1 00:00:02,720 --> 00:00:12,719 Speaker 1: Life Audio. Thank you for listening to your Nightly Scripture, 2 00:00:13,800 --> 00:00:18,479 Speaker 1: a calming, scripture centered devotional podcast designed to help you 3 00:00:18,800 --> 00:00:22,600 Speaker 1: end each day with God's word in your mind and 4 00:00:22,640 --> 00:00:27,000 Speaker 1: on your heart. Right after this short word from our sponsors, 5 00:00:27,520 --> 00:00:41,400 Speaker 1: we'll reflect on tonight's scripture Psalm one oh two. Tonight's 6 00:00:41,720 --> 00:00:46,440 Speaker 1: scripture reflection is written by Amanda Idelman and read by 7 00:00:46,520 --> 00:00:53,600 Speaker 1: Lea Gerard. Psalm one oh two a prayer of an 8 00:00:53,640 --> 00:00:57,960 Speaker 1: afflicted person who has grown weak and pours out a 9 00:00:58,040 --> 00:01:03,280 Speaker 1: lament before the Lord. Hear my prayer, Lord, let my 10 00:01:03,440 --> 00:01:07,319 Speaker 1: cry for help come to you. Do not hide your 11 00:01:07,360 --> 00:01:10,720 Speaker 1: face from me when I am in distress. Turn your 12 00:01:10,760 --> 00:01:15,399 Speaker 1: ear to me when I call, Answer me quickly. For 13 00:01:15,480 --> 00:01:19,920 Speaker 1: my days vanish like smoke. My bones burn like glowing embers. 14 00:01:20,600 --> 00:01:25,120 Speaker 1: My heart is blighted and withered like grass. I forget 15 00:01:25,120 --> 00:01:29,040 Speaker 1: to eat my food. In my distress, I groan aloud 16 00:01:29,520 --> 00:01:33,600 Speaker 1: and am reduced to skin and bones. I am like 17 00:01:33,640 --> 00:01:38,080 Speaker 1: a desert owl, like an owl among the ruins, I 18 00:01:38,160 --> 00:01:41,240 Speaker 1: lie awake. I've become like a bird alone on a 19 00:01:41,360 --> 00:01:46,080 Speaker 1: roof all day long. My enemies taunt me. Those who 20 00:01:46,240 --> 00:01:49,920 Speaker 1: rail against me use my name as a curse. For 21 00:01:50,000 --> 00:01:53,240 Speaker 1: I eat ashes as my food, and mingle my drink 22 00:01:53,320 --> 00:01:56,440 Speaker 1: with tears because of your great wrath. For you have 23 00:01:56,520 --> 00:02:00,760 Speaker 1: taken me up and thrown me aside. My days are 24 00:02:00,840 --> 00:02:05,240 Speaker 1: like the evening shadow. I wither away like grass. But 25 00:02:05,320 --> 00:02:10,920 Speaker 1: you lords sit enthroned forever. Your renown endures through all generations. 26 00:02:11,360 --> 00:02:14,800 Speaker 1: You will arise and have compassion on Zion, for it 27 00:02:14,880 --> 00:02:18,000 Speaker 1: is time to show favor to her. The appointed time 28 00:02:18,080 --> 00:02:22,360 Speaker 1: has come. For her stones are dear to your servants. 29 00:02:22,680 --> 00:02:27,239 Speaker 1: Her very dust moves them to pity. The nations will 30 00:02:27,280 --> 00:02:29,679 Speaker 1: fear the name of the Lord. All the kings of 31 00:02:29,720 --> 00:02:34,280 Speaker 1: the earth will reveal your glory. For the Lord will 32 00:02:34,320 --> 00:02:37,959 Speaker 1: rebuild Zion and appear in his glory. He will respond 33 00:02:38,040 --> 00:02:41,160 Speaker 1: to the prayer of the destitute. He will not despise 34 00:02:41,200 --> 00:02:45,239 Speaker 1: their plea. Let this be written for a future generation 35 00:02:45,680 --> 00:02:48,160 Speaker 1: that if people not yet created me, praise the Lord. 36 00:02:48,800 --> 00:02:52,840 Speaker 