Feelings…nothing more than feelings….

Remember that song?  That tune is stuck in my head, of course I can’t remember all the lyrics.  (I have them here, somewhere in my sheet music, but that is too much work…it is enough satisfaction if you now have the tune stuck in YoUr head right now.)

We get stuck in feelings.  Especially us women.  We seem to be such emotional beings.  I mean I know it’s not just me.

I mean I hope it’s not just me.

It is when we are stuck in our feelings that we are playing the game of life.  Sometimes playing that game of life can make us disconnected and discouraged and we may not FEEL God’s presence.  I was reminded the other day, thankfully, God’s presence ISN’T about OUR feelings.  He is ALWAYS with us…even when we don’t feel like it.  He is always with us and always sees us.  We are fearfully and wonderfully made by the hands of one who knows everything about us.  He designed us to find Him.

For many years I read about people having a “life book or verse” from the Bible.  I thought that would be neat.  However, I never felt like I had one.  There were scriptures that I liked, but no one particular verse or book that I felt was “my life”.  It wasn’t until a few years ago, that while reading through the Psalms that Psalm 139 struck me.

“O LORD, you have searched me and you know me.  You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.  You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.  Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O LORD.” Psalm 139: 1-4

That’s true Lord.  You’ve known me all these years.  You’ve watched me.  You’ve known my thoughts, you knew what I was going to do and say before I did.  (I remember talking to you about some of those things.) You will continue to know me.  You will continue to know the words on my tongue before I even say them.  (Help me bite my tongue when I need to.)

“You hem me in – behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me.  Such knowledge is to wonderful for me, too lofty me to attain.” Psalm 139:5-6

You’ve kept with me Lord, kept me under your scrutiny, (even when I didn’t want it). I confess I don’t understand everything about you Lord.  There are somethings that are too lofty for my mind to comprehend.

“Where can I go from your Spirit?  Where can I go from your presence?  If I go to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.  If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.

If I say, ‘Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,’ even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.” Psalm 139:7-12

I tried to hide from you Lord.  I know I tried to pretend you couldn’t see me in the darkness those many years ago.  I can’t use the excuse I was young, I knew better.  I was just hiding.  (I didn’t like me, why would you?)

“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.  I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” Psalm 139:13

“You have this flaw” Satan whispers to us; whispered to me over and over.  “More than one!” he tells us.  We need to remember Satan is the father of lies!  God doesn’t make junk!  Look around, look at creation. Look at the beauty!  Now read that verse again.  I’ve read this over and over.  Now when I read these verses it has the power to bring tears to my eyes.  The Maker of the universe purposely knit me!  His works are wonderful!  His works have a purpose.  I am one of his works.  He knit me together with a plan, a purpose.  He created ME, He knit ME, I am fearfully and wonderfully made, His works ARE wonderful!     Now think of yourself in that scripture.  He purposely knit YOU!   YOU are one of His wonderful works!

“I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.  My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place.  When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body.  All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.” Psalm 139: 14-16

Lord, you make me feel so special that you took such care of forming me in my mother’s womb, caring for me there, seeing me there, ordaining all my days, even before one of them came to be.

“How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!  How vast is the sum of them!  Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand.  When I awake, I am still with you.” Psalm 139:17-18

How thankful I am for your thoughts of us…your precious gift..your saving grace….you thought of each of us on the cross…you thought of me..

“If only you would slay the wicked, O God!  Away from me, you bloodthirsty men!  They speak of you with evil intent; your adversaries misuse your name.  Do I not hate those who hate you, O LORD, and abhor those who rise up against you?  I have nothing but hatred for them; I count them my enemies.” Psalm 139:19-22

“Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.”  Psalm 139:23

Continue to search me Lord, test me, work in me, know my anxious thoughts…..guard my heart and my mind.

“See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”  Psalm 139:24

Examine me, keep me true.  Holy Spirit work in me.

We all want to be known and loved, whether we admit it or not.

Loved.  Now don’t you feel loved after reading Psalm 139?

Now ThAT is a feeling……