March 28, 2024

This Week…Psalms 139:5 and 6

SeekingHimLogo

You hem me in behind and before,
and You lay Your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
too lofty for me to attain.
Psalms 139:5 and 6

*  ~  ♥  ~  ✞  ~  ♥  ~  *

 In His Love Surrounds Us, Tina wrote about what it is like to have God ‘hem us in’ through the examples of Abraham, Moses, and Joshua….

hem:

to surround in a restrictive manner
to confine—usually used with in<hemmed in by enemy troops> (from Merriam-Webster Dictionary)

If we can follow this, we can see how God covered the Israelites in Egypt.  God worked in the lives of Abraham, Moses and Joshua…God surrounded His people with love and protection. A hemming in for the people…if only they would see and understand.

How often are we like the Israelites?  There can be a blessing waiting for us to grasp…if only we will let down our defenses and kneel before our God in holy reverence.

In Divine Hand, Ann shared about the significance of ‘the hand of God’….

The hand of God signifies-

• the presence of God     • the favor of God     • the availability of God

The hand of God will guide us if we let it do so as we submit ourselves wholly to Him.  Check out the following verses:

Psalm 139 :10
Psalm 23:3
Romans 8:14
Psalm 108:6
Isaiah 41:10
Psalm 89:21
Isaiah 19:16
Isaiah 59:1
Deuteronomy 7:8
Isaiah 25:10Acts 4:30

And as Jabez cried out to the God of Israel 1 Chronicles 4:10,

“O Lord that You bless me and enlarge my territory!
Let Your hand be with me and keep me from harm
so that I will be free from pain…
and God granted his request.

 

His Love Surrounds Us

SeekingHimLogo

You hem me in behind and before,
and You lay Your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
too lofty for me to attain.

Psalms 139:5 and 6

*  ~  ♥  ~  ✞  ~  ♥  ~  *

You have to admire how David praised God; there is so much we can learn about how we should praise God everyday of our life.

hem:

to surround in a restrictive manner
to confine—usually used with in <hemmed in by enemy troops> (from Merriam-Webster Dictionary)

If we can follow this, we can see how God covered the Israelites in Egypt. He tells Abraham…

Then the Lord said to Abram, “Know for certain that your offspring
will be sojourners in a land that is not theirs and will be servants there,
and they will be afflicted for four hundred years.”
Genesis 15:13

And then God prepared Moses to come and to take the people out of Egypt. God made sure Moses had the best education and best upbringing available at the time.  Then Moses had to be taken out of that atmosphere to become a man God could use to bring His people out—someone who would be patient and understanding; someone who would become a shepherd.

Next God prepared Joshua to lead the people into the promised land.  He had had years to learn from Moses’ leadership.  Joshua watched how Moses interceded for the Israelites and won God’s favor most of the time.  Joshua learned how to pray to God and wait for His answer. Again, God surrounded His people with love and protection. A hemming in for the people…if only they would see and understand.

How often are we like the Israelites?  There can be a blessing waiting for us to grasp…if only we will let down our defenses and kneel before our God in holy reverence.  God sends angels to watch over us and to protect us everyday.  Can you feel the presence of them?  Yes, sometimes you can: when you are taken out of a near accident, when you witness a child being born, when you wake up every morning.  These are gifts.

Just as we pray for our families, we are to pray and minister to the people who believe.  God sees us.  In public and in private.  He knows our heart. He loves our intentions and can use them for His glory.

*  ~  ♥  ~  ✞  ~  ♥  ~  *

Father, help us take self out of our actions.  Help us to be like the man praying in the temple, the humble one, who said he was a sinner and not worthy to be thought of.  I want to be humble as he was.  Forgive me of my pride and help me to learn to submit to Your will for my life.  Help me to be an example of someone who ministers to the saints.  In Jesus’ name, amen!

Your Hand Is Upon Me

SeekingHimLogo

You have enclosed me behind and before,
And laid Your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
It is too high, I cannot attain to it.
Psalms 139:5 and 6

Dear Lord, such a picture that is—‘enclosed…behind and before’…with ‘Your hand upon me’!!  Truly that IS too wonderful for me…and if I did not read it in Your Holy Word quite possibly I wouldn’t believe it.  You are such an awesome God!  You remind us in the most tender ways of Your great love and care for us.  We are held in Your hand and protected, provided for, guided, loved.  Lord, help us to hold this vision—this Truth—in our minds and hearts so that when those times of worry and doubt and fear come (and they do!) we will be drawn quickly back to You and Your providential lovingkindness.  Thank You, dear Father, thank You!  In Jesus’ name, we pray.  Amen.  <3

Divine Hand

SeekingHimLogo

You hem me in – behind and before
You have laid Your hand upon me.
Psalm 139:5

*  ~  ♥  ~  ✞  ~  ♥  ~  *

The hand of God signifies-

• the presence of God
• the favor of God
• the availability of God

The hand of God will guide us if we let it do so as we submit ourselves wholly to Him.  Check out the following verses:

Psalm 139 :10
…even there Your hand will guide me, Your right hand will hold me fast.

Psalm 23:3
He guides me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.

Romans 8:14
For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.

Psalm 108:6
Save us and help us with Your right hand,
    that those You love may be delivered.

Isaiah 41:10
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.

Psalm 89:21
With whom My hand shall be established:
Mine arm also shall strengthen him.

In that day the Egyptians will be like women.
They will shudder with fear at the uplifted hand
that the Lord almighty raises against them.
Isaiah 19:16

Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save nor His ear to dull to hear.
Isaiah 59:1

But it was because the Lord loved you and kept the oath He swore to your ancestors
that He brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the land of slavery…
Deuteronomy 7:8

The hand of God will rest upon us to fight for our battles
Isaiah 25:10

Stretch out Your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders
through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus.
Acts 4:30

And as Jabez cried out to the God of Israel 1 Chronicles 4:10,
“O Lord that You bless me and enlarge my territory!
Let Your hand be with me and keep me from harm
so that I will be free from pain…
and God granted his request.

I therefore beseech you, brethren, to call on God in righteousness for His hand to rest upon us for our benefits (as stated above).

*  ~  ♥  ~  ✞  ~  ♥  ~  *

Dear heavenly Father, I thank You for You are the great Lord.  Adonai, we worship You, we exalt Your majesty. Let Your hand be upon us all to the glory of Your holy name. By Your hand, Lord, may we be saved from enemies, may we be delivered, may we be uplifted, may we be strengthened, sustained, and favored in Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

Who Am I?

SeekingHimLogo

 You hem me in behind and before,
and You lay Your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
too lofty for me to attain.

Psalms 139:5 and 6

Who am I, that the Lord of all the earth
Would care to know my name
Would care to feel my hurt
Who am I, that the bright and Morning Star
Would choose to light the way
For my ever-wandering heart

Not because of who I am
But because of what You’ve done
Not because of what I’ve done
But because of who You are

I am a flower quickly fading
Here today and gone tomorrow
A wave tossed in the ocean
Vapor in the wind
Still You hear me when I’m calling
Lord, You catch me when I’m falling
And You’ve told me who I am
I am Yours, I am Yours

Who am I, that the eyes that see my sin
Would look on me with love
And watch me rise again
Who am I, that the voice that calmed the sea
Would call out through the rain
And calm the storm in me