Simple Thoughts - Psalm 131-133

Psalm 131

I need to snuggle up in Your arms today, to find my calm in You. I want my restless heart to find its home in You today, for my dreams and desires to find their hiding place in You.

Psalm 132

I want to breathe in the present and not think about all the goals and plans I have made to make Your name famous. I just want to find You dwelling in unexpected places. I want to see You shine in the hearts of the needy, and be the hands and feet that move swiftly to help - without pretense, without hesitation.

Psalm 133

And I want to laugh - loudly laugh - with those who love you. I want You to laugh too.

I'm Not Writing. Or Am I?

I've been beating myself up lately.

Don't get me wrong. Life has been good. Actually, it's been better than good. It's been fairly close to beautiful. I am doing things I love to do - creating and designing and cooking and baking and encouraging and serving. But every day, as I close my eyes to grab a precious few hours of sleep, I think "another day - gone - and no words to show for it."

I love to write. I love words and phrases, love cadence and silence all blended together. And writing isn't coming easily these days. Oh, there are notes and thoughts all jumbled together on pieces of paper, there are partially-written moments that go with partially-written recipes, and there is a children's story dancing in my brain, just waiting to be painted on a page. But right now there's no "tied-up-in-a-pretty-bow" stuff happening.

And the undone bow is playing havoc with my heart.

Some writers tell me to just write, no matter what. Some writers tell me to walk away until the colors of the leaves on this particular undone season change. And the more I read, the more I'm reminded - I'm not writing.

Or am I?

This morning, I read Psalm 71. No, David didn't write about my dilemma in that song. But he did remind me of something I've known but have forgotten. He wrote about not dying until he had shared the stories of the Lord's righteousness with the next generation, with a world that had not yet seen Him in all His glory.

My life is a book for all to read. My writing is just a snapshot of the story being lived out and shared with everyone every day.

Living words - that's what we all are. Praying those words are more rich and meaningful than anything ever written on a page.

A whispering word.

Psalm 89:1 I will sing of the steadfast love of the LORD, forever;
with my mouth I will make known your faithfulness to all generations.
2 For I said, “Steadfast love will be built up forever;
in the heavens you will establish your faithfulness.”
3 You have said, “I have made a covenant with my chosen one;
I have sworn to David my servant:
4 ‘I will establish your offspring forever,
and build your throne for all generations.’” Selah
5 Let the heavens praise your wonders, O LORD,
your faithfulness in the assembly of the holy ones!
6 For who in the skies can be compared to the LORD?
Who among the heavenly beings is like the LORD,
7 a God greatly to be feared in the council of the holy ones,
and awesome above all who are around him?
8 O LORD God of hosts,
who is mighty as you are, O LORD,
with your faithfulness all around you?
9 You rule the raging of the sea;
when its waves rise, you still them.
10 You crushed Rahab like a carcass;
you scattered your enemies with your mighty arm.
11 The heavens are yours; the earth also is yours;
the world and all that is in it, you have founded them.
12 The north and the south, you have created them;
Tabor and Hermon joyously praise your name.
13 You have a mighty arm;
strong is your hand, high your right hand.
14 Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne;
steadfast love and faithfulness go before you.
15 Blessed are the people who know the festal shout,
who walk, O LORD, in the light of your face,
16 who exult in your name all the day
and in your righteousness are exalted.
17 For you are the glory of their strength;
by your favor our horn is exalted.
18 For our shield belongs to the LORD,
our king to the Holy One of Israel. (ESV)

As I read the Psalms today, I’m reminded of an precious old hymn.

"Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty..."

He is Lord. Master. Ruler. Redeemer.
He is God. Creator. Incomparable.
He is Almighty. Powerful. Awesome.

The words of the Psalm, a maskil – or “new song,” tell of His power, His strength, His steadfast love. I am reminded that, in the storms, He is there. In the desert, He is there. He established all I see. His light is the light that truly guides my way. He has made covenant with generation after generation.

But what catches my eye the most is a word that sits quietly next to the song. A purposeful movement - that on this day whispers to me so loudly.

Selah.

It’s a pause in the music. A momentary silence.

It's a sigh. A breath. A moment of rest and reflection. A reminder to slow down, to think, to remember. To stop and let truth resonate.

Selah is a “yes.” An “amen.” An “it is well.”

There is beauty in Selah for me today.

Because in the frenzy of my heart - in the desire to go and be and do and run and try - I need to stop. And breathe. And rest. And listen. I need a “yes” and “amen.” I need to remember that, yes, “it is well.”

Selah.

A New Song.

Psalm 149:1-4 Hallelujah! Sing to GOD a brand-new song,
praise Him in the company of all who love Him.
Let all Israel celebrate their Sovereign Creator,
Zion's children exult in their King.
Let them praise His name in dance;
strike up the band and make great music!
And why? Because GOD delights in His people,
festoons plain folk with salvation garlands!

