I slept, but my heart was awake, when I heard my lover knocking and calling:
“Open to me, my treasure, my darling, my dove, my perfect one.
My head is drenched with dew, my hair with the dampness of the night.”

But I responded, “I have taken off my robe.
Should I get dressed again?
I have washed my feet. Should I get them soiled?” – Song of Songs 5:2-3

The One who loves her more than she can even imagine is calling out for her to come to Him and she is counting the cost. Counting the cost – something we are probably all guilty of. God has created us for an intimate and personal relationship with Him but we count the cost – do I have the time to spend with God, do I have the energy after a long day?

But when we consider how much He loves us…
When we consider how much He has done for us…
When we consider how he died for us…
When perfume is dripping from our hands and myrrh from our fingers (5:5)…
When we consider how much our salvation cost Him – His life – we run to the door!

I opened to my lover, but he was gone!
My heart sank.
I searched for him but could not find him anywhere.
I called to him, but there was no reply. – Song of Songs 5:6

There are times when we feel we have missed our opportunity. We count the cost and decide to seek Him. We call out but there is no reply. We feel like He is no longer there for us, like He is too far to be found but God is always here – always within reach.

My lover has gone down to his garden, to his spice beds, to browse in his gardens and gather the lilies.
I am my lover’s, and my lover is mine.
He browses among the lilies. – Song of Songs 6:2-3

In her book “Receive His Love”, Aletha Hinthorn describes the lilies as God’s people. When we walk into the garden where God’s people are gathering, we can find God in their presence. When we are searching for our God, a great place to look for Him is among His people as they gather together to be with Him and to call on His name.

There are two moments in this love story found in Song of Songs where the young woman experienced dark times. The first is when those who were supposed to protect her and care about her instead mistreated her (5:7). The second is a result of giving into temptation and allowing her desires to pull her towards temporary physical love instead of toward the eternal spiritual love God is offering her (6:12).

Return, return to us, O maid of Shulam.
Come back, come back, that we may see you again (6:13).

Love is calling her back – love is healing and love is redemptive.

Even among sixty queens and eighty concubines and countless young women,
I WOULD STILL CHOOSE my dove, my perfect one …
Oh, how beautiful you are!
How pleasing, my love, how full of delights! – Song of Songs 6:8-9; 7:6

I aroused you under the apple tree, where you mother gave you birth,
where in great pain she delivered you.
Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm.
For love is as strong as death, its jealousy as enduring as the grave.
Love flashes like fire, the brightest kind of flame.
Many waters cannot quench love, nor can rivers drown it.
If a man tried to buy love with all his wealth, his offer would be utterly scorned (8:5-7).

Oh, how He loves us! When you have wasted time counting the cost, He loves you! When those around you have left you scarred and hurting, He loves you! When you have fallen to temptation and need forgiveness, He loves you! He is jealous for you and welcomes you with grace in His eyes. Oh, how He loves you! You cannot waste time maintaining regrets when you step into the presence of a God who loves you this much – who is calling you to intimacy with Him. He calls you to dwell in the garden. He longs to hear your voice (8:13). Let Him hear your voice.

And we are His portion and He is our prize,
Drawn to redemption by the grace in His eyes,
If His grace is an ocean, we’re all sinking.
And Heaven meets earth like an unforeseen kiss,
And my heart turns violently inside of my chest,
I don’t have time to maintain these regrets,
When I think about, the way…

Oh, how He loves us oh,
Oh how He loves us,
How He loves us all
How He loves

(“How He Loves” sang by the David Crowder Band)

Yesterday we began looking at Song of Songs from a new perspective presented by Aletha Hinthorn in her book “Receive His Love.” There are many different interpretations of this beautiful, poetic story. I am comfortable with many of the existing views. We can look at this book from the perspective of a passionate young couple in love and enjoying the sexuality given to them by God and we can see that God created us to love in this way.

But this week, this time, I choose to read the book from a new perspective – to consider how much God loves me and how He provides intimacy when I purposefully spend time with Him. This relationship differs yet can be compared to the intense love of a man and woman. I can see that God loves me strongly and I can become passionate about my spiritual relationship with Him.

