Godly Support

I have had the opportunity to play my guitar and sing at many different occasions. I have found that the most difficult occasion for me to play at is a funeral. It is very hard to sing and cry at the same time and once I get started, crying that is, it is difficult to stop. For my Step Brother’s Memorial Service, I was asked to sing and play the guitar. The only request was that I sing “Amazing Grace”. No problem. As I prepared the week before the service, I felt a strong leading to not only sing and play my guitar, but to also share the good news of Jesus Christ. This was scary for me. The majority of the people who were planning on coming to the service were not believers and the burden was placed so heavily on my heart that there was no way I could possibly ignore it. I had to be obedient. It wasn’t long before I felt my nervousness settle in and I knew I was going to have a difficult time going through with it. When I mentioned my burden and the direction I felt I was being lead in to some friends, a couple of them rallied behind me and told me that they would be there at the Memorial Service to support me. I was blown away, especially since I hadn’t known either of them for very long. When the day came I was certainly nervous, but I shared what I had written and I played a little medley of “Amazing Grace” and “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus”. When I was finished, I breathed a sigh of relief and sat down, but my amazement continued. I ended the paragraph I wrote speaking about God always waiting with open arms for each and every one of us to run back to him and the Minister leading the service spoke about the availability of the Christ and the cross for each one of us to run to. I was blown away by the similarities in what I had said and what the Minister had planned to say, but God had planned it that way. It was most certainly difficult to stand in front of all those people and talk and share the love of God for them, with them through word, and song. It made it so much easier to know that I had people there supporting me the whole time. When we have people to support us during the difficult times in life, it becomes a bit easier to cope with what is going on. I am so incredibly thankful that those two friends were there for me that day, they have truly blessed me by their willingness to simply be there. Can you think of a time in your life when someone stood in support of you? In Psalm 59, David is being bullied by his enemies once again and they will stop at nothing to make sure that David is miserable. Once again, David stands firm and strong in the confidence he has in God. He knows that God will not only protect him, but will be right with him every step of the way. “You are my refuge and strength, I wait for you to rescue me, for you, O God, are my fortress. In his unfailing love, my God will stand with me. He will let me look down in triumph on all my enemies” (9-10) When you are in the midst of difficult circumstances, how confident are you that God is standing right there with you, supporting you each step of the way? “But as for me, I will sing about your power. Each morning I will sing with joy about your unfailing love. For you have been my refuge, a place of safety when I am in distress. O my Strength, to you I sing praises, for you, O God, are my refuge, the God who shows me unfailing love” (16-17)