my feet had almost slipped.....

Morning my friends.
Last night my husband drug himself home after a very long day.  He was relieved to be home and showered but he could not shake his heavy heart.  Since Wednesday he has been working with the power crews.  (Thankfully he has not been on the power poles)  He worked on a road yesterday that just a couple of weeks ago was full of homes and trees and life and now nothing is there.  No  homes, no trees, no life, just devastation.  His heart and now mine is broken for these people.  I am sure your heart is too.  All week I have been rolling ideas around about what to share with you girls.  It seems since I do this so much that I now think in emails.  Ha!  I had thought maybe I would share some thoughts on carnal Christians or maybe even  how kids are meant to be a blessing not a burden.  But after the storm one scripture just kept resonating in my mind.  It is Psalm 73.  I shared it with my Sunday school one morning but it seems to fit now too.  I have been thinking of all this destruction so close to us, it seems these are hopeless times.  Asaph the writer of this Psalm felt the same way too.  He starts out saying 
Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart. 
But then the next verse says
But as for me, my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold.When we begin to look at the world around us at all the hurting and pain we can begin to slip.  Slip in our faith, slip in our trust in God.  He continues..
For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.  They have no struggles' their bodies are healthy and strong.  They are free from       the    burdens common to man they are not plagued by human ills
Skipping on down to verse 12 He continues lamenting
This is what the wicked are like- always carefree, they increase in wealth.
Isn't it strange in the same 30 min news segment to see the tornado damage and the Royal wedding?  If we take our eyes off Him for a second we too will say the same.  Asaph goes on to say that
Surely in vain have I kept my heart pure
the next couple of verses he lists all that he has been through.  He is sort of complaining.  Saying "I have it so hard and they have it so easy"....  But then my most favorite part
till I entered the sanctuary of God;
The verses that follow that he begins to repent saying
I was senseless and ignorant...a brute beast before you
Please tell me you can relate....
Then this is my most favorite part.  I know I have already said that but this is my really really favorite part
Yet I am always with you, you hold me by my right hand.  You guide me with your counsel and afterward you will take me into glory.  Whom have I in heaven but you?  And earth has nothing I desire besides you.  My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.....
Then ending it with
But as for me, it is good to be near God.  I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge;  I will tell of all your deeds.
That makes me want to shout...seriously!  There are tribulations all around.  Physical tornadoes and then the tornadoes that wreck our families, our souls.  But to quote John MacArthur "we cannot let our faith be buried under self-pity"  Make Him our refuge!  The next time you are tempted to go by what is seen and question your God go to this Psalm and read it till you believe it again.  As always I am shouting at myself! Despite the circumstances we are not left alone on this planet, you are loved madly, there is a plan bigger than you and there is a God bigger than you at work in you and around you!  Sorry again for the length of this.  Also on a side note....if you read this and are my friend and you happen to catch me on a bad day You are not allowed to quote my blog back to me!!!!!!!!  You know who you are! 
As always I am with you in this, you are not a One-Only
Carrie