Honey to my Soul ( Borrowed from Joe White )

One morning at 4:30 AM in my insanity I decided to get up and run twenty-six miles. Now, I'm an old football guy… worse still, a lineman where running is a punishment.

Twenty-six miles in Texas is one thing; twenty-six miles in the Ozark mountains is nuts! One angry Doberman at mile one and one abusive German shepherd at mile fourteen kept me pumped with adrenaline until somehow I stumbled to the finish (at a 9:00 speaking event at our Kamps). Why do old guys do things like that? Who knows!

One thing I'll never forget about that morning, besides the pain and the dogs, was how thirsty I was. I couldn't stop to get a drink or my legs would have cramped and there was no one out on the road to pass out the Gatorade (again, not good planning!). My body was thirsty! I was dying (literally) for a drink of something!

Crazy as it sounds, my soul gets thirstier than that for God… a lot thirstier!

With all the pressures of college life surrounding you, I wonder if your soul gets dry like mine.

When I was twenty something, and just coming out of a major valley in my life, a guy gave me a challenge (that I accepted) that has poured cool water, Gatorade and PowerAde into my heart ever since. His challenge has made my bad days better days and my good days- amazing days. A day has never passed that I don’t get a drink from this bottomless well.

He simply said, "Hide God's Word in your heart and meditate on it day and night."

As a pre-med student in college, I struggled with memory work. I couldn't imagine enjoying memorizing for pleasure!

How wrong I was.

I'm ADDICTED!!!

Lately I've been hiding Psalms 32 in my heart. Talk about Gatorade! I think through it when I feel down, when I wake up at 2:00 am and can’t go back to sleep and when I wake up and face the day.

It's like a spiritual bath.

"How blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, Whose sin is covered!
How blessed is the man to whom the LORD does not impute iniquity, And in whose spirit there is no deceit!
When I kept silent about my sin, my body wasted away ,Through my groaning all day long.
For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; My vitality was drained away as with the fever heat of summer. Selah.
I acknowledged my sin to You, And my iniquity I did not hide; I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the LORD"; And You forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah.
Therefore, let everyone who is godly pray to You in a time when You may be found; Surely in a flood of great waters they will not reach him.
You are my hiding place; You preserve me from trouble; You surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah.
I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go; I will counsel you with My eye upon you.
Do not be as the horse or as the mule which have no understanding, Whose trappings include bit and bridle to hold them in check, Otherwise they will not come near to you.
Many are the sorrows of the wicked, But he who trusts in the LORD, loving kindness shall surround him.
Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, you righteous ones; And shout for joy, all you who are upright in heart."

Another one that's been quenching my soul lately is Psalms 145. What a rush it gives my spirit when I meditate on it!
"I will extol You, my God, O King, And I will bless Your name forever and ever.

Every day I will bless You, And I will praise Your name forever and ever.

Great is the LORD, and highly to be praised, And His greatness is unsearchable. One generation shall praise Your works to another, And shall declare Your mighty acts.

On the glorious splendor of Your majesty And on Your wonderful works, I will meditate.

Men shall speak of the power of Your awesome acts, And I will tell of Your greatness.

They shall eagerly utter the memory of Your abundant goodness And will shout joyfully of Your righteousness.

The LORD is gracious and merciful; Slow to anger and great in loving kindness.

The LORD is good to all, And His mercies are over all His works.
All Your works shall give thanks to You, O LORD, And Your godly ones shall bless You.

They shall speak of the glory of Your kingdom And talk of Your power;
To make known to the sons of men Your mighty acts And the glory of the majesty of Your kingdom.

Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, And Your dominion endures throughout all generations.

The LORD sustains all who fall And raises up all who are bowed down.
The eyes of all look to You, And You give them their food in due time.
You open Your hand And satisfy the desire of every living thing.

The LORD is righteous in all His ways And kind in all His deeds.

The LORD is near to all who call upon Him, To all who call upon Him in truth.

He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him; He will also hear their cry and will save them.

The LORD keeps all who love Him, But all the wicked He will destroy.
My mouth will speak the praise of the LORD, And all flesh will bless His holy name forever and ever."

Psalms 1 promises (and this is a God promise) that if we meditate on God's Word day and night, He will bless us in everything we do. We will not get crushed in different circumstances and we will prosper in whatever we do.

"Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers.

But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.
He is like a tree planted by streams of water, Which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers."

That's a huge promise and has given me an amazing marriage, four "best friend" kids, a professional life that has been indescribably fulfilling and countless blessing throughout my life.

If I could give you one gift, this would be it!

(It just "beats the sap" out of running with Dobermans and German Shepherds.)


borrowed from Joe White at Kanakuk Kamps
Kanakuk Kamps
1353 Lake Shore Dr
Branson, MO 65616