Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure,” 

As I begin 2012, I desire to approach the year with an attitude that anticipates the goodness of the Lord.  For me, this begins with committing to become a woman who is glad.  

 Being glad represents so much more than simply happiness.  For me, being glad also means being thankful, satisfied with what God has allowed into my life, thankful for all that God has done.  When I embrace an attitude of gladness, I put God first, and acknowledge His movement.  

 If you want to be a woman who exhibits gladness this year, tell someone!  Let’s pray this prayer,

 Father,

Help me this year to be glad.  Help me to acknowledge that it is you who makes me glad.  And, give me the courage and sensitivity to say and praise, “You have made me glad!”  In Jesus’ Name, Amen

 I Chronicles 16:31

Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let them say among the nations, “The LORD reigns!”

Cheryl Lee Davis

Wait for the LORD;
   be strong and take heart
   and wait for the LORD.

I don’t know about you, but I really needed to meditate on this verse today.  Over the past several years, amidst a very busy life with the demands of family and ministry, there remained seasons of delay, times of waiting, and many pauses.  And I have needed to be strong. 

And today I need to be strong.

In Scripture, we read God’s direction to His people to be strong and take courage, and to not be afraid.  These words were spoken as leaders and kings were anointed, as assignments were given to destroy and rebuild, and as God set the stage for new things to take place. God asks His people to be strong and take courage.

I can see why courage and strength are needed in each of these situations– these are tough jobs and the weak and fearful would not survive.

 But in this passage, we are not reading specifically about strength for a battle, we are not preparing to anoint a new king, we are not seizing a new land – no, in this passage, the command, the instruction, and the exhortation rests solely in the action of waiting.  God is saying to us that we need to be strong and take heart. 

I am so glad we are not alone in this.  He is right there with us in the waiting.   He promises to never leave us or forsake us.  Today, if you are feeling weak, if you are wondering what is going on, why God is directing you to wait, consider His love for you.  Remember, His desire is to be in relationship with you, by your side, as your Comforter, Counselor, Redeemer, Friend, Defender, and Savior.  Yes, He is this and so much more.  Wait on the Lord, yes, wait with the Lord.  He is near, my friend.

“My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.” Psalm 121:2

“My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” Psalm 73:26

Cheryl Lee Davis

I remain confident of this:
   I will see the goodness of the LORD
   in the land of the living.

As I sit down this morning to write Day 13, there is a word that jumps out to me.  And, while it is does not appear in the text, it is undeniably present.

Today.

Today we are confident.  Today we see the goodness of the Lord.  Today, we are assured in Who He is.  Right here, on this planet, where people are living, you and I will see the goodness of God.

And there is so much good to see.

Friends, God is so good.  He loves us so much – and the salvation He offers is indeed for eternity, and this salvation He alone gives is for you right here, right now.  You are saved.  And, He is saving you. 

God is so good – He has plans for you that go far beyond what you can ask or imagine. He designed you and me to fit into the body of Christ, to play a part – and without you, it just isn’t the same.  The fact is, without you, the rest of the body is limited, weakened, and not able to function the way He desires. 

Yes, God is so good.  He created you, saved you, designed a plan for you – and, He did this because He loves you, yes, and God did this for His own sake too!

God blots out our sins for His own sake because He wants to be in relationship with each and every one of us.  We matter to God.  His goodness is so far reaching, so immeasurable, yet, it is ours.

  He has good in mind for you.   His good is for you today!

Cheryl Lee Davis

Dear Lord,

Thank you for the confidence that we have in you.  Thank you for the plans you have for us, today, plans to prosper us, and not to harm us, plans for hope, and plans for our future.  And, thank you that we can trust Your timing, Your leading, Your guidance in our living today – and for our salvation that lasts forever.  In Jesus’ name, amen.

Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes,
   for false witnesses rise up against me,
   spouting malicious accusations.

Last week a friend complimented me on the brown blouse I was wearing.  She said it matched my brown hair and brown eyes.  It got me thinking that I needed more brown in my wardrobe!  Then, over the weekend, on a shopping spree to a local thrift store, I picked up some, yes you guess it, brown clothes.

Words are powerful.  And words are convincing.

And, words often have more impact from people right around us – those closest to us.

