Psalm 4
Evening Prayer of Trust in God.
For the choir director; on stringed instruments. A Psalm of David.
1 Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness!
You have relieved me in my distress;
Be gracious to me and hear my prayer.
"Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness!..."
It seems so....well, expectant, doesn't it? Maybe it's the "Mom voice" in my head that makes it sound so stern, but reading it and hearing it that way stopped me and made think about that very idea. It *is* expectant...it *is* desperate...and it is exactly how many of us have felt at times. We cry out and wonder if He even hears us. We pray because we know we can't get through it on our own and we feel like we need to say it so He knows just how desperately we need Him and His strength.
I re-read that first sentence with the entire verse and couldn't help but think that sometimes we use the "Mom voice" and we're so overwhelmed and think we're walking through it alone that we get stern and say it like, "*ANSWER ME* when I call...O God of my RIGHTEOUSNESS!!!" (are You there? YOU know I'm innocent! ANSWER!!)
Other times it's more defeated and hopeful. Much like an exhausted Mom or Dad who is at the end of one of "those" days with the kids and we wonder if what we're doing makes any difference whatsoever. It sounds like this (inserts mine, obviously), "*sigh* annnnsweerrrr me when I call. Ohhhhhhhhh, Lord of my righteousness *sigh* " (I really have to ask You to answer me? You declare me innocent and know the number of hairs on my head...You're going to answer, right?)
Maybe it's more desperate. In the midst of the news, the school involvements, the sports and the politics, the church duties and ministries, we cry out to the One Person we know truly knows us..."Answer me when I call, O GOD OF MY RIGHTEOUSNESS!" (There's so much...people defile my name when they don't know who I really am, but YOU...YOU know me and declare me righteous. Answer me....please answer me.)
Whichever one it is doesn't really matter.But the rest of the verse brings it all to the thing that does. "You have relieved me in my distress. Be gracious to me and hear my prayer." Isn't it beautiful? Saying, "You've been faithful to me and relieved this stress before. Do it again, God. Realize my love for You ~ my faithfulness in knowing You are who You say You are ~ and hear my heart cry out to You in the midst of all." We don't have to convince Him to hear us. He does already. But to be so transparent and personal with the very God who intimately holds us together is simply beautiful.
What are you wanting Him to hear today? What is it that you desperately, or exhaustingly, need Him to carry you through? He will...and He's listening...cry out.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Monday, February 16, 2009
Jonah 3:10, 4:11
When God saw what they had done and how they had put a stop to their evil ways, he changed his mind and did not carry out the destruction he had threatened....Then the Lord said, “You feel sorry about the plant, though you did nothing to put it there. It came quickly and died quickly. But Nineveh has more than 120,000 people living in spiritual darkness, not to mention all the animals. Shouldn’t I feel sorry for such a great city?”
Because God changed His mind and granted mercy to the people of Ninevah (whom He had sent Jonah to inform He was going to destroy because of their wickedness), Jonah got mad at God. Isn't this just like us? We want justice, and when repentance is real we still want "justice." We can accept an apology as long as the consequences are still appropriate, but when we're called to accept the apology and see blessing in place of discipline we get upset and, like Jonah, pout. Maybe it's that you know the life's history of someone who seems to be blessed now and you don't understand. Maybe the consequences of someone's sin didn't end up like you thought they would (or should?). Who knows why we pout when God doesn't do what we think He should...but shouldn't we suck in our lower lips and instead be thankful that God doesn't deal with us as we deserve, either?
Because God changed His mind and granted mercy to the people of Ninevah (whom He had sent Jonah to inform He was going to destroy because of their wickedness), Jonah got mad at God. Isn't this just like us? We want justice, and when repentance is real we still want "justice." We can accept an apology as long as the consequences are still appropriate, but when we're called to accept the apology and see blessing in place of discipline we get upset and, like Jonah, pout. Maybe it's that you know the life's history of someone who seems to be blessed now and you don't understand. Maybe the consequences of someone's sin didn't end up like you thought they would (or should?). Who knows why we pout when God doesn't do what we think He should...but shouldn't we suck in our lower lips and instead be thankful that God doesn't deal with us as we deserve, either?
