Four.

1) What does it say?

Psalms 4

2) What does it mean?

Verse 8 says this, "I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety."

3) What does it mean to me?

This reminds me of something I've been thinking about a lot lately. God isn't going anywhere. No matter what! No matter what happens, no matter who leaves you, no matter where you are... God is there! (And it gets better!) God is the only, I mean the only person in the world that cannot be taken away from you. So when you feel completely alone, or don't feel safe, or you are feeling lonely.. talk to God, he's there.. and that brings me peace everyday! 

Three. (i'll explain)

Ok. Yes, this "Psalm A Day" challenge was supposed to be a Psalm a day, but things have been absolutely insane since the best friend and I decided to start this. Since Day 2 I have had to finish an online class (which because of all the Christmas festivities I was very behind on), I was working my last few shifts of my break, was spending as much time with Amanda Noel and her family (and fiance) as possible before I had to go back to school, then I had to pack my life into bags and go back to LA. I have completed my first week of my last semester of college and things are looking like they will work out accordingly but it is going to be a challenge. So here I am, home again, (it was the best friends Engagement party so I came home for the weekend), and I am here to tell you that rather than putting Psalms 3-20 (or so, I think that's what day I should be on) into one post, I am just going to pick up on day three and go forth on this challenge.

1) What does it say?

Psalms 3

2) What does it mean?

Verse 1-4 says this, "O Lord, how many are my foes! How many rise up against me! Many are saying of me, 'God will not deliver him. But you are a shield around me, O Lord; you bestow glory on me and lift up my head. To the Lord I cry aloud, and he answers me from him holy hill." This is coming from King David, who at the time this was written, was running from his son Absalom and the army he had formed to kill him. David was scared, feeling like the minority, and fearing his life. So...

3) What does it mean to me?

When I first read this chapter I didn't know it's context. I didn't know that story of what was going on with King David at the time this was written, so I will tell you what it means to me out of context (and even within it's context, really). "How many rise up against me! Many are saying of you, 'God will not deliver him. But you are a shield around me..." There are times that as a Christian, I feel like the minority, I feel like if I am LOUD about who I am as a Christian, people will judge me, scrutinize me every action, and think of me differently. I feel as though the people who aren't on "my side" are against me. It's like they are actually saying "God will not deliver you;" but I know, for a fact, and have experienced God's deliverence. I should know that I should be able to walk up to any person I ever meet and say "Hi, I'm Corinne and I'm a Christian." Ok, maybe I shouldn't just say that, that'd be a little socially awkward, but I shouldn't be scared too, that's what God calls us to do and we need to know that he will be a shield around us. He is our #1 cheerleader and our #1 fan.

Ok, I'm back at this challenge, so tomorrow, I will post Psalm 4. Happy Monday!



Two.

1) What does it say?

Psalm 2

2) What does it mean?

Because this chapter is so long, I'm going to mainly focus on verses 8, 11 and 12. Verse 8 says, "Ask me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession." Verse 11 and 12 say, "Serve the LORD with fear and celebrate his rule with trembling. Kiss his son, or he will be angry and your way will lead to your destruction, for his wrath can flare up in a moment. Blessed are all who take refuge in him."

3) What does it mean to me?

Verse 8 means that there is nothing you could ask God for that is too big. Whatever it is you ask him for he can give you. Does that mean that God is a magic genie and that he is only in our lives to grant our wishes? Of course not. A big lesson God has taught me in my life is that he has a plan, and he always has your back and at times it's your unanswered prayers that you end up being most thankful for. 

Verses 11 and 12 tell us to fear the LORD, but a good fear. He is all knowing, and all powerful, the beginning and the end and the only person in the whole world that no matter what will always be there and cannot be taken away from you. It also tells us that your way is not the way and that his way will bless you.

(2 down, 148 to go!)

One.

1) What does it say?

Psalm 1

2) What does it mean?

This is talking about the difference between doing the right thing, and doing the wrong thing.. between Christ followers and those who do not know the Lord. It's talking about how people who know the Lord are blessed, and will prosper, and that God notices the differences between these two groups of people.

3) What does it mean to me?

This is a reminder and a bit of a wake-up call for me. I've been thinking a lot lately about the challenges of living as a Christ follower in a secular world and all the temptations that come along with it, and this reminds me that living under the law of the Lord can do nothing but good for me.

(1 day down, 149 to go!)

A Psalm a Day

The bestie and I are taking on another challenge. Just recently, back in November, we took on our "30 Days of Thankfulness" challenge, and back in the beginning of 2011 we did our "30 Days of Blogging!" and now we are onto our next challenge of "A Psalm a Day." We will be blogging each day about a different blog, there are 150 Psalms and we will be doing them in order. In blogging about them we will be answering these 3 questions we would often use in high school when going over scriptures; what does it say? what does it mean? what does it mean to me? I'm very excited to take on this challenge! Here we go!