Psalm 66: 10, 12
You have tested us, O God. You have refined us in the same way silver is refined.
... We went through fire and water, but you brought us out and refreshed us.
The people went through all kinds of terrors and dangers, and God saved them out of all of it.
God still saves His people out of all kinds of situations that squeeze us, pound us, and try to shred us. All the problems, sorrows, and pain of life.
Just like He did in the past, God doesn't keep us from going through it, but He protects us so that it doesn't harm us. Like Shadrach, Meshack and Abednego in the fiery furnace--all it burned was the bonds with which they were tied up.
Whatever I face in life, whether hot or cold, whether "fire or water," my Father is bringing me through, refining me like silver, like gold. His pressure is making me like a diamond.
O my Father, You have been with me very powerfully through so many trials and sorrows and problems and dangers. You have shown Yourself faithful in protecting me and carrying me through all these days.
You have brought me out and refreshed me, and You are still with me.
Thank You, Father, for being our good, good Father. You are our Abba, our Daddy, Who loves us with a Da-Da's gentle love. In Your wisdom You allow us to go through and be surrounded with all the evil and wrong in the World, and You protect us from being harmed by it when we walk with You, hand-in-hand.
O Father, continue to lead us, guide us, protect us, and teach us Your ways as we travel through this "vale of tears." This World is broken, and it has broken us, because we have broken it by our foolish choices.
You meant for us to follow Your ways that You designed into this Earth, but we have built our World on it in defiance and rebellion against You, the Maker and Creator. No wonder it doesn't give us the bounty You built into it for us.
No wonder we think that what we need is scarce, and to have something it must be taken away from someone else. This is our enemy's tactic to produce covetousness and greed, and it deceives us.
When we believe You and think Your thoughts toward us, and live our lives in obedience to Your precepts, then the result is that we will gain the bounty You put here for us.
Whenever Your people worshipped You, they enjoyed Your bounty. But our own hearts lie to us, along with this World we live in, and the enemy who wants to destroy us. That's why we need to be diligent to stay in Your Word, to nourish our souls and keep our real life healthy.
Father, You are great and wise and strong. You are just and kind. You have given us an endless bounty in this Earth You made for us, and You want to bless us with the great prosperity that brings us joy.
Let me prosper, Father, in all the ways You intend for us all: spiritually, relationally, physically, and even financially. You meet all my needs in every area of my life, and You even give me extras, that I haven't even thought to ask You for.
You are so generous, Father. Teach me to be more like You every day, and restrain my mouth and my thoughts to only promote Your good toward others in my life today.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
