Be Our Strength

But You, Lord, do not be far from me. You are my strength; come quickly to help me. – (Psalm 22:19, NIV)

Lord, don’t leave me! You are my strength – hurry and help me! – (Psalm 22:19, ERV)

But You, O Eternal, stay close; O You, my help, hurry to my side. – (Psalm 22:19, VOICE)

This feels like an appropriate end-of-the-week plea, as we wander into the last day of the week, with one week to go until spring break. It is in this season that weariness creeps in and attempts to knock us down. Just yesterday, I was talking to a dear friend and colleague about how we were feeling, and the consensus was that this stretch to break is like a marathon with too few water stations. We are parched and exhausted, and the need for rest is greater than a busy weekend. Thankfully, God is faithful to supply the strength we need to navigate each day as it comes. He is good, and He does come quickly. The soon-coming break is timed perfectly, and He will continue to strengthen and help us as we go. May we ever call on the Lord to be our strength and help, for He is faithful forever.

O Lord, You are good,

You’re faithful always;

You supply the strength,

Needed for each day.

Ever You are near,

Despite how we feel;

Your grace is enough,

As Your peace reveals.

O Lord, be our strength,

Throughout all our days;

Lead us by Your love,

O Ancient of Days.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that as we call on You, You strengthen and sustain us. Thank You that You are always near. Forgive us for our frustration when we grow weary. Teach us to trust and rely on You to be our strength and to provide all that we need for each new day. Show us Your strength anew and point us to spaces of rest and refreshment. Lead us to love those around us in ways that encourage and strengthen resolve. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we thank You and praise You for being our strength throughout each day. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Grabrick and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and He helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise Him. – Psalm 28:7

Be My Strength

But You, Lord, do not be far from me. You are my strength; come quickly to help me. – (Psalm 22:19, NIV)

Lord, don’t leave me! You are my strength – hurry and help me! – (Psalm 22:19, ERV)

But You, O Eternal, stay close; O You, my help, hurry to my side. – (Psalm 22:19, VOICE)

One of the many things that I appreciate about the Psalms is that David was always raw and real before God. When he struggled, David cried out to God for help. In times of blessing, he gave God all thanks and praise. In all of the various roles that David filled, the common thread throughout was his dependence on God. This morning, I am reminded again to seek our Savior for strength. He knows my needs and He hears every prayer. Yesterday had some rough moments, but today is brand new. God will never leave nor forsake me, so I can trust in Him to provide what I need to navigate today. May we ever seek the Lord to be our strength, for He will be as close as our next breath.

O Lord, each morning,

I draw strength from You;

Your love holds me up,

And carries me through.

With kindness You breathe,

New life into me;

Strength to keep moving,

Despite what I see.

O God, Your goodness,

Sustains and lifts up;

Unending Your love,

That keeps filling us.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that we can call out to You to be our strength and trust that You are near us in all things and at all times. Thank You that You are faithful to meet us each time we call on Your Name. Forgive us for the times that we have tried to power through on our own, or have given up when You were calling us to keep moving. Show us how trust seek You to be the strength we need in all things. Lead us to love those around us as You do, so that we extend Your heart to others through the overflow of what we have been lavishly given. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we seek You to be our strength, for You are ever near. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Grabrick and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. – Isaiah 41:10

The Hand that Steadies

I cling to You; Your strong right hand holds me securely. – (Psalm 63:8, NLT)

I stay close to You, and You hold me with Your powerful arm. – (Psalm 63:8, ERV)

My soul clings to You; Your right hand reaches down and holds me up. – (Psalm 63:8, VOICE)

 

Much like a small child who has not quite yet learned to walk on their own, who reaches for the strong hand of a loved one to help steady them and hold them up, we too ought to do likewise with the Lord. Though we no longer need the help of a hand to walk, His nearness and His strength are necessary to navigate the obstacles that rise up before us. Just as a toddler has absolute trust in the hand that holds them, we too need to cling to Christ and trust that He has us in His outstretched hands. His arms are far greater than our adversaries and obstacles. As we stay close to Christ, we become acutely aware of His presence and His provision to persevere in all things and at all times. May we have faith like little children, as we trust completely in the nearness and greatness of our God to whom we cling.

