November 28, 2024

He is Our Help and Our Shield

February 5, 2014 by

SeekingHimLogo

 

Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear Him, on those who hope in His mercy,
To deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine.
Our soul waits for the LORD; He is our help and our shield.
For our heart shall rejoice in Him, because we have trusted in His holy name.
Let Your mercy, O LORD, be upon us, just as we hope in You.
Psalms 33:18-22

In November I started studying for my Master’s degree.  And, knowing this would not be the easiest task I set out to accomplish, I began to pray and seek God in this decision because it would be a commitment from myself and my family. I turned to the Psalms because of the message it speaks to the hearts of God’s children. I needed hope, I needed reassurance, and I needed to feel God’s love in all of this.

There are many aspects of David’s Psalms that I truly enjoy! Not only do I enjoy the words, but thrive on them when I go to read them. His soothing words are filled with love and peace, while also reminding me of the realness of the world we live in. The beauty of his songs helps to remind us that what we’ve been looking for our entire lives—hope, security, and joy—are actually gifts given to us by God. Gifts that we haven’t had to search for…gifts that we are entitled to because we are sons and daughters of the Most High.

He IS our Help and our Shield. For our heart shall rejoice in Him.

So many changes happen in our lives on a daily basis that the reassurance of these words is almost necessary, and the great thing is that we don’t have to look far. We simply need to open up the manual He gave us and read. Soak in the words He gave to David and allow the hope, security and joy that flow from the pages.
On the nights when I am up writing papers while my house sleeps peacefully, I remember that He is right next to me, {He is my Help and my Shield}. When I am at the grocery store figuring out what to make for dinner, along with all of the other moms in the city, {He is my Help and my Shield}. When I am at work, and the tired feeling sets in, {He is my Help and my Shield}. There isn’t any area of life where He isn’t present.
In the tougher times, as well as on great days, remind yourself {He is my Help and my Shield}.  Open to this Scripture passage and remember that God is always present and always on our side.

Let’s pray: Lord, the things You do for us cannot be counted.  The love You give and the hope and security You provide can never be duplicated by anyone or anything.  Thank You for Your hope and Your love.  Thank You for being our Help and our Shield.  In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

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Hope For All

February 4, 2014 by

SeekingHimLogo
But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear Him,
on those whose hope is in His unfailing love,
to deliver them from death
and keep them alive in famine.
We wait in hope for the Lord;
He is our help and our shield.
In Him our hearts rejoice,
for we trust in His holy name.
May your unfailing love be with us, Lord,
even as we put our hope in You.

Psalm 33:18-22

These verses are like a salve to soothe the hurt each of us have endured over time. We never feel like it will at that moment…but it does.  One summer a friend of mine had a visit from her sister, brother-in-law and their three boys.  It was a very sweet time of fellowship and new friendships were developed during the three week visit. It soon came time for them to return to their home and they were sorely missed.

By October, the middle boy became gravely ill.  My friend left everything and went to be with her sister.  Her nephew stayed in the hospital until the middle of November when, by God’s mercy, he succumbed to the disease.  There was a webpage that was dedicated to having others offer prayer and support for this child and his family.  People from all walks of life and from all over the world were praying for his recovery, but God knew better.

Through all of this my friend, whose faith had always seemed to be unshakable, began to question God’s.  Why did He allow this to happen to her nephew, why didn’t He heal him, why are some healed and others die.  What was different in his case?  Did they not pray enough?  Did they allow doubt to enter their hearts?  Did they not ask the right church leaders to offer prayer?  My heart hurt for my friend.  I prayed for healing, but as they cut away the limbs of the child, I knew he might be better off in heaven where he could run and play with his dinosaurs.

1 Peter 5:7  says, “Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.”  We may never understand why God chooses to heal one over the other.  But we have to trust that He knows infinitely better than we.  Our hope in these situations is that we will see each other in heaven, with our bodies whole—not scarred or broken—but made whole.  Sometimes all we can do is pray and listen.

 * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

Father, we love You and praise You.  Give us the wisdom to know when to encourage, and when we just need to listen.  There are questions we will never know the answer to until we see You in heaven.  Help us to know when we need to question and when we just need to have a child-like trust that You are in control. Help us not to be angry with You, when things do not make sense in our limited human knowledge.  You have a bigger plan that we cannot see.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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With His Help

February 2, 2014 by

SeekingHimLogo

Our soul waits for the LORD; he is our Help and our Shield.
Psalm 33:20

I read this verse, and I’m simply grateful that God’s always there to help me!  The Lord is always my Help and my Shield.  Friends, this is huge!  If you are a believer, you too, can say the same!  (When we call out to Him in prayer, serve Him, express our hearts about God to others, face struggles, and do life, HE IS WITH US AND WILL HELP US.  WE ARE NOT ALONE!  The Holy Spirit lives inside of us, and we have HIS POWER working in us.  Let’s be amazed and thankful for that every day.)

Bow to Him, and be amazed by Him!  (He will help you.)

Because He is the great and loving God that He is, friends, go to Him.  Yield your heart to Him first each day!  Ask the Holy Spirit to let you realize He’s your Help and Shield in every possible way.  Live each day/your life in a prayerful way.

Pray without ceasing.
1 Thessalonians 5:17

Be strong in Him, and be amazed by Him!  (He will help you.)

God is greater than any spiritual warfare that we may face!  You will face it, as a believer.  Be ready!  Put on the shield of faith-believing in Him and what He can do. In fact, put on the whole Armor of God every day, and be strong in the Lord!  He will protect you!

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.
Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the rulers,
against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness,
against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
Therefore take up the whole armor of God,
that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.
Stand therefore, having as shoes for your feet,
having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.
In all circumstances take up the shield of faith,
with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one;
and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit,
which is the word of God,
praying at all times in the Spirit with all prayer and supplication.
To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints.
Ephesians 6:10-18

Follow Him, and be amazed by Him!  (He will help you.)

With the Holy Spirit living inside of me, sometimes, He wants me to “go out on a limb” for God’s glory. It may not be a popular place to be. It may take boldness and courage to go! It may not be safe! It may be lonely because others may not be with me! Some may not understand what I’m doing at first. But if that is where God wants me to go, I go because I love Him! He will help me as I go, whatever the situation is! (Lord, help me follow You wherever You lead me.)

When He has brought out all His own, He goes before them,
and the sheep follow Him, for they know His voice.
John 10:4

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

Lord, we love You.  Let us recognize that You are our Help and Shield in every possible way.  We desperately need You.  Let us bow to You, be strong in You, and follow You—wherever You lead us—all for Your glory! In Jesus’ precious Name, I pray.  Amen.

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Unfailing Love

February 1, 2014 by

SeekingHimLogo

Your love, Lord, reaches to the heavens,
Your faithfulness to the skies.
Your righteousness is like the highest mountains,
Your justice like the great deep.
You, Lord, preserve both people and animals.
How priceless is Your unfailing love, O God!
People take refuge in the shadow of Your wings.
Psalms 36:5-7

“If God’s love is unfailing, then why does it <seem to> fail?”  This seems like a silly question, but as I read the above passage, statements like “it’s not enough,” and “it doesn’t feel unfailing” arose in my mind.

Memories of heartache, depression and disappointment flooded to the surface. At first I was scared—those type of thoughts are not good and, according to what I had just read, they were contrary to the word of God. I fought the urge to stuff the thoughts. I wanted to ignore them, but also felt compelled to examine them and whether I believed them or not.

Failure in itself is very subjective. What one may see as a failure another sees as a success. I don’t know about you, but my feelings and God’s words often clash. Thankfully, God’s Truth also trumps my feelings. So, of course for comfort, I went to my Bible.

