First Thursday in November - Hope because there is a River

I love this picture because it speaks to me of hope

of new life,

of how God does not snuff out the smoldering wick

or destroy the bruised reed.

I love God because His ways are so much greater than mine

and He is strong

and is within the city of God -

4 There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God,
The holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High.
5 God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved;
God shall help her, just at the break of dawn.
Psalm 46: 4-5 NKJV

1 God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
3 though its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with their surging.

4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy place where the Most High dwells.
5 God is within her, she will not fall;
God will help her at break of day.
Psalm 46:1-5 NIV

I love the NKJV for

God shall help her, just at the break of dawn

for it reminds me of Elizabeth Goudge's book The Middle Window

which I read an old library copy of years ago

(wish I owned it!)

and the knight separated from his king who he loved

on a dark weary mountain

in a battle that he heard the king was losing

still kept going

even in the darkness

for his faith and love in his king.

"God will help her at the break of dawn"

*

I love this verse also in the NIV

"Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea."

I vividly remember in a Geology class at Calvin years ago

my professor showed us an old film, on a film reel,

of earthquakes and mountains falling into the heart of the sea

and quoted these verses from Psalm 46.

I will never for get this professor's love and faith in God

and his understanding of Psalm 46.

God is strong

stronger than my favourite tree,

whose strong large trunk and roots you see.

*

I am recognizing in the midst of the stress I am currently in

dwindling savings

no job yet

no family who can lend me money

(but St. Nicholas has provided for me through his prayers to Christ before

and I asked God and St. Nicholas for a job for Christmas)

and the efforts I am making

and other non-bloggable stress in my life

that I am a bit burnt out right now.

When I say 'a bit' this can be translated as 'I truly am'

once a relative of mine emailed me that he was 'a bit sick'

and he was medically evacuated from where he was living.

So yes, I am a bit burnt out right now.

I can see the effects of stress in my life in various ways

and know that I must keep trying but

also try to keep myself afloat;

eat as well as I can

rest when I need it

and keep trying to do the things I need to do for getting a job.

*

There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God

the holy place where the Most High dwells.

God is within her, she will not fall;

God will help her, just at the break of dawn.

*

We are all in various inner battles that are difficult;

I know I am not alone in struggles,

no, we are all broken, weak and tired,

but we must hold out,

for there is a river whose streams make glad the city of God.