For
the choir director: A psalm of the descendants of Korah. A song to be sung to
the tune "The Suffering of Affliction." A psalm of Heman the
Ezrahite.
O
LORD, God of my salvation, I cry out to you by day. I come to you at night. Now
hear my prayer; listen to my cry. For my life is full of troubles, and death
draws near. I am as good as dead, like a strong man with no strength left. They
have left me among the dead, and I lie like a corpse in a grave.
I
am forgotten, cut off from your care. You have thrown me into the lowest pit,
into the darkest depths. Your anger weighs me down; with wave after wave you
have engulfed me.
You
have driven my friends away by making me repulsive to them. I am in a trap with
no way of escape. My eyes are blinded by my tears. Each day I beg for your
help, O LORD; I lift my hands to you for mercy. Are your wonderful deeds of any
use to the dead? Do the dead rise up and praise you?
Can
those in the grave declare your unfailing love?
Can
they proclaim your faithfulness in the place of destruction?
Can
the darkness speak of your wonderful deeds?
Can
anyone in the land of forgetfulness talk about your righteousness?
O
LORD, I cry out to you. I will keep on pleading day by day. O LORD, why do you
reject me? Why do you turn your face from me? I have been sick and close to
death since my youth. I stand helpless and desperate before your terrors. Your
fierce anger has overwhelmed me. Your terrors have paralyzed me. They swirl
around me like floodwaters all day long. They have engulfed me completely. You
have taken away my companions and loved ones.
Darkness
is my closest friend. Psalm 88:1-18
Continuing to look at friends and
friendship in the Scripture. I hope that you have been lifting up those friends
and family members you know who have been suffering with breast or other
cancers. Even though Breast Cancer Awareness Month (October) has past, the
affliction has not. Prayer is important—as are cards, calls and while there is
still time, visits.
Remember the old Simon and Garfield song…
“The Sound of Silence”
Hello darkness, my
old friend
I’ve come to talk
with you again
Because a vision
softly creeping
Left its seeds
while I was sleeping
And the vision that
was planted in my brain
Still remains…
Within the sound
of silence.
According to Paul Simon, who wrote this
song, it is about the inability to communication.
Is darkness your closest friend? Silence.
No communication. The Psalmist sounds mad at God. He is rejected and cut off
from God and his friends have been driven away by God. Things are not looking
good for this guy. Darkness is his only friend.
Do you sometimes feel like darkness is your
friend? To me…that sounds like depression. I don’t consider depression a
friend. It is a darkness that engulfs me when I let it. Yes. I control whether
I let myself feel depressed. Most days I can just take a few deep breaths and
say, “No Pity Party Today” “You must do what you must do…and that is not doing
only what YOU want to do today—which is not doing anything.” I’m not allowing
depression to overcome my attitude and fill my day with gloom. Like the apostle
Paul taught...I get my strength from the Lord.
For I can do everything through Christ, who
gives me strength. Philippians 4:13
Even on windy, dusty, scorching or freezing
days—no gloom and doom. Like another song says... “Put on a happy face—and
smile.” That smile outside sparks a little production of dopamine in the
brain—and helps life move ahead in a positive way.
There are days depression doesn’t always
just go away. That is the nature of the beast. Then I groan again…hello
darkness my old friend. Do you have days when darkness envelopes you? My hope
is for you to turn to the Lord. That is where my hope comes from.
Prayer
~ May the LORD smile on you and be gracious to you. Numbers 6:25.
Daily
Bible Reading: Matthew 20-21
Friday’s
Feast at the King’s Table
Healthy eating is best and this is the time
of the year we focus on getting lots of antioxidants in our diet to ward off
colds and flu. I’ve been reading about the importance and benefits of drinking
green tea. The polyphenols in green tea inhibit infection by the influenza
virus, as well as fighting other bacteria. It is an amazing food since it also
promotes growth of beneficial bacteria in the intestines, contributes to oral
health, and reduces coronary heart disease. Studies done on people around the
world confirm that green tea is good for you. God gave us an amazing food in green tea!
Brew tea in fresh water that has come to a
boil. Green tea, as well as light herbal teas, should be brewed with water at
160 degrees Fahrenheit that has just come to a boil. Robust herbal teas and
oolong teas should have water at 180 to 195 degrees F. Heavy black teas and
roasted herbal teas need to have water that is at a rolling boil to release
their full flavor. Use one tea bag or a rounded teaspoon of loose tea, in a tea
ball or infuser, for each cup of tea brewed. Steep at least three to five
minutes to release the flavor and the antioxidants.
Utilize the used tea leaves for a facial
scrub, antifungal foot rub, smoking fuel for meats or plant food for your roses.
Nothing goes to waste.
Drink up! I’m about to have a second cup
this morning!
Revised from November 1, 2018 Banquet With The King blog
© 2019 Text and
photos by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.
Unless
otherwise indicated, all scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation,
copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of
Tyndale House
Publishers, Inc. Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Follow And Like "Banquet With
The King" on Facebook. 👍
No comments:
Post a Comment