I led the mid-week prayer and Bible study meeting last night and lawyer Rayla brought the study on 1st Samuel chapter 1. It was a good service. It rained at Green Pastures 44 mm last night and the night before it rained 4 mm. Up in the mountains only 30 km from Patos it rained 123 mm on Wednesday night which was wonderful.
In the floods of south Brazil in the state of Minas Gerais, where Peniel Chapel had missionaries when I was a child, the death toll has risen to 64.
This Davidic psalm was a song written for the dedication of the temple. It depicts God rescuing him from severe illness which left him on the precipice of death. David rejoices at his deliverance saying that "weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning". David then says that God "turned my mourning into dancing for me, removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy", and he adds that he will give thanks to God forever.
Psalm 29 is a majestic anthem to the Lord of all creation. David says that we must ascribe to the Lord the glory due to his name and worship him in the splendour of his holiness. Thunder is the voice of the Lord and lightning is the striking of God's voice. Thus such natural forces are attributed to the Lord and not to Baal as paganism would have it. Thus the storms, with thunder and lightning from God, break the cedars of Lebanon, twist the oaks and shake the desert. For it is the Lord who sits enthroned over the flood as King for ever, but in the end he blesses his people with peace. This psalm is a fantastic poetic hymn of praise to God.
Floods in the central southern state of Minas Gerais have killed 30 and left over 3,000 homeless.
Last night Philip and I missed the service with the Patos men's fellowship in the town of São Mamede as Philip got held up at a doctor's appointment which ran late.
QPR were thrashed away to Southampton yesterday 5 x 0. 😠
I watched Trump's State of the Union speech last night to the US Congress on CNN and it was the longest speech ever! I also beat Philip at 2 games of chess. ♜
In this psalm David cries out to God for help imploring that God should not turn a deaf ear to him. He asks that the wicked be repaid for their evil work since they show no regard for the works of the Lord. David ends the psalm on a much more positive triumphant note saying that God had heard his cry, and that God is his strength and shield and a fortress of salvation.
This psalm is an outspoken declaration of trust in God. "The Lord is my light and my salvation - whom shall I fear"? David goes on to stress that when evil men advance, enemies attack and armies besiege "even then will I be confident". David jubilantly affirms that he will sing and make music to the Lord and seek his face. He says that even if his parents forsake him the Lord will not. He asks God to teach him his way as he is confident in his goodness despite all the oppressors and foes he faces.
Our son-in-law Witagiby (Biba) is a good chef and for some time now he has been making and selling excellent shortbread biscuits. Last night we went to the opening of his new "Shortbread Café" coffee shop and Philip led a song of praise and I made a prayer of blessing for the opening. The place was bubbling with people from the university to which the coffee shop is adjacent.
We had a drop more rain (4 mm) at Green Pastures yesterday, but we are desperate for some big heavy rains. Please pray.
