Psalm 139 has  been for me a source of encouragement and strength. God had  such a beautiful way of bringing it to my attention. I was listening to an interview on the 700 Club and heard one of the verses mentioned. When I investigated, I realized that that was just one verse and that, in fact, almost the entire Psalm just ministered to me. It speaks of how much God is indeed in control. We can't even hide from God: whether we ascend into heaven or make our bed in hell, God is there! Whether we like it or not we cannot escape His Presence. And to me that is a source of comfort because no matter where I am, no matter how far I may feel from God, He is there! And He is not just there, existing, He is there offering guidance, support and strength (v 10).
       Imagine, every day of my life He has recorded! (v 16b) There is nothing I do or that happens to me that can shock Him or throw Him off guard. He knows what I am going to say before I say it, what I am going to do before I do it. How awesome it is to serve a God that knows so much and can have my back at all times!
       How awesome it is to know and serve a God that knows my beginning, my end and my in between! How awesome it is to serve a God who took the time to create every detail of my body, inside out; who took the time to create something so beautiful! (v 13 - 15)
       Finally, how awesome it is to serve a God who is able to help me be all He wants me to be. The Psalmist says: "Search me, O God and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life." (v 23 -24 NLT) I don't have to do it myself, He is there and well able to help.

       When we think of a race, we may think of running down a track, doing our best to get to the finish line first. We may even have to stay in our lane and follow certain rules and regulations so as not to be disqualified. But, in the race of life for the child of God, things are a bit different. For one thing, it is a race of endurance, not a race to determine who finishes first. In fact, it is more like a marathon, where, for many runners in that type of race, it is about enduring to the end. In this race people may fall and I would even dare to say must fall because that is all part of this type of race. However, when you fall, you don't stay down but you pick yourself up and keep going. You will fall many times, but you have to pick yourself and keep going.

       This race track is like an obstacle course, with obstacles in the way to hinder you . . . but you have to keep going. No matter what you face, you just have to keep going. People may be there, on the sidelines, cheering you on, others may be waiting to see you fall, either way you keep going. And all the while, your focus is on the finish line ahead and the prize that awaits you there, if you would just keep going. You're tired, you're thirsty, your body aches, but you have to keep going. Other participants are passing you and seeming to be doing even better than you but you just keep going. Others may try to bump you out of the race, may even try to hurt you and thus hinder you, but you just keep going.

       You see, the only time that you really lose in a race like this one is when you stop BEFORE  the finish line, when you choose to give up, saying and believing that you can't go on anymore, that it's too hard, too impossible. But it's at these times, when you come to the end of yourself, that God is able to step in and remind you that you were never supposed to run this race alone, that in fact you were never really alone and that He was right there all along. Every time you got back up, He helped you. Every time you chose to keep going, He was the One renewing your strength. You were never alone . . . Your Sustainer, Your Comforter, Your Strength was right there all along, with you, every step of the way and He will take you to that finish line if you will just trust Him! So, don't give up . . . just keep going!!!

       Some days ago I was reading my bible, the book of Revelation to be specific. In chapter 5:11b it says: "For You created all things and by Your will they exist and were created" (NKJV) and I started thinking. God wanted me to exist. He knew me by my name, what I would look like. He spent time thinking about what I would look like, who my parents would be, every detail that would help me to be who I am today. I wasn't an accident, or a random thought. I was well thought out. Every detail of my appearance and my life was carefully considered and then made a reality. In Jeremiah it says that before He formed me in my mother's womb, He knew me (Jeremiah 1:5a). This may be a popular enough verse for some of us but do we really know what that means? He knew us, what we would look like, where we would be born, who our family would be, what language we would speak. He knew all these details and more before we were even conceived. And people love to say that God is not in control! Yet, He orchestrates so much to bring us to where we are yet still giving us the power of choice to choose our own path and destiny. He orchestrated Jesus' birth and death. He knew who would do what and why. God is in charge, even when He gives us the power of free will. That may sound contradictory, but it isn't. He knows each of us. He knows the choices we would make and why. He knows how to bring us back on the right track even when we go astray. God is in control! He knows what is going to happen - both good and bad - before it does and has the answer or solution ready. If the all-knowing. all-wise God knows everything, even has the solution and answer to every situation, how can we say that He is not in charge, He is not in control? We, as mere humans with our mere human acts, cannot possibly throw God off course or take Him by surprise. And if this is the case, how blessed and secure are we who belong to Him! We have this confidence that no matter what or even who comes our way, our God has our back and the victory will ALWAYS be ours in Him!!!