Amen with A Pause
By Karen J. Gillett
Reading through the Psalms is a wonderful experience as they are full of praise and magnificent prayers to our Lord above. They are a collection of songs from the heart of each author out of their own personal experiences expressing what God had done for them. With fifty years down and a good fifty more to go in my own life here is my own song expressing from the heart what God has done for me.
Psalm 151 Karen’s Song
Praise to God my Father for His awesome strength
that carried me when I could only crawl,
That kept me going when I thought my only option was to quit.
To God be the glory for His flawless guidance that directed me
onto His righteous path,
away from the roads marked dark and dreary.
May His loving kindness and companionship remain in my heart
forever and ever.
I was caught in the middle and He found me
I was lost at the end and He rescued me.
Good times or bad He was there to guide me, the hope I needed to endure
The ray of light I needed to see me through.
For every blow the world dealt me He was there to heal the wound.
When anger was my emotion of choice He offered His will of love and forgiveness over mine.
The pain that often seemed to overwhelm me was unable to
surpass God’s love for me.
It’s that love that took me from being just a shadow on the ground
To something He saw in full color bursting with life.
To Him I owe my whole being.
The old person I once was and the new one ahead of me.
To God be the glory forever and ever. Amen and Selah
What started with praise could only end with a good old fashioned “Amen” and “Selah.” A simple “So be it” with a pause. A pause to stop and meditate on the things God has done for me.
Whether we have a completed song in our hearts or a stanza yet to be written taking the time to pause is something we all need to do. The words we use don’t need to rhyme or be a certain length. All that is required is they come from our hearts.
Imagine our own song from our own hearts from our own relationship with our Creator and King. You can’t get any better than that.
Selah, so be it!
My Psalm of Song
By Cheryl D. Robins
O Israel, hope in the LORD
From this time forth and forever.
(Psalm 131:13 NKJV)
Oh my Lord, my Awesome Father of the heavens
The great Redeemer of my sordid life passed by
Your mercy and grace have fallen heavy upon me
With Your righteousness, my new deep desire
- Selah
You set me free, from the life I lived in dismal squalor
Where dignity and peace, was nowhere to be found
On Your steadfast wings, You lifted me from desolation
And You carried me, to Your place, of redemptive calm.
Each new day brings me in closer, to Your perfect will
And ugly memories of old, fade deep into places unknown
You are the Messiah, the forever nutritious Bread of Life
The One who saves His sheep, from the desert of death
– Selah
It is only You, who is able to quench the thirst of the thirsty
And only You, that offers an abundant life of eternal peace
My life has changed since I met You, my Teacher and Lord
And of Your ways I now share, with those lost and hurting
I sing jubilant songs of praise, in every place that I venture
Declaring the good news, that Jesus, the King of Kings, is alive
– Selah
Your free gift of salvation, mercy, and grace will be carried
To all the earth, as far as east is to west, and north is to south
Your children will be gathered, to hear of all You are about
They will come to know and follow the ways of Your will
Together we will sing praise, to Your Glorious Name on high
And Your redeeming truth, will be spread so far and wide
– Selah
All will know, of how you saved my lost and wretched soul
From the dark depths of miserable corrosive depression
They will stand in bewildered awe, at Your bright light in me
And will be drawn, by desire, to be in that same place with You
– Selah
I will praise Your most Holy precious name all of my days
And with You my Father God, I give forever my life to live
Lord You lifted me away, from the wrath of deathly sin
And brought me out of that place of darkness and death
Oh Abba Father, You reign on high over all the earth
My Father, my God, eternally You will reign in my life on high
Shalom to all of you on earth
Shalom be with our Lord Most High
Blessed be He, the Whisper-Speaker
by Constance Gilbert
Blessed be the Lord, King of the Universe
Who comes in many ways to whisper-speak1 to my heart .2
Praise Him for the joyful clapping3 of
the lightning’s power in a storm
the gossamer head of a dandelion awaiting a child’s breath
the waterfalls hidden in a mountain valley
the sweet face of a Johnny-Jump-Up
the rainbow during a spring shower
the sparkling diamonds in pure, white snow
the touch of green among the trees’ skeletal limbs
the wind that turns a fire away from homes
the majesty of snow-topped mountains in July
the dawn of a new day
the rain in dry lands
the stars and the milky way
Praise Him for the messages of
peace in the face of an elderly in prayer
joy in the giggling of children at play
hope in the seed planter
faith in God by one called to serve Him
love in the eyes of a father holding his firstborn
beauty in the compliment from a stranger
reassurance in the letter from a friend
obedience in the life of a prayer warrior
remembrance in the tzitzit and the Forget-Me-Not
courage in the mountain climber
kindness in the rebuking words of a pastor
healing in the hands of my doctor
protection in the wings of a hen gathering her chicks
Praise Him for His loving patience when
I make poor decisions
I neglect to give Him thanks
I misunderstand His Word
I focus on earthly things
I fail to trust His promises
I compare myself to others
I disobey the call to serve Him
I ask for forgiveness “just one more time”
I speak discouraging words
I forget the source of all creation
I break a promise
I disregard His nudges
I am too busy to seek Him
Praise Him for His love, grace and mercy in
His plan for my life as His conduit
His quiet whispers when I am silent
His Holy Spirit to guide, teach and intercede for me4
His help in times of trouble
His silence when I need to be refined5
His Son, who gave all He had for me
His hope in all mankind
His unique design called Connie
His Word, the blueprint for my life
His protection, even when I don’t see danger
His gentleness when I am hurting
His gifts, even though I am unworthy to receive them
His peace when I am afraid
Blessed be He, the Lord of the Universe, the Creator, the Lover of my Soul, the Whisper-Speaker, the Joy Giver, and my Abba.
_________________
1 With thanks to Ann Voskamp at http//:holy experiences.com for her thoughts of God as the
“whisper-speaker”
2 Heart in Hebrew, leb, means the inner person, the seat of thoughts and emotion, conscience, mind, and
understanding
5 Psalm 66:10
The Glory of the Lord *
by Kathlyn Fauchon
My eyes behold Him,
The people cheer and shout,
“Crown Him, Crown Him.”
But look, a shadow looms,
It casts its terror now.
The people rage and shout,
“Crucify! Hang Him on the tree.”
Thick darkness hides His face.
Morning breaks as angels light
an empty tomb,
Secluded mourners run in disbelief,
Their whispered cry, “He lives”
Swells in crescendo from doubt to faith
Until the cymbals clang and trumpets
sound,
The King! He is enthroned,
He reigns in earth and heaven.
“Why do the nations rebel?”
They plot against the King
And throw off all restraint,
“There is no God,” they say.
The Almighty thunders,
“I myself have installed my King on
Zion, my holy hill.”
Hush! What’s this I see?
The veil of Heaven parts,
There stands His Temple,
The Tent of Meeting and
Coming forth in shining linen,
Angels wearing golden sashes
round their chest,
They execute His judgment on dissenters.
See! The smoke of His glory fills the temple.
Rejoice my heart! The King is coming,
I will see Him in my flesh.
* Thoughts inspired by Psalm 2:1-6, Revelation 15:5-8, Acts 17:24, Job 19:25-27
