“Teach me your ways, O Lord, that I may live according to your truth! Grant me purity of heart, so that I may honor you. With all my heart I will praise you, O Lord my God. I will give glory to your name forever, for your love for me is very great. You have rescued me from the depths of death.” Psalms 86:11-13 NLT
King David, former shepherd, former Saul’s melody-muse, former man-on-the-run, reflects on his past as much as he does his future. From humble fields to giant-killer fame, to promised heir-apparent, David lived the full gamut of a colorful life. But in those bold snapshots of highs and lows there is a common theme – he always loved God and wanted to please him.
From his confident bravado on the battlefield, and awkward patience waiting for Saul to die a natural death. His rise to power, and then colossal failure as a man, a husband and leader. He always held onto his relationship with God. It’s admirable to understand that God wanted us to know so much about this man. It feels so authentic to see the circuitous paths it took to get David to be a “man after God’s heart,” and be able to judge his behaviors thousands of years later.
This psalm, in the book of Psalms, was inserted towards the end of David’s life. It reminds me of this struggle to be a faulty human AND be good. Not just momentarily human or situationally good, but to be both over a lifetime. Who really can judge us properly? Who can see the totality of earnest desire to be pure, to be good, yet consistently fail at it. What small slice would be observed in my life, or yours? The good slice of a worthy moment, where I served, loved and chose well? Or the humiliating one, where I selfishly or angrily lost my sense of perspective and choose poorly? Which moment would I chose to be remembered by, judged by? The good of course!
David’s prayer encourages me to keep choosing to believe, to pray like this psalm, “teach me, grant me purity of heart… so that I may honor God.” I too must hold on to the moments God rescued me, saved me. But I must also hold on to the moments where I made good choices, not bad. Moments where I pursued God, not failed him. So that I can also praise God will ALL my heart.
Prayer
Dad, To be human means that I carry both memories of wretched failure and soaring sainthood. Through all the moments of highs and lows, you were always there. Whether proud or patient, you saw it all. In fact you see the beginning, the present and tomorrow all in an eternal moment of now! You see my choices tomorrow and how my life here eventually comes to an end. After all that is sorted, I hope you know that I do love you and I am so very grateful for everything you’ve done in my life. Your mercy and kindness to me has been overwhelming and unending. Thank you.
I get the non-descriptive word, “spirituality.” I’m hoping that it reveals the truth that we are spiritual beings. I had little experience with religion or even spirituality. I had a whole bunch of experience with chaos, broken family issues, multiple divorced parents, parental addictions and suicide.
I don’t know how many of you remember a reality TV show called, Jerry Springer Show, but that was kind of the wild emotional ride of my childhood. I’ve had two moms and three dads. My bio mom & dad met possibly coming out of a rehab program. I never saw my birth mother. My birth dad and grandfather tried raising me until my grandmother died and they just couldn’t keep me any longer. I was adopted at four years old. Left my home and toys behind to go live with strangers. My adopted mom had just been remarried to a Navy man. They believed a son would help my adopted father get his life together and stop drinking. It didn’t work. Life’s pressures made everything worse. Lots of domestic violence, calls to local police, bar fights, dad passed out on the lawn, the porch, even the little hallway in our home. Home was always a hairpin trigger away from violence and weekends in jail. My mom couldn’t take it and we certainly couldn’t take it. She divorced him and it was calm until my dad hit rock bottom and took his own life. He felt it was his only way out. I was twelve at the time.
At fifteen my mom wanted better for me and my little sister, my adopted parents only birth child. She started going to church. Honestly, I liked church. It made my mom happy and there were cute teenage girls there – so it was a win win. It was going fairly well until she decided I needed to go to church camp over president’s weekend. I did not want to go to church camp, I didn’t feel like being brainwashed into a saint of some kind. Mom was committed to making me go saying, “you need better friends.” That point was very true. My friends were starting to get into drinking, drugs and just behaving like neighborhood hoodlums. I went because it made her happy. I wanted to make my mom happy, she had been through so much. And, despite the multiple marriages, she was a good mom.