God’s love never fails. By definition it’s unfailing. But I found some people who momentarily felt like it did.

  • Both Mary and Martha exclaimed (John 11), “Lord, if only you had been here, my brother would not have died.” Even others in the crowd questioned, “This man healed a blind man. Couldn’t he have kept Lazarus from dying?” God’s love had failed…or so it seemed. We know that Lazarus was raised from the dead.
  • The Israelites said, in Exodus 14, “Why did you bring us out here to die in the wilderness? Weren’t there enough graves for us in Egypt? What have you done to us? Why did you make us leave Egypt?” They were trapped by the Red Sea. God’s love had failed…or so it seemed. We know they crossed through the sea.

The more I thought on this concept of unfailing love, the more I realized that I myself have felt failed by God’s love, i.e., when He called me to Hermitage, alone and away from my support system. I felt failed then, but the Lord has showed me the truth of the this situation.
This is what it boils down to: the truth is that God’s Word is Truth. It says His love is unfailing…and so it is. Every situation needs to be viewed with this in mind and if you cannot see His truth, ask.

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

Lord, thank You for awesomeness.  Forgive me for the times when I momentarily allow my feelings to trump Your truth and when I make my circumstances bigger than Your awesome power.  Thank You for Your unfailing love that never, ever, ever fails!  And for Your faithfulness and reliability. In Jesus name, I pray.  Amen.

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Your Love, Oh Lord

February 1, 2014 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

~  Listen while you read, please!  ~

Your love, oh Lord, reaches to the heavens
And Your faithfulness stretches to the skies

And Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains
Your justice flows like the ocean’s tide

And I will lift my voice to worship You, my King
And I will find my strength In the shadow of Your wings

~  Songwriters: Johnny Mac Powell, Sam Anderson, Bradley Avery, David Carr, Mark Lee  ~

~  Performed by Mac Powell and Third Day  ~

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

This week, in the Seeking Him devotional blog, our devotions have centered around God’s steadfast love and faithfulness. Psalms 36:5-10 has been the featured Scripture passage.

Your steadfast love, O Lord extends to the heavens
Your faithfulness to the clouds.
Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains,
Your judgements are like the great deep,
You save humans and animals alike, O LORD.
How precious is Your steadfast love, O GOD!
All people may take refuge in the shadow of Your wings.
They feast on the abundance of Your house
and You give them drink from the river of Your delights.
For with You is the fountain of life; in Your light, we see light.
Continue Your love to those who know You,
Your righteousness to the upright in heart.

Throughout the week, our devotional writers have encouraged and reminded us of many things.

  • Cheris voiced her concern that we, those who do know God, will share about His great steadfast love with those who, yet, do not know Him.  “This psalm writer uses vivid imagery to describe God’s great steadfast love. To explain God’s love and faithfulness to the vast degree it is may be difficult, but we can try to do so to others – hoping the Holy Spirit will allow them to hear and receive what’s shared so they see their desperate need for a Savior!”
  • Tina brought our attention to the faithfulness of God, and said in her prayer, “…We want to know You more fully as we begin this new year. Show us places where we can improve and where we can be brave enough to share our hearts with You.”
  • Tonya focused our thoughts on God, Who is the Fountain of Life.  “There is constant light because God is a constant—He is constantly merciful, constantly faithful, constantly righteous, He constantly preserves, and, most of all, He is constantly loving.”
  • Laura reminded us of our Hope as she shared:  “The fountain of youth is really the Fountain of life—an eternal life with God. This eternal life shines like a light to the world through those who have accepted the gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ, God’s greatest gift to mankind.”
  • Ann reminded us about the awesomeness of God’s steadfast love.  “God’s love is steadfast. You can count on the consistency of God’s love revealed in the beauty of creation, in the gift of God’s love and preeminently in the life death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. There are no limits, no lines, no conditions. God loves us to the end…and beyond.”
  • And Ahmee shares today a reminder that God’s love NEVER fails.  “This is what it boils down to: the truth is that God’s Word is Truth. It says His love is unfailing…and so it is.”