I’m not a songwriter. And while I love to dance, I don’t necessarily fancy myself a great one. So to think about singing to God a NEW song – a song that has not yet ever been sung – is difficult for me to comprehend.

Music is such a powerful thing in my life. My husband laughs that my brain is a repository for any and every song I’ve ever heard (a road trip with satellite radio brought that fact to light for him). The melodies, the harmonies, the lyrics all blending together, cutting through the silence with mood and emotion and message-

What would a new song sound like, if I penned it? What would others hear if they listened to the song of my life? If it were written right now, reflecting back on 2008, perhaps it would be a symphony in 5 movements. The theme would be time.

There would be strings, hauntingly beautiful, with words of heartache and tenderness. My journeys to Guatemala and Honduras, my travels to the US/Mexico border. My visits to Beaumont, Midland, and Lubbock. Precious moments spent with beautiful children abandoned, rejected, cast aside.

There would the precious sounds of flute and harp and piano. Juxtaposed against the strings, even more beautiful and delicate, the movement would celebrate unity and love and life and tenderness. My husband. My children. My gifts.

There would be an overture of woodwinds – oboe and sax, filled with struggle and angst against a backdrop of drums. My endless hours on the road, trying so hard to remain faithful to the cause despite the whispers and attacks. The music would be enough – no words. And the movement would end abruptly, with one lingering note played from the oboe as the journey ends.

An interlude of flute and strings would then join the oboe. Hope and love remain.

There would be guitar – simple, rich acoustic guitar – filling the room with tender melodies and lyrics of refreshing and healing. The time spent with family and friends in gentle conversation, in worship, in laughter, in writings. The movement would resonate with names of the guardians of my heart.

And the final movement would be voices – children’s voices singing “Holy holy holy.” Voices singing “Great is Thy faithfulness.” Voices singing “I am Thine.” Voices singing to the power and the presence of a truly ALL Mighty, ALL Powerful God. A God Who delights in me and adorns me with His salvation. He indeed is worth celebrating. He indeed deserves a new song.

Fear of the Dark

I awoke in the middle of the night – or is it really the beginning of the morning. And I couldn’t get back to sleep. I listened to the calming sound of waves on my iPhone in an effort to be lulled back to slumber. But for some reason, sleep wouldn’t come.

So, I began reading, and a single theme crept into the dark, quiet room. Fear.

The Wall Street Journal offered little comfort as story after story shared disheartening news about the current economic conditions of our country and the world.

…the fear is that the economy is deteriorating much more rapidly than the government thought possible.

…it’s scary to think how much more can go wrong before Inauguration Day.

A US government report featured on foxnews.com painted an even darker picture.

The next two decades will see a world living with the daily threat of nuclear war, environmental catastrophe and the decline of America as the dominant global power, according to a frighteningly bleak assessment by the U.S. intelligence community.

That darkness, that fear, moved from the pages – into the room, into my heart. The weight of it pressed heavily, and I found myself caught – struggling to pray, struggling to find meaning in it all. I thought about my family, my friends.

Then I remembered.

There is only One I should fear.
My Lord.
My God.
My Judge.
My Redeemer.
My Saviour.

And I read some more. But this time, I focused on more eternal things.

Psalm 42: 5 Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again— my Savior and 6 my God!

Psalm 128: 1 How joyful are those who fear the Lord—all who follow his ways! 2 You will enjoy the fruit of your labor. How joyful and prosperous you will be! 3 Your wife will be like a fruitful grapevine, flourishing within your home. Your children will be like vigorous young olive trees as they sit around your table. 4 That is the Lord’s blessing for those who fear him.

And slowly, the dark fear was replaced by awe.

Psalm 2: 10 Now then, you kings, act wisely! Be warned, you rulers of the earth! 11 Serve the Lord with reverent fear, and rejoice with trembling. 12 Submit to God’s royal son, or he will become angry, and you will be destroyed in the midst of all your activities— for his anger flares up in an instant. But what joy for all who take refuge in him!

And with the awe came thankfulness.

Psalm 25:12 Who are those who fear the Lord? He will show them the path they should choose. 13 They will live in prosperity, and their children will inherit the land. 14 The Lord is a friend to those who fear him.

Psalm 33:
18 But the Lord watches over those who fear him, those who rely on his unfailing love. 19 He rescues them from death and keeps them alive in times of famine.

And with the thankfulness came courage.

Psalm 27: 1 The Lord is my light and my salvation—so why should I be afraid? The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble?

Psalm 46: 1 God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble. 2 So we will not fear when earthquakes come and the mountains crumble into the sea. 3 Let the oceans roar and foam. Let the mountains tremble as the waters surge!

And with the courage came sleep.