From Whence Doth Come Mine Aid

Psalm 121 (A Song of Ascents)

I will lift up my eyes to the hills--
From whence comes my help?
My help comes from the LORD,
Who made heaven and earth.
He will not allow your foot to be moved;
He who keeps you will not slumber.
Behold, He who keeps Israel
Shall neither slumber nor sleep.
The LORD is your keeper;
The LORD is your shade at your right hand.
The sun shall not strike you by day,
Nor the moon by night.
The LORD shall preserve you from all evil;
He shall preserve your soul.
The LORD shall preserve your going out and your coming in
From this time forth, and even forevermore.

Paps of Jura in winter, from Kilberry, Argyll

Following on from our Tuesday gathering on 15th March 2022

‘Where two or three are gathered, there am I in the midst of them’ is a wonderful expression of His presence whenever we meet and The Holy Spirit flows from one to another, melding individuals into one expression. And He is faithful to bring this blessing whenever we meet, binding us together ‘with cords that cannot be broken.’

The spirit word which launched us in ‘His way’ this week was ‘nourishment’, and we were led then to Psalm 121, which begins with ‘I will lift up my eyes to the hills…’, to the higher ground, out of the miry clay of our valley existence to meet in the heavenly realms with Him. The version of Psalm 121 quoted in the title comes from — not from the Authorised Version as I thought — but from the Scottish Psalter, the first verse of which is …

I to the hills will lift mine eyes,
from whence doth come mine aid.
My safety cometh from the Lord,
who heav’n and earth hath made.

Having sung this since primary school, it sticks in my mind, the older form of expression giving a majesty to the words that some modern translations seem to lack, even if they are more accessible. But this beautiful psalm brings comfort and peace in any form, for it expresses the undeniable experience of a deep relationship with our Lord and Saviour.

Our world seems to have reached a crossroads at this time, and we see the bellicosity being expressed in many quarters, pushing us all to make concerted choices. That the release from captivity of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and Anoosheh Ashoori should come at such a time as this — with unrelenting punishment meted out on civilians in Ukraine — highlights the fact that despite these dark days, the light of The Lord still shines. Indeed, a recent report from Ellel Ministries in Ukraine reveals that the Lord is answering prayer in miraculous ways [see links 1 and 2 below], along with tentative evidence that the Russian invasion is faltering. We pray that a just conclusion to this war is found, sooner rather than later.

And as our gathering drew to a close, the words of a song came to mind, the words of which are an amazing inspiration and reminder of whose we are.

I am destined for a kingdom
Anointed by the Lord
Made for glory
He's preparing me to reign

I am called to judge the angels
And I know I'm being restored
To the vision that God gave
In Jesus name

In Jesus name
I soar on wings like eagles
In Jesus name
I'm full of power in the Son

And as I lift His name on high
And my spirit starts to cry
He is here! He is here!
And he is LORD!

LINKS FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:
1 — ‘How God is working in Ukraine’ — report from Nina Rotkina
2 — Peter Horrobin’s ‘Seeds of The Kindom’ message, ‘I cry to You, Lord’ from 16th March 2022

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‘Meditate on these things…’

REVELATION 5:8-10
Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.
And they sang a new song, saying:
"You are worthy to take the scroll, And to open its seals; For You were slain,
And have redeemed us to God by Your blood, out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation,
And have made us kings and priests to our God;
And we shall reign on the earth."

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“I to the Hills Will Lift Mine Eyes” — Scottish Festival Singers”

VIOLINISTS ACROSS THE WORLD PLAY FOR UKRAINE
Mention of this You Tube video was made in this morning’s Argyllshire Advertiser, and includes — among the 94 violinists from 27 countries taking part — Campbeltown’s Archie McAllister (now living in Lochgilphead). Illia Bondarenko, whose video leads the performance had to complete his video between bombing attacks.

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A HOLY CONDITION: Oswald Chambers on JOY
— Strength in The LORD --

PEOPLE NOISY IN words are not always turbulent in spirit; excessively quiet people who have nothing to express in shouting, may be joyous in heart.
[from ‘If Ye Shall Ask’]

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Listen to this meditation by clicking below…

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