Dwelling in Safety

As I was lying in our bed, on the first night of our recent vacation, at The Friendship Inn in Mansfield, Missouri, our dear Lord called me to come unto Him. The trains that had been roaring by all night and the constant cycling of our room air conditioner were all unusual sounds for my family and so my children were having trouble sleeping. Consequently, this Momma was too!

Because I was having trouble getting back to sleep, I turned to the book of Psalms chapters 3 and 4. The verses contained therein bring such comfort and peace. There is such abundant truth in these two short chapters. Let’s look closer at this passage, and some related ones, and glean some morsels to nourish our souls.

In Psalm 3, David is fleeing from his son Absalom. David has taken his eyes off of his Lord and is desperately surveying his circumstances. Have you done this lately? I have! It is so very human, and so easy, to be overwhelmed by your circumstances and take your eyes off of your Creator and your King. To just remember that nothing can happen to us today that we can’t handle with His help is the key to these times. But Satan loves to steal our joy and remove this vital truth from our minds when times get tough.

As I was reading the history of Psalm 3 in 2 Samuel 15-17, I found it very interesting that David left Jerusalem and went up the Mount of Olives weeping, barefooted and with his head covered. That part about David’s head being covered really caught my eye because of this passage of Scripture :

“But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God. Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonoureth his head. For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, forasmuch as he is the image and glory of God: but the woman is the glory of the man.”

I really hesitated to even bring this out, but GOD just kept bringing it back to me. I am in no way even approaching doctrinal lines. But David was seriously out of GOD’s will here, he left Jerusalem and now he has come weeping, barefooted and with his head covered to GOD’s own Mount of Olives. This is the same Mount of Olives that our Dear Lord Jesus went to when He felt the need to cry out to His Father GOD. Here is David, crying out to GOD and dishonoring GOD at the same time.

Have you ever felt like your prayers were bouncing off the ceiling? Examine your hearts and see if you are praying according to GOD’s will ... see if your desires line up with GOD’s will for your life. Are you praying for what you want, need, desire .... or for the Father’s will. Remember Jesus’s prayer on this very Mount of Olives?

Luke 22:39-43 - “And He came out, and went, as He was wont, to the Mount of Olives; and His disciples also followed Him. And when He was at the place, He said unto them, ‘Pray that ye enter not into temptation.’ And He was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled down, and prayed, saying, ‘Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from Me: nevertheless not My will, but thine, be done.’ And there appeared an angel unto Him from heaven, strengthening Him.”

Oh fellow parents on this journey, if our own Lord Jesus felt it necessary to humble His Own Self to our Father GOD how can we sincerely do any different. This journey is too important to leave anything to chance. We are shaping the very lives of these children that GOD Himself has entrusted to us. Just as GOD entrusted Israel to David’s care. Let’s not make David’s mistake and abandon our Jerusalem when the enemy comes against us and then pray with our head covered, (or our spiritual fingers in our ears) so that we won’t have to obey GOD’s will. Yes, at the moment our enemy may be one of our own children, but remember, each of these children are a sacred trust given to us by GOD above. Let’s follow Jesus’s example and bow our knees to GOD and pray for His will to be done trusting completely that He can accomplish all! Then, when our will is fully submitted to Him, He will send His angels to strengthen us for our trial, just as He did for His Son Jesus.

Let’s go on. Jesus knew that His time was short and He would soon be surrounded by those who hated Him. David knew that Absalom would soon pursue him. Coming to Jerusalem and finding David gone would not be enough for this hate filled young man.

David goes on in Psalm 3 to claim GOD’s shield of protection as he cries out to GOD from His Holy Hill. Even though David was dishonoring GOD by even being there, GOD honored David by hearing his prayer and answering his cry for help. Even in our most sinful state GOD still loves us and hears our cries. What a beautiful assurance to a sinful world! GOD made us who we are and nothing we can do will surprise Him!

