Summer Psalms: Silent Witness, part 2

July 23, 2026July 22, 2026 ~ Barbara ~ 2 Comments

Last week we read that the silent witness of nature wordlessly proclaims the existence and majesty of God. Anyone can know Him through the wonder, grandeur, and power of nature. In the verses that follow, Psalm 19 describes the power of God’s words—what I call the silent witness of the Word.

These blessings come to us through God’s words:

They are perfect.
They revive our souls.
They are trustworthy.
They make us wise.
They give us joy.
They give us insight for living.
They are true.
They are fair.
They are sweet and desirable.
They warn us.
They reward us when heeded.

Do you want your soul to be revived? Do you want wisdom and joy in your life, insight and warning to keep you safe? They are our reward for absorbing the Bible—because its words are perfect, trustworthy, true, fair, sweet, and desirable.

When gifted speakers explain the Bible and inspire us, the force and authority of their words come from the Book they’re preaching from. The Word of God is expounded on from pulpits and lecterns, broadcast over the airwaves and displayed on our televisions, and we respond with raised hands or voiced amens. That’s all wonderful, but if we rely solely on these means, we miss out.

The way to receive the Bible’s blessings is deeper and quieter than listening to riveting preachers and gifted teachers. It is through the silent witness of the Holy Spirit in our hearts. When we are in quiet, thoughtful meditation, the Spirit reveals God’s heart and stirs ours. We are able to absorb His words and process the light He gives us. In our stillness, He expands our understanding and inspires obedience, bringing us joy in the process.

Learn to love the silence. Selah often—pause and calmly think about God and His Word. The posture of a bowed heart allows access to the powerful, silent witness of the Holy Spirit.

Image by Tep Ro from Pixabay

Silent Witness, part 1

July 16, 2026July 15, 2026 ~ Barbara ~ 3 Comments

How often have you wished to hear God speak? Like me, I imagine that with every decision you agonize and pray over, you long to hear Him clearly speak—or at least write a message on your wall. His revelations are usually a process that cultivates our patience, but…!

But He lets us see His heart, His power, and His sovereignty. We are comforted in the wait when we discover His character, love, and care. He reveals Himself, not only to His believers, but to all people, in all nations and all environments. Romans 1, verse 20 explains:

Ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see His invisible qualities—His eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.

Creation is a silent witness of God’s presence and power. Surely, we must agree with Psalm 19:

The heavens proclaim the glory of God.
The skies display His craftsmanship.
Day after day they continue to speak;
night after night they make Him known.
They speak without a sound or word;
There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard.
Yet their message has gone throughout the earth,
and their words to all the world.

As you’re reading this, I’m preparing to spend the day down the shore with two of our grandsons. The sky will be glorious; the waves will erupt; a jumble of shells will wash up on the beach; and sea breezes will carry their unique scent. All silent witnesses to God’s might, dominion, and faithfulness.

So, if you see a star-studded sky tonight or spot a bolt of lightning, kayak in a deep blue lake or walk a mountain trail, watch the deer drink from your birdbath or count the goldfinch at the feeder, enjoy the silent witness that reveals the glory of their Creator.

Summer Psalms: Shielded

July 9, 2026July 8, 2026 ~ Barbara ~ 3 Comments

Psalm 18 is one of my favorites because its assurances give my heart courage. Complementing last week’s focus that God keeps us safe, Psalm 18 affirms that we are shielded from our enemy. Let these verses assure your heart:

“The Lord is my shield.” As One who shields us, God puts Himself between us and the threat. He meets the danger we face and protects us from the blow. As our shield, He minimizes our wounds and saves our lives. (v2)

“He is a shield for all who take refuge in Him.” He protects us by giving us a safe place to hide. The only requirement is that we run to Him to take advantage of that refuge and hide behind His shield of protection. (v30)

“You give me Your shield of victory.” (v35) The Lord is always the victor, and His shield assures that He includes us in that victory. Are we under fire? Yes, but we are victorious because we are His.

Because God is our shield, we enjoy the other “S” words in Psalm 18:

He is our salvation.
He supports us.
He brings us to a spacious (safe) place.
He strengthens us to scale a wall. (My favorite!)
He enables us to stand on mountaintops. (Maybe that’s my favorite.)
He sustains us.
He stoops down to make us great! (I can hardly take this in.)
He subdues nations under us.
He saves us from our enemies.

My friends, do not fear what you see. You are guarded, covered, protected.

The Lord is our Shield.

Image from Kar3nt at Pixabay.com

Summer Psalms: Safety

July 2, 2026July 1, 2026 ~ Barbara ~ 2 Comments

Happy 250^th birthday, America! We have cause to celebrate, even though we are relatively a young nation, an adolescent compared with Europe and the Near East. Like anyone in their teens, our country has experienced emotional upheavals, divisive warfare, and rages of temper with name-calling or worse. Hopefully, those of us who belong to God have matured and demonstrate the grace to forgive, the mercy to react with love, and a trust that combats fear.

And our young nation has a lot to fear, doesn’t it? We have a lot to fear—violence in our streets, economic failure, duplicitous politicians, imperiled troops on deployment, malicious infiltrators. This doesn’t even list personal troubles, whether relational, physical, or financial.

Fear not! There is good news. We can enjoy dual citizenship, pledging allegiance to the United States of America and also to the Kingdom of God. Our earthly national residence could be Israel or Iran, Fiji or France, Haiti or Honduras, Canada or Cambodia, Bahrain or Brazil—you get the idea. But when we ask God to rule and reign in our lives, we become a spiritual nation of believers, a blessed people who are kept safe in our Father’s care.

As His people, we enjoy the hope and consolation of Psalm 33, regardless of the earthly nation we live in. Savor the Bible’s assurances of safety and security:

The Lord foils the plans of the nations.
He thwarts their schemes.
His purposes stand firm, forever, through all generations (250 years and beyond).
He looks down from Heaven and sees us—He formed our hearts and considers everything we do.
He delivers us from death—not warhorses, armies, or weaponized drones.
He keeps us alive in times of drought (personal or physical).

There are wars and the threat of war worldwide. Who knows how the Iranian conflict or the Ukrainian/Russian war will end? What will be the next war, and will it involve our country? Who can predict how America will be governed in the future? What threats will menace our “United” states?

During our tenure on Earth, we are safe. God has revealed His sovereignty to us, assuring us of His protection. Let’s focus on the safety of our souls and not fear what man can do.

Remember your heavenly residency, for the One who created us is preparing a place for us.