1: The Lord looked down from his sanctuary on high from heaven, 37 00:02:53,200 --> 00:02:56,160 Speaker 1: he viewed the earth to hear the groans of the 38 00:02:56,200 --> 00:03:01,760 Speaker 1: prisoners and release those condemned to death. So the name 39 00:03:01,800 --> 00:03:04,520 Speaker 1: of the Lord will be declared in Zion and his 40 00:03:04,680 --> 00:03:08,560 Speaker 1: praise in Jerusalem. When the peoples and the kingdoms assemble 41 00:03:08,639 --> 00:03:12,760 Speaker 1: to worship the Lord. In the course of my life, 42 00:03:12,800 --> 00:03:16,960 Speaker 1: he broke my strength. He cut short my days, so 43 00:03:17,040 --> 00:03:19,240 Speaker 1: I said, do not take me away, my God. In 44 00:03:19,280 --> 00:03:22,240 Speaker 1: the midst of my days. Your years go on through 45 00:03:22,320 --> 00:03:26,720 Speaker 1: all generations. In the beginning you laid the foundations of 46 00:03:26,760 --> 00:03:29,399 Speaker 1: the earth and the heavens are the work of your hands. 47 00:03:30,840 --> 00:03:34,639 Speaker 1: They will perish, but you remain. They will all wear 48 00:03:34,680 --> 00:03:38,200 Speaker 1: out like a garment, like clothing. You will change them 49 00:03:38,560 --> 00:03:42,440 Speaker 1: and they will be discarded. But you remain the same, 50 00:03:42,760 --> 00:03:46,960 Speaker 1: and your years will never end. The children of your 51 00:03:47,000 --> 00:03:50,280 Speaker 1: servants will live in your presence. Their descendants will be 52 00:03:50,480 --> 00:03:59,040 Speaker 1: established before you. Each of us faces storms in this life. 53 00:04:00,120 --> 00:04:04,480 Speaker 1: Often we're either in a storm, coming out of a storm, 54 00:04:04,880 --> 00:04:09,440 Speaker 1: or heading into one. As Christians, we're not immune to 55 00:04:09,560 --> 00:04:14,560 Speaker 1: life's troubles. Actually, Jesus promises we will face challenges. In 56 00:04:14,640 --> 00:04:18,400 Speaker 1: John sixteen thirty three, Jesus says, I've told you these 57 00:04:18,440 --> 00:04:21,920 Speaker 1: things so that in me you may have peace. In 58 00:04:21,960 --> 00:04:26,359 Speaker 1: this world you will have trouble, But take heart, I 59 00:04:26,480 --> 00:04:31,640 Speaker 1: have overcome the world. God does offer us some assurances 60 00:04:31,640 --> 00:04:35,680 Speaker 1: for life's storms. He tells us that He is always 61 00:04:35,720 --> 00:04:40,839 Speaker 1: with us and never changing. In Psalm one, O. Two. 62 00:04:40,960 --> 00:04:47,360 Speaker 1: Reread that while all other things perish, God remains. He's 63 00:04:47,400 --> 00:04:51,320 Speaker 1: a constant force that we can rely on when things 64 00:04:51,360 --> 00:04:57,200 Speaker 1: around us feel chaotic. God is always worthy of our 65 00:04:57,279 --> 00:05:03,120 Speaker 1: praise When we face trouble, it's natural to lament. Sadness 66 00:05:03,240 --> 00:05:07,479 Speaker 1: is a real and valid human emotion. God doesn't expect 67 00:05:07,560 --> 00:05:10,960 Speaker 1: us to gloss over our more complex feelings. To be 68 00:05:11,000 --> 00:05:18,039 Speaker 1: a Christian, the Psalms are full of true cries of grief, help, 69 00:05:18,520 --> 00:05:21,320 Speaker 1: and despair. But even as we cry out, we also 70 00:05:21,400 --> 00:05:24,960 Speaker 1: come back around and are reminded through the scriptures that 71 00:05:25,720 --> 00:05:29,680 Speaker 1: God is worthy of our praise no matter our circumstances. 