So in complete peace and assurance David lies down to sleep knowing that GOD will sustain him. All the while 2 Samuel 17:1 tells us that Absalom was plotting to come after David that very night. Even when our enemies rage and there is strife all around, be assured that GOD is still in control. We can trust Him completely with every little thing. Have you been tempted and tried by the many choices for curriculum and coverings? Have you wondered which educational philosophy to apply? Which learning style best suited your student? May I suggest that you take your questions to GOD and your husband and let GOD lead you through your husband? No, I am not saying you need to bother your husbands about every little detail, but when you are tried and perplexed, GOD will understand and He will lead you in a decisive manner through your husband. But if your husband says, “I don’t care! Just choose the one you think is right!” Follow the instinct that GOD has placed in your heart and do what GOD has instructed you to do. He made you the teacher because He trusted you! Can’t you trust yourself if GOD is trusting you?

Well as David found peace that night, this was the same peace and assurance that I was seeking as I lay down to sleep in a strange place. No my circumstances were not desperate like David’s were. But, just the same, I was disquieted in my spirit and my children were restless and it had been an extremely long day. This is what I mean by every little thing. I didn’t wake my husband from his irritatingly sound sleep to tell him how I was feeling, but I did feel GOD drawing me to Him through His word. The peace that flooded my soul as I read GOD’s word and spent some time in prayer are indescribable in their sweetness. As GOD whispered my name that night and gently drew me to His side, I felt that I was a little child climbing onto Papa’s lap for security. You can feel this same peacefulness if you will just yield your will to Him who loves you completely, just the way you are. But this is not a one time fix, Jesus said that we must pick up our cross daily and follow Him. So, let’s read on and see what Psalm 4 has to say.

Again in Psalm 4 David is crying out to GOD in distress. “Answer me when I call to you, O my righteous GOD,” David says. “Give me relief from my distress; be merciful to me and hear my prayer.” This, indeed, was my prayer. Although I was not in great distress, I was in great need of sleep and relief for my son so he could sleep. Both of my younger children were being disturbed by the lack of “country quiet” that they are accustomed to. So, in Mommy-like fashion, I did my best to make them more comfortable and not become frustrated and angry.

As I lay there in my bed, in the Friendship House Bed and Breakfast, in Mansfield, Missouri I fought frustration and anger as I once again heard my children thrashing about and my husband snoring away. “Oh GOD, my Rock and my Redeemer, please help my children to fall asleep, please comfort them and settle them, I need your rest, GOD, please deliver me from this trial.” This was my heart’s cry. Don’t ever feel that your situation is too trivial for GOD. You are His child, created in His image, He cares for you!

If we are truly to “cast all our cares upon Him”, this can only be accomplished by “praying without ceasing.” So as you walk along and as you fold laundry and as you bathe your children and as you cook your supper, pray!

As I searched my heart that night and poured out my supplication to my Father GOD with thanksgiving for our safe journey, our opportunity to stay in this wonderful and beautifully decorated Bed and Breakfast, our ability to even take a vacation, my burden became lighter and my children became quieter and I became sleepier. The best cure I have found for insomnia is praying and praising our wonderful GOD. Satan can’t stand it and He will put you to sleep in a New York Minute!

Well, the children finally rested and so did I. Now I can rejoice in answered prayer and let my light shine in testimony for my Father God’s goodness. He was so gracious in His loving protection for us throughout our whole journey.

We watched the affect of all this beauty on our children’s faces as they saw one thing after another for the very first time. The joy and the delight, the genuine interest that lit their faces as they discovered GOD’s awesome creation.

We drove from Florence, Alabama to Portland, Oregon. We traveled up through Missouri and across South Dakota, through the edge of the Badlands and across Mount Rushmore. We visited Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons in Wyoming, we drank fresh Red Raspberry milkshakes by Bear Lake in Utah and finally visited waterfalls and the Pacific Coast in Oregon. We saw a lighthouse in Oregon and visited the Tillamook Cheese Factory. We saw some of the most beautiful land that GOD has ever created and we were careful to give Him the glory. We saw the geography of the land change as we traveled through different regions and we noticed the different animals that are found in these different areas. And throughout all of this GOD was so evident to us, through every storm and every animal, through every tree and every clump of sagebrush we saw GOD’s handiwork and His provision.

