VESPERS AT THE END OF THE SABBATH: Thank God ... And Take Courage!?!

Thank God ... And Take Courage
And
Be Joyful ... In Hope
Because
The Weight Of Your Affliction For Jesus Is Light
And
In The Day Soon Coming
His Face ... At Your Presence
Shall Shine With Glorious Delight!

I Can Say This ... Now
But
I Wouldn't Have Been So Quick Some Time Ago
Because
I Felt ...!

... You Felt!?!

Yes, I Felt!
It Is To My Shame, I Well Know!
I Didn't Consider That I Knew Almighty God
By Personal Experience!
I Had Forgotten That I Had Personally Reasoned
With The Eternal God

And

I Have By Free Will And Choice

Chosen

To Walk Under The Banner Of The Lord!

To My Shame ...

Instead Of Stepping In

And

Living Under

I Had Stepped Past The Truth Of
The Preserved And Expressed
Written Promises Of My Faithful Lord
And
I Had Permitted Satan

The Accuser Of The Brethren
- That Abuser Of Men's Bodies
And Men's Minds -
To Practically Cost Me My Faith
In My Jesus
In My Master
In My Lord, God And King
On The Merest And Most Deceitful Of

Human Emotions!

I "Felt" In My Afflictions
So Very, Very, Alone!

Didn't You Remember The Words Of Jesus!?!

What Happened To 

"Into Thy Hands, I Commit My Spirit!?!"

No, I Didn't!
I Had Laid Firm Hold Upon:

My God! My God!

Why Hast Thou Forsaken Me!

I Could Not "Feel" Him
In Whom I Fervently Believed!
All I Could See Was Me ... Alone
In Trial ... Forsaken

In The Crucible ... Rejected
Until A Little Birdie Whispered To Me!

Oh, My!

What Did That "Birdie" Say!?!

I Can Still Hear That Voice Even Now:

Trust In The Lord With All Thine Heart!

Don't Lean On Your Own Understanding!

All That The Lord Has Said He Will

He Will Do!

Don't Let What You Feel

Separate

Your God And You!

And Then ... In That Instant

I Yearned To Read Psalm 91
And
I Went From Wallowing In Feelings
To Building On Facts!

I Realized Finally That

My Relationship With My Lord

Is

Experimental And Experiential!

I'm Sure You Remembered That
Almighty God Is Not A Man That He Should Lie!?!

I Went Further!

I Remembered That

The Living God Holy

Just, Faithful, And Ever True

Is

Not Slack Concerning His Promises

As Man Counts Slackness!

I Grabbed Hold Of:

Wait, I Say, On The Lord!

God Is My Refuge And Strength

A Very Present Help

In Time Of Trouble!

If God Be For Us Aka Me

Who Could Be Against Me!?!

And ...

For Good Measure
"The Heavens Declare The Glory Of God!"
Spoke Loudly

And
With Brand New Meaning!

You Have To Tell Me How That Episode Ended!!

With A New Humility

I Started Praying From A Place Called 

Victory Assured

And
I Honestly Prayed For My Test To Be My Testimony!
I Humbly Prayed For My Sorrow To Be My Song!
I Fervently Prayed For My Love For My Lord 

To Be Vindicated In My Life

And

I Daily Heard Myself Prayerfully Saying:

I Know That My Redeemer

- Not Job's Redeemer, Mind You -

Liveth

And That He Shall Stand

At ... The Latter Day

Upon ... This Earth

And I Pleaded To See Him With My Own Eyes
In My Own Flesh
In Jesus Christ's Peace
And, Blessedly
I Found Rest
Because
I Finally Remembered
And
Understood 

And 

Truly Accepted That
I ... A "Mere" Human
- Because Of Living, Working, Enduring Faith -
Know The Certain End Of The Gospel Story

And

I Truly Thanked My God!

I Fully Embrace That My Faith ... Not My Feelings
Gives Me ... By Almighty God's Great And Free Grace

The Win!

All I've Got To Do 

Is
Wait, Watch, And Work
Because
Night Is Coming When No Man Can Work

And

The King Of Creation

The King Of Glory

The King Of My Life

Is 

Coming To Take Me Home

To Forever Live With Him

In His Glory!!

So, My Friend

What Say You Is The Moral Of The Story!?!

Don't Rely On How You Feel: Know Who Felt

Who Feels Your Pain

The Pain Of Your Sin

Who Carries Your Laid Down Burden

And

Seek To Perfect Christian Character Now

In The Crucible Of Affliction

In This Vale Of Tears

And

After Enduring All For Jesus Christ With Holy Faith

Wear The White Robe Of Christ's Righteousness

With Honor And By Right

In Glory ... Later!

Don't Forget To Be Joyful ... In Hope

Because

No Matter Matter

No Matter The Pain

No Matter Satan's Methods

Jesus Christ Saves

And

His Children By Him Always Gain!

I Hear That!

Bottom Line ...

Don't Indulge Doubt

Because

Nothing Is Impossible ... With God!

Almighty God's Salvation Came Down

And

Jesus Christ's Redemption Carries Us Up!