I like to think of myself as strong, self sufficient, able to stand on my own. A lot of that has to do with certain life experiences from my childhood I had to overcome and by my late teens to early twenties I had found ways to stand strong, that is, not be intimidated by others to a point that I totally would shut down.
By my late twenties I had gained an attitude that I was not going to be pushed away, denied, or discounted. I was going to push back, stand my ground, and show that I had value, something to bring to the table!
I am now in my mid sixties and have unlearned a lot over the years. The thing that I unlearned the most is that true strength comes not by standing on my own, alone ... but depending on another to help me not just stand but walk and sit when necessary.
My pride was my source, my arrogance my shield, my education my armor, and my physical strength my sword. How foolish of me!
In truth I was planted by Eternal One and all the processing of life directed by Holy Spirit. This brought me to the revelation of truth ... joy is my strength; joy comes only via one source; it is not internal but external.
I had nothing to do with where I was planted! I had nothing to do with processing life, Eternal One planted me with purpose, from design, created exclusively for the pleasure of Eternal One. Holy Spirit producing that fruit from me is my joy.
The following is from Spurgeon's Morning And Evening and caught my attention so that I could not wait until tomorrow to blogg about it ( it is the reading for the 13th not the 12th of August ).
This spoke to me about myself a volume in a matter of a few seconds it took to read, hence my attempt of a blogg above.
Please read this and my you be blessed as I was.
R
"The cedars of Lebanon which He hath planted."
— Psalm 104:16
Lebanon's cedars are emblematic of the Christian, in that they owe their planting entirely to the Lord. This is quite true of every child of God. He is not man-planted, nor self-planted, but God-planted. The mysterious hand of the divine Spirit dropped the living seed into a heart which He had Himself prepared for its reception. Every true heir of heaven owns the great Husbandman as his planter. Moreover, the cedars of Lebanon are not dependent upon man for their watering; they stand on the lofty rock, unmoistened by human irrigation; and yet our heavenly Father supplieth them. Thus it is with the Christian who has learned to live by faith. He is independent of man, even in temporal things; for his continued maintenance he looks to the Lord his God, and to Him alone. The dew of heaven is his portion, and the God of heaven is his fountain. Again, the cedars of Lebanon are not protected by any mortal power. They owe nothing to man for their preservation from stormy wind and tempest. They are God's trees, kept and preserved by Him, and by Him alone. It is precisely the same with the Christian. He is not a hot-house plant, sheltered from temptation; he stands in the most exposed position; he has no shelter, no protection, except this, that the broad wings of the eternal God always cover the cedars which He Himself has planted. Like cedars, believers are full of sap having vitality enough to be ever green, even amid winter's snows. Lastly, the flourishing and majestic condition of the cedar is to the praise of God only. The Lord, even the Lord alone hath been everything unto the cedars, and, therefore David very sweetly puts it in one of the psalms, "Praise ye the Lord, fruitful trees and all cedars." In the believer there is nothing that can magnify man; he is planted, nourished, and protected by the Lord's own hand, and to Him let all the glory be ascribed.
Psalm 104:16
Day 14