My mom dropped me off in the church parking lot with about 30 other teenagers, most of which already knew each other, I didn’t know anyone. One guy asked me to sit with him on bus ride up to the mountains. I really appreciated that. Friday night, up in Big Bear, California, the youth sponsors held an evening youth service. I didn’t recognize any of the music, but it was not churchy so I liked it. During the singing time a bunch of the students began raising their hands and sang out loudly. I was a little confused but impressed because there were no adults making them do this. It made me think a little bit about my own life.
Next day was all fun. Lots of snow play and getting to know all the guys. And yes, I noticed the cute girls as well. They were all definitely out of my league. I was was the adopted kid with a double divorced single mom. I was actually having fun and it was nice to leave all the problems I was having back at home.
Saturday night came with another youth service. I did fine the night before, so I thought, I can make it through another one. But then I started thinking about my own life, my past and how I just knew that life ahead would be very difficult. I only had one promising plan to live a successful life – do everything opposite of all my parents. But what did that look like? How could I pull it off? I felt I had to pull away from the singing and just find a quiet place to think. I found a table towards the back of the room and got underneath it. I continued reflecting on my life. I was a little jealous of what the other students seem to have. They seemed like they knew the God they were singing about – singing to Him, like He was real. Then the strangest, most amazing thing happened to me next.
Out of nowhere I heard a voice speaking directly to me. I couldn’t say I heard it with my ears, yet voice was calm and clear. There was some familiarity to this voice, like I heard or felt something similar as a child. The voice spoke to me and said, “give me your life and I will be your dad.” My thoughts froze. Did I hear that right? The voice repeated, “give me your love and I will be your dad.” Same calm clear message. This time I protested. I said out loud, speaking to the voice, “I can’t, I’m not worth anything. I am a nobody and I don’t have anything to give you.” Which was true. I had nothing to offer this voice. Understand this, at this point I figured I was hearing from and speaking to God Himself. No, it wasn’t some kind of weird revelation telling me to do something. In fact it was very peaceful, comforting and very emotional. Just the thought of God being my dad. I had longed for a dad who behaved like a dad. A dad who loved me, helped me, was proud of me. It was a long time ache and the whole idea of getting a dad overwhelmed me. I started to cry a massive amount of tears as well as a running, snotty nose. It was a deep cry. While I was crying my life filled with all the dumb, bad things I had done had flashed before my eyes. I was an awful person, even at fifteen! The voice, once more spoke, “give me your life and I will be your dad.”
I had almost zero religious background with no real knowledge of the Bible or how God did things. I was not spiritual in anyway whatsoever. I had an offer given to me under the table and I simply accepted the deal. I said yes! I told God I didn’t have anything but my life and I freely gave it to him.
The story is so much longer, but back to the prompt. God is everything to me. He saw me, rescued me, changed my life and I am forever grateful for what He has done. Call it whatever you’d like. But I am telling you; from my personal experience that happened over 45 years ago. God is real. He knows me and loves me and I owe Him everything.
“Don’t be afraid of what you are about to suffer. The devil will throw some of you into prison to test you. You will suffer for ten days. But if you remain faithful even when facing death, I will give you the crown of life. “Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches. Whoever is victorious will not be harmed by the second death.” Revelation 2:10-11 NLT
John the revelator, has to break the news to the folks who call Smyrna their home and home church. Bibleplaces.com writes, “Smyrna sat 35 miles (56 km) north of Ephesus, built near the ruins of an ancient Greek colony destroyed in the 7th century BC. Lysimachus, one of Alexander the Great’s generals, rebuilt Smyrna as a new Hellenistic city in the 3rd century BC. The city was later established as a Roman commercial center with a port on the Aegean Sea. The name of the city since about 1930 is İzmir” But at the time of John’s writing it was not a good place for Jesus followers. They were dirt poor and under tremendous persecution for being Christian.
It is interesting that John forewarns this church of what is to come, with some very specific details. “The devil will throw some into prison for ten days!” Biblical scholars believe it may have been ten YEARS! How would you like that prophetic news to be read in your church this Sunday? The pressure of being poor and now prison?