Our summer has indeed been very busy and filled to the overflowing with blessings from our Father and GOD. So how has your summer gone? Have you cried out in distress? Have you gone to your “Mount of Olives” to seek safety and deliverance from our Righteous GOD? I have many times! Finishing two books in one summer has been tough! Preparing for this trip and making all of the arrangements for our animals that we were leaving behind was tiresome and time consuming. Many times I have gone away to a quiet place to pray and allow the Comforter to refresh my weary soul. This is the same refreshing that you can ask for and expect from the One who loves you more than any other.

As we step up to the call this fall, please remember that in order to teach our children we must be taught ourselves. We can’t begin to hope to feed our children physically, emotionally, or spiritually if we are running on leftovers ourselves. The food that we gather from Scripture can be compared to the manna that GOD provided for the children of Israel in Exodus 16. No matter if we are able to gather much or little, sufficient unto the day will be our provision. I found this to be true many times as our days grew long while we were traveling. More than once I would reach for my Bible to gather the manna that would sustain me one more day.

In Exodus 16 the children of Israel were told not to try to keep any of their manna overnight. So we should heed the same wise counsel. If we try to save some of our manna, our provision from GOD’s word for tomorrow, we open ourselves and families to Satan's attack. He will send his maggots in to devour our provision and our flesh will begin to stink, just as the Israelites found to be true. Our attitudes begin to be sorry and we sin in our anger, we begin to grumble just like the children of Israel did.

GOD will give us meat in the evening to sustain us through the long dark nights, just as He did the children of Israel in Exodus 16. You’ve seen days that seemed they would never end. The ones where you wonder if your children have cotton in their ears because you keep hearing them say, “I didn’t hear you!” Or you wonder if their heads are completely empty because they can’t seem to keep their minds on their task at hand. These are the days that GOD places the “Quail” right in front of you, all you have to do is reach out and take it. Psalm 105 is a Psalm of praise listing the works of our Almighty GOD in the history of the children of Israel. When you are having trouble, read this Psalm about all that GOD did for this ungrateful, grumbling people. I guarantee you will feel better! This is the same GOD that came to me that night in Missouri and many other nights along the road. This is the same GOD that will come to your aid, everytime that you choose to cry out to Him.

So now when our night is passed away and the morning dawns GOD then provides the manna. It comes as tiny morsels that appear as the morning dew begins to dry and we start out on our journey of that day. This presents itself to me as the morsels of Scripture that pop into my head as my day goes on. These morsels are always pertinent, always applicable to my situation. Always the perfect provision for the moment. But if we do not gather our daily provision in a timely manner the heat of our day will come in and dry up our provision and it will all melt away. This is why we get anxious and short tempered, just like I did so many times in the van driving across this wide and beautiful land. If I did not take the time in the morning to gather my manna, my flesh would start to stink and our whole day would be in danger of being ruined by my mood.

This is what manna is to me. My verse of Scripture that gives me that extra something to finish my day. These are the busy days that I despair of ever ending: Ballet, Homeschool Choir, Mom’s Night Out, Charlotte Mason Study Group, ..... all truly wonderful things that I thoroughly enjoy. But when you combine this with the newsletter, our local food buying club, my family, his family and book publishing (more wonderful things that I love and enjoy!) it can all become overwhelming. This is when those tiny morsels of manna or Scripture are just the perfect touch. If I try to substitute anything else for my manna I become frustrated, irritable and downright hard to deal with!

When do I find time for these tiny morsels? Well, when I am waiting for lessons to be over, or when I visit the toilet. Post Scripture verses in conspicuous places (a trick I learned from the Tomberlins!) ... on the dash of your vehicle, the refrigerator door, the bathroom mirror ... you get the picture. I have found wonderful devotion time in the bathroom of my friend’s homes. These morsels are always perfect! I love how GOD provides just the right verse everytime! Truly GOD is Sovereign! He doesn’t throw it into my nest, but He sure does leave it were I can find it. Where do you find your’s? Perhaps you have time in the morning after your husband has gone to work and before the children awaken. Or perhaps you find your time at night, after the children have gone to sleep and before you retire for the evening. It doesn’t have to be the same as anyone else’s, but it does need to be your time, daily for your strength and provision.

