Sunday Psalms: Feeling Peckish?

 

Have mercy on me, Lord, for I am faint;
    heal me, Lord, for my bones are in agony.
My soul is in deep anguish

—Psalm 6:2-3a NIV

 

In the margin of my Bible beside Psalm 6:2-3 is a note. It simply says “June 22, 2012.” Even those nearest me could not guess what was going on that day. But whenever I see it, I know. Having been diagnosed the prior year with a chronic lung condition, I had sought a Naturopathic Doctor to help me get healthier. After working with me several weeks, she put me on a three-day water fast. The day before the fast, I was to eat nothing but fresh fruit and vegetables. Then, nothing but water for three days. She gave me other rules, too. Lots of rest, reading, and reflection. No driving. Don’t stay alone.

The first day, I felt hungry. The second day, I felt hungry and weak. By Day Three, I was convinced I had coincidentally contracted the flu. Every muscle in my body ached, my head pounded, and I couldn’t always keep down the water. I couldn’t sleep. Later, I learned these symptoms can be a normal part of the process when your body rids itself of toxins. They disappeared once I began to eat, and for the next week, food had never tasted so delicious. The experience was humbling in a way I had not predicted. I realized how needy I am for that daily bread I take so for granted. I came away with a much deeper compassion for those who must fight for every morsel of food, throughout their lives.

Question for Reflection: What is the longest fast I have done and how did it change me?

Sunday Psalms: Psalm 5 is not for night owls

 In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice;

    in the morning I lay my requests before you
    and wait expectantly.

—Psalm 5:3 NIV

Us in 1989

 

As a working mother of three, time alone with God seemed an insurmountable challenge. I’d read a verse or two from my Bible at bedtime when I could hardly keep my eyes open, then mumble a prayer as I drifted off to sleep. Then I attended a women’s retreat where the speaker challenged us to spend an hour a day in prayer, promising it would change our lives. It seemed she was asking for the moon. The only way I could see to make that happen was to rise an hour earlier in the morning. An extra hour meant setting my alarm for 5:30.

I did it. Crawling out of my warm bed when that annoying alarm went off was the last thing I wanted to do. Thankfully, we’d already learned to keep our alarm clock across the room, eliminating the snooze option. I made myself a cup of coffee and lit a candle, then plunged in. I discovered that by journaling my prayers first and reading scripture second, my eyes were opened to the cries of my heart before I feasted them on God’s word. His promises began to jump off the page and fill a need. Not every day. But often enough that the habit became something I wanted to do. Like returning to a good novel to see what happens next, I wanted to see what God had for me that day.

Thirty years later, I’m retired. Yet I rarely sleep past six, eager to continue this intimate relationship with my Lord.

 

Questions for Reflection: What steps am I willing to take to experience increased intimacy with God and let Him set the tone for my day?

Psalm 4: Skills Worth Honing

 

 

 Let the light of your face shine on us.

—Psalm 4:6b NIV

 

I led my church’s drama team for twenty years. In that time, I heard my share of memorized and mis-memorized lines, including from my own mouth. Because memorization is a key requirement for actors, I decided we could hone this skill and grow spiritually at the same time by spending a portion of our time together memorizing scripture. I chose Psalm 4. I wrote out all eight verses on a whiteboard and we read them aloud together. Then I erased one or two random words, leaving lines in place of the missing words. We read it aloud again, filling in the blanks. We repeated that process until nothing remained on the board but blank lines. My teammates were astounded that they could remember them. Any trick that helps us hide God’s word in our hearts is legitimate if it works.

Because our ministry was done from the stage and in the spotlight, we sometimes discussed and wrestled with our private motