Do not fear....

Well, as we move along thru this Hebraic month of Elul, several of my friends have assured me I have not offended them this past year. Whoo, I can sleep now...well, perhaps a little later. Grin!

Another Elul tradition is to read/recite Psalm 27 as part of our daily prayers. So I thought I'd share a few verses from that Psalm that seem magnificently appropriate for our times my next few posts. It just amazes me sometimes that words that were penned 1000's of years ago are still pertinent today. Boy, isn't Papa wonderful?! OK, moving along here.....

1. Adonai (G-d) is my light and salvation;
whom do I need to fear?
Adonai is the stronghold of my life;
of whom should I be afraid?

Well, hey, that one verse is enough!!! Just think about it, friends. Or as David the Psalmist would say...Selah, which is Hebrew for think about it, ponder this, meditate on this. Or in modern English (Texan dialect) "chew on this till ya get it!"

If we belong to Adonai, then who do we need to fear?! Do we really need to worry what those folks in DC are trying to do to us? If the Creator of the Universe is our provider, then can anyone here really do us in? I think not!!! Now, before a few friends get all upset, I am NOT saying we don't need to make our voices heard on subjects dear to us. (For example this monstrosity the House turned into a bill supposedly about health care!) Torah teaches we are to be in submission to our leaders....WAIT---Don't start yelling yet! Submission means (according to Mr. Webster) yielding to or submitting....now submitting means: yield; refer or present; offer; suggest.

Did you see that? Look closely at those last three definitions....refer or present; offer; suggest. So even being Torah Observant, I have every right to present or offer my opinions of what's going on. I also have the right to suggest other ways to accomplish something or suggest that if it's good enough for WE THE PEOPLE, it's good enough for our representatives...Do you see where I'm going here? The trick is, according to Torah, my words must be spoken in love, with kindness. We must learn to 'come and let us reason together.' And if I'm doing that (even if the other party is acting foolish and rude!) then I have nothing to fear! My Papa, the One who created those turkeys, the One who knows our thoughts (and theirs) better than we do...well, He'll take care of me. So am I just sitting around thinking I don't have to do anything because Papa will take care of me??? Oh, come on folks, most of you know me better than that! Yes, I've most likely got a dossier in DC about 6 inches thick for all the emails I've sent to everyone I could send them to voicing my opinion on the healthcare/insurance reform/Obamacare mess. But I'm not really worried about the outcome. I have no insurance....just a major medical plan in case of an emergency...like having one of Little Critter's 'inventions' crush me or something.... giggle..

I haven't had insurance for almost 4 years.....and haven't needed it. Papa has taken care of all my needs. Now I realize not everyone can do that....Dodi for instance. Until his diabetes is under better control (which will happen much faster and better after football season short of a miracle!!!!) we need to have insurance for him! (The insulin alone is impossibly expensive and when you add in the other 4 meds he takes....well you get the picture.) But I know that even with Dodi, that Papa has it all under control. If we simply trust Him to take care of the things we need....He'll do it. Hey, He made sure several thousand (or million depending on the counting) Israelites had enough food and water for themselves and all their servants and all their critters during 40 years in the desert! AND made sure their clothes and shoes didn't wear out that whole time!!!!! Don'tcha think that if He could do that, He can easily take care of your needs, sweet friends? Oh, I KNOW He can!!!

So as we continue thru Elul, searching our hearts and repairing/restoring relationships....let's also not neglect repairing/restoring the most important relationship we can have....the one with Papa. Wouldn't it hurt your feelings if your child told you he/she was afraid there'd be no food for him/her tomorrow....or that you wouldn't provide clean clothes for them? How much it must hurt Papa's heart when we doubt that He'll take care of our needs....Let's each ask Him to forgive us for doubting His provisions and work on not fearing. I hope this was helpful to you. Shalom, Spitfire