I love Wednesdays! Wednesday seems to be one of the longest days of my week, but I never tire of them. Yes, I spend all day at work looking at spreadsheets and numbers and most Wednesdays I don't even get home until 9 which leaves little time to do anything. But let me say it again...I love Wednesdays. See...every Wednesday after work I head straight to church for worship choir practice and no matter how stressful my day has been or how tired I am or if I'm in a bad mood, God uses that time to bless me and not just bless me a little but give me bountiful blessings! As soon as I get in that room with my church family everything else seems to fade into the distance and I'm encouraged, pushed to grow spiritually, challenged!!! Tonight was no different.

Every Wednesday one of the choir/orchestra members gives a short bible study. I was so encouraged by tonight's lesson that I would like to share! I can't take these words and interpretation for my own as they are Jan Kimball's. She read a passage from Psalm 13:

"(1) How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? (2) How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and day after day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me? (3) Look on me and answer, Lord my God. Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death, (4) and my enemy will say 'I have overcome him,' (5) But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. (6) I will sing the Lord's praise for he has been good [dealt bountifully] to me."

When reading through the first few books of Psalm I always kind of thought I can related to David. "God why aren't you hearing me? Why do I have sorrow in my life? Why do I experience the things I experience?" Mainly a big woe is me pity party, especially if you consider David's anguish was from the fact that he was on the run and in fear for his life. However, I think most of us can relate to the inner groaning we all feel to understand our life and why things happen the way they do.

My favorite part of Jan's mini bible study this evening was how she pointed out the change in attitude from verses 1-4 compared to verses 5-6. How could David have a change of heart so quickly? He just poured out his heart and candidly asked God how long do I have to endure this? Are you there? Have you forgotten me? Then he changes to rejoicing!! Why? It all stems back to one word: SALVATION!!! David had so much hope that God would rescue him because God had already "dealt bountifully" with him through the gift of Salvation!! Can I get an AMEN!!

Same goes for me. The worldly desires and concerns of my heart pale in comparison to how bountifully God has already blessed me (and I'm not just talking worldly blessings.) I am sinful and dirty and have baggage in my life, yet because God loves me so He wants to give me the greatest blessing of all: Salvation! As I drove home tonight a Mercy Me song came on the radio: Beautiful.

The days will come when you don't have the strength 

When all you hear is you're not worth anything 

Wondering if you ever could be loved 

And if they truly saw your heart they'd see too much 

I'm praying that you have the heart to find 

Cause you are more than what is hurting you tonight 

For all the lies you've held inside so long 

And they are nothing in the shadow of the cross 

Before you ever took a breath 

Long before the world began 

Of all the wonders He possessed 

There was one more precious 

Of all the earth and skys above 

You're the one He madly loves 

Enough to die 

You're beautiful 

You were meant for so much more than all of this 

You're beautiful 

You are treasured, You are sacred, You are His 

Wow! No matter HOW dirty my past is, HOW much baggage I claim, God sees me as beautiful and not only that but treasured, sacred, HIS!!! But only redeemed by His blood. What a great reminder!