Hopefully this song also will help you to express your trust and confidence in God—and His steadfast love that never fails.

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Striving To Be On the Roof…and Then Some

January 31, 2014 by

SeekingHimLogo

Your steadfast love, O LORD, extends to the heavens,
Your faithfulness to the clouds.
Your righteousness is like the mountains of God;
Your judgments are like the great deep;
man and beast you save, O LORD.
How precious is your steadfast love, O God!
The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings.
They feast on the abundance of your house,
And you give them drink from the river of your delights.
For with you is the fountain of life;
In your light do we see light.
Oh, continue your steadfast love to those who know you,
And your righteousness to the upright of heart!
Psalms 36:5-10

This psalm writer uses vivid imagery to describe God’s great steadfast love. To explain God’s love and faithfulness to the vast degree it is may be difficult, but we can try to do so to others – hoping the Holy Spirit will allow them to hear and receive what’s shared so they see their desperate need for a Savior!

I keep focusing on the verse that says, “Oh, continue your steadfast love to those who know you…” and my heart is burdened for those who may not know God and may not know all the riches that are found in having a relationship with Him.  (We, as believers “feast on the abundance of your house,” Lord.)  Some of these riches are: peace, love, forgiveness, protection, guidance, abundant and eternal life with Him, comfort, blessings, and the Holy Spirit!  I hope you have a deep longing to be near Jesus.  If you are already a believer, get on your heart/mind someone who may not have that same longing as you finish reading this piece.  Are you burdened for someone?  Are you willing to go “to the roof?”

In Mark 2, friends of a paralytic man wanted to get their friend near Jesus so he would be healed.

And many were gathered together, so that there was no more room, not even at the door. And he was preaching the word to them. And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay. And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, ‘Son, your sins are forgiven…I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home’

Mark 2:2-5, 11

And he did! *Read Mark 2:1-12 for the complete account.

Friends, for some of you to be near Jesus, it‘s as easy as crying out to God asking for forgiveness of sins and asking Him to come into your heart to transform your life and reign as King and Lord!  In the account in Mark, friends were willing to remove a roof for their friend to be near Jesus!  Are you willing to “get on the roof” for your friends?  (Are we sharing how God changed us and sharing with others how their lives can be changed because of Jesus?)

If your relationship with Jesus was described as a metaphor of a three-story house, are you “on the roof?”

THE HOUSE:
1st floor: You’ve prayed and asked Jesus to come into your life and heart as you believe, confess and repent of your sins, and you know Jesus as Savior and Lord. You have the Holy Spirit inside of you.
2nd floor: You are continuing to pray in your relationship with the Lord. You’re reading and studying God’s Word to let your heart be saturated with His Word.
3rd floor-You’re still covering those things on the first and second floors, AND you’re going to church to fellowship, encourage, and grow and learn with other believers.
Rooftop: You’re covering all that is in the first 3 floors and sharing with others about Jesus and what He’s doing in your life.
Rooftop with a megaphone: You’re encouraging others to share about God’s steadfast love – where they are and across the world!

I hope as Christians we desire to do more for Jesus! If we are changed, we cannot be silent or do nothing. If we are changed, let us proclaim it, and encourage other believers to do so!

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

Dear Lord, help us all to be “rooftop” Christians and then some—only by Your power and only because of Your great love. Give us what we need Lord each day.  We love You, and we praise You.  We need You and so do those around us.  Empower us to share of Your love with people in the ways and places you set before us.  In Jesus’ precious Name we pray.  Amen.

