My Comforter

As I am again packing bedding for the family to move, I am reflecting on comforters. Cozy comforters, I have one on my bed I first got at college which is getting worn out and needs to be thrown away, but I just can't move on. We have another one that we got in the mountains one year on vacation that looks more like a patchwork quilt. Of course, we have the pretty ones that make the room look good, but get tossed to the floor at night because they have not been used enough to be broken in.
I started to think about Psalm 23 when it says "thy rod and thy staff they comfort me". I do not really picture a rod and staff being that comforting, so I looked up some word meanings to grasp a better hold on the statement. A rod is defined as a measure of length, club, stick, family or tribe(group of people under one chief), rod of correction, support of life, used for throwing or walking. A staff is a stick or rod used for support, a walking stick, crutch, used to support one's self,to lean, rely or rest on. Comfort means to support, to spread a bed, to refresh, feel encouraged, have courage, take heart. These words make the meaning of this verse come alive to me. When I think of God as my comforter, He is the support I lean on, He is the head of my family, He corrects, He is reliable and I can rest in Him. Just like the worn out comforter I prefer on my bed, we have been through some rough nights together, me and my God. He has always been there to wrap me in his arms and cover me. A quilt is a bed cover stitched in layers. Like a patchwork quilt, my God has been stitching my heart of trust together so that I know when life is hard and I need a good place to rest I can go to him and be safe and refreshed. Now as the fall and winter approach and you find yourself wrapped up in your favorite quilt remember God and what he has done to comfort you. A quilt or comforter can make you nice and warm on a winters night. The storm may rage put God is there beside to comfort you. Take him up on his offer and wrap yourself up in Him today.
Psalm 23:4- "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff they comfort me.

Words of Encouragement

This week God has been showing me how important it is to use my words wisely. Have you ever noticed when God wants to get your attention about something in your life, that particular topic shows up everywhere? So this week, I have heard a devotional on the radio, read an email devotional and been exposed to this topic of how powerful our words can be (good or bad) in my daily Bible study. "Okay, Lord, I get the picture, somethings got to change!" Our words can be a great encouragement to others. Meditate on these verses with me and ask God to show you some ways to put them in practice today.

Proverbs 25:11- "A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver."
Proverbs 15:23- "A man hath joy by the answers of his mouth: and a word spoken in due season: how good it is."
Isaiah 50:4- "The Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary."

God has placed beautiful words of encouragement in you, don't miss his blessing, give them away today!