Encouragement—can be a noun or a verb; the action of giving someone support, confidence, or hope (New Oxford Dictionary); words or behavior that gives someone confidence to do something (Cambridge Dictionary).
In this crazy mixed up year of 2020 that seems to have imploded with worsening scenarios of more lockdowns, fewer freedoms, more government control of everything, and less liberty, we desperately need encouragement. We face not enough of anything such as toilet paper, laughter and humor, connection with our friends and loved ones, and hugs and kisses. It has been proven that people get over an illness quicker with hugs than without, and we are barred from the people that depend on us when they are ill.
Burning, looting, killing, badgering, lying, cheating, bribing, and committing fraud in the name of greed and power have become the norm. We have lost the ability to see a smile, caress a face, or give a helping hand to someone without crossing our social distancing boundaries. The ones pulling the strings on our puppet world have divided us as a nation and isolated us as human beings. Our souls are weary. Our hearts are dismayed. Our hope is waning.
Then comes the word encouragement…support, hope, confidence. Do not despair. God knew we would have storms and hard times and troubles, but God’s word is still alive and active. He cares. He sees. He is the great I Am.
Encouragement from Psalm 33
Praise and sing to God in verses 1-3
We are to sing and praise to God. Worship Him because worship is the weapon that the devil cannot tolerate nor can he do anything to stop us as we worship. It is our choice no matter what is going on in this crazy world of ours.
Who God is – verses 4-5
The words of God are faithful and have power and justice in them. The world showcases His love if we choose to see.
The strength and power of God – verses 6-9
God holds the seas and the earth in His hands and can store them in His warehouse. Holy fear and reverence is what we are to give, for when He spoke, everything was formed.
God’s plans are sure – 10-11
God does not let the evil rule for long. He sees and His plans will be the ones that remain forever.
He sees the nations and the peoples – 12-15
God chose to bless this nation because we honored Him. He looks down from heaven to see how we are doing. He sees our hearts.
No one is exempt from God’s power – 16-17
No weapon formed on earth can compete with the power of God the Father.
He sees His people and is moved to action – 18-19
When the Lord sees us we are protected and delivered from the things that are attacking and even in dry ground we will bloom.
He sees us and we have hope – 20-22
We wait for Him. We believe that He is. He is our very breath of life, our Savior and our King.
We are God’s people trying to navigate this perilous time. We should choose to be quiet before Him and praise Him for He lives in the praises of His people. We should worship Him because the evil around cannot bear to hear our words of worship. The words of worship is our weapon. He is our hope. He is our salvation. He will never leave us. He has promised to deliver us. Let us unerringly remind our hearts and our souls, that our hope is in Him.
Psalm 33
1 Sing joyfully to the Lord, you righteous; it is fitting for the upright to praise Him. 2 Praise the Lord with the harp; make music to Him on the ten-stringed lyre. 3 Sing to Him a new song; play skillfully and shout for joy. 4 For the word of the Lord is right and true; He is faithful in all He does. 5 The Lord loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of His unfailing love. 6 By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, their starry host by the breath of His mouth. 7 He gathers the waters of the sea into jars; He puts the deep into storehouses. 8 Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the people of the world revere Him. 9 For He spoke, and it came to be; He commanded, and it stood firm. 10 The Lord foils the plans of the nations; He thwarts the purposes of the peoples. 11 But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever; the purposes of His heart through all generations. 12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people He chose for His inheritance. 13 From heaven the Lord looks down and see all mankind; 14 from His dwelling place He watches all who live on earth - 15 He who forms the hearts who forms the hearts of all, who considers everything they do. 16 No king is saved by the size of his army; no warrior escapes by his great strength. 17 A horse is a vain hope for deliverance; despite all its great strength it cannot save. 18 But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear Him, on those whose hope is in His unfailing love, 19 to deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine. 20 We wait in hope for the Lord; He is our help and our shield. 21 In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in His holy name. 22 May Your unfailing love be with us, Lord, even as we put our hope in You.
Written in love, Kathy Edited by Spark34 All scriptures by NIV All photos from Pixabay
