Psalm 143:10-13 Blessed are those who stand for justice!

God is good! He is merciful and full of compassion. He is  a tower of strength to those who trust in Him. The shield of Holy Spirit offers protection in our spiritual warfare against those who want to silence us. Blessed are the peacemakers. 

Psalm 23:3 

He restores my soul;

He leads me in the paths of righteousness

For His name’s sake.

Those who love others have ignited the part of God that created them. God loves the world that He created. So much so that He gave us Himself, in the body of Jesus, to die for us. Shouldn’t we do the same for the most vulnerable? Without love for others we cannot love God. What we do to the least of us we do to Him. As believers we live and breathe in the power of Holy Spirit to be able to stand for what is right and just and against the evil that wants to kill, steal and destroy us. Carla

Psalm 143:10-13 

Teach me to do Your will,

For You are my God;

Your Spirit is good.

Lead me in the land of uprightness.

11 Revive me, O Lord, for Your name’s sake!

For Your righteousness’ sake bring my soul out of trouble.

12 In Your mercy cut off my enemies,

And destroy all those who afflict my soul;

For I am Your servant.

The requests of the psalmists are often tied to various character traits of God. When we pray “in Jesus’ name,” we pray both in the authority of His name and in the character it represents. To be a servant of the Lord is a position to which even kings might aspire. Since there is no greater Lord, there is no greater position than to be aligned with His purposes.

Psalm 144, a psalm of descriptive praise with overtones of lament and petition, is ascribed to David. This poem is similar to Psalm 18 in that it describes the salvation acts of the Lord in terms of great heavenly phenomena. It is also possible that this psalm was used in the training of the army. Warfare in ancient Israel was tied closely to the worship of God. Deliverance from the enemy was not just a task for tough soldiers, it was a matter of active piety. The structure is as follows: (1) a confession of praise to God the great warrior; (2) a description of the frailty of human beings; (3) a description of the saving acts of God; (4) a determination to praise the Lord; (5) a call for God’s continual deliverance of His people. The NKJV Study Bible

Writers of lament psalms often commit themselves to being loyal to God if He will rescue them. Here, the psalmist expresses that commitment through a request, implying that he will do God’s will once he knows it.

The Hebrew word here for Spirit, ruach, describes God’s Spirit, and is also an expression of God’s presence.

Your Spirit is good. Lead me.

For your name’s sake the psalmist appeals to Yahweh’s own reputation as the reason for why Yahweh should deliver him. Faithlife Study Bible

Nehemiah 9:20

You also gave Your good Spirit to instruct them,

And did not withhold Your manna from their mouth,

And gave them water for their thirst.

Psalm 119:12

Blessed are You, O LORD!

Teach me Your statutes.

Psalm 25:4–5

Show me Your ways, O LORD;

Teach me Your paths.

Lead me in Your truth and teach me,

For You are the God of my salvation;

On You I wait all the day.

Psalm 31:14

But as for me, 

I trust in You, O LORD;

I say, “You are my God.”

Here’s the deal: the love of God transcends and transforms what the world imposes upon us in fear, and our own sense of helplessness. That love is carried by kindness.
It’s not my desire to convert anyone. Just to remind everyone that, “Transformed people transform people.” (Richard Rohr)

This week, we are reminded that we are invited to be peacemakers.
Peacemakers always find a place at the table for anyone left out. Find a place for anyone on the outside. Find a place for anyone excluded.

Peacemakers include.
Every gesture of kindness and compassion makes a difference.

In my heart I carry with me this quote from 9/11. During the days immediately following, first responders rested and were fed in St. Paul’s Chapel, next to where the twin towers fell.
In St. Paul's one reporter overheard a firefighter say, "When I come in that door, I'm covered with blood sometimes, and they hug me. They love me, they take care of me, they treat me as a real human being. And then they feed me, and they massage me, and they give me adjustments. These are my people. This is my place. This is where I come to be with God." Sabbath Moments