Swallow me !

This post has been in the draft for a few days. Felt that it is very apt for today as its my birthday :-)

                                                                 

...Surely Goodness and Mercy shall swallow me all the days of my life" ..so went Joanna's recitation of Psalm 23 in a hurry this morning..

Swallow is very closely linked with the words 'engulf' or 'disappear' in my mind. The Anaconda swallowed a deer. The Tsunami swallowed people and many a coastline, the big FISH swallowed Jonah and more personally, I swallow bitter pills.
The end result of the 'swallow' process is that the object disappears ! Thats probably the very reason why pride and anger are hard to swallow !  Swallow sounded very negative till I heard Joanna say it !

While i definitely don't want to be swallowed by an Anaconda, I absolutely want God's goodness and mercy to swallow me ! There's nothing better that could happen to my day. How do I know when I have been 'swallowed' ?  I recognize it when God's Favor least expected greets me and his forgiveness undeserved embraces me. Then the object ' Me , myself and I' disappears and all the glory and praise goes to God alone! I love the quote - only God can turn a mess into a message, a test into a testimony !
When the worst worry threatens you,
And your wildest weakness overwhelms you,
I pray that you will run,
Cry or fall into the arms of God..
for there, his goodness and mercy will enfold you !

Though it seems like chance or coincidence (I know its neither !), today my brother has posted Psalm 23 (MSG). Please head over and read it Lesson #1.
My Birthday wish cum prayer for you my dear reader friend -
"May Gods goodness and mercy swallow you too !!"