In this passage, David speaks of some very powerful words – false accusations.  He pleads for protection from these false witnesses — his foes.

Have you ever had an enemy so close that their words were readily and regularly heard?

Words are one of the most powerful weapons used by our enemies to destroy us.  Manipulation and schemes are set into motion for these weapons, these words to cause the greatest amount of destruction. 

Words stay with us.  Yes, false accusations said days, months, or even years ago still remain with us today.  Through a slip of the tongue, an angry outburst, or an intentional, thought-out attack, someone spoke.   It doesn’t really matter how the words came your way – accusations and lies were said.  Words that painted a description of you and me, and we believed them.

In the struggle, in the battle, we must resist the debilitating power of these messages.  Our God, the one Who is light, the One who saves, the One Who has given us everything we need for life and godliness, sings beautiful songs over us. He says we are children of the Most High God, that we are redeemed, we are loved, we are gifted, we are secure, in Him.

Those are good words, true words, words to remember and live by.  Here are just a few more:

   You are a child of God.  John 1:12

  You are a friend of Jesus. John 15:15

You are justified and redeemed. Romans 3:24

 You are no longer a slave to sin. Romans 6:6

You are set free from the law of sin and death. Romans 8:2

You are a fellow heir with Christ. Romans 8:17

You are accepted by Christ. Romans 15:7

Your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who dwells in you. 1 Corinthians 3:16

You are a new creature in Christ. 2 Corinthians 5:17

 Friends, in the midst of what may feel like an ambush of ugliness, remember that God is your shield.  He is a bulwark never failing.  Today remember the words that God uses to describe you. 

“But you, LORD, are a shield around me, my glory, the One who lifts my head high.” (Psalm 3:3)

Cheryl Lee Davis

But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, ¹⁶ keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.

( I Peter 3:15-16)

Psalm 27 – Day Eleven

Psalm 27:11

Teach me your way, LORD;
   lead me in a straight path
   because of my oppressors

 God has been teaching me the way to live –   summed up in one very powerful word:

 Freedom. 

 God’s way, the life He offers, the new life (as Paul describes in Romans 6), is freedom.  We are no longer slaves to sin, we are no longer dead in our sins – but through the death and resurrection of Christ, we have been made alive, free, in Him. 

 So why do I miss freedom?  Why do we miss it?

 For some, we become enslaved by a commitment to do what is right and good.  If we are not careful, we can become ensnared in legalism and our life is defined by what we say and do – rather than on what Christ did. In our effort to follow Him with abandon, we miss His surpassing grace and mercy that is continually extended to us.

 We miss freedom when we get comfortable with the proverbial ball and chain wrapped around the ankles and hands of our lives.  We convince ourselves that the over-eating, over-drinking, over-sexing, over-insecurity, over-jealousy, over-indulging, and over the top pride-filled behaviors in our lives are here to stay – and we acquiesce, as if there is no freedom available.

 Our trapped lives keep the focus on us.

 And when we singularly focus on ourselves, Christ’s reflection, Christ’s freedom, fades. 

 Father,

I know I need to be taught again and again of your way.  Teach me Lord.  Help me to understand this freedom you give.  Help us to live your way. In Jesus’ Name, amen.

 “This is what the Lord says— your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is good for you and leads you along the paths you should follow.” (Isaiah 48:17 NLT)

But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.(John 14:26)

 Psalm 27:10

Though my father and mother forsake me,
   the LORD will receive me.

There is something very intimately sacred about the holding power of God.  It’s difficult to put into words.  For those who have experienced His keeping, His sweet care, you never forget.

This care is often revealed in difficult and sorrowful seasons.  In our deepest anguish, in our darkest hour, God’s comfort holds with an undeniable presence. And, our hearts experience, once again, the covering peace that is, in many ways, without description.

Psalm 27:10 addresses one of the most painful experiences any human can have – abandonment – and, sadly, this is a common theme of our day. 

  Sadly, half of my generation and the generations who follow have experienced this first hand as children of divorce.    Today, there are hundreds of thousands of children in the foster care system who, for many different reasons, have been abandoned by their father and mother. 

Pure pain.

God will use you and me to love those who are without. 

