In Your Presence

February 21, 2023February 19, 2023 / Gail Johnson / 10 Comments

Scripture

A Psalm of David, when he was in the wilderness of Judah.

O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is; To see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary. Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee. Thus will I bless thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in thy name. My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips: When I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches. Because thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice. My soul followeth hard after thee: thy right hand upholdeth me.

Psalm 63:1-8 KJV

Song

This song is part of a worship compilation I wrote while working in a youth ministry. It is still sung today!

In Your Presence

O, Lord, I come to You in Prayer

On my knees, this hungry soul I bare

Take me as I am

Mold me to Your plan

I am nothing on my own

Lead me to Your throne

For my heart and my flesh cry out to Thee

In Your presence is where I long to be

Father, draw me to your side

Let me evermore abide

In Your presence is where I long to be

Wash Me

June 1, 2021May 27, 2021 / Gail Johnson / 7 Comments

Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow (Psalm 51:7).

The birdbath in the picture sits just outside my office window beneath an oak tree. I watch as different birds bathe in the cool water—or fight throughout the day. (I took this photo last month.) Bluebirds will take turns or bathe together, whereas sparrows fight to go first. The one thing they all have in common is the need to be made clean. And boy, do they enjoy the process! They frolic in and around the edge, dipping, splashing, and flapping.

The psalmist declared, “Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.”

Do you remember the night you came to Christ? Were you happy to be made clean? Do you still have that joy? I imagine in the last 18 months we’ve struggled to remain happy. But joy? We can have joy when everything is going wrong. Because no matter what is going on in this world, we have a Savior, and He has washed us whiter than snow. Think about that for a moment. That truth alone should make us splash and flap about in joy. 🙂

Blessings, dear friends