John’s tender words from God Himself is moving. Like slave runners in the ancient Greek games, the winner would receive the ultimate prize – their freedom. And, they would be given their freedom, not with a trophy but a woven wreath placed on their head – deemed, “the crown of life.” Caesar’s gift of life after living as a Roman slave. Paul, James, Peter and John use this secular symbol to remind the church that God is the ultimate ruler over life and even though God did not enslave anyone (sin does this), His own gift of life would be found through the crown of thorns placed on Jesus, accurately but mockingly calling him the king of the Jews.
God’s crown would not only be freedom, which is obtained here while still alive on this planet, but also for those who suffer on His behalf. It appears there will be some kind of special, particular crown given as an eternal reminder for all to see. There’s a bit of discussion about this crown in the New Testament. John uses the word, “stéphanos,” a victor’s crown, verses the word, “diádēma,” a royal crown. This crown appears to be unique in that the only way to receive this crown is through suffering or Martyrdom.
Might it be that there are those who will be known in heaven by this crown of glory. Not for their own applause, but to the beauty, the gift that few can endure, of being put to death for their faith. This glory is shared because it reflects Jesus willingness and determination to go all the way to death for His mission of salvation for humanity.
Prayer
Dad, Of all the crowns mentioned in the New Testament, this one seems to be the most treasured and honored. Reserved for folks like Blandina, who was so young and new to faith, yet she actually wore out her torturers because she just would not recant, nor release her will to live and suffer for you! Astounding. I am humbled by that tenacity of faith in you. Forgive me for thinking, even a moment, that I have suffered through anything equivalent. I am truly blessed.
“How miserable I am! I feel like the fruit picker after the harvest who can find nothing to eat. Not a cluster of grapes or a single early fig can be found to satisfy my hunger. The godly people have all disappeared; not one honest person is left on the earth. They are all murderers, setting traps even for their own brothers.” Micah 7:1-2 NLT
Certainly anyone who has read through the books of the prophets (spokespersons) in the Old Testament get a huge dose of reality.
Just a thought; there seems to be a constant comparison in modern days with the idea that one is either an extrovert or an introvert. But, there is another comparison not talked about yet is very apparent in our conversations. Am I an optimist or a pessimist? Do I live in a world that is awful getting worse, or a world that is good getting better.
The ancient prophetic series of authors are both – but the darkness, wickedness and harsh outlook always goes first.
This section title in most Bibles is labeled to reflect that truth. This chapter is titled, “Misery Turned to Hope.” I personally like a true assessment of the situation before even thinking about how God will show up and make everything right. Micah lets us know exactly how he feels! His illustration, his comparison, is like a field worker after the field has been picked over! There are no leftovers, not even the godly expectation of something being left on the edges for the poor.
Micah even tells us about a specific fruit that Jesus himself mentioned in a story about the cursing of a certain fig tree. Micah reveals the key to the fig tree curse. He mentions the “first ripe” or “early fig.” There is a fig that will produce a small “pre-fig” bud that is eatable but not that tasty. In Micah’s illustration it means that there is absolutely nothing left on the field, not even these pre-fig buds that the poor were sadly satisfied to pick and eat so they didn’t starve! In Jesus’ story, the fig tree was cursed because it was a complete fake, never able to produce ANYTHING useful, not even these pre-buds.
Micah’s illustration tells us that, in his opinion, his outlook – there was nothing left that looked like the people belonging to God. They ALL disappeared! He lost sight of what God calls, “the remnant,” or the “root of Jesse.” Even though Micah can’t see them, there are just a few who were still there, who were godly. Those who acted with justice and mercy.
Isn’t it interesting that the bar of spirituality came down to the level of how the Israelites treated one another and their neighbors? When looking for any signs of hope, the small threads of a remnant, God looked at their behavior towards each other and not to their behaviors towards Himself. Some were still bringing sacrifices, but God told them to stop because they were meaningless when even their acts of holiness betrayed them by poor behavior towards others.
