As I completed my study in 1 Samuel I thought of the main things that I learned through this historical book that contained the end of an era and the beginning of another in the nation of Israel. There were three main topics that the Lord focused in on me as I studied each week:
- The character of God
- Prayer
- Obedience
The three are all related to one another and depend on one another. When we begin to understand the character of God we will see our lives change in the area of prayer and obedience. We will go through seasons in this life that are flat out difficult and we might find it hard to pray… even feel it is a vain pursuit, but that is a lie. When we understand the character of God it makes it a lie easier to defeat.
We might go through times when we are being instructed in a way that doesn’t make sense to us, and God will call us to trust and obey. There will come times in life when we will question our “need” for obedience and what exactly obeying looks like in our present situation. Knowing the character of God will help us make the right decision.
As I thought on all that the Lord has been teaching me and reminding me of through this time in His Word, I wrote this poem:
Crawling To Mount Zion
My God You are good
My soul knows this very well
At times my heart deceives me
Tries to make me doubt that You are there
Yet only so far will You allow the lie to go
You never cease to reach and touch me through Your Word
Your truth never fails to open blinded eyes
Your light penetrates the places where darkness tries to hide
When this world makes us weary
When this life makes us weep
Your grace never fails completely sufficient to be
Your mercies new each morning do renew our strength
Your everlasting lovingkindness help us when we’re deplete
My eyes lift up and look to the glory that I know
If I have to crawl on bloody hands and bleeding knees
To Mount Zion I will go
To Your cross my sweet Jesus
To my Savior and my Lord
You endured great hate and persevered until death
So I shall keep crawling until I breathe my last breathe
Though the world thought it over in truth it just began
For the grave could not hold You, death was not the end
What looked like defeat was victory finally won
Hope is fulfilled for those that trust in the Son
It was finished and begun all in one event
Though this world bring me trouble
Though fallen mankind bring me pain
Though the prince of darkness bid me, come his way
Though this flesh try and tempt me to deny Your sweet name
No weapon formed against me can prosper
For I am hidden in Your grace
My soul in despair might fall from time to time
Yet hope in You my Father will always see I rise
To God be the glory for You are good indeed
I will trust in Your Word and by it let You lead
Not to the left nor to the right shall I ever turn
For Your truth lights my path and I will not be detoured
I am looking for Your promise to my home away from here
And while I travel onward I will trust You through my fear
My prayers I will offer as Your face I do seek
Knowing that You hear me and Your arms are not too short to reach
Whether I stand tall and strong or am crawling small and weak
I know that You are with me and my purpose You will see complete