My brothers were angry with me; they forced me to care for their vineyards,
so I couldn’t care for myself – my own vineyard. – Song of Songs 1:6b

So busy doing for other people that we fail to take care of ourselves. So busy working in the vineyard – living life, maybe even doing ministry – that we fail to make time to slip away into the quiet God is calling us to.

Catch all the foxes, those little foxes, before they ruin the vineyard of love,
the grapevines are blossoming. – Song of Songs 2:15

The grapevines are blossoming. We are growing in our relationship with God but beware of the foxes. Beware of the little things in life that creep in and prevent us from experiencing intimacy with God. They become distractions and they seek to ruin the vineyard. We become so focused on the foxes that we find ourselves feeling distant once again from God. We look around and wonder where He is. We have lost our focus and need to find it again.

One night as I lay in bed, I yearned for my lover.
I yearned for him, but he did not come.
So I said to myself, “I will get up and roam the city,
searching in all its streets and squares.
I will search for the one I love.”
So I searched everywhere but did not find him.
The watchmen stopped me as they made their rounds, and I asked, “Have you see the one I love?”
Then scarcely had I left them when I found my love! – Song of Songs 3:1-4a

When we seek God, we will find Him. When we search for intimacy with our Savior, He will come to us and provide a place for us to be strengthened and refreshed by Him. His left arm will support our head, giving us rest when we are weary or comfort when we are mourning. His right arm will embrace us. We will feel the arms of God loving us and holding us up in even the most difficult of situations.

Like the finest apple tree in the orchard is my lover among other young men.
I sit in his delightful shade and taste his delicious fruit.
He escorts me to the banquet hall; it’s obvious how much he loves me.
Strengthen me with raisin cakes, refresh me with apples, for I am weak with love.
His left arm is under my head, and his right arm embraces me. – Song of Songs 2:3-6

My lover said to me, “Rise up, my darling!
Come away with me, my fair one!
Look, the winter is past, and the rains are over and gone.
The flowers are springing up, the season of singing birds has come
and the cooing of turtledoves fills the air.
The fig trees are forming young fruit, and the fragrant grapevines are blossoming.
Rise up, my darling!
Come away with me, my fair one!” – Song of Songs 2:10-13

Oh, how He loves us! He calls to us – come away with me! He longs for us to step out of the chaos and noise and experience intimacy with Him. It reminds me of one of my favorite songs in Christian music playing today – “How He Loves Me” by the David Crowder Band.

He is jealous for me,
Loves like a hurricane, I am a tree,
Bending beneath the weight of His wind and mercy.
When all of a sudden
I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory,
And I realize just how beautiful You are,
And how great Your affections are for me.

And oh, how He loves us, oh,
Oh, how He loves us,
How He loves us all…

Stories – they are all around us. One of my favorite kinds of stories to read are love stories. Let me tell you a love story about a young woman who had a sincere desire to grow closer to the One she loved – Jesus. At first she focused simply on enjoying Him and what He could do for her, how His presence made her life more wonderful. Then she discovered the indescribable joy of being loved by Him. Her relationship with Jesus grows throughout the story as she realizes how much He delights in her and desires a relationship with her. She matures spiritually while on this journey to intimacy. She is no longer simply a worker for Jesus – she is now a devoted lover of Jesus. Do you recognize this story? It can be found in Solomon’s Song of Songs.

I have always struggled to understand this book and found myself uncomfortable diving into its meaning. Last fall at the Come to the Fire conference, Aletha Hinthorn gave me new eyes and new ears of understanding for this beautiful book. There are many interpretations of Solomon’s writings but I choose reread these scriptures from the angle Aletha has provided in her book, “Receive His Love.” Let’s consider Song of Songs as a young woman’s journey to intimacy with Christ and see what He might teach us about the potential of our relationship with Him.