If you want to see the hope at the end of Micah’s brutal assessment, then read the few verses at the end of this chapter. “Where is another God like you, who pardons the guilt of the remnant, overlooking the sins of his special people? You will not stay angry with your people forever, because you delight in showing unfailing love.” Micah 7:18 The only hope is that God forgives and restores – which even today, God is willing and able to do. Hope is not in anticipation that WE get better, it’s in the reality that God keeps His promise and gives us many opportunities to turn towards Him. Our hope is in our ability to really trust that God is as good as He says He is.
Prayer
Dad, As I look over the state of our country’s spiritual health and your Church’s ability to be fruitful, making disciples, I also feel like Micah. What’s left? Where’s the harvest? Is it still coming? Will there be willing workers to bring it in? Our American fields look desolate. Yet, there is still something stirring. There is a sense of desperation and need. Not to return to former outpourings and glory days of big church attendance and some kind of political power in numbers. No, there is a growing hunger just for your presence. A desire to know that you would move on us, our cities, our brokenness. How desperate are we? I’m not sure, but I feel it coming.
“When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. He said to his disciples, “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.” Matthew 9:36-38 NLT
Matthew gives us a front row seat to understand the character of Jesus – which IS the character of God. He writes, “when he saw the crowds.” When Jesus sees, it lets me know what God sees. When Jesus is moved with compassion, it lets me know that God is moved with compassion. Is God still moved as He sees the crowd? Matthew tells us that Jesus saw the crowds as confused and helpless.
He used a couple of Greek words that may help us understand just how Jesus/God saw their pain. He uses a word that comes from “skulló” which means to skin, or figuratively to trouble. That’s right, the root word is “skylon” which is the word for skinning an animal pelt – properly, skin alive, mangle (flay)! Figuratively, to harass, or extremely annoy. The New Living Translation couldn’t possibly capture being “skinned alive” with the word “helpless.” Life with all its turmoil of political, societal and personal struggles gets EXHAUSTING! People felt it then and we all feel it now.
Matthew also used the word, “rhiptó,” to throw or cast off. This word is often used to describe throwing something down, like Judas throwing the silver coins down at the chief priests in the temple. Or, the demon throwing the man to the ground as Christ cast it out. Jesus saw the crowd and felt the gut wrenching pain of compassion (splagchnizomai).
The crowds were made up of more than just physically sick, blind, crippled or deaf – they all had the weight of this broken world on their shoulders. Jesus says this is what the harvest field looks like! This is where the seeds of sin and selfishness, loneliness and sufferings have come to fruition and are ready to be harvested to heaven or let to rot, falling to the field of death and destruction. Jesus saw humanity’s grief as opportunity to disperse mercy and grace. But it would require more of his followers to see what he saw. And, more of his disciples to feel what he felt so that more would be saved from being flayed and tossed down. Jesus obviously wants believers, his followers, to look at crowds and see differently. To see protesters, rioters, concert-goers, stadium sports fanatics at a much deeper level. I drive my city streets and see the crazed, naked, ranting madness and feel so helpless to do anything. What would Jesus see? What would he have me do? What does sending “workers” into our modern fields of ripe-chaos look like today? I do not know, but I am curiously challenged to figure it out.
Prayer
Dad, I feel like such a chicken when I see the overwhelming craziness of our streets, our looters, our protesters. When I saw the woman screaming and ranting while I was at lunch with a Pastor friend, I did not know what to do. She was completely out of her mind! I would like to just say she was mentally ill, but it looked and sounded so much more demonic than just being sick! I do not think you would have hesitated to go and heal her of whatever it was that caused such torment in her. I could only muster enough compassion to feel sorry for her! Why can’t I be one of those workers you look for? Fear? Not wanting to look stupid or like some kind of religious freak myself? Oh, how I need your boldness beyond my compassion! If I were you, I would not have hesitated at all. However, even though I see…I am still just me!
“When the Lord brought back his exiles to Jerusalem, it was like a dream! We were filled with laughter, and we sang for joy. And the other nations said, “What amazing things the Lord has done for them.” Yes, the Lord has done amazing things for us! What joy!” Psalms 126:1-3 NLT
What’s it like coming back home or reconciling with family and friends after you’ve left, drifted or stormed off in anger. It’s tough. I have no understanding of Israel’s forced captivity in a foreign country as a disciplinary action from God. They were marched out of their land and into Babylon where they were immigrants for 70 years – that’s a long time! And while they were gone, their beloved homes, city and temple were all ransacked and destroyed.
They only small comparison I have is being given up for adoption at four years old. My world, my home, my toys, my neighborhood friends all gone. I was placed with a new family, in an unfamiliar apartment and never did returned home. All that was left for me was fragments of memories, like an assortment of puzzle pieces that do not fit together to make a picture.
For Israel, the journey back was humbling and difficult. Everything they remembered had to be rebuilt – their homes, their city wall and their temple. Ezra, the priest, convinced them to rebuild God’s house before doing anything else! And, it made sense because it was the neglect of God’s house and His commandments that put them in the generational time-out to begin with.
When things go wrong, it’s hard to figure out this concept still today. Am I being disciplined by God? Is this just life in a broken world? Or, am I being targeted and harassed by the devil? Oh, you didn’t know that God still disciplines either putting us into timeout or allowing it to happen? Sorry to break it to you. God loves us enough to come after us, even if it means putting us into situations that require us to look up and reevaluate our decisions!
This Psalm captures the hope, the joy of not just returning, but the giddiness of rebuilding. Rebuilding a life, a home, a church or a city is certainly difficult, but it beats captivity! It’s a wake up call to remember what freedom is really all about – freedom to do right, not do whatever we want. The Psalmist, Ezra, declares “YES! The Lord as done amazing things for us! What joy!” It’s honest and real after being gone for so long.
Prayer
Dad, Oh my heart just breaks for those who knew you, loved you and then for so many different reasons, decided to walk out. Whether is was some awful experience in life or the church or just wandering off, looking for something else. It’s still painful for me to watch. So many friends, so many family members who walked away from you. I don’t plan on leaving your presence, even when I’ve been exiled in a holy timeout for my own good. Where would I go? You are the author of life. You have given me so much. I cannot deny nor turn away from that. However, I ask that I do not become the “elder brother” in the prodigal story, comparing my life to others and thinking I need a big party celebrating the fact that I never left. No, help me to always be the father in that story. The one who daily goes out waiting, watching for those who’ve decided to come home!
“Our lives are a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God. But this fragrance is perceived differently by those who are being saved and by those who are perishing. To those who are perishing, we are a dreadful smell of death and doom. But to those who are being saved, we are a life-giving perfume. And who is adequate for such a task as this?” 2 Corinthians 2:15-16 NLT
I’m really a smell fanatic, or maybe a smellunatic. Most normal things don’t bother me at all. I’m not a big fragrance person with colognes or perfumes, but I’m really sensitive (annoyed) by certain smells. I can smell mechanical or electrical dangers long before most. I don’t mind the smell of Skunks. Tuna doesn’t bother me, but old fishy smells do. Robin can smell the effects of garlic and asparagus after someone eats it, I cannot. I love nature smells like ocean, mountain, rain, redwoods and desert.
The Apostle Paul has used the idea of scent before. Someone blogged that there are 52 aroma references in the Bible, Paul wrote about all 5 in the New Testament. I like the word aroma instead of odor, it feels more majestic. Paul believes that there is a Christ-like fragrance that believers carry on themselves. He uses the word “euódia” a good smell.
If life itself had a smell, emitting a fragrance, it would smell like Jesus? That’s a wild thought! I mean, He is God, the creator of all things – life itself. I’ve been a part of the “Church,” all of my adult life. I don’t mean as an attender or a congregant. I’ve been a part of the leadership in local churches as a career. I work for God. I work in His Church. I have come to believe that I want to be part of a life-giving church, not a life-sucking church. I want to BE a church that gives off the aromatic scents of LIFE. Paul says that’s what we are supposed to smell like, especially to believers.
To the world, to a dying, self-determined culture that wants to cast off all constraints of moral sensibility, the smell of Jesus presents itself as death. Do I stink to those who are rebellious towards God? Maybe! But to those are searching, hurting, and desperate, my prayer is that I smell like the ocean breeze, the mountain air, the summer rain – life itself! Paul uniquely writes, these contrasting phrases to those who are in process of being saved and those in process of being condemned. We are either “life to life” or “death-to-death.” Same Jesus, but Him in us, smells very different to folks, depending on their heart and eternal determination. Back to church folk… I not only want to be a church that is life-giving, I also want the foyer aroma of our lives to smell like life itself – like Jesus on resurrection morning!
