Praying the Psalms- Psalm 34

Jenny has begun a journey of praying her way through the Psalms that I have decided to join. Each weekend, we will pray through one psalm and post our prayer and/or meditations on that psalm as the Lord leads. Check out her journey and join us in Praying the Psalms.


Psalm 34


In mid-February of 2007, T and I were anxiously awaiting news that the final step of the adoption of our daughter from Guatemala had been successfully completed and we could travel to bring her home.  Then we received devastating news that I shared it in an e-mail asking for prayer.  Here is an excerpt of that e-mail:

"For a myriad of reasons, many of which include money and political
power, some in the Guatemalan government are trying to put an end to
intercountry adoption. This would be devastating to the orphaned
children of Guatemala as there is no system for social services in Guatemala. There would literally be no place for these children to go and no services to care for them. The powers that be are attempting to pass a law through congress effectively ending intercountry adoption and the first vote is reportedly this Friday."

A few weeks passed before the vote actually took place on March 1, 2007.  Those weeks passed with much anxiety and prayer.  On the morning of the vote, I received an e-mail of encouragement from a dear friend and prayer warrior with this Scripture:

"The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to

their cry; the face of the Lord is against those who do evil, to cut

off the memory of them from the earth. The righeous cry out, and the

Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in Spirit"  Ps 34: 15-16

The words of this psalm gave me such peace!  I had been wrestling with God for two weeks.  And the words of this psalm helped me to finally surrender.  Later that day, we learned that the result of the meeting, which while not good news for the future of adoption in Guatemala, would NOT affect adoptions in process.  Here is an excerpt of the e-mail I sent in response to my dear friend:

"I feel compelled to give some of my testimony here since you have
been so faithful in prayer and encouragement for us. You should know
that God is not only working in the BIG things (i.e., the powers that
be in the US and Guat governments) but He is also transforming me
through this process! Two weeks ago, when this Protocol business
first emerged, I was shocked and terrified. I questioned God and how
He could even allow the hint of such trouble. I did not lean on HIs
strength during those anxious days but instead begged Him to
intervene. I had DEFINiTELY lost my focus and was looking at the
enormity and gravity of the circumstances and NOT on Him and His
perfect plan. He was faithful to save us from the circumstances that
first time anyway but I was left brokenhearted, crushed in spirit and
just plain afraid.

What a glorious place to be, I discovered this week! I had no more
strength in me to bear this anxiety anymore, I had no more hope
in "the system." At the Chris Tomlin concert and then the retreat, I
was able to get back focus back on HIM and turn over this trouble
completely to Him! I took my eyes off the dire circumstances and
remembered that He longs to be gracious to us! Praise Him! I
remembered how awesome and holy He is and today when that dreaded
meeting was taking place, I cried with Him telling Him that now I am
at the point where I truly want HIS will to be done. I honestly felt
that He would sustain me no matter the outcome.

Now don't get me wrong, I am praising Him for the positive outcome
and rejoicing in it. We still want Arianna to come home with every fiber of
our beings! We still covet your prayers that her file will come OUT
of PGN even today! However, I have enjoyed the peace that surpasses
understanding and I am so grateful for God. To Him goes all the
glory!

Praise Him with me! The righteous cried out and the Lord delivered
us from our troubles!!!"

On March 6, we heard that our case was out of PGN, the final step in Guatemalan adoptions at that time.  Two  months later, our daughter was home with us!

I still cannot read this psalm without tears stinging my eyes as I remember God's faithfulness to us, to me.  In reading it, I am reminded of the first time I learned to truly surrender and trust God.  This psalm is a stone of remembrance for me.  One of my Ebenezers.  The Lord had helped me thus far- not only in bringing our daughter home but also in teaching me to allow Him to mend my broken heart and crushed spirit!