The return

"I shall not die, but I shall live, and recount the deeds of the Lord, The Lord has disciplined me severely, but he has not given me over to death." -Ps 118:17-18

In light of recent events in the past weeks a friend encouraged me to find my rest in the Psalms. I have been making my way through them slowly, trying to unlearn years of speed reading. I have found myself sometimes only able to read a part of a chapter at a time before I become overwhelmed. When I came across the above vs, I was stopped dead in my tracks especially seeing it tie in with the previous chapter that contained "Return, O my soul, to your rest; for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you." He is our rest, our joy and our strength. Sometimes he takes my breath away with his goodness.
My friend Abraham had written a song for his son Orisons dedication and contained in it was the line (from memory...sorry Aber, apparently this is nowhere on the web!) I still have a bruise upon my neck from where I was yanked back from the tender rod of God. That is exactly how I felt, there is this bruise, getting it did not feel loving or good. This bruise has shaped the way I see people, sin, the lost, myself and most of all, God. This bruise seems to serve as a reminder of his tender justice yanking me back before I fell. How gracious he is! How marvelous that though outward we are wasting away he is renewing us day by day with grace that is sufficient just for that day. I love him.