Prayer
Dad, Oh my goodness! I do not want to stink. I certainly don’t want to be or live a stinky life, smelling like death around those heading towards heaven! And, as much as I do not want to stink as a “in your nose” reminder to those destined to harden their heart towards you, I get it. When I smell like Jesus around people who are genuinely offended by Him, I guess that’s going to happen. Please, wash me, clean me and let me smell like Christ!
“So Abraham agreed to Ephron’s price and paid the amount he had suggested—400 pieces of silver, weighed according to the market standard. The Hittite elders witnessed the transaction. So Abraham bought the plot of land belonging to Ephron at Machpelah, near Mamre. This included the field itself, the cave that was in it, and all the surrounding trees. It was transferred to Abraham as his permanent possession in the presence of the Hittite elders at the city gate. Then Abraham buried his wife, Sarah, there in Canaan, in the cave of Machpelah, near Mamre (also called Hebron). So the field and the cave were transferred from the Hittites to Abraham for use as a permanent burial place.” Genesis 23:16-20 NLT
Some of these Biblical references hold the deep secrets to thousands of years of conflict between modern nations and people groups. Within the long love story between Abram and Sarai (now Abraham and Sarah) we find the ending of Abraham’s dear wife, Sarah. Abraham wants to purchase and secure a proper burial place in the massive, expanse of desert between the Mediterranean Sea and the country of Jordan. There was basically just miles of land filled with sand with a few alcoves or caves that popped up on the desert floor. Hebron.
Here’s a couple of interesting facts about this transaction, which was clearly documented among two people groups, later to become nations. Abraham legitimately bought the land from one of the prominent Hittite leaders. Their descendants of the Hittites eventually merged into Turkey. However, Abraham had two bloodlines, remember? One was Ishmael, the other Isaac. Ishmael (although he was a Canaanite, went on to eventually become the cultural father of Islam, but not directly the Arabic patriarch everyone assumed. It turns out that Ishmael’s mother, was an Egyptian, and believed to be one of the Pharaoh’s daughters herself! When God saved mother and son in the desert, Ishmael went on to get married and have children. Those children became princes and princesses of the royal lineage of Egypt itself.
I always wondered where the bitter, rage-filled turmoil came from between Israel and the Muslim cultures. They both share the same ancient patriarch/father – Abraham! It is well known that Islam believes that their beloved prophet was a direct descendant of Ishmael, who was Abraham’s first born son. Making matters even more complicated, the city of Hebron, where Abraham and Sarah are buried would be considered “co-owned” by both “heirs,” Ishmael and Isaac. If you think that’s wild, do a little study on the Pharaoh’s daughter who ended up becoming the maidservant of two powerful bedouins in the desert – that’s right, Abram and Sarai. You don’t think that forcing Hagar out into the desert would create a historical tension between Israel and Egypt as well? What’s the point? When we make human choices out of our own free will to take shortcuts to accomplish something God had already promised, like Abram and Sarai impregnating Hagar to force and heir. Look at the massive, historical, cultural turmoil that ensued because of that one decision! Just look at where we’re at today, Judaism and thus Christianity, is still locked in bitter, religious, even political and social division because of that decision. Yet God clearly wants redemption of ALL people. And Jesus alone is the one and only true reconciliation for all nations, cultures and people! The longest feud is between God and humans, but history tells us there is still bad blood between the Jewish people and Muslims. Only Jesus blood can reconcile both us to God and brother back to brother.
Prayer
Dad, I’ve long realized that a lack of faith also has awful consequences. When I am impatient or unwilling to wait for your will to be done and I make selfish, short-cut decisions, I must realize that those decisions have repercussions and ramifications for my future, but also the future of others in my family and close friends. Help me trust. Help me be patient and obey. Give me wisdom to see and have faith to believe. Amen.