So, in conclusion, yes I can “lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety,” as Psalm 4:8 says. Whether it is Quail for the dark times or manna for the day, GOD alone knows just what we need and when we need it. Just go to Him with your needs and He will supply them right down to the tiniest, most insignificant need. Those small times are when you need Him the very most! Remember to listen for His voice calling to you in those long, dark nights of sitting us with restless children, or worrying over the safety of loved ones. GOD will call you to His word during these times, His provision is all you need and it is right there in front of you, will you reach out your hand in faith and take what is being offered to you by your loving Father? Will you choose to dwell in safety?


	Crooked Pines Ministries Articles by Mary E. Woodis Dwelling in Safety By: Mary E. Woodis As I was lying in our bed, on the first night of our recent vacation, at The Friendship Inn in Mansfield, Missouri, our dear Lord called me to come unto Him. The trains that had been roaring by all night and the constant cycling of our room air conditioner were all unusual sounds for my family and so my children were having trouble sleeping. Consequently, this Momma was too! Turn to Scripture Because I was having trouble getting back to sleep, I turned to the book of Psalms chapters 3 and 4. The verses contained therein bring such comfort and peace. There is such abundant truth in these two short chapters. Let’s look closer at this passage, and some related ones, and glean some morsels to nourish our souls. In Psalm 3, David is fleeing from his son Absalom. David has taken his eyes off of his Lord and is desperately surveying his circumstances. Have you done this lately? I have! It is so very human, and so easy, to be overwhelmed by your circumstances and take your eyes off of your Creator and your King. To just remember that nothing can happen to us today that we can’t handle with His help is the key to these times. But Satan loves to steal our joy and remove this vital truth from our minds when times get tough. Scripture Interprets Scripture As I was reading the history of Psalm 3 in 2 Samuel 15-17, I found it very interesting that David left Jerusalem and went up the Mount of Olives weeping, barefooted and with his head covered. That part about David’s head being covered really caught my eye because of this passage of Scripture : 1 Corinthians 11:3-4, 7 “But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God. Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonoureth his head. For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, forasmuch as he is the image and glory of God: but the woman is the glory of the man.” Don't Dishonor Your Head I really hesitated to even bring this out, but GOD just kept bringing it back to me. I am in no way even approaching doctrinal lines. But David was seriously out of GOD’s will here, he left Jerusalem and now he has come weeping, barefooted and with his head covered to GOD’s own Mount of Olives. This is the same Mount of Olives that our Dear Lord Jesus went to when He felt the need to cry out to His Father GOD. Here is David, crying out to GOD and dishonoring GOD at the same time. Praying According to God's Will Have you ever felt like your prayers were bouncing off the ceiling? Examine your hearts and see if you are praying according to GOD’s will ... see if your desires line up with GOD’s will for your life. Are you praying for what you want, need, desire .... or for the Father’s will. Remember Jesus’s prayer on this very Mount of Olives? Luke 22:39-43 - “And He came out, and went, as He was wont, to the Mount of Olives; and His disciples also followed Him. And when He was at the place, He said unto them, ‘Pray that ye enter not into temptation.’ And He was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled down, and prayed, saying, ‘Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from Me: nevertheless not My will, but thine, be done.’ And there appeared an angel unto Him from heaven, strengthening Him.” Humble Yourself Oh fellow parents on this journey, if our own Lord Jesus felt it necessary to humble His Own Self to our Father GOD how can we sincerely do any different. This journey is too important to leave anything to chance. We are shaping the very lives of these children that GOD Himself has entrusted to us. Just as GOD entrusted Israel to David’s care. Let’s not make David’s mistake and abandon our Jerusalem when the enemy comes against us and then pray with our head covered, (or our spiritual fingers in our ears) so that we won’t have to obey GOD’s will. Yes, at the moment our enemy may be one of our own children, but remember, each of these children are a sacred trust given to us by GOD above. Let’s follow Jesus’s example and bow our knees to GOD and pray for His will to be done trusting completely that He