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Faithfulness

January 30, 2014 by

SeekingHimLogo

Your love, Lord, reaches to the heavens,
Your faithfulness to the skies.
Your righteousness is like the highest mountains,
Your justice like the great deep.
You, Lord, preserve both people and animals.
How priceless is Your unfailing love, O God!
People take refuge in the shadow of Your wings.
They feast on the abundance of Your house;
You give them drink from Your river of delights.
For with You is the fountain of life; in Your light we see light.
Continue Your love to those who know You,
Your righteousness to the upright in heart.
Psalms 36:5-10

Our God loves us in such a powerful and wonderful way.  From the beginning of time He has desired to have an intimate relationship with all that dwell here.  As the psalmist says, “His love reaches to the heavens.”  I wonder, could ours reach that far?

A friend of mine and her husband were awaiting genetic testing results for a disease his mother and aunt have. The period of waiting was beginning to take its toll on each of them. What with their already demanding work (they are both in the medical field), and raising a 12 year old daughter, they have their share of commitments. Finally the results came in—he had no indicators of the disease and all of the symptoms of the disease left hm.  I know some of you are thinking, “If he was/is a believer, then why was he worrying.”  It is mainly because he does/did not have a close relationship with God.  He could have focused on the positive outcome, rather than the negative which would have allowed them both to have truly “lived” this past year.

As our lives continue and we are faced with new challenges and concerns, we need to remember to keep God first in our thoughts.  It is a learned thought process, one that is cultivated, and should be encouraged in others.  Our God delights in us when we truly seek Him and want to know Him.

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

Father,  thank You for Your provisions for us Your children. We want to be jealous for You, we want to know You more fully as we begin this new year.  Show us places where we can improve and where we can be brave enough to share our hearts with You. In Jesus’ name.  Amen.

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In Your Light, We See Light

January 29, 2014 by

SeekingHimLogo

Your mercy, O LORD, is in the heavens; Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.
Your righteousness is like the great mountains; Your judgments are a great deep;
O LORD, You preserve man and beast. How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God!
Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of Your wings.
They are abundantly satisfied with the fullness of Your house,
And You give them drink from the river of Your pleasures.
For with You is the fountain of life; In Your light we see light.
Oh, continue Your lovingkindness to those who know You,
And Your righteousness to the upright in heart.
Psalm 36:5-10

There is such beauty in these words! As this psalm is read, it creates such a feeling of safety and peace. Of all these words the line that stood out the most was this: “In Your light we see light.”
I was reading an article this morning that detailed the recent shootings that have taken place in schools, shopping centers and even movie theatres. The article stated that all of these shootings were in areas where “we once felt safe”—areas that were made for education, recreation, fun times; places that may now have people looking over their shoulders and wondering what the person next to them is thinking.

The world seems like a very dark place right now, so when I read that in God’s light, we see light, it reminded me that despite what I see happening in the world today, or even in our personal lives, that there is a Constant Light. There is constant light because God is a constant— He is constantly merciful, constantly faithful, constantly righteous, He constantly preserves, and, most of all, He is constantly loving.

“In Your light we see light.” His light is ever present, we need to stay close, we need to study His word, we need to pray, and we need to listen to music that draws us closer to Him. Oscar Wilde said that “it takes a great deal of courage to see the world in all of its tainted glory, and still love it.” Because of the light we are constantly surrounded by, because of His unyielding love, we have the courage that is needed to love this world and the people on it. So when things seem dark, tell yourself that in His light we see light.

Let’s pray: Dear Heavenly Father, darkness seems to surround every news story, every television show and every newspaper. Thank You for Your light that shines through this darkness and reminds us of your constant presence and love. Please give us the courage to love the world despite what is happening around us. And in dark times please help us to remember that in Your light, we see light. In Jesus name, we pray. Amen.