“Pride leads to conflict; those who take advice are wise.” Proverbs 13:10 NLT
I have come across Proverbs that are clear, but I can’t stand them. I didn’t want to face the facts of this radical candor saying.
Confession: I only want to hear or take advice from folks who know MORE than I do or those who have MORE experience than myself, in the advice they are giving.
Proverbs nails my hollow heart issue as I type this – that is soooo arrogant. I understand I shouldn’t be taking advice from proverbial fools. But I have this emotionally triggered response when someone tells me how to do my job or run my life when I don’t think they are doing so well themselves! Doesn’t that just reek with pride? I mean, it causes a full on physical reaction in me. It’s ridiculous.
I believe the wisdom writers are pointing out the fact that pride is the numero uno reason for many conflicts. But in this case, the conflict is INSIDE of me! Why in the world can I NOT listen and look for wisdom from conversations with just about anyone? Why do I get all judgey? The truth of this proverb picks at some origin story wound that I just can’t seem to remember. Why do I get defensive? Why does it ruin my day? And, more importantly, what can I do about it? It’s a recurring theme that I am so tired of struggling with.
Through a process of humility and listening to the Holy Spirit, I want help in deconstructing some childhood defense that is no longer necessary nor helpful. Isn’t this is so apropos that God’s word would get in cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow, exposing my innermost thoughts and desires? (Hebrews 4:12). Cut away God, do your work in me!
Prayer
Dad, This proverb hurts. It hurts because it pinpoints a blindspot, a wound, an irritation that I just can’t seem to see clearly, and allow healing to take place in my heart. Now that your word has pierced me, what do I do now? I’m confessing my arrogance and asking for help here. Show me, lead me and be patient as I take the time to figure why this is a reoccurring issue and time to work it out with your Holy Spirit. Thank you in advance for the upcoming outpatient surgery I am sure to be experiencing soon!
“I waited patiently for the Lord to help me, and he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along. He has given me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see what he has done and be amazed. They will put their trust in the Lord.” Psalms 40:1-3 NLT
It is really powerful and supportive when someone not only knows you are in hard times, but reaches out with a simple text or phone call just to say they are with you. Oh, to be seen and to be heard is actually comforting. It’s mysterious and welcomed. This was a Psalm David wrote himself. We don’t know when he wrote it, but it was placed among the poetry prayers in the collection towards the end of his life.
He writes about waiting for God’s help. Waiting while in physical or mental distress is extremely exhausting. They tell us that pain causes our mind to lie to us and tell us that the present circumstances will be permanent, like there will be no end to it. We just want out of it. We want to get back to normal, back to easy, back to joys of living and loving.
This Psalm is so powerful because David most likely remembers a moment when he was just a shepherd boy, tending his family’s sheep. As a shepherd, it was common for sheep to wander into these mud holes after a rainstorm in the open pasture. These holes looked shallow, but they could be deceptively, dangerously deep. The sheep would step in and sink down, deep into a mud so thick it was like wet cement. The shepherd would hear the cries of the sheep, immobilized in the muck. These holes could also be large enough that the shepherd could not reach the sheep with the crook of his staff. The shepherd would have to climb into the hole, wading in to the depths to wrap his arms around the muddy, scared sheep. He would have to pull the sheep out slowly while the sheep struggled by kicking, even biting at the shepherd. The shepherd’s rescue meant the sheep would be saved!
David sees his own life, filled with his own deep muddy holes and rejoices that God, the great shepherd heard him, turned to him, climbed into the muck and mire, wrapped his arms around him and lifted him out – saving his life. David sees his life as a series of rescues when God continued to set him on the rock of solid ground. David, then in response, lifts his own song of praise to God, thankful that God sees, hears, turns and lifts him out to safety. This is what God does in our life. He sees, hears, turns and rescues us.
Prayer
Dad, How many times have I found myself in a muddy hole of life? How many times did I wander off? How many times was I trapped? How many times did I feel that I could do nothing to set myself free, rescuing myself? Many times! I also waited. I also cried out. You saw me, heard me, turned to me and lifted me out of the muck! Thank you! I remember and give you praise!