can accomplish all! Then, when our will is fully submitted to Him, He will send His angels to strengthen us for our trial, just as He did for His Son Jesus. Be Assured of this One Thing... Let’s go on. Jesus knew that His time was short and He would soon be surrounded by those who hated Him. David knew that Absalom would soon pursue him. Coming to Jerusalem and finding David gone would not be enough for this hate filled young man. David goes on in Psalm 3 to claim GOD’s shield of protection as he cries out to GOD from His Holy Hill. Even though David was dishonoring GOD by even being there, GOD honored David by hearing his prayer and answering his cry for help. Even in our most sinful state GOD still loves us and hears our cries. What a beautiful assurance to a sinful world! GOD made us who we are and nothing we can do will surprise Him! Trusting in His Judgment So in complete peace and assurance David lies down to sleep knowing that GOD will sustain him. All the while 2 Samuel 17:1 tells us that Absalom was plotting to come after David that very night. Even when our enemies rage and there is strife all around, be assured that GOD is still in control. We can trust Him completely with every little thing. Have you been tempted and tried by the many choices for curriculum and coverings? Have you wondered which educational philosophy to apply? Which learning style best suited your student? May I suggest that you take your questions to GOD and your husband and let GOD lead you through your husband? No, I am not saying you need to bother your husbands about every little detail, but when you are tried and perplexed, GOD will understand and He will lead you in a decisive manner through your husband. But if your husband says, “I don’t care! Just choose the one you think is right!” Follow the instinct that GOD has placed in your heart and do what GOD has instructed you to do. He made you the teacher because He trusted you! Can’t you trust yourself if GOD is trusting you? Peace Well as David found peace that night, this was the same peace and assurance that I was seeking as I lay down to sleep in a strange place. No my circumstances were not desperate like David’s were. But, just the same, I was disquieted in my spirit and my children were restless and it had been an extremely long day. This is what I mean by every little thing. I didn’t wake my husband from his irritatingly sound sleep to tell him how I was feeling, but I did feel GOD drawing me to Him through His word. The peace that flooded my soul as I read GOD’s word and spent some time in prayer are indescribable in their sweetness. As GOD whispered my name that night and gently drew me to His side, I felt that I was a little child climbing onto Papa’s lap for security. You can feel this same peacefulness if you will just yield your will to Him who loves you completely, just the way you are. But this is not a one time fix, Jesus said that we must pick up our cross daily and follow Him. So, let’s read on and see what Psalm 4 has to say. O My God, Give Me Relief! Again in Psalm 4 David is crying out to GOD in distress. “Answer me when I call to you, O my righteous GOD,” David says. “Give me relief from my distress; be merciful to me and hear my prayer.” This, indeed, was my prayer. Although I was not in great distress, I was in great need of sleep and relief for my son so he could sleep. Both of my younger children were being disturbed by the lack of “country quiet” that they are accustomed to. So, in Mommy-like fashion, I did my best to make them more comfortable and not become frustrated and angry. The Psalmist David says in: Psalm 4:4, “In your anger do not sin; when you are on your beds, search your hearts and be silent. Selah.” As I lay there in my bed, in the Friendship House Bed and Breakfast, in Mansfield, Missouri I fought frustration and anger as I once again heard my children thrashing about and my husband snoring away. “Oh GOD, my Rock and my Redeemer, please help my children to fall asleep, please comfort them and settle them, I need your rest, GOD, please deliver me from this trial.” This was my heart’s cry. Don’t ever feel that your situation is too trivial for GOD. You are His child, created in His image, He cares for you! 1 Peter 5:7 says, “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” Not some of your cares or only the ones you deem important, but all of your cares. This is why the Apostle Paul tells us in 1 Thessalonians 5:17, “Pray without ceasing.” If we are truly to “cast all our cares upon Him”, this can only be accomplished by “praying without ceasing.” So as you walk along and as you fold laundry and as you bathe your children and as you cook your supper, pray! Prayer and Praise As I searched my heart that night and poured out my supplication to my Father GOD with thanksgiving for our safe journey, our opportunity to stay in this wonderful and beautifully decorated Bed