Thought for Monday 1 August

Psalm 119:114 (New International Version)

You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in your word.

Often, I find when regularly reading verses from the bible that I can relate them to specific things happening in my life at the time, with today’s extract being a prime example.

I was drawn to the second part of today’s verse where it says: ‘I have put my hope in your word’ because it instantly made me feel more than a bit guilty.  At Holytown, Susan, our treasurer asked me many weeks ago to take my driving licence or passport into the Virgin Bank across from the town hall in Motherwell because we now have an account there.  I need to do this because I am one of the signatories for things to do with finance in our Church (Susan does all the work and I’m just called upon now and again to sign things).  Every Sunday morning for a while now she has asked me to do this and my response has been ‘no problem Susan, I will attend to that’, then I either go up to the garden centre for some breakfast or go down the road and totally forget about this promise I made to Susan.  I use my advancing years as an excuse but even this is beginning to wear a bit thin.  The more I think about it, the more I realise the times I’ve made promises and failed to keep them – not just to others but to myself as well.  By this, I mean that I make a mental note to visit or call someone then time passes, and it is still on my ‘to-do list’. 

The one thing I have learned is that by completing one of the items on the ‘to-do list’, it makes a difference, not just to the person you’re doing it for but, also to yourself.

Sometimes when this list of things to do can seem more than a bit challenging, it is worthwhile remembering once again that God never ever promised to make this life of ours easy, but he promised to be our refuge and our strength when things just seem to be getting on top of us.

Prayer             Heavenly Father, we thank you that your word is true and can never fail.  Help us to patiently endure the trials and difficulties of this life, knowing that some day, you will come to take us to be with yourself - whom to know, is life eternal. To you be all praise and glory.          Amen.