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November 16, 2012
Day 11
Get A Grip
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Dear Praying Friend,
Whenever we find ourselves in a distressing situation, or faced with a debilitating illness, we are often confronted with a greater challenge of fighting feelings of loneliness as we deal with our personal battles. One of the enemy's greatest deceptive tactics is to lead people into a place of isolation so they withdraw deep within themselves and lose sight of hope. In this deep pit of loneliness the darkness engulfs us and we find ourselves losing our grip on God and even pushing those closest to us away.
As we meditate on Psalm 6:4-5 today, we read as the psalmist appeals to the Lord's "unfailing love" and requests that His face would not be hidden from him, desiring instead that the light of God's glorious face would shine upon him. With the light of the Lord's face gripping him he would be delivered from the despair of death and returned to a position of praise.
It is so much easier to sing praises in the light than it is in the darkness, however, may we never fail to realize that in the deepest places of despair our Lord has a firm hold on us - He only desires that we would let go of our fears and fall into His loving arms. "Turn to me and have mercy on me, as You always do to those who love Your name" (Psalm 119:132).
"For a brief moment I abandoned you,
but with deep compassion I will bring you back.
In a surge of anger I hid my face from you for a moment,
but with everlasting kindness I will have compassion on you,"
says the LORD your Redeemer.
"Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed,
yet My unfailing love for you will not be shaken
nor My covenant of peace be removed,"
says the LORD, who has compassion on you."
(Isaiah 54:7-8, 10)
Dear Heavenly Father, Your Word tells us that Your 'compassions never fail', in fact, 'they are new every morning'. We praise You that You are always with us as we begin each day in Your Word. Help us to get a firm grip on your Word that we might develop a deeper trust and greater dependence upon You, and protected from being lured into the trap of the enemy. May our minds get wrapped around the fact that Your "unfailing love" does not fail! 'Let Your face shine on Your servant; save us in Your unfailing love'. Help us to be consumed with You so our minds will not be consumed with despair as the days grow more difficult and the love of most continues to grow cold. Intersect our paths with other faithful servants who adore You so that we might be encouraged by the great cloud of witnesses that surround us, instead of buying the lie that we are standing alone. Thank You for surrounding us with faithful friends who are an extension of Your arms and hold us close to You in prayer. We praise You that You never leave us or forsake us, and never lose Your firm grip on us. Thank You for the firm grip of Your hand of protection - You have commanded Your angels to guard us in all our ways. Help us to do likewise and hold on tightly, never releasing our grasp on You. Thank You God for being our Savior, Redeemer, Deliverer, and Lord! 'Shout for joy, O heavens; rejoice, O earth; burst into song, O mountains! For the LORD comforts His people and will have compassion on His afflicted ones' We praise Your glorious name. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
Steadfast in prayer,
Traci Alexander
Trumpet and Torch Ministries
Psalm 27
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Prayer Scripture References: Psalm 31:16; 91:11; Isaiah 33:2; 49:13; Lamentations 3:22b, 23a; Matthew 24:12; Hebrews 12:2. | 
