Treading on High Places

Hab 3:17-19 (17) Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, (18)yet I will rejoice in the LORD; I will take joy in the God of my salvation. (19) GOD, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer’s; he makes me tread on my high places. 

To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments. 

Devotional Thoughts,

Well, after less than a week on our “new plan,” I feel like I’m still not doing very well balancing it all. I have averaged over 10 hours a day Mon-Wed.. and yesterday was 11 3/4 hours. Of course, I couldn’t do anything about the fact that one of my security guards got beat up on the way to work Wednesday, and so the last 2 days I have been working with him and the police to try and bring a peaceful resolution without it turning into a bigger problem. (just a little thing… hahah)

I thought when I woke up this morning (Friday morning), “I’ll just take today off, since I am over 40 hours for the week already. But, today is pay day… and it was raining. So, after handing out pay to the security guards, and driving them home I remembered this afternoon we had planned to do the Christmas party for all our workers…. so much for taking the day off.

As I was complaining to myself about all this, I began reading my Bible reading for the day. Here’s what I read from Habakkuk of all places. Hab 3:17-19 “Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD; I will take joy in the God of my salvation. GOD, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer’s; he makes me tread on my high places. 

To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments. 

“Yet will I rejoice! I will take joy in the God of my salvation! The Lord is my strength. He makes me tread on high places!” David talked about the high place where he would go to take refuge where his enemies could not touch him. (Psalm 61:2-4; Ps 62:6-7) While David probably pictured a physical place, when he wrote those words, he was not there physically. He was talking about a place he could go in his mind. A place where we can dwell when we choose to make him our strength, and take joy in Him and the salvation He has brought.

I love how the prophet ends this chapter, “to be accompanied by stringed instruments.” (NLT) So, this morning, after reading that, I felt the need to get out my “stringed instrument” and sing some songs that reflect on the God of my Salvation, finding joy in Him, and making him my strength. As I did that, I found myself in that place of rest and safety where the cares of this world just kind of faded away! Thank you Jesus!

Here’s a few of the words I sang as I played my stringed instrument (my guitar).

Amazing Grace My chains are gone

v3: The Lord has promised good to me. His Word, my hope secures. He will my shield and portion be, as long as life endures. My chains are gone. I have been set free. My savior, my God has ransomed me. An like a flood, his mercy reigns, unending love, amazing grace

10,000 Reasons

v2 You’re rich in love and slow to anger. Your name is great and your heart is kind. For all your goodness I will keep on singing 10,000 reasons for my heart to find. Bless the Lord oh my soul, oh my soul, worship his holy name. Sing like never before, oh my soul I will worship your holy name.

Desert Song

chorus: I will bring praise, I will bring praise. No weapon that is formed against me shall remain. I will rejoice, I will declare, God is my victory and He is here!”

v3 I am a conqueror, and co-heir with Christ

I have so much to rejoice in and be thankful for!