Today’s Reading:
Psalm 107
Isaiah 41
8 But you, Israel, my servant,
Isaiah 41:8-13
Jacob, whom I have chosen,
the offspring of Abraham, my friend;
9 you whom I took from the ends of the earth,
and called from its farthest corners,
saying to you, “You are my servant,
I have chosen you and not cast you off”;
10 fear not, for I am with you;
be not dismayed, for I am your God;
I will strengthen you, I will help you,
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
11 Behold, all who are incensed against you
shall be put to shame and confounded;
those who strive against you
shall be as nothing and shall perish.
12 You shall seek those who contend with you,
but you shall not find them;
those who war against you
shall be as nothing at all.
13 For I, the Lord your God,
hold your right hand;
it is I who say to you, “Fear not,
I am the one who helps you.”
The Spirit of the Lord says,
Take comfort in Me. Take refuge in Me. Lean on Me. Cling to Me. As the waves surge and roll and the stormy seas surrounding you seem uncertain and unpredictable, cling to Me. Lean on Me. Hold onto Me. The volatility is shaking and is going to shake all that can be shaken. But in Me you can have peace, rest, comfort and even find ease for your soul. Your soul can be at perfect peace in the midst of the wild, raging, surging seas in the cabin of My Presence — in the Captain’s cabin.
29 He made the storm be still,
Psalm 107:29-32
and the waves of the sea were hushed.
30 Then they were glad that the waters were quiet,
and he brought them to their desired haven.
31 Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love,
for his wondrous works to the children of man!
32 Let them extol him in the congregation of the people,
and praise him in the assembly of the elders.
We are headed for a pre-determined destination, for a port at which we have a reservation. Our slip is reserved, and our arrival from these stormy seas will be in calm waters. The storm will subside before we arrive safely to the port. As the ship takes its place and is secured to the dock, the people disembarking the ship of My safety will take a little while to get their land legs back under them. The stability will be disorienting. The freedom will be disorienting. The peace and order will be disorienting. It will even take some time for eyes to adjust to the bright, brilliant light of day. Returning safely to shore will take some acclamation. But once the crew of those who rode out the storm with Me gets their bearings in this unfamiliar land called home, they will be ready to run, to explore, to enjoy.
33 He turns rivers into a desert,
Psalm 107:33-38
springs of water into thirsty ground,
34 a fruitful land into a salty waste,
because of the evil of its inhabitants.
35 He turns a desert into pools of water,
a parched land into springs of water.
36 And there he lets the hungry dwell,
and they establish a city to live in;
37 they sow fields and plant vineyards
and get a fruitful yield.
38 By his blessing they multiply greatly,
and he does not let their livestock diminish.
They will sing patriotic songs of declaration and dominion over their right to the land. They will sing loud songs of worship and praise to the One who restored the land to its rightful owners and stewards. They will weep for joy over all that has transpired and all that has been overcome. They will rejoice with stunned faces that they can without hesitation declare, “America the beautiful, the land of the free and the home of the brave.”
107 Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
Psalm 107:1-3
for his steadfast love endures forever!
2 Let the redeemed of the Lord say so,
whom he has redeemed from trouble
3 and gathered in from the lands,
from the east and from the west,
from the north and from the south.
Justice is on the other side of the storm. Rightful ownership and honest stewardship is on the other side of the storm. Beautiful days of peace, righteousness, innocence and purity are on the other side of the storm. When the storm subsides and the ship comes into port, when the ship of My favor and protection deposits you safely back on shore, you will not recognize the place you call home. The atmosphere will be lighter. The sun will seem brighter. You will call this place your unfamiliar home. It will be a glory, a delight and a wonder.
How to Respond
- Choose to hide yourself in the protection and comfort of the Lord.
- Pray, Lord thank You for providing a place of refuge, safety and peace for us in the midst of the raging storm and the shaking. Thank You for loving us, for holding us close and for Your promise of getting us safely to shore — to our restored, unrecognizable homeland.
- Declare, Holy Spirit is moving. He is using the shaking. The shaking is His. He is using the storm, and He is protecting those who are with Him for the duration. He is bringing restoration, change, justice, freedom and righteous stewardship to America.
- Decree, I will remain in the Lord through the shaking and the raging storm. I will be with those He brings safely to shore. I will be one who rejoices in the unfamiliar home that He brings us to — because justice will be here. Peace will be here. Freedom will be here, and righteous stewardship will be here.
For more encouragement from Glory & the New Wine, check out the post from this day one year ago: Cultivate a Lifestyle of Thanksgiving.
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