Love Note

1. You have been gracious to your land, O Lord

you have restored the good fortune of Jacob.

2. You have forgiven the iniquity of our people

and blotted out all their sins.

8. I will listen to what the Lord God is saying,

for He is speaking peace to His faithful people

and to those who turn their hearts to Him.

9. Truly, His salvation is very near to those who fear Him,

that His glory may dwell in our land.

10. Mercy and truth have met together,

righteousness and peace have kissed each other.

11. Truth shall spring up from the earth,

and righteousness shall look down from heaven.

12. The Lord will indeed grant prosperity,

and our land will yield its increase.

13. Righteousness shall go before Him,

and peace shall be a pathway for His feet.

-Psalm 85:1-2,8-13

This is the love note God sent me in church today.

I always want to remember this.

We read this Psalm as a congregation and it is a direct response to my prayers throughout the month, week and even day.

Vs.1. Restored- restoration is a theme for my life right now. I continue to come to the passage in Jeremiah, to devote myself to thanks and openness for God's restoration that I need.

Vs.2. Forgiven- this morning before church I was praying very hard for forgiveness because I've let worldly obligations come between me and God.

Vs.8. Listen- for so long I've been trying to listen, to follow.

          Peace- also on the top of my prayer list in the last month, for me and those around me.

          Turn- a devotional of mine this week reminded me to turn and want Jesus' healing.

Vs.9. Very Near- "soon and very soon we are goin to see the King" we sing before communion these days, and the song was in my head this morning before church.

          Glory- longing for God's glory to somehow show among all my imperfections has been a focus in my prayers for over a month now.

Vs.10. Mercy- again, with forgiveness, this morning I was asking for mercy.

Vs. 11. Spring up from the earth - earlier this week I read a verse that said Jesus would be the tender plant springing up in hard ground, a picture of the dessert where the Israelites were, which plays on the condition of our hearts, hard against God.

Vs.12. Prosperity- another Jeremiah verse has been popping up in my head recently, about God's plans for us to prosper.

           Increase- the parable of the mustard seed has been my encouragement in the last few days, that even such small faith will increase greatly.

Vs.13. Pathway - for unity between the pathway of God and my life, I've been praying a long time now. The part about peace is a big bonus!

It's always so special when you feel God speaking right to you.

I feel loved, pursued and not forgotten.

I would be happy to worship without a reward, but this is a great prize; the love we get back when God knows our hearts and we know Him!