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Awesome Nature of God

January 27, 2014 by

SeekingHimLogo

 

Your steadfast love, O Lord extends to the heavens
Your faithfulness to the clouds.
Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains,
Your judgements are like the great deep,
You save humans and animals alike, O LORD.
How precious is Your steadfast love, O GOD!
All people may take refuge in the shadow of Your wings.
They feast on the abundance of Your house
and You give them drink from the river of Your delights.
For with You is the fountain of life; in Your light, we see light.
Psalms 36:5-9

Awesome is one of those words that has been so over used and inappropriately used that it’s meaning has all but been lost. These verses from the heart of the 36th Psalm seem, at least to me, to provide a wonderful summary of the truly “awesome” Names of God. Gods steadfast love, faithfulness, righteousness, and judgments, are what awesome is all about.

While our love is often too conditional and limited, God’s love for us knows no bounds. Our love can be shallow, self – serving and unpredictable. God’s love is steadfast. You can count on the consistency of God’s love revealed in the beauty of creation, in the gift of God’s love and preeminently in the life death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. There are no limits, no lines, no conditions. God loves us to the end…and beyond.

When we profess our faith as followers of Christ we promise to “turn from sin and renounce evil and its power in the world” yet sometimes in spite of our most earnest efforts we fall back into the same old patterns. Or like the would-be followers of Jesus in Luke’s gospel (Luke 9:59-62) we set conditions: “When I have completed this task,” OR when I have more money, OR when I have more time, OR if it won’t be too demanding.” God’s faithfulness to us is unwavering and sure. You can always rely on God.

God’s righteousness the psalmist tells us that it is like the mighty mountains – majestic, firm, immovable, eternal. God’s ways are just and true, his truth unchanged and unchanging. To say that God is righteous is to say that in God all things are as they should be so that God is the standard by which all things are measured – love, justice, peace, kindness, generosity….

God’s judgments, the psalmist tells us are like the great deep: unfathomable in their understanding and truth, neither shallow nor easily manipulated. Yet they are also tempered by mercy and filled with forgiveness.

And, finally, the psalmist assures that in spite of the vastness of God’s love, faithfulness, righteousness, and judgment, the truly awesome nature of God, He is never too big to care for us.

Let us Pray: Our dear heavenly Father, we come to Thy throne of grace because You are the great God who never fails and whose love is unconditional. Teach us to love as Your own children in Jesus name we pray, Amen!!

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The One Who Hears Us

January 25, 2014 by

SeekingHimLogo

Come and hear, all you who fear God,
And I will declare what He has done for my soul.
I cried to Him with my mouth,
And He was extolled with my tongue.
If I regard iniquity in my heart,
The Lord will not hear.
But certainly God has heard me;
He has attended to the voice of my prayer.
Blessed be God,
Who has not turned away my prayer,
Nor His mercy from me!
Psalms 66:16-20

The kids are sitting in front of the tv…I call their names several times…nothing. A glaze covers their eyes.
I’m talking to my husband…no response…I look over and find him engrossed in his computer.
The lady at Walmart is blocking the aisle…she turns to the side and I see her phone to her ear…she doesn’t hear the “excuse me’s” being directed to her.

So many times during the day, there are instances of not being listened to—not out of being ignored—but because we, as people, find it hard to focus on more than one thing at a time and we get tunnel vision.
Through all of this noise and busyness, and not being heard by so many, I know that there is One Who hears me. One Who listens to me whenever I call, and wherever I may be, and wherever I need Him. “God has heard me” (verse 19). How great is it to know that with everything going on around us and all of the busyness, He hears me…and He hears you. “He has attended to the voice of my prayer” and He “has not turned away my prayer.” We don’t have to repeat ourselves, we don’t have to raise our voices. He is ready to listen when we are ready to talk, and He even listens to our hearts when we can’t find the words to say. So yes, “Blessed be God!” Blessed be the One Who listens to us when it feels as if no one else is. Blessed be the One Who hears us when we need to be heard.

*  ~  * ~  * ~ * ~ *

Let’s Pray: Thank You, Father, for being the One Who listens, for hearing our voices despite of all the noise surrounding us, for attending to our prayers and for not turning away from us when we need to be heard. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

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