A little over a year ago, as friends and family members asked, I began sending out a daily Psalm, via e-mail. At first I chose it myself, after prayer. After a short time, I decided to augment that process with a “random” number generator. Pray. Click. Trust. (I put ‘random’ in quotes because nothing is truly random in the sense of having no mark of the Maker in it. Nothing is a surprise to God. Nothing is outside His sovereign plan.)
Using Outlook’s “do not send before” feature, I began processing these in batches, spending about an hour each weekend loading up the next week’s worth of Psalm-of-the-Day e-mails.
Even knowing, intellectually, that Jesus is living and active via His Holy Spirit, I’ve been awed to see how often those “random” Psalms have spoken with extreme specificity to a situation which I or one of people on that very-small mailing list were experiencing. (Each Psalm mail has roughly a 1 out of 200 “chance” of coming up, because I tend to break up the larger ones over two or more days — 22 days in the case of Psalm 119).
And so, it came to pass that, when I composed the e-mail for today (Thursday) on Sunday evening, the sun had not yet released the biggest ‘X-class’ solar flare to hit earth in years, expected to hit within an hour or two of when Thursday’s Psalm-of-the-Day goes out. (Oh, and it just happens to be Purim as well — the day commemorating God’s deliverance of the Jews from Persian persecution.)
That Psalm?
Nineteen. Go figure. Amazing… (Below is the NLT, which is what I send out.)
The heavens tell of the glory of God. The skies display his marvelous craftsmanship. 2 Day after day they continue to speak; night after night they make him known. 3 They speak without a sound or a word; their voice is silent in the skies; 4 yet their message has gone out to all the earth, and their words to all the world. The sun lives in the heavens where God placed it. 5 It bursts forth like a radiant bridegroom after his wedding.
It rejoices like a great athlete eager to run the race. 6 The sun rises at one end of the heavens and follows its course to the other end. Nothing can hide from its heat. 7 The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul. The decrees of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple. 8 The commandments of the LORD are right, bringing joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are clear, giving insight to life. 9 Reverence for the LORD is pure, lasting forever. The laws of the LORD are true; each one is fair. 10 They are more desirable than gold, even the finest gold. They are sweeter than honey, even honey dripping from the comb. 11 They are a warning to those who hear them; there is great reward for those who obey them. 12 How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart? Cleanse me from these hidden faults. 13 Keep me from deliberate sins! Don’t let them control me. Then I will be free of guilt and innocent of great sin. 14 May the words of my mouth and the thoughts of my heart be pleasing to you, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.
Praise God from whom ALL blessings flow. Praise creatures here below. Praise Him above the heavenly host. Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost.
Check out the Scottish Psalter. They have all the Psalms, set to western style music. (Rather than something Middle Eastern) Many are quite beautiful. Some are now familiar hymns. In the Anglican Church, we read a Psalm passage every Sunday. I wish out parish would use some of those musical settings, but the Rector is rather set in his ways.
By: Michael Adams on March 9, 2012
at 9:53 pm
When I look at these I think of the judgements that are to be poured out and the sun is going to be the thing that is used to affect the earth. When I see these photos I am reminded of your posts Bow in the sky.
Is it now changing? Will there be any other affects other than the interruption with man’s devices? Surely this could be construed as a way the the Lord is able to affect them.
By: jeff on March 9, 2012
at 3:52 pm
God has set lights as markers and signs for us in the heavens since the beginning of our time here on Earth. He sends us these signs to allow us to keep time and know that he is watching us…he wants us to know who we are and remember him always, in all things. These signs were spoken of and more were foretold long ago, and even then prophets of old saw signs and witnessed Gods mightiness beyond the comprehension of many at that time. In modern times, we are blessed with the great gift of knowledge and a deeper understanding of the mechanics of the universe, and science. Each time I hear of or see a sign that was spoken of to a prophet from long ago, I am reminded that Gods word is eternal and crosses all boundaries, even time and space. As much as it mattered then, it matters now too. The difference is, the signs in the heavens are converging and occurring in confluence with signs of the Earth, NOW in our time. We have been told that this would happen, and it is the marking of time for us from our God…who is both maker and master of the universe, and loves us enough to warn us to rid ourselves of sin and uncleanliness or face the awful consequences of our own iniquity…the clock of the universe is ticking and it is nearly time for our saviour to return with glory and judgement. Watch the heavens….because it is like you said, nothing is random or by chance with God. He knows us, and we are connected to him always…if we choose to be. Much of his work here on earth is accomplished by simply providing inspiration to us, and we in turn say and do things to inspireour other brothers and sisters. Those of us who have his spirit with us, are given knowledge and wisdom that passes all understanding. It is a wonderful plan, and a subtle yet effective way of getting us all involved in the salvation of one another. After all, we are his children and that makes us family. All praise and glory and love be to God, forever.
In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen
By: Chris Strickland on March 9, 2012
at 4:43 am
Funny thing happened tonight. I’m eating at a little mexican place with a coworker and a couple tables over some lady is reading, apparently on a smartphone, a news report of the Solar Flare event.
Another coworker had trouble completing some radio testing that needed to be done. Upper level atmospherics were interfering with the shortwave radio signals. Solar activity is a mixed bag with shortwave. You need some ionosphere activity to bounce off of for longdistance communications, but too much is a bad thing and shuts it down.
By: tigger23505 on March 8, 2012
at 10:42 pm
http://biblebrowser.com/isaiah/4-2.htm
2 In that day the Branch of the LORD will be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth will be the pride and the adornment of the survivors of Israel. 3 It will come about that he who is left in Zion and remains in Jerusalem will be called holy—everyone who is recorded for life in Jerusalem. 4 When the Lord has washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion and purged the bloodshed of Jerusalem from her midst, by the spirit of judgment and the spirit of burning, 5 then the LORD will create over the whole area of Mount Zion and over her assemblies a cloud by day, even smoke, and the brightness of a flaming fire by night; for over all the glory will be a canopy. 6 There will be a shelter to give shade from the heat by day, and refuge and protection from the storm and the rain.
http://biblebrowser.com/psalms/87-6.htm
A Psalm of the sons of Korah. A Song.
1 His foundation is in the holy mountains. 2 The LORD loves the gates of Zion. More than all the other dwelling places of Jacob. 3 Glorious things are spoken of you, O city of God. Selah.
4 “I shall mention Rahab and Babylon among those who know Me; Behold, Philistia and Tyre with Ethiopia: ‘This one was born there.’”
5 But of Zion it shall be said, “This one and that one were born in her”; And the Most High Himself will establish her.
6The LORD will count when He registers the peoples,
“This one was born there.” Selah.
7 Then those who sing as well as those who play the flutes shall say,
“All my springs of joy are in you.”
The church is in Zion. Zion is in the Resurrection. The Church does not exist without Christ. Christ is the Resurrection and The Church lives in Resurrection. YosoY y SomoS, חִלְקִיָּה, http://concordances.org/hebrew/2518.htm , sons of God, brothers of the Lord’s Christ, breathed upon by the Spirit of God given at the Resurrection of my brother Yeshua, the Firstborn of the Resurrection.
Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable to the oh LORD, my rock and my redeemer.
Amen
7/14
By: YosoY Chilqiyyah חִלְקִיָּה on March 8, 2012
at 8:14 am