Psalm 16 - "I Can Only Imagine"

I love where the Lord has me in life.  I am so grateful He allows me to bless so many people.  Last night was one of those times where I felt like bursting.  One of my most favorite things to do is to give to others.  I love to shop all year long for deals for Samaritan's Purse Shoeboxes.  Finding band-aids for Crisis Care Kits for fifty cents a box fills me up with such joy!  I had the experience last night with having someone hand me $100 and tell me, "Give this to a family with children who won't have much Christmas."  Woo hoo!  The best part about it was seeing the joy on their face as they were giving.  Seeing tears come to their eyes was priceless.  I am so blessed, not only by that experience but now with being able to pass the money along to a family.  God is so awesome in how He blesses us!  To think that He blessed the monetary giver, He blessed me as the physical giver and then will bless the family who will receive.  Woo hoo!  These are the times of ministry that just about blow me away!  

Last night also was a time of being thankful for those who came out to get the church ready for Sunday.  We had the obstacle of some of the lights not working.  Then we were missing screws to hang the garland on.  I was getting so frustrated but everyone else seemed to be taking it in stride.  As I rushed to town for screws the Lord blessed me in abundance with a phone call from my hubby.  He had been hunting since Sunday.  When we are apart, it's hard to feel complete.  I was drained yesterday physically and emotionally.  He filled my tank just by talking to me.  What a blessing!  

Of course, there's also the "down" side of ministry that I thought of today as I prepare to go to the annual District Christmas dinner.  Last year, in the middle of the night, I received a call from a husband crying that his wife had quit breathing.  I felt so helpless.  I was two hours away and couldn't be there to comfort him and his family.  It was horrible.  We prayed between the phone calls from him.  He was on a roller coaster ride with them bringing her back only for her to code again.  The emotions I felt for those couple of hours were draining yet I knew the Lord was in control.  Praise the Lord she was a believer and out of her pain but oh how he misses her. 

Psalm 16

A miktam of David.

1 Keep me safe, my God,
    for in you I take refuge.

2 I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord;
    apart from you I have no good thing.”
3 I say of the holy people who are in the land,
    “They are the noble ones in whom is all my delight.”
4 Those who run after other gods will suffer more and more.
    I will not pour out libations of blood to such gods
    or take up their names on my lips.

5 Lord, you alone are my portion and my cup;
    you make my lot secure.
6 The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
    surely I have a delightful inheritance.
7 I will praise the Lord, who counsels me;
    even at night my heart instructs me.
8 I keep my eyes always on the Lord.
    With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.

⁹ Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices;
    my body also will rest secure,
¹⁰ because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead,
    nor will you let your faithful one see decay.
¹¹ You make known to me the path of life;
    you will fill me with joy in your presence,
    with eternal pleasures at your right hand.

I love this Psalm but especially love the last verse.  You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.  The joy I fill as I go throughout my days ministering to people is awesome.  But to think of the joy I will have when I am in heaven is something I can't even grasp.  I am reminded of the song this morning, "I Can Only Imagine"…woo hoo!

Dear Jesus,
Thank You for the way You bless me!  Thank You for the many opportunities You give me every day to be Your servant.  "I Can Only Imagine" what heaven will be like.  I feel like I am already getting a glimpse of it as I serve You.  Thank You Jesus for loving me enough to die for me so that I may have eternal life.  I pray for those who don't believe in You to come to You.  I pray specifically for the one who I was told yesterday doesn't believe in one God but now believes in many gods.  Lord, put someone before them who will make a difference in their life.  I pray the enemy out of their life.  Thank You for being My Eternity!  Amen.