 

I cling to You, Lord, 

For Your strength is great;

Your hand holds me up,

Hope to celebrate.

His mighty right hand,

Reaches where we are;

Holds our heaviness,

Grants strength to go far.

No matter what comes,

Have hope and believe;

The depth of His love,

Too much to conceive.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that as we cling to You, You hold us up with Your mighty hands. Thank You that we can seek You in all things, and trust You to be our strength, our help and our hope. Forgive us for not coming to You in trust. Teach us to know in our hearts the truth of Your promises for ourselves. Show us how to love others well, just as we are loved by You. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we cling to You and become aware of Your hands holding us secure. Amen.

 

© Shannon Elizabeth Moreno and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

 

Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him. – Psalm 34:8

Keep Me Close

I cling to You; Your strong right hand holds me securely. – (Psalm 63:8, NLT)

I stay close to You, and You hold me with Your powerful arm. – (Psalm 63:8, ERV)

My soul clings to You; Your right hand reaches down and holds me up. – (Psalm 63:8, VOICE)

 

I find myself in a season where so many facets of my life are new and unknown. As I tread into territory that I have never traversed before, I am overwhelmingly grateful for the certainty and security that I know in Christ. Much of the new that lies before me is exciting and holds great promise, yet without God, I would be in a constant state of overload in my own uncertainty as to how I need to navigate each next step as it arrives. In Christ, I can rest assured that He goes before me, remains with me, and will hold me up through each next step of this journey that is unfolding in front of me. My soul will ever cling to Christ, as He is where my hope and strength is found. May we ever stay close to the Lord, as He will uphold us with His mighty hand.

 

My soul clings to You, 

O Lord God above;

As You take my hand,

Uphold me in love.

As I cling to You,

My strength is assured;

For Your strong right hand,

Holds me up secure.

O Lord, in all things,

Keep me close to You;

No matter what comes,

Your grace sees me through.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that as we cling to You, You hold us up with Your mighty hands. Thank You that no matter how uncertain things seem all around us, our hope in You is secure forever. Forgive us for allowing what we see before us to give fear or anxiety a foothold. Teach us to trust You more, so that we would cling to You in faith, knowing that You will hold us secure, regardless of what we see. Show us how to love those around us in a way that encourages and builds others up, especially in the spaces where they feel the most uncertain. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we cling to You and praise You for holding us secure with Your mighty hands. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Moreno and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad. – 1 Chronicles 16:31

 

Keeping Close to Christ

The Lord is with you when you are with Him. If you seek Him, He will be found by you, but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you. – (2 Chronicles 15:2b)

 

When we stay close to God, we know His will and direction for our lives, and are granted the strength and endurance to walk it out according to His plans, rather than our own. However, if we turn from God and attempt to do things on our own, He allows us to wander in the wilderness, where we lack direction, support and sustenance. We are called to be invested in a body of believers in order to help keep us close to Christ. Our walking beside one another, should help guide our hearts and minds to hold fast to our Heavenly Father with fervor. May we keep company that points us to Christ, and choose to seek the Lord with all that we are.

 

The Lord will draw near,

when we choose seek Him;

He is present; found,

all hope enters in.

Yet if we forsake,

the God of all grace;

we’re left on our own,

to run this long race.

Let’s stick to seeking,

and investing well;

walking with others,

as we fend off hell.

Together as one,

with strength from the Lord;

all hope is assured,

through grace He affords.

So ever draw near,

keep seeking to find;

the Lord is faithful,

both body and mind.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are with us when we are with You. Thank You that when we seek You, we find You. Thank You that You call us to be in community that builds each other up in our pursuit of You, and can help one another keep on the path that You have placed before us. Forgive us for walking away from what we know to be Your will, or for disengaging from the community in which we have been called. Teach us to trust You more, so that we will be continually seeking more of You – with You in all things at all times. Lead us to love others in such a way that their hearts are drawn unto You. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we are with You, seeking You and investing in the body to which we have been called. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Moreno and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present.

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort. – 2 Corinthians 1:3