Kiss me and kiss me again, for your love is sweeter than wine.
How fragrant your cologne; your name is like its spreading fragrance.
No wonder all the young women love you!
Take me with you; come, let’s run!
The king has brought me into his bedroom. – Song of Songs 1:2-4

Consider the meaning of the word “kiss” as receiving a word from the Lord, a word from His mouth. Now reread these verses. She longs to receive a word from the Lord. I can relate to that. I wake up each morning and enter into a private room with Jesus out of my desire to hear from Him. Time in His presence is like a “spreading fragrance” and I run into His presence each morning, longing to experience intimacy with Him as I cling to His words.

I am dark but beautiful, O women of Jerusalem –
dark as tents of Kedar, dark as the curtains of Solomon’s tents.
Don’t stare at me because I am dark – the sun has darkened my skin.
My brothers were angry with me; they forced me to care for their vineyards,
so I couldn’t care for myself – my own vineyard.
Tell me, my love, where are you leading your flock today?
Where will you rest your sheep at noon?
For why should I wander like a prostitute among your friends and their flocks? – Song of Songs 1:5-7

I look at myself and I see the dark nature that is mine when I live life away from my Savior. Everything under the sun that I have experienced in life has left its scars and dirt on me. Exposure to this life has darkened me. But where are you going today, Lord? I long to be with You participating in Your work today rather than working in someone else’s fields. I desire to give You all of my love rather than sharing my love and desires with what this world has to offer.

If you don’t know, O most beautiful woman, follow the trail of my flock,
and graze your young goats by the shepherds’ tents.
You are exciting, my darling, as a mare among Pharoah’s stallions.
How lovely are your cheeks; your earring set them afire!
How lovely is your neck, enhanced by a string of jewels.
We will make for you earrings of gold and beads of silver. – Song of Songs 1:8-11

How beautiful! He looks at me – looks beyond the darkness of my past and sees the beauty of my future. He sees what He can make out of my life! He says – If you don’t know what to do and where to go, follow me! Those who follow after Him have left a trail for me to walk in. Those who have accepted the calling of “shepherd” have prepared a field in which I can graze and grow in my understanding of my Savior. The horse represents the beauty and strength that is within me. He looks beyond the scars on the outside and sees the beauty and potential He created inside of me.

The king is lying on his couch, enchanted by the fragrance of my perfume.
My lover is like a sachet of myrrh lying between my breasts.
He is like a bouquet of sweet henna blossoms from the vineyards of En-gedi.

You are so handsome, my love, pleasing beyond words!
The soft grass is our bed; fragrant cedar branches are the beams of our house, and pleasant smelling firs are the rafters. – Song of Songs 1:12-17

Lord, thank you for couch – the place of rest – you prepared for me this morning. We met together and you found me beautiful. We met together and I found your love like nothing I can obtain in this life around me. It is like something distant and beyond my reach that You graciously bring close to me. A relationship with You is pleasing beyond words! You give me a comfortable place to lie and a firm foundation on which to build my life, while also giving me blessings to make this spiritual journey pleasant. Thank you for Your “kisses” – for giving me a word from Your mouth this morning. My heart desires to hear from You and I am not disappointed. I drink in Your presence like a delicious cup of my morning coffee.

For your unfailing love is higher than the heavens.
Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.
Be exalted, O God, above the highest heavens.
May your glory shine over all the earth. – Psalm 108:4-5

Praise the Lord!
I will thank the Lord with all my heart as I meet with his godly people.
How amazing are the deeds of the Lord!
All who delight in him should ponder them.
Everything he does reveals his glory and majesty.
His righteousness never fails.
He causes us to remember his wonderful works.
How gracious and merciful is our Lord! – Psalm 111:1-4

I love spending time with my brothers and sisters in Christ. I love listening to their God-stories and sharing mine. As I spend time with believers, I am blessed by the many ways God has loved them – how gracious and merciful He has been to them. Some of the stories are marked by heartache and some by healing; some by pain and some by joy. God knows what we need and He knows we need to hear His stories, confirming that He is still at work in the lives of His people. God’s story doesn’t end on the last page of the Bible. It has continued from generation to generation in the lives of His children.

