Day 18

Today was a good day at work. Our students had their fall parties, and it's always fun to see the excitement on their faces when it's party day. I am feeling a little discouraged on another front, though. The court date to finalize the divorce had been set for this Friday, but the judge had a death in the family. The lawyer's office called me Monday to tell me we'd have to reschedule, hopefully for sometime next week. And since then I have heard nothing. I'm starting to think it's unlikely that I will even get on the calendar for next week, and I want to get this part over with. I know that the day the divorce is final probably means very little as far as the amount of healing a person has done, but I will just feel better when I'm no longer in limbo. So please pray for a date to open soon, and for God's timing to be perfect as it always has been before. On to our lesson, which is almost a continuation of the one we had yesterday.

TAKE IN THE TREASURE
I can tell that this is a common practice among those who leave encouraging comments on this blog, and God uses their discipline to help others in such a tangible way. After we rid our hearts and minds of the pollution caused by anger and resentment, we have plenty of space left to fill with things that can encourage us. Learning and memorizing scripture is one of the most rewarding spiritual disciplines that has ever existed. Once we hide God's word in our hearts, He is able to bring it back to us through memory at the exact time we need it. I must confess that in recent months and years, I have not exerted as much effort in this area as I used to. And I can truly tell a difference now that I am in the midst of this spiritual warfare. So I am committing to rededicate myself in the area of memorizing new verses that I can recall in my times of need.

"My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding, and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding." Proverbs 2:1-6

"I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you." Psalm 119:11