Come Learn Rest Ministries

My heart overflows with a pleasing theme;
I address my verses to the king;
my tongue is like the pen of a ready scribe.
~Psalm 45:1 (ESV)

My heart bursts its banks, spilling beauty and goodness.
I pour it out in a poem to the king,
shaping the river into words:
~Psalm 45:1 (MSG)

Beautiful words stir my heart.
I will recite a lovely poem about the king,
for my tongue is like the pen of a skillful poet.
~Psalm 45:1 (NLT)

On Valentine’s Day, I read Psalm 45 and the words of first verse stirred my heart. What better day to pray this verse than on the day when hearts and lovely poems are so prevalent! But that day was just the beginning. I have checked in with my heart often in the past two weeks to determine if the theme overflowing it is pleasing to the Lord.

The 2 days my husband and I took walks along the beach near Monterey I felt my heart spilling over with the beauty and goodness of God’s creation. But the day 3 pages of a major academic paper disappeared in cyberspace was another story.  On that day my heart burst with despair as I rewrote the words trusting that the shape of the content would be even better the second time,

The days of March will be no different. There will be days our hearts burst with beauty and goodness.  And there will be days when our hearts are searching for a pleasing theme. But regardless, we can address Christ, our King, trusting him to reshape the content of our day!

Thank You Lord for being the pleasing theme our hearts overflow with.

To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
~Psalm 25:1

This sunrise appeared three-dimensional at first sight. Upon further reflection, the layer of fog appears to blend into the cloud cover as the sun struggles to complete its morning ritual. I am so thankful for God’s sunrises that are part of my morning ritual of prayer.

Some days I struggle to lift my soul to the Lord because my mind is fogged in and my heart is clouded by concerns too difficult for me. But as soon as I start to recite the nine words above, my soul is truly uplifted. Then there is appreciation for and anticipation of God’s leading and teaching throughout the day.

Lead me in your truth and teach me,
for you are the God of my salvation;
for you I wait all the day long.
~Psalm 25:5

Thank You, O Lord, that to You I can lift my soul.