The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul. The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes. The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever. The decrees of the Lord are firm, and all of them are righteous. Psalm 19:7-9.

We started the morning today in our Friday Morning Prayer Group reading from Psalm 19 as a reminder that we can trust God always when we ask Him to help us. Help us as we pray for loved ones and for our loved ones; help us as we put ourselves into His care asking for Him to help us see what we don’t want to see in ourselves – the beams in our eyes so evident to others yet hidden from ourselves as we judge others so readily. And the beauty of God’s help is He already knows us. He knows where to tread gently. As He reminded me this morning when I prayed for His help…I know you. Come let us work together. In great patience we will work in great love tenderly. Great harm has been done. Greater love is needed now. Do everything with great love. Don’t bruise the tender hurts. Love heals. Love restores and makes new never destroying. Love redeems. The work of love we do together will endure. Trust Me for all things at all times. I am here always.

Continuing Psalm 19: They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the honeycomb. By them your servant is warned; in keeping them there is great reward. But who can discern their own errors? Forgive my hidden faults. Keep your servant from willful sins; may they not rule over me. Then I will be blameless, innocent of great transgression. May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. Psalm 19:10-14.

I shared with the group that it reminded me of the movie The Shack where Sarayu (Holy Spirit) was digging in the garden with Mack and he didn’t realize that garden was him. Our pastor was then reminded when Mack was about to pick up a root that Sarayu protected him from touching because it was poisonous. Mack recoiled. Why would God put that there? As Sarayu pointed out, combined with the healing that comes from God in another root, together those roots provide great healing. As another member of our group pointed out, there is such freedom when we allow God to bring into our lives His healing help and love – His truth. Another member pointed out how very gentle God has always been with her.

And now, in Judges 10, what do we see? Over the span of many decades more judges come into the picture as the Israelites continue to follow many other gods and they must look to those gods for their help, but there always comes the time when they are in such desperation no one but God can save them…and then as a last resort, they turn to Him. And he could bear Israel’s misery no longer. v. 16. Back and forth…turning away from God/turning back to God. How different our lives when we stop turning from Our Healing Creator who knows us intimately and ask Him to come into our lives so we can find refreshing healing love and hope only found in and with Him.

Turn to God as a first resort and find help that is perfect…refreshing; trustworthy…giving wisdom; right…bringing joy to the heart; radiant…giving light to the eyes of our soul; pure…enduring forever; firm and righteous; more precious than gold…sweeter than any honey; a great reward from the Lord, our Rock and our Redeemer who redeems in great love healing every wound restoring us to Him who loves us so well and so tenderly. He’s here…always.