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Give me your lantern and compass, give me a map, so I can find my way to the sacred mountain, to the place of your presence, to enter the place of worship, meet my exuberant God, sing my thanks with a harp, magnificent God, my God. Why are you down in the dumps, dear soul? Why are you crying the blues? Fix my eyes on God — soon I’ll be praising again. He puts a smile on my face. He’s my God. Psalm 43:3-5 MSG

God used Pastor Rick’s sermon on this passage in Psalm 43 to help me realise that I have been spending too much time looking out around me and not enough time looking up at God.

I find myself asking God for a lantern, a compass and a map to find my way through my problems but the psalmist in this Psalm asks for a lantern, a compass and a map to the place of God’s presence, to the place of worship.

I have been praying recently for God to bring change, transformation and healing in several matters that have been heavy burdens for me. I have been lifting these concerns to God but am now beginning to realise that I have been spending too much time dwelling on these problems and not enough time looking at God, worshipping Him, dwelling on His magnificence, His Glory! My soul has become downcast and I feel “down in the dumps” as I have become absorbed by my concerns. The solution…to be absorbed by God’s glory, to be focused on Him!

I recently wrote in my journal, “Lord God, take me from my emotional and spiritual funk. Help me to fix my eyes on you, not on my problems. Give me a lantern, compass and map to you. Help me to love you with abandon and to rejoice in you! Fill me with your joy! Bring me into your presence. Amen.”

God, you are great and deserving of our praise!

Hallelujah! I give thanks to GOD with everything I’ve got — Wherever good people gather, and in the congregation. God’s works are so great, worth a lifetime of study — endless enjoyment! Splendour and beauty mark His craft; His generosity never gives out. His miracles are His memorial — This GOD of Grace, this GOD of Love. Psalm 111:1-4 MSG

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. Psalm 19:1-2 NIV

Let’s lift our eyes to God and away from ourselves by:

• Declaring our God’s majesty, His glory, His might!
• Reflecting on and marveling at His goodness, mercy and grace to you.