Trivia:
Can you believe it, but the Mighty Mississippi River is the longest river in the USA. it runs for 2,340 miles. Good guess Lindsay but the Colorado River is only 1,400 miles long.
Here's something you may not be aware of, do you know what New York city was originally called? New Paris; New Milan; New Amsterdam; New London? Now make your guess I must admit I was quite surprised by this name.
Challenge:
Psalm 73:21-28 "Then I realized that my heart was bitter, and I was all torn up inside. 22 I was so foolish and ignorant--I must have seemed like a senseless animal to you. 23 Yet I still belong to you; you hold my right hand. 24You guide me with your counsel, leading me to a glorious destiny. 25 Whom have I in heaven but you? I desire you more than anything on the earth. 26 My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains a the strength of my heart; He is mine forever. 27 Those who desert Him will perish, for you destroy those abandon you. 28 But as for me, how good it is to be near God! I have made the Soivereign Lord my shelter, and I will tell everyone about the wonderful things you do."
The author comes to grips with the realization that he is in a mess, even a place of despair and destruction. He then confesses that he was looking through the eyes of mere animals who only live for the present, with no eternal outlook, faithlessly and foolishly.
In verse 23 he comes to the amazing reality that he is not like some unguided, and uncared for person, but rather is living as a unique and special place and in fact, is a special creation of an almighty God, and an omnipotent God, who desires to walk hand in hand, each and every day with him.
Not only is God his creator, protector, but He is also his counselor, who desires to lead him into a place of an amazing, and fulfilling destiny. He also come to the reality that this amazing God is overseeing his daily journey, and is daily guiding his life while living on this earth, but He is also preparing his eternal place of rejoicing, heaven.
In verse 26 he is faced with the reality of all mankind, we will lose our good health and will become weakened, and well as our will to remain strong will go away, but God will become our strength and will remain our comforter and defense.
Verse 27 exposes the reality of those who refuse to draw near God and His care for them, then he will face the reality that He has forcefully pushed himself away from and rebelled against his creator and the lover of his soul. In this life, he ultimately will come to the reality and will face the fact that he has abandoned the one place of compassion and concern for his very being, not for what he can do for others but to just belong.
Then in the last verse the writer records for everyone to see the stark realities of life.
God alone is desirous to flow out His love on us His children
His intention in our life is to only give us goodness and blessings
He is our shelter in every time of need,
His only wish for us to carry out is to tell others in our life of His many daily blessings He gives to us.
SO GO WITH GOD for He is our place of refuge, and the lover of our soul.
New Amsterdam