2020... I could stop right there (but I won't). This has been the strangest time in my life. If someone would have told me I would not have believed them. Movie after movie about outbreaks and pandemics...we knew they were coming but somehow we still managed to convince ourselves that it wouldn't be in our lifetime. I have to pause and insert some humor here because it has been a heavy year...people are dying that have never died before! Sorry, I had to. I have lost family members, friends of friends etc. some from the virus, some from other illnesses, and some just left like they said within themselves "enough of this" and crossed on over into eternity. I thank God for his peace; the peace that surpasses understanding. I thank him for the resilience that he placed down on the inside of us. Saved and unsaved alike have been functioning and carrying on; I thank God for that and I acknowledge his hand in it. I acknowledge that his peace and spirit is keeping us all. As we approach the end of 2020 my worship and praise is being renewed! I must praise him. I have reflected in the past on how miraculous life itself is. Everyday there is so much that could happen but God organizes the chaos of life and we live to see another day; thank you Lord. I thank God for my family, the other people in my life, I thank him for you. We have truly been hidden in him during this season and as the elders say "he has kept us from dangers seen and unseen". He has fought our battles and protected us...thank you Lord for keeping me; thank you Lord for keeping us. Today as I reflect on some of the things that have been going on I am grateful that God is... I came across something someone had written a while back that made me see Isaiah 6:1 differently. Isaiah 6 mentions the train of God; it says it fills the temple. The study stated that Kings of Old wore elaborate robes to signify their conquests and greatness. The longer the robe the more conquests they had. After every conquest the triumphant king would cut off a portion of the defeated king's robe and have it sewn to the train of his robe. Our God's train is so long that it fills the entire temple; aren't you glad he goes before us? Aren't you glad he fights our battles? 2021 is nearing, I am going to be a one woman cheer squad! Praising my savior as he leads us to victory.Won't you join me?
2 Chronicles 20:
1 It came to pass after this also, that the children of Moab, and the children of Ammon, and with them other beside the Ammonites, came against Jehoshaphat to battle.
2 Then there came some that told Jehoshaphat, saying, There cometh a great multitude against thee from beyond the sea on this side Syria; and, behold, they be in Hazazontamar, which is Engedi.
15 And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the Lord unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God's.
16 To morrow go ye down against them: behold, they come up by the cliff of Ziz; and ye shall find them at the end of the brook, before the wilderness of Jeruel.
17 Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the Lord with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; to morrow go out against them: for the Lord will be with you.
18 And Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground: and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell before the Lord, worshipping the Lord.
19 And the Levites, of the children of the Kohathites, and of the children of the Korhites, stood up to praise the Lord God of Israel with a loud voice on high.
20 And they rose early in the morning, and went forth into the wilderness of Tekoa: and as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; Believe in the Lord your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.
21 And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the Lord, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise the Lord; for his mercy endureth for ever.
22 And when they began to sing and to praise, the Lordset ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten.
Isaiah 6
In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lordsitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.
2 Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly.
3 And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.
4 And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke.
