A Song of Ascents.

130 Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord!
2 O Lord, hear my voice!
Let your ears be attentive
to the voice of my pleas for mercy!
3 If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities,
O Lord, who could stand?
4 But with you there is forgiveness,
that you may be feared.
5 I wait for the Lord, my soul waits,
and in his word I hope;
6 my soul waits for the Lord
more than watchmen for the morning,
more than watchmen for the morning.
7 O Israel, hope in the Lord!
For with the Lord there is steadfast love,
and with him is plentiful redemption.
8 And he will redeem Israel
from all his iniquities. (Psalm 130 ESV)

As I ascend to God’s throne (or at least hope to) I am constantly reminded that I cannot do it in the power of my own flesh, soul, or will. What began in the Spirit with me 35 years ago will not and cannot be perfected by myself. God must work in me to will and to do his good pleasure. The most I seem able to do is to affirm that God’s ways are just, right, and true (although I do not understand them or why he allows evil to dominate and rule so long), repent of my sins he reveals to me, and hope for the change which will finally establish his literal rule on earth.

As I take the eleventh step I humbly (so far as I am able to humble myself) pray this prayer. I thank God that he forgives my sins for I know that I could not stand in his presence if he did not. I fear that I may not be found perfect in his sight when I do finally behold him, but my faith in Jesus and all his word affirms that I will be. I do not despise God’s Word and want to see it accomplished in myself and in all the earth. In God’s Word my soul hopes.

Yea, I wait for the LORD, always wait for the LORD, constantly wait for the LORD. My soul waits for the LORD, more than watchmen wait for the morning, far more than watchmen wait for the morning. I have waited for years… and years.

O Israel, you in whom God rules, hope in the Lord!
For with the Lord there is grace, mercy, and love.
With him comes our redemption; he will redeem these lowly bodies of flesh.
He will forgive all our sins.
He will give us a new heaven and new earth, glorified bodies in which righteousness dwells.