And, while there are a variety of ways that address this pain, and I certainly do not begin to know them all, I remain thankful for God’s ever-present care in the midst of this unconscionable treatment. God, our Father, Abba, provides His great love for each and every one of us.  He promises to keep us close.

 “The Lord is like a father to his children, tender and compassionate to those who fear him.”  Psalm 103:13

 “He will feed his flock like a shepherd. He will carry the lambs in his arms, holding them close to his heart. He will gently lead the mother sheep with their young.” Isaiah 40:11

Today, take some time to think about people around you, children around you who have been abandoned in one way or another.  Do something for them. 

For those who are reading this today who have been a perpetrator of this kind of pain, who have rejected, for those who have done wrongfully to people, God’s love is present for you.  His rescue and His salvation are yours.  We are all the same—those abandoned and those who abandon.  We are people in need.

God’s mercy and forgiveness is for you.  You are not alone.  In the book of Romans we read how Paul struggled to do the things he should.

“For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing.”  Romans 7:19

Won’t you reach out to God today?  He is waiting to receive you into His arms of love.  It’s true.   Jesus Christ died for you.

 Jesus gave his life for our sins, just as God our Father planned, in order to rescue us from this evil world in which we live.  Galatians 1:4

Cheryl Lee Davis

 Psalm 27:9

Do not hide your face from me,
   do not turn your servant away in anger;
   you have been my helper.
Do not reject me or forsake me,
   God my Savior.

 I love the honesty in this verse, and candidly, I relate to what David is saying.  Sometimes it seems that God is hidden. At times, I have felt like He has abandoned me.  I know this isn’t true, but even recently He has been so quiet, it seems I can’t feel or see Him.

 You have probably had similar times in your life.  I remember after September 11, 2001, my husband lost his job and we were without work for four months.  We had a 5-month old and a 5-year old.  I can still remember feeling afraid and disillusioned.  I knew God loved me and my family, but I couldn’t understand why it was taking so long to find work, and especially at such a fearful time in our country.

 Still, in the middle of my confusion, in the middle of my disillusionment, God remained present.

 The bills came and the bills were paid.  Over and over I saw the provision of God through His people. Over and over I was amazed as I opened letters and cards with encouraging notes and checks.  Once, I opened our front door and found 12 bags of groceries lined up along the walkway to our porch. 

 God’s presence and provision was revealed through people.

 Today if God seems hidden from you, if you are at a point of desperation – call out to Him.  His provision is not dependant on our strength.  His presence is not contingent on our faith. His love is not dependant on us first loving Him.  No, everything we have, every place of provision, and each and every gifting is ours because He first loved us.  And, He won’t stop.

 Check out this amazing song by the David Crowder band.  Oftentimes, it’s in our desperation that we discover the greatnessof His revolutionary love:

“http://www.youtube.com/embed/UmLXQ3NT7T4”

Also, J. J. Heller’s, “Red Against Your Black.”  Check it out on itunes.

 Cheryl Lee Davis

One more thing, in January of 2002, God provided work where I met a very special friend.  I am thankful for the four month delay which led me to her.

Psalm 27:8

My heart says of you, “Seek his face!”
   Your face, LORD, I will seek.

 How do you listen to your heart?  How do you know when God is prompting you to do or say something?

 In this passage, we read David’s acknowledgement of his heart prompting him to seek the face of God.  And, there appears to be such a conviction that he restates his commitment.  God often moves our heart toward His desire and outcomes.

 What does it mean to seek God’s face?  Why does God want me to know His face?  Our faces hold so much of who we are.  Our eyes reveal what is going on inside.  Our smile communicates generosity of love, happiness, or curiosity. 

 They say a good majority of our communication is non-verbal and much of that is in our facial features.  Countenance is often first discovered by looking at someone’s face. 

 In this passage, we do not read of pleas or petitions, of anguish or even praise such as in the previous verses.  Rather, we are exhorted to pursue God for Who He is.  There are no demands, no requests; this is not a time to present supplication.  Seeking the face of God is the goal – it is the aim.  Seeking the face of God puts the focus entirely on God and His character.  We are thinking about Him—not ourselves.

 I admit, I struggle with this concept a bit.  I love to worship God.  I love to give Him praise.  But can I say I love to seek His face?  Could I spend the entirety of my mornings with Him simply seeking His face? 