and Breakfast, our ability to even take a vacation, my burden became lighter and my children became quieter and I became sleepier. The best cure I have found for insomnia is praying and praising our wonderful GOD. Satan can’t stand it and He will put you to sleep in a New York Minute! My Father's Goodness Well, the children finally rested and so did I. Now I can rejoice in answered prayer and let my light shine in testimony for my Father God’s goodness. He was so gracious in His loving protection for us throughout our whole journey. We faced hail and thunder and lightning, even tornado warnings. But this taught us about the weather on the Great Plains. We drove down wet, dark mountain roads and swerved to miss animals and this taught us that you are never alone, even on the darkest nights. GOD showed us the grandeur of the Grand Tetons in the light of a full moon. We were awed by the waves crashing onto centuries old rocks on the coast of Oregon. We were given the privilege of watching Old Faithful erupt under the light of a full moon. We had wonderful discussions as we were driving along about the way the rocks were slanted up. We discussed Noah’s flood and how GOD burst open the deep to flood the earth. We read extensively in the book of Revelations and discussed the tribulations of the end times. In Minnesota we gazed on the quiet grace of Indian women fashioning turtles and pipes out of the red stone at Pipestone in Minnesota. We watched the affect of all this beauty on our children’s faces as they saw one thing after another for the very first time. The joy and the delight, the genuine interest that lit their faces as they discovered GOD’s awesome creation. This is the stuff that memories are made of and this is the gift that GOD gave our family this summer. From South to Sea We drove from Florence, Alabama to Portland, Oregon. We traveled up through Missouri and across South Dakota, through the edge of the Badlands and across Mount Rushmore. We visited Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons in Wyoming, we drank fresh Red Raspberry milkshakes by Bear Lake in Utah and finally visited waterfalls and the Pacific Coast in Oregon. We saw a lighthouse in Oregon and visited the Tillamook Cheese Factory. We saw some of the most beautiful land that GOD has ever created and we were careful to give Him the glory. We saw the geography of the land change as we traveled through different regions and we noticed the different animals that are found in these different areas. And throughout all of this GOD was so evident to us, through every storm and every animal, through every tree and every clump of sagebrush we saw GOD’s handiwork and His provision. Seeking Refreshment Our summer has indeed been very busy and filled to the overflowing with blessings from our Father and GOD. So how has your summer gone? Have you cried out in distress? Have you gone to your “Mount of Olives” to seek safety and deliverance from our Righteous GOD? I have many times! Finishing two books in one summer has been tough! Preparing for this trip and making all of the arrangements for our animals that we were leaving behind was tiresome and time consuming. Many times I have gone away to a quiet place to pray and allow the Comforter to refresh my weary soul. This is the same refreshing that you can ask for and expect from the One who loves you more than any other. Don't Forget to Gather Your Manna As we step up to the call this fall, please remember that in order to teach our children we must be taught ourselves. We can’t begin to hope to feed our children physically, emotionally, or spiritually if we are running on leftovers ourselves. The food that we gather from Scripture can be compared to the manna that GOD provided for the children of Israel in Exodus 16. No matter if we are able to gather much or little, sufficient unto the day will be our provision. I found this to be true many times as our days grew long while we were traveling. More than once I would reach for my Bible to gather the manna that would sustain me one more day. In Exodus 16 the children of Israel were told not to try to keep any of their manna overnight. So we should heed the same wise counsel. If we try to save some of our manna, our provision from GOD’s word for tomorrow, we open ourselves and families to Satan's attack. He will send his maggots in to devour our provision and our flesh will begin to stink, just as the Israelites found to be true. Our attitudes begin to be sorry and we sin in our anger, we begin to grumble just like the children of Israel did. The Meat of God's Word GOD will give us meat in the evening to sustain us through the long dark nights, just as He did the children of Israel in Exodus 16. You’ve seen days that seemed they would never end. The ones where you wonder if your children have cotton in their ears because you keep hearing them say, “I didn’t hear you!” Or you