Exodus 15:2 - The LORD is My Strength, My Song and My Salvation.
Exodus 15:2 - The LORD is My Strength, My Song and My Salvation.
Exodus 15:2 (NIV) The LORD is my strength and my song; he has
become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise him.
Life's Rhapsody
The fair-haired composer sat at her piano, working carefully
on her new and, she hoped, finest rhapsody. The work of composing
this piece was not easy; she struggled with the melodies, and the
chords did not seem complete somehow. At the end of the frustrating
day, the tired young woman laid down her pencil and left the
unpolished music on the piano. She sighed as she slowly went to bed,
thinking, It's just not right.
Later that evening, the composer's old, white-haired father
came home and noticed his daughter's work on the piano. Being a
composer himself, he sat down and played through his daughter's rhapsody.
He smiled because he had taught her to love and write music. Then
he took up her pencil and began filling in the missing notes to
complete the full, rich chords his daughter had imagined but was unable
to write. He worked long into the night adding minor strains and
lilting melodies to the music. Finally, with a nod of satisfaction, he
left the piece where he had found it and went to bed.
The next morning the daughter sat down at the piano to begin
polishing her work from the day before. As she played through the
beautiful music, she was amazed at how thrilling it was. She congratulated
herself on producing a much more glorious composition than she had
remembered from the night before. It was, indeed, the finest rhapsody of
her career.
And so it is with life. We compose our lives as we go along,
but the strains of a masterpiece are often hindered by our human
frailty and weakness. Then the Master Composer comes along and fills in
the missing notes. He adds the lilting melodies and minor chords so
that the finished life plays like a symphony. He does not write a new
song; he just enhances and polishes the basic rhapsody we have written
through the years until it is a joy for others to hear.
Thank you, Father, for finishing my song. What more can I
say? Amen [The One Year Devotional of Joy and Laughter by Mary
Hollingsworth]
If our spirits hear a voice that sounds demanding,
compulsive, or impatient, it is almost certainly not God's. He may be firm
and persistent, but His approach is personal and respectful of the
relationship. He isn't manipulative because manipulation isn't appropriate in
healthy relationships. He's a leader, not a pusher. He doesn't drive us
against our will; He draws us into agreement with Him. Like a consummate
gentleman, He woos and beckons and counsels.
Sometimes we forget that. Whether through a guilty conscience
or a pattern of dysfunctional relationships with other people, we
tend to hear God's voice with an expectation that He will command us
like slaves or compel us to do what we don't want to do. We forget
that He works through our desires more often than He works against
them, bringing us into alignment with His will rather than forcing it
on us. He is not a hard master; He's a persuasive leader.
Avoid the pessimism of those who believe God will almost
always tell you what you don't want to hear or that His words will
always crucify you - or at least be hard to hear. Yes, we are to submit
our wills to His, but His will is usually appealing and uplifting.
If He inspires prophecy to strengthen, encourage, and comfort (1
Corinthians 14:3), His voice will certainly sound that way when we hear Him
directly.
Listen carefully today. God's words are not to be feared or
avoided; they are to be eagerly sought and consumed. Whatever your
situation, even if you're in the dark depths of a crisis, God knows the way
out. He always leads His people into places of peace and victory.
Lord, I've heard that demanding, manipulative voice before,
and sometimes I've wondered if it's Yours. Help me discern the tone
of Your voice and recognize Your gentle ways. You lead well; let me
follow well too. I choose to listen to You with the expectation of
goodness in everything You say. [The One Year Hearing His Voice
Devotional by Chris Tiegreen re Exo. 15:1, 13]
Trust Me and refuse to worry, for I am your Strength and
Song. You are feeling wobbly this morning, looking at difficult times
looming ahead, measuring them against your own strength. However, they
are not today's tasks - or even tomorrow's. So leave them in the
future and come home to the present, where you will find Me waiting for
you. Since I am your Strength, I can empower you to handle each task
as it comes. Because I am your Song, I can give you Joy as you work
alongside Me.
Keep bringing your mind back to the present moment. Among all
My creatures, only humans can anticipate future events. This
ability is a blessing, but it becomes a curse whenever it is misused. If
you use your magnificent mind to worry about tomorrow, you cloak
yourself in dark unbelief. However, when the hope of heaven fills your
thoughts, the Light of My Presence envelops you. Though heaven is future,
it is also present tense. As you walk in the Light with Me, you
have one foot on earth and one foot in heaven. (Exo. 15:2; 2Co. 10:5;
Heb. 10:23) [Jesus Calling by Sarah Young]
LINKS FOR FURTHER STUDY ON THIS PASSAGE:
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2012/20120201-1121.html
SPECIAL VIDEO CLIP ON SEEKING GOD
http://vimeo.com/31489782