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Cheating? Or Being Wise?
Okay, this isn't a verse about cheating, and it really has little to do with cheating other than the fact that today's verse comes from the end of The Book. When you're reading a novel it's seen as cheating when you read the end, but when you're reading the Bible it's just plain smart. Here ya go:
The Spirit and the bride say, "Come " And let the one who hears say, "Come " And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wishes take the water of life without cost. Revelation 22:17
For some reason I felt the need to read the end of the book today. Maybe it's because the words of Anne Murray sing in my mind, "I sure could use a little good news today." Not many would say they're going to Revelation for good news. For some it's downright terrifying reading about The End. However, as I was reading through the last half of chapter 22 this verse sang in answer to my song.
Isn't that a beautiful picture? God is the Spirit. We are the Bride. We are the voice saying to those around us, "come!" and may those who hear respond and say to others, "come!" And they, in return, tell others.....Oh! What a vibrant picture of invitation and the power of someone simply saying, "you're invited."
Look at the last two words. "...without cost." I know so many who say they don't want to accept Jesus as their Savior because they would have to give up so much. Yet this says when we respond and come to the well of living water we can drink and be filled...without cost. I believe we miss the mark when we say we have to sacrifice so much for our faith. The sacrifice has been made. Jesus paid it all. We are simply accepting the gift of an eternal life with our Savior ~ without cost. It doesn't mean there won't be pain on earth and we won't have to make sacrifices, but in the realm of eternity.......does it really cost us that much? Would you trade in your car for a brand new (insert your favorite ridiculously over-priced high-end car here) if you never had to pay a dime? Not even for gas or maintenance? You'd be a fool not to! We'd do it in a heartbeat if we knew there would never be a cost associated with it.
So who are you inviting? Who are you speaking to and letting them know about the eternal celebration that is going to happen? Have you, yourself, accepted the invitation? You've still got time...but there are thousands of people who will tell you over and over again we never know when our time is up.
Won't you come?
The Spirit and the bride say, "Come " And let the one who hears say, "Come " And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wishes take the water of life without cost. Revelation 22:17
For some reason I felt the need to read the end of the book today. Maybe it's because the words of Anne Murray sing in my mind, "I sure could use a little good news today." Not many would say they're going to Revelation for good news. For some it's downright terrifying reading about The End. However, as I was reading through the last half of chapter 22 this verse sang in answer to my song.
Isn't that a beautiful picture? God is the Spirit. We are the Bride. We are the voice saying to those around us, "come!" and may those who hear respond and say to others, "come!" And they, in return, tell others.....Oh! What a vibrant picture of invitation and the power of someone simply saying, "you're invited."
Look at the last two words. "...without cost." I know so many who say they don't want to accept Jesus as their Savior because they would have to give up so much. Yet this says when we respond and come to the well of living water we can drink and be filled...without cost. I believe we miss the mark when we say we have to sacrifice so much for our faith. The sacrifice has been made. Jesus paid it all. We are simply accepting the gift of an eternal life with our Savior ~ without cost. It doesn't mean there won't be pain on earth and we won't have to make sacrifices, but in the realm of eternity.......does it really cost us that much? Would you trade in your car for a brand new (insert your favorite ridiculously over-priced high-end car here) if you never had to pay a dime? Not even for gas or maintenance? You'd be a fool not to! We'd do it in a heartbeat if we knew there would never be a cost associated with it.
So who are you inviting? Who are you speaking to and letting them know about the eternal celebration that is going to happen? Have you, yourself, accepted the invitation? You've still got time...but there are thousands of people who will tell you over and over again we never know when our time is up.
Won't you come?
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