72 00:05:30,839 --> 00:05:33,880 Speaker 1: We hold tight to His promises and give thanks that 73 00:05:33,920 --> 00:05:36,799 Speaker 1: we have a God who loves us. As we walk 74 00:05:37,120 --> 00:05:42,839 Speaker 1: through the valley, God promises that the best is yet 75 00:05:43,000 --> 00:05:45,880 Speaker 1: to come. At the end of Psalm one O two 76 00:05:46,440 --> 00:05:49,320 Speaker 1: we read that your children will live in your presence, 77 00:05:49,400 --> 00:05:53,320 Speaker 1: and their descendants will be established before you. We are 78 00:05:53,440 --> 00:05:57,760 Speaker 1: promised access to God now in the land of the living, 79 00:05:58,360 --> 00:06:01,360 Speaker 1: but we also know but one day we will spend 80 00:06:01,480 --> 00:06:08,520 Speaker 1: eternity in heaven with Jesus. Life's storms are passing products 81 00:06:08,560 --> 00:06:12,719 Speaker 1: of the brokenness that exists in this world. One day 82 00:06:13,760 --> 00:06:18,360 Speaker 1: every tear will be wiped away, and these hard moments 83 00:06:18,400 --> 00:06:22,479 Speaker 1: will be a passing memory. We can always hold on 84 00:06:22,560 --> 00:06:26,400 Speaker 1: to hope because we know that the best is ahead 85 00:06:26,440 --> 00:06:31,360 Speaker 1: of us. Don't give up. Hold tight to Jesus, who 86 00:06:31,440 --> 00:06:36,400 Speaker 1: never changes. He carries us through the storms. He never 87 00:06:36,480 --> 00:06:40,960 Speaker 1: wastes our pain, as he promises to work all things 88 00:06:41,360 --> 00:06:44,560 Speaker 1: for the good of those who love him. Romans eight 89 00:06:44,640 --> 00:06:51,960 Speaker 1: twenty eight. Father, I thank you that you are never changing. 90 00:06:52,480 --> 00:06:55,719 Speaker 1: I can trust you stay near me as I'm moving 91 00:06:55,760 --> 00:06:58,640 Speaker 1: through life's ups and downs. I thank you that you 92 00:06:58,720 --> 00:07:02,560 Speaker 1: are eternal, and you promise me eternity spent with you. 93 00:07:03,800 --> 00:07:06,760 Speaker 1: Show me how you're using this trial to grow my 94 00:07:06,880 --> 00:07:10,160 Speaker 1: faith and draw me closer to you. Help me to 95 00:07:10,200 --> 00:07:14,560 Speaker 1: walk by faith and not by sight when I doubt, 96 00:07:15,280 --> 00:07:23,080 Speaker 1: help my unbelief carry me through this season. I love you, Lord, Amen. 97 00:07:26,120 --> 00:07:29,960 Speaker 1: How did Tonight's scripture speak to you? Share your thoughts 98 00:07:30,360 --> 00:07:42,040 Speaker 1: in the Your Nightly Scripture Forum discussion. Thank you for 99 00:07:42,160 --> 00:07:48,560 Speaker 1: listening to Your Nightly Scripture. Tonight's scripture was read from 100 00:07:48,560 --> 00:07:55,080 Speaker 1: the New International version by Biblica. All rights reserved. If 101 00:07:55,120 --> 00:07:59,360 Speaker 1: Tonight's episode blessed you, be sure to follow the show 102 00:07:59,720 --> 00:08:05,000 Speaker 1: on Apple podcasts, so your next nightly Scripture is ready 103 00:08:05,160 --> 00:08:10,440 Speaker 1: when you are. Your Nightly Scripture is a production of 104 00:08:10,600 --> 00:08:16,280 Speaker 1: Life Audio and Salem Media. Thank you and we'll see 105 00:08:16,320 --> 00:08:18,840 Speaker 1: you tomorrow. Night