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Previous Challenge Entry (Level 2 – Intermediate)
Topic: Exhale (08/15/13)
Reading through the Psalms, we discover that they are an anthology of man’s relationship with God. We follow the authors through seasons and circumstances in life, and find that God is always faithful; that He sustains, redeems, forgives and restores. We read of God’s tender protection in times of distress and of His unfailing love and mercy, even when His people rebel. We are assured that His presence goes with His children; that He hears their cries and answers them. We find that God knows all about each person He created, even being aware of each thought. In times of joy, the Psalmists celebrated God’s goodness; in seasons of fear, their hearts found refuge in Him, the only One worthy of their trust. He was an integral part of the authors’ lives, accompanying them even through the valley of the shadow of death. Even there, their hearts were filled with praise.

The Psalms include every aspect of life. They could very well be the story of your journey, or of mine. In troubling times, we find Him holding our head up high. When we are in danger, He is our protector. We, too, know by experience that He never forsakes those who seek Him, that He is faithful to all generations and that His ways are always perfect. As we walk through life with Him, we testify that He is our joy and satisfaction; He is the God who gives good things to those who seek Him and speaks peace to His people. We find refuge in the shelter of His wings and praise Him because His mercy surrounds us.

Throughout the Psalms we are encouraged to praise Him at all times, and in every circumstance. All of the scenarios so graphically depicted in this anthology lead us in crescendo to the last verse: the appropriate ending to such a display of God’s glory. The Psalmist, bursting with awareness of the Lord’s worthiness to be worshiped and unable to contain his awe, invites all creation to join him in adoration: “Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!” (Psalm 150:6 NKJV)

God grant us the grace to look back over our own lives and observe Him in each of our seasons, also; to acknowledge His merciful intervention each step of the way. With the assurance that our unchangeable God has always been with us and will never forsake us, let’s join the Psalmist in worship. Then, in anticipation of eternity with Him, exhaling our final breath, the appropriate ending will surely be, “Praise the Lord!”
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Member Comments
Member
Date
C D Swanson 
08/22/13
Love the Psalms...and the complexity and simplicity at once. I did a study on Psalms and was overwhelmed at that extraordinary information contained within. Beautiful job, I loved this.

God bless~
Brenda Rice
08/23/13
Totally interesting and full of great information and completely anointed.

Well done.
Jan Ackerson
08/23/13
Like many Christians, I too have a story of how the Psalms have been important to me in hard times. Thank you so much for writing this.

There were a few places in which you used a semicolon where another punctuation would have been more appropriate. I'll be having a class on semicolons in the FaithWriters forums in the next few weeks--I'd love to have you stop by!

Mike Newman
08/26/13
The first sentence of your last paragraph, before the semicolon, is wonderful.

Great work, thank you for sharing it.
Shann Hall-LochmannVanBennekom 
08/30/13
Congratulations for ranking 7th in your level! (The highest rankings can be found on the message boards.)