wonder if their heads are completely empty because they can’t seem to keep their minds on their task at hand. These are the days that GOD places the “Quail” right in front of you, all you have to do is reach out and take it. Psalm 105 is a Psalm of praise listing the works of our Almighty GOD in the history of the children of Israel. When you are having trouble, read this Psalm about all that GOD did for this ungrateful, grumbling people. I guarantee you will feel better! This is the same GOD that came to me that night in Missouri and many other nights along the road. This is the same GOD that will come to your aid, everytime that you choose to cry out to Him. The Light of our Lord's Face Will you? Will you take the meat that GOD is offering to sustain you during your present trial? Take five minutes away and Psalm 4:6b “let the light of your face shine upon us, O Lord.” You know who is the “light of the Lord’s face” don’t you? Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. The one who said His flesh is for our provision. Matthew 26:26 “And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, ‘Take, eat; this is my body.’” The one who said in: John 14:6 “Jesus saith unto him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.’” Fresh Provision So now when our night is passed away and the morning dawns GOD then provides the manna. It comes as tiny morsels that appear as the morning dew begins to dry and we start out on our journey of that day. This presents itself to me as the morsels of Scripture that pop into my head as my day goes on. These morsels are always pertinent, always applicable to my situation. Always the perfect provision for the moment. But if we do not gather our daily provision in a timely manner the heat of our day will come in and dry up our provision and it will all melt away. This is why we get anxious and short tempered, just like I did so many times in the van driving across this wide and beautiful land. If I did not take the time in the morning to gather my manna, my flesh would start to stink and our whole day would be in danger of being ruined by my mood. This is what manna is to me. My verse of Scripture that gives me that extra something to finish my day. These are the busy days that I despair of ever ending: Ballet, Homeschool Choir, Mom’s Night Out, Charlotte Mason Study Group, ..... all truly wonderful things that I thoroughly enjoy. But when you combine this with the newsletter, our local food buying club, my family, his family and book publishing (more wonderful things that I love and enjoy!) it can all become overwhelming. This is when those tiny morsels of manna or Scripture are just the perfect touch. If I try to substitute anything else for my manna I become frustrated, irritable and downright hard to deal with! That's Great, But When! When do I find time for these tiny morsels? Well, when I am waiting for lessons to be over, or when I visit the toilet. Post Scripture verses in conspicuous places (a trick I learned from the Tomberlins!) ... on the dash of your vehicle, the refrigerator door, the bathroom mirror ... you get the picture. I have found wonderful devotion time in the bathroom of my friend’s homes. These morsels are always perfect! I love how GOD provides just the right verse everytime! Truly GOD is Sovereign! He doesn’t throw it into my nest, but He sure does leave it were I can find it. Where do you find your’s? Perhaps you have time in the morning after your husband has gone to work and before the children awaken. Or perhaps you find your time at night, after the children have gone to sleep and before you retire for the evening. It doesn’t have to be the same as anyone else’s, but it does need to be your time, daily for your strength and provision. So, in conclusion, yes I can “lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety,” as Psalm 4:8 says. Whether it is Quail for the dark times or manna for the day, GOD alone knows just what we need and when we need it. Just go to Him with your needs and He will supply them right down to the tiniest, most insignificant need. Those small times are when you need Him the very most! Remember to listen for His voice calling to you in those long, dark nights of sitting us with restless children, or worrying over the safety of loved ones. GOD will call you to His word during these times, His provision is all you need and it is right there in front of you, will you reach out your hand in faith and take what is being offered to you by your loving Father? Will you choose to dwell in safety? Back to the top This article is copyrighted by Mary E. Woodis. If you would like to print this article in whole or part in your publication please contact Jessie and Mary Woodis at jessiew@hiwaay.net for permission and more details. Crooked Pines Publishing Jessie and Mary Woodis 1365 County Road 74 Florence, AL 35633 jessiew@hiwaay.net Page last updated July 2004