Tag: Psalm 121

Traveling Mercies

On By vickleaIn God’s blessings, praise, promises, Scripture5 Comments

This year has been one of a great deal of travel for me and my family members. Our grandson went to Japan while our granddaughter went to Ireland and then on a cruise around the Greek Isles. Our son went on a business trip to Germany. The trips my husband and I made this year were not as distant, but there were a lot of them. Starting with four graduations in May, we stayed on the road for almost three weeks that month. It seemed that we barely got home when we packed the car again and headed to Myrtle Beach, SC, to see my brother and his family who had flown in from Colorado. Returning from that trip, we spent a few weeks at home, then headed out to Maryland to see our son and his family. And this past weekend was our last trip of the summer. We went to Williamsburg to the Great Wolf Lodge to spend the weekend with our other son and his family. I would not trade any of those hours in the car for anything since my husband and I both got so much pleasure from seeing our children and grandchildren.

One of the things that I purposed to do this year is memorize more scripture verses. One of those became like my mantra for the year.

There was a lot of going out and coming in this year for ourselves and our children and grandchildren. They are still on the move, with one in college at Liberty, one actively seeing employment and one employed and traveling for work. This Psalm has been on my lips as a prayer for us and for our family members as they travel. The promise of traveling mercies is real. Harry and I put a lot of miles on these old bodies this year, and God was with us the whole way, just as He promised. Did unexpected things happen while we traveled? Of course, but nothing that God could not help us handle. When God promises, you can count on His acting on your behalf!

How about you? Did you go anywhere special? Did you pray before, during and after your trip for the traveling mercies that God provides?

Where to Go for Help

On By vickleaIn Quotation and Citations, Scripture3 Comments

So, my health has had a few blips lately, with a visit and stay in the hospital, multiple visits to specialists and a general feeling of “what’s next.” But God has been with me through it all and encouraged me with my devotional this morning.

This is a quotation from my devotional. It expresses well what I have been doing since I found out that I have to see a neurosurgeon about my frequent headaches. I am looking up!
Psalm 121 is one of my favorite psalms, reminding me that nothing is happening in my life that God does not have under His control. My help has always been and will always be from the Lord.
When I am resting at night, God doesn’t rest. He is looking over me, just as He is watching over Israel. God loves me and we not allow me to stumble around aimlessly searching for Him. He is right there beside me, day and night.
No matter what may come against me, the Lord is my shade protecting me from harm. I don’t know the end of this health situation, but I trust the One who does know.
God is watching over my life, when I go to doctors, travel to a memorial service next week, spend time with grandchildren, whatever I do and wherever I am. He is watching over me until the day He calls me home to be with Him. That is a promise from God and what keeps me looking up in faith and expectation. God is good…all the time!

Thankful that I Am Accepted

On By vickleaIn Scripture2 Comments

Many years ago, I sent out various applications to colleges that I desired to attend and then waited anxiously to hear about whether I was accepted or not. I did not get into my first choice, a college that was way beyond my financial capabilities anyway, but I was accepted into Mary Washington, graduated from there and went on to teach. It was during the weeks of waiting for the acceptance letters when I was overwhelmed with the thoughts of what would happen if no one accepted me.

Less than a year after my graduation, I was invited and accepted into the family of God. No anxious waiting, no thoughts about a plan B or even any idea that I would not be accepted. Why not? Because acceptance is a gift from God and He does it well.

There is no favoritism with God, no “show me the money and I will accept you” kind of pseudo-acceptance. God truly accepted me because He shows absolutely no favoritism. I had to confess my sins and repent, true, but that is what everyone who calls on the name of Jesus as Savior has to do. There is no magical formula for acceptance with God, no letters of application to complete and no anxious waiting to see if God will allow you into His family or not. He already has…you have to accept the invitation He sent out long ago when He sent His Son to die for you, and then His acceptance of you is automatic. As someone who struggled most of my young life with being accepted, this is the most amazing gift and one I hope that I never take for granted. And I pray that you know the same acceptance and loving grace that He has shown me. It’s free to you although it cost Jesus dearly.

My prayer of blessing for you today comes from the Holy Bible. Accept His blessing on your life as you read and meditate on the Scripture below.

A Promise for the New Year

On By vickleaIn Uncategorized5 Comments

www.bible.com/1171/psa.121.7-8.mev

This is the Scripture that I have held on to many times when I was facing hardship. Much like Psalm 91, protection is promised. This is specifically protection from evil. Is there evil in today’s world? Yes. There is division and hatred and so much sin that is disguised as pleasure. May God protect me and all of His believers from the evil that is rampant in the world. I am blessed to know that God is protecting us. No matter what happens in the world, God is there. He has always been there; it’s just a matter of accepting His love and protection for us. So much evil, but God….You complete the sentence. I complete it this way: But God is there to stand in front of and beside and behind me, protecting me in every way because I put on His full armor every day and then I go out to face the world. Whatever you are facing today, remember, but God….

Blessings, my friends, for a day that is filled with the knowledge of His love and protection over your heart and life.