This week our family has been at the quadrennial General Assembly of the Church of the Nazarene in Indianapolis. I have seen childhood friends, college friends and friends from all over the nation. I was blessed to get a hug from my friend who is serving the Lord in Hungary and hear her God-stories. I was blessed to enjoy ice cream with a friend from Texas and hear what God recently did in her family’s life through a missions trip to Belize. I listened to the stories of my college roommate and shared in the joy of where God has them right now. I made new friends, only to find out we have mutual friends. I saw friends with recent job changes, friends with new babies, friends with recent struggles.

Stories – they are all around us. I watched the choir made up of children from around the world and wondered what their stories were. I walked down the hall behind the delegation from Africa and listened to them sing “How Great Thou Art” in a language I did not know, but FULLY understood. Their stories are probably far different from mine, but our hearts understood and agreed together on this message:

Oh Lord, my God, when I in awesome wonder,
consider all the worlds Thy hands have made.
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy power throughout the universe displayed.

Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee.
How great Thou art, how great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee.
How great Thou art, how great Thou art.

I look up to the mountains – does my help come from there?
My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth! – Psalm 121:-1

My heart is singing along with Casting Crowns this morning, who wrote a wonderful praise and worship song form this first verse of Psalm 121. I am reminded the God I serve is the God who created all things so perfectly. His design for all of creation is so magnificent and purposeful.

Yesterday I read Psalm 104 and fell in love with the psalmist’s description of God’s plan of creation. I went back to it this morning and soaked in it a second time. Why? Because, if God can set up the heavens and the earth to so perfectly coordinate with each other, I can trust Him to handle the details of my life. Whatever, wherever, whomever, however – He is able. This morning I rest in the words of Psalm 104.

Let all that I am praise the LORD.

Praise the LORD!

The Lord gives righteousness… – Psalm 103:6a

I could just stop right there. I love the powerful message contained in these four words. I cannot in a million years be righteous on my own but I serve a generous God who GIVES righteousness. I can never be good enough but He is enough – His righteousness can look at this ungodly heart and call me godly.

Light shines on the godly, and joy on those whose hearts are right.
May all who are godly rejoice in the Lord and praise His holy name. – Psalm 97:11-12

When I consider that it is His righteousness that makes a godly life possible, I can join in with the psalmist is this prayer of commitment to living a godly life. If I think for one minute I can do it on my own, this prayer is said with uncertainty. I HOPE I can live a blameless life, I HOPE I can lead a life of integrity. If the foundation of my prayer starts with “The Lord give righteousness…”, then I can join in this prayer with confidence that it is all about my willing heart and God’s capable heart. If I am willing to commit to living a holy life, He will give me His righteousness.

I will sing of your love and justice, Lord.
I will praise you with songs.
I will be careful to live a blameless life – when will you come to help me?
I will lead a life of integrity in my own home.
I will refuse to look at anything vile and vulgar.
I hate all who deal crookedly;
I will have nothing to do with them.
I will reject perverse ideas and stay away from every evil.
I will not tolerate people who slander their neighbors.
I will not endure conceit and pride. – Psalm 101:1-5

Give thanks to the Lord, for HE IS GOOD!
His faithful love endures forever.
Who can list the glorious miracles of the Lord?
Who can ever praise him enough?
There is joy for those who deal justly with others
and always do what is right. – Psalm 106:1-3

Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim HIS greatness.
Let the whole world know what HE has done.
Sing to Him; yes, sing His praises.
Tell everyone about HIS wonderful deeds.
Exult in His holy name; rejoice, you who worship the Lord.
Search for the Lord and for his strength; continually seek him.
Remember the wonders he has performed, his miracles, and the rulings he has given…
He is the Lord our God.
His justice is seen throughout the land.
He ALWAYS stands by His covenant –
the commitment He has made to a thousand generations. – Psalm 105:1-8

Lord, I search this morning for You and for Your strength. I am seeking You and asking You for a fresh outpouring of Your righteousness into my life. Fill me with Your Spirit so I cannot submit to Your plan for my life. Every word I say, every action I take today, may it be evidence of Your righteousness at work in my life. Shine Your light down onto my life and Your joy down into my heart. Thank you for your faithfulness – that you ALWAYS stand by Your covenant. I desire to sing Your praises all day long! Amen.

