 ***

“I will lead the blind by ways they have not known,

     along unfamiliar paths I will guide them;

I will turn the darkness into light before them

     and make the rough places smooth.

These are the things I will do;

     I will not forsake them.”

 ***

“But now, this is what the LORD says—

     He Who created you, O Jacob,

     He Who formed you, O Israel:

‘Fear not, for I have redeemed you;

     I have summoned you by name; you are Mine.

When you pass through the waters,

     I will be with you;

and when you pass through the rivers,

     they will not sweep over you.

When you walk through the fire,

     you will not be burned;

     the flames will not set you ablaze.

For I am the LORD, your God,

     the Holy One of Israel, your Savior;

I give Egypt for your ransom,

     Cush and Seba in your stead.

Since you are precious and honored in my sight,

     and because I love you,

I will give men in exchange for you,

     and people in exchange for your life.

Do not be afraid, for I am with you;

     I will bring your children from the east

     and gather you from the west.

I will say to the north, “Give them up!”

     and to the south, “Do not hold them back.”

Bring My sons from afar

     and My daughters from the ends of the earth—

everyone who is called by My name,

     whom I created for My glory,

     whom I formed and made.’ “

  ***

~bits and pieces from Isaiah 40-43~