 This passage challenges me.  And, this and other passages encourage me to obey.  I know that when we seek His face, God hears us.  I know that when we seek His face, we will experience forgiveness.  And, I know that we seek His face, our land will be healed.  Wow, that encourages me to seek Him!  Our obedience in seeking His face will result in God revealing Himself to us. And that, ultimately, is what life is all about—to experience God revealed and to be in close relationship with Him.

 Today, let’s set aside our desires, our requests, and our anguishes.  Instead, let’s set our hearts on seeking God’s face.

 2 Chronicles 7:14

If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

Cheryl Lee Davis

Psalm 27:7

Hear my voice when I call, LORD;
   be merciful to me and answer me.

 For some time now, my 10-year-old son has been asking for a cell phone.  His desire, his demands have been accompanied with bargaining, making well-thought-out arguments, and yes, a power point presentation!  His voice and his desires are clear.  Each time my husband and I listen to his pleas, and each time Nathan receives the same answer:

  Wait.

Not now.

It’s not time.

 Can you relate to these heartfelt demands?  Do you ever find yourself pleading like this with God in your prayers?  We all want to be heard.  Maybe that is why we shout our demands as if increasing the volume will make us better heard.  We want to be understood and we want a response.  We want answers!

 In verse seven, David is pleading with God to hear him when he calls. He even asks for mercy to be given to him as he looks for God to answer.

 Answer me!

 That is what we want, isn’t it?  We want answers.  It is easy to think that the clear response to our prayers, to our cries, is to be given a solution, an answer. But answers are not always what await us.  Sometimes the response we receive comes in the form of silence.  Often we are instructed to simply wait.

 Today, if you are frustrated with not receiving the response you want, may I encourage you that God has something better in mind.  Remember, in God’s economy, His answer for us to wait holds the same weight as when we hear His direction to move.  If we are not careful, we might think God is delaying.  But when we are instructed to wait, we are receiving a powerful and clear answer to our prayers.

   Trust waiting.    Value waiting. 

 When you hear wait, it is the only move you can take.  It is the action God is telling you to do.

 Be at peace, my friends.  God is near.  And He does hear you.  And He has responded.

Cheryl Lee Davis

Watch this chapter unfold next time when we move to verse eight and see what God asks of us when we cry out to Him for an answer.

 Psalm 27:6

Then my head will be exalted
   above the enemies who surround me;
at his sacred tent I will sacrifice with shouts of joy;
   I will sing and make music to the LORD.

One of my favorite things to do is hike.  I especially enjoy hiking inColoradowhere the hike involves altitude.  And while the journey up regularly leaves me breathless, reaching the top proves again and again to be the greatest reward.  Up high I can see the tops of trees way out in the distance.  And from that altitude I see the vast sky, the landscape of multiple mountains, valleys, trees, and lakes.

 It’s a completely different perspective.

 This verse reminds us that our enemies will surround us.  They are indeed present.  For me, some these enemies show up in the form of unforgiveness, resentment, and judgment.  They taunt me with thoughts that I deserve to be angry, or others don’t deserve my forgiveness, or sadly, thoughts that I am somehow superior.  Ick.  Ugly, I know.  But that’s the point.  Enemies are enemies.  They try to take you down any way they can.  And while I hate these tempters, I would be worse off if I pretended they did not exist.

 The beautiful thing about this passage is that even though enemies surround us, God lifts our head and our hearts above them.  Indeed, Psalm 23:5 tells us that God will “prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies”!  He blesses us right in front of those who want to destroy us.  He places us high above their accusation.  He offers us freedom. 

 He gives us a new perspective.  Hallelujah!  Yes, shout Hallelujah!

 When we resist our enemies, we are free.  When we forgive, when we forget, when we love as He loves, we are free. And freedom births praise – shouts of praise to our God.

 So what enemies in your life are after you?  What temptations, addictions, consumptions, and distractions are pulling you away from freedom?  Take God’s hand and let Him pull you up above them.  Let Him show you His freedom. Then, look far beyond the attacks of the enemy today, and experience the beauty, the vastness, the love of God.

 Cheryl Lee Davis