Have you noticed how joy is contagious and everyone wants to share it? If someone recently lost weight, they want everyone to try their diet or their exercise plan. If someone recently became a vegetarian, they want everyone they know to give up meat also. When someone tells me they are looking to buy a new camera, I’m quick to say, “You should buy a Sony!” When someone is looking to buy a new car, I’m quick to tell them how much I love mine.

Evidence of this human tendency is ALL over Facebook and other social media sites. When we are happy, we want everyone else to share in our happiness. Whatever is our favorite, we want to be their favorite too (Go Cardinals!) So what about those of us who have experienced salvation? Are we quick to share the good news with others and encourage them to commit their lives to Christ also? Is our joy contagious?

Sing a new song to the Lord!
Let the whole earth sing to the Lord!
Sing to the Lord; praise his name.
Each day proclaim the good news that he saves…
Great is the Lord! He is most worthy of praise!…
Give to the Lord the glory he deserves!
Bring your offering and come into his courts.
Worship the Lord in all his holy splendor.
Let all the earth tremble before him. – Psalm 96: 1-2,4,8-9

The Psalmist is calling us to join him in proclaiming the good news of our salvation today. He has experienced the joy of salvation and the pleasure in singing God’s praises. He calls us this morning to join him in praise and adoration of our Savior. His joy is contagious!

Sing a new song to the Lord, for he has done wonderful deeds…
Shout to the Lord, all the earth; break out in praise and sing for joy! – Psalm 98:1,4

Shout with joy to the Lord, all the earth!
Worship the Lord with gladness.
Come before him, singing with joy.
Acknowledge that the Lord is God!
He made us, and we are his.
We are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise.
Give thanks to him and praise his name.
For the Lord is good.
His unfailing love continues forever,
and his faithfulness continues to each generation – Psalm 100

Let all that I am praise the Lord; with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name.
Let all that I am praise the Lord; may I never forget the good things he does for me.
He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases.
He redeems me from death and crowns me with love and tender mercies.
He fills my life with good things.
My youth is renewed like the eagle’s!…
The Lord is compassionate and merciful,
slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love – Psalm 103:1-8

He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west.
The Lord is like a father to his children,
tender and compassionate to those who fear him – Psalm 103:12-13

Now we are ready to start our day! Now God’s praise is on our lips and ready to form our attitudes for the day. Now we have been reminded of our salvation. Lord, fill me with your joy and the eagerness to share the good news with others. Make my joy contagious!

Accept the way God does things, for who can straighten what he has made crooked?
Enjoy prosperity while you can, but when hard times strike, realize that both come from God.
Remember that nothing is certain in this life. – Ecclesiastes 7:13-14

Why do bad things happen to good people? We hear this question asked often. Or why do the wicked prosper? They are valid questions. When we watch a godly person battle cancer or a child die suddenly and seemingly without purpose, we find ourselves asking God “why?”

King Solomon struggled with this same question and it is beneficial for us to follow his line of thinking and see where his journey for understanding took him. When we do not understand what or why, we can trust in the wisdom God gave to Solomon when he reached the following conclusion:

Indeed, how can people avoid what they don’t know is going to happen?…None of us has the power to prevent the day of our death (8:7-8a).

I have thought deeply about all that goes on here under the sun, where people have the power to hurt each other. I have seen wicked people buried with honor. Yet they were the very ones who frequented the Temple and are now praised in the same city where they committed their crimes! This, too, is meaningless. When a crime is not punished quickly, people feel it is safe to do wrong. But even though a person sins a hundred times and still lives a long time, I know those who fear God will be better off. The wicked will not prosper, for they do not fear God. Their days will never grow long like the evening shadows.

So I recommend having fun, because there is nothing better for people in this world than to eat, drink, and enjoy life. That way they will experience some happiness along with all the hard work God gives them under the sun…there is ceaseless activity, day and night. I realized that no one can discover everything, no matter what they claim (8:9-17).

The same destiny ultimately awaits everyone, whether righteous or wicked, good or bad…Good people receive the same treatment as sinners, and people who make promises to God are treated like people who don’t.

People can never predict when hard times might come. Like fish in a net or birds in a trap, people are caught by sudden tragedy (9:2-3, 11-12).

Just as you cannot understand the path of the wind or the mystery of a tiny baby growing in its mother’s womb, so you cannot understand the activity of God, who does all things (11:5).

…rejoice in every day of life (11:8).

Young people, it’s wonderful to be young! Enjoy every minute of it. Do everything you want to do; take it all in. But remember that you must give an account to God for everything you do. So REFUSE TO WORRY, and keep your body health…(11:9-10).

Don’t let the excitement of your youth cause you to forget your Creator…Remember him…

That’s the whole story. Here now is my final conclusion; Fear God and obey his commands, for this is everyone’s duty. God will judge us for everything we do, including every secret thing, whether good or bad (12:1-2,13-14).

It is what it is. I have never really understood that statement but it seems to be what Solomon is saying. It does no good to worry about what will happen in life. Instead relax in God’s plan and enjoy what He gives you today, not worrying about tomorrow. Remember Him, fear Him and obey Him. There may be sinful people around you who seem to be having a better life than you, but you know where you will spend eternity. You know there will be a day when you give an account to God for everything you do in this life. Remember Him and rejoice in every day of life. Don’t spend your youth worrying about what you have no control over. It is what it is, but that is okay because God is who He is and we can trust Him with whatever comes our way.

Over the last 18 months, I have worked my way through the Bible during my morning coffee time with God. I have three books left – Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon and Revelation. I have procrastinated the study of these three books, and yet God’s timing is so perfect. I needed to hear what King Solomon had to say in this book.

Everything is meaningless. Everything is wearisome beyond description. No matter how much we see, we are never satisfied. No matter how much we hear, we are not content. History merely repeats itself. The wise and the foolish share the same fate – they both die. All of our hard work, everything we have earned or acquired, we leave behind to someone else. We cannot take it with us when we die. Most people are motivated to success because they envy their neighbors. This is meaningless – like chasing after the wind. These are the thoughts of King Solomon after devoting himself to the search for understanding and exploring everything being done under the sun. He discovered that God has dealt a tragic existence to the human race.

I said to myself, “Come on, let’s try pleasure. Let’s look for the ‘good things’ in life.” But I found that this, too, was meaningless. So I said, “Laughter is silly. What good does it do to seek pleasure?” – Ecclesiastes 2:1-2

I have to admit that Ecclesiastes is not one of my favorite books of the Bible. King Solomon initially comes across much like Winnie the Pooh’s friend, Eeyore. But, in the midst of Solomon’s cynical and negative rant, he offers us some great words of wisdom to live by. He teaches us how to relax in some of these negative realities and enjoy the life God has blessed us with.

So I decided there is nothing better than to enjoy food and drink and to find satisfaction in work. Then I realized that these pleasures are from the hand of God. For who can eat or enjoy anything apart from him? – Eccl. 2:24-25

What do people really get for all their hard work? I have seen the burden God has placed on us all. Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end. So I concluded there is nothing better than to be happy and enjoy ourselves as long as we can. And people shout eat and drink and enjoy the fruits of their labor, for these are gifts from God. – Eccl. 3:9-13

Another gift from God that Solomon highlights is our relationships with other people: Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help…A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken (4:9-12).

Solomon’s words of wisdom continue:
As you enter the house of God, keep your ears open and your mouth shut…let your words be few…Keep all the promises you make to him…Don’t let your mouth make you sin…Talk is cheap, like daydreams and other useless activities. Fear God instead (5:1-7).

Those who love money will never have enough. How meaningless to think that wealth brings true happiness! The more you have, the more people come to help you spend it. So what good is wealth – except perhaps to what it slip through your fingers!…Hoarding riches harms the saver…We can’t take our riches with us…And it is a good thing to receive wealth form God and the good health to enjoy it. To enjoy your work and accept your lot in life – this is indeed a gift from God. God keeps such people so busy enjoying life that they take no time to brood over the past (5:10-20).

Enjoy what you have rather than desiring what you don’t have. Just dreaming about nice things is meaningless – like chasing the wind (6:9).

I must confess I have spent the last two and a half years half happy, half mourning what I do not have. I loved our life in Texas but missed family & friends in Illinois and dreaded the coming loss of my job. A year ago we moved back to Illinois and I have spent the last year enjoying life but in the context of missing our Texas church family & friends (and the backyard pool ). I have also mourned the loss of the role I have loved for 21 years – being a “pastor’s wife”. I have been surrounded by gifts from God yet had my “Eeyore” moments of feeling sorry for myself and grieving what I do NOT have.

Enjoy what you have rather than desiring what you don’t have.

Lord, I thank you for the food I eat and for the people you have placed in my life. I thank you for the joy I find in working hard for you. Lord, when I start to have an “Eeyore” moment, help me recognize it and find my inner “Tigger” Lord, forgive me for the moments over the last few years when I have felt sorry for myself, when contentment is just out of reach.

Father God, we thank you for the many gifts you give us so generously. Forgive us for the moments when our focus is on what we don’t have or our minds wander to what we wish our life could be. Thank you for the opportunity to learn this morning from King Solomon, in all of his wisdom. Help us to relax in your plan for our life. Plant eternity in our hearts and give us eyes to see the grand scope of Your plan. Amen.

Come let us worship and bow down.
Let us kneel before the Lord our maker, for he is our God.
We are the people he watches over, the flock under his care.
If only you would listen to his voice today! – Psalm 95:6-7

It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to the Most High.
It is good to proclaim your unfailing love in the morning,
your faithfulness in the evening… – Psalm 92-1-2

How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of Heaven’s Armies.
I long, yes, I faint with longing to enter the courts of the Lord.
With my whole being, body and soul, I will shout joyfully to the living God.
Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow builds her nest
and raises her young at the place near your altar,
O Lord of Heaven’s Armies, my King and my God!
What joy for those who can live in your house, always singing your praises.
What joy for those whose strength comes from the Lord…
They will continue to grow stronger…

A single day in your courts is better than a thousand anywhere else!
I would rather be a gatekeeper in the house of my God
than live the good life in the homes of the wicked.
For the Lord God is our sun and our shield.
He gives us grace and glory.
The Lord will withhold no good thing from those who do what is right.
O Lord of Heaven’s Armies, what joy for those who trust in you. – Psalm 8:1-5,7a,10-12

Happy are those who hear the joyful call to worship,
for they will walk in the light of your presence, Lord.
They rejoice all day long in your wonderful reputation.
They exult in your righteousness.
You are their glorious strength.
It pleases you to make us strong.
Yes, our protection comes from the Lord, and he,
the Holy One of Israel, has given us our king. – Psalm 89:15-18

You thrill me, Lord, with all you have done for me!
I sing for joy because of what you have done.
O Lord, what great works you do!
And how deep are your thoughts (92:4-5).

I cried out, “I am slipping!” but your unfailing love, O Lord, supported me.
When doubts filled my mind, your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer (94:18-19).

The Lord is my fortress; my God is my mighty rock where I hide…
Come, let us sing to the Lord!
Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation.
Let us come to him with thanksgiving.
Let us sing psalms of praise to him.
For the Lord is a great God, a great King above all gods.
He holds in his hands the depths of the earth and the mightiest mountains.
The sea belongs to him, for he made it.
His hands formed the dry land, too.
Come let us worship and bow down.
Let us kneel before the Lord our maker, for he is our God.
We are the people he watches over, the flock under his care.
If only you would listen to his voice today! – Psalm 94:22; 95:1-7