Bible Studies

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The Songs
Psalm 71:1-6 – “Oh, my God!”
Key Verses: (MSG)

• 1: “I run for dear life to GOD, I'll never live to regret it.” – Taking refuge in God during times of need will never lead to shame.
  
  
• 2: “Do what you do so well: get me out of this mess and up on my feet.” – God provides life transforming love – real answers to life’s problems.
  
  
• 3: “Be a guest room where I can retreat; you said your door was always open! You're my salvation--my vast, granite fortress.” – When we step into God’s light we find peace, shelter from the storms of life, and, most importantly, salvation – a love and grace that surpasses all understanding.
  
  
• 5: “You keep me going when times are tough--my bedrock, GOD, since my childhood.” – God is with us at all times throughout our life.
  
  
• 6: “I've hung on you from the day of my birth, the day you took me from the cradle; I'll never run out of praise.” – It is important to think back in our lives and remember how God has always held us in His loving arms.
  

Points to Contemplate:

• Do you take refuge in God? When things grow uncertain or life becomes unmanageable, where is the first place you turn? During this next week, keep track of the number of times you hear the phrase “Oh, my God!” Have you noticed how this little phrase reveals God’s universal presence? How, when people find themselves in situations that are beyond their grasp that they nearly always refer to God for refuge and a basis for understanding? Do you take refuge in God? Don’t we all?
  
  
• Where do you turn for answers? When you seek answers to difficult issues, where do you turn first? Have you found that many ‘answers’ you receive from the world end up causing more pain, suffering, and confusion to your situation? Have you discovered that when you turn to God with the “mess” that you are dealing with, real solutions suddenly become available? Have you experienced Him lifting you up on your feet, setting you straight, and supporting your steps into a new direction? If you have, why do you still delay turning to Him first? Why do we tend to try and fix our problems by ourselves?
  
  
• Has God been with you since the day you were born? Or is He only with you when you turn to Him? Prevenient Grace is an important aspect to understanding how God is involved in our lives. As you look back through your life at the times when you were “far from God,” have you come to realize that He was with you every step of the way? Can you accept that even when we “come to Christ” late in our lives, that He has been with us since He lifted us from our mother’s womb? Does the recognition that God has always loved you give you the hope and the strength you need to carry you through difficult times? Can you lift a song of praise to God right now in thanksgiving for this love?
  

Promise of the Gospel:

The psalmist has probably reached old age and is looking back through his life remembering God’s unwavering presence. From the moment of our birth until our entrance into heaven, God is with us. He has loved, guided, carried, comforted, taught, led, and embraced us each step of our lives. As we wandered, as we took steps into life-styles that were well outside His realm, He remained close. His warm hand has stayed in the small of our back regardless of our actions and deeds. His still small voice is forever available when we turn to Him. His light, the pathway of truth, love, and salvation, is always available for us to step into. It may be that we only turn to Him with quick little phrases such as “Oh, my God!” when we are searching for His bedrock of understanding. It may be that it will take a storm beyond our control before we seek His refuge. It is probable that the ball of yarn we call our lives will become a tangled mess before we look for His guidance. The amazing wonderment of God is that when we do finally turn to Him, we will find that He has been there all along.

FUMC Devotionals

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