Psalm 84:6b

Continuing in Psalm 84-Nov. 1998 Scripture personalized by me-

Little did I know as I wrote this that God was preparing me here in verses 6-8 for what was going to happen in verse 11 a few days later. It's amazing to me how God has me often LIVING these Psalms verse by verse as I meditate on them.:)

6b THE RAIN ALSO FILLETH THE POOLS.

"For as the RAIN cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: So shall MY WORD be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall PROSPER in the thing whereto I sent it." (Is. 55:10-11)

RAIN is likened to Your WORD. Rain shall cause things to bring forth and bud, and Your Word causes me to bring forth fruit unto holiness for Your glory. In the "valleys of Baca" of my life there shall Your Spirit and Your RAIN (Your WORD) fill my pools! Pools can mean "benediction, prosperity, BLESSING, liberal.." Surely this is true! My "valleys of weeping" have indeed liberally prospered me spiritually and have been a sort of benediction on my life. It is a very great BLESSING! Thank-You, Lord!

But now this verse reminds me of the sermon You providentially had me listen to this morning which touched on this subject. Is. 42:16 says, "And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness
light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them."

I am often "blind" to what You are doing in my life. When I started this Christian walk many years ago, I never would have thought the I would be a sickly mother with 7 children and with a way of life that is so different from what I grew up with. You have lead me in paths that I did not know. And what will TOMORROW bring? Where will I be a year from now? What shall be the "valleys of Baca" that come between now and then? O Lord, I do not know, but I think of the song "I Don't Know About Tomorrow, But I Know Who Holds My Hand." YOU DO! Surely this song sums up this verse.

I am reminded of Paul's words in II Cor. 11:23-28-"...in labours more abundant, in stripes ABOVE MEASURE, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in
the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches."

Earlier he said in II Cor. 1:8-"For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were PRESSED OUT OF MEASURE, above strength, insomuch that we DESPAIRED EVEN OF LIFE:"

Surely Paul must have felt at times that You had almost forsaken him as the Psalmist says in Psalm 44:9-16, 22. I've never been tried so severely as Paul, yet I've felt almost forsaken by You, too, Lord! But You were there all the time, PRESERVING ME, loving me, and holding
me up! There was DARKNESS all around me, and I could see not light at all, but You were the "sunshine" behind the dark clouds! You had a PLAN and an EXPECTED END for me that I knew nothing about. Yes, Lord, You made darkness LIGHT before me and did not forsake me! May I remember this! You "delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver, in whom I trust that You will YET DELIVER US" (II Cor. 1:10) in any and all dark days that lie ahead! Thank-You for Your PROMISE to me from Is. 43:1-3a - "But now this saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour:"