Sunday, March 4, 2012

BIBLE PICK 'EMS - Light at the End of the Tunnel

Ever feel just OVERWHELMED?

Like you're in a dark valley, unable to crawl out, surrounded by troubles?

(Please tell me I'm not alone down here - dark valleys love company...)

I feel like that sometimes - I hate to admit it, but I'm one of those "glass half-empty" kind of people! And, to tell you the truth, sometimes I don't even see ANY water in the glass at all!!

Today's "Bible Pick 'Ems" comes from the book of Micah in the Old Testament. Micah was a prophet, a contemporary of Isaiah and Hosea. Amidst his prophecies of doom and gloom, Micah presents a true picture of God - the Almighty Lord who hates sin and loves the sinner.

Micah offers hope to those who turn toward a gracious God.

"As for me, I look to the LORD for help. I wait confidently for God to save me, and my God will certainly hear me. Do not gloat over me, my enemies! For though I fall, I will rise again. Though I sit in darkness, the LORD will be my light...The LORD will bring me into the light, and I will see his righteousness. Then my enemies will see that the LORD is on my side...with my own eyes I will see their downfall." (Micah 7:7-8, 9, 10)

All too often, circumstances and struggles really get me defeated.

I cave in, I fall down, and sometimes I give up. Darkness overcomes my spirit like a shadow. Satan finds a way to gloat over me, accusing me in my weakness, and never letting me forget that I am small. He shouts me down, and I collapse.

(I would NOT make a good contestant on "Survivor" - just sayin')

But...ALL IS NOT LOST!

Micah showed great faith in God. He proclaimed that he would wait on God because He hears and saves us when help is needed. God would bring His people through the worst circumstances, upholding them when times were tough.

We, too, can have a relationship with God that will allow us to have confidence like Micah's.

On Friday, my "Fan the Flame" word was confident.

And a dear bloggy buddy left such a wonderful comment, that I'd like to reprint it here:

"I discovered that I had missed the whole point of confidence by neglecting the heart of the word: confide. We have confidence in God because we confide in him. It's really impossible to have "haughty confidence" in the truest form of the word(s) because the words are scriptural opposites. Both Hebrew and Greek words for confide are all wrapped up in trust. We would never confide in One we didn't trust completely. We tell God the deepest secret places of the heart, because He knows it anyway, and we know that not only will He cover them in silence, but that He is capable to do more than we can even think or imagine with our confidence. With God as my shield, I can fight like a warrior!!"


Oh, AMEN to that!

Yes, Micah, the light at the end of the tunnel is NOT a train!

The Light is the Glorious LORD, who is on my side.

I will not be defeated...

"For though I fall, I WILL RISE AGAIN!"


Linked today with Charlotte at SPIRITUAL SUNDAYS


BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"

8 comments:

  1. Aw, Sharon...

    As I read your pick 'ems passage of scripture this morning, I thought how perfect it was for my particular situation the past many months. It's also very timely for a certain fellow from my hometown whom God put in my heart recently. I will pray this scripture over him, too.

    Do not gloat over me my enemies... my Enemy. God will lift me up. Amen. Amen. Amen.

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  2. Thanks for sharing those encouraging verses from Micah. I am usually a glass half full person, but this week a few things threw me into the half empty (...or totally empty?) mode, and I had to find the time to be refueled in the presence of God like is stated in the verse you quoted: "As for me, I look to the LORD for help. I wait confidently for God to save me, and my God will certainly hear me..."

    Blessings!

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  3. Hi Sharon,

    Having major blog problems, cannot sign in - Nita

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  4. Very uplifting comment written about confidence! I would not make a good survivor either. My well going out from time to time reveals that to me!

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  5. I am having to push through some issues as we speak! sandie

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  6. Got a great laugh about the light not being a train! I am so with you, it doesn't take much for me to feel defeated...thank you for a reminder that I *needed* tonight.

    Followed your link from Spiritual Sundays!
    http://junecleaverwouldbeshocked.blogspot.com/

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  7. There is always a light at the end of every tunnel and that light is Jesus. Thank you for sharing your thoughts on the subject with us.
    Blessings,
    Charlotte

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"So [I] have been greatly encouraged in the midst of [my] troubles and suffering, dear brothers and sisters, because you have remained strong in your faith. It gives [me] new life to know that you are standing firm in the Lord. How [I] thank God for you!" (1 Thessalonians 3:7-9)

Thanks for your comments - it is such a joy to be sharing my journey with friends like YOU!

(NOTE: Anonymous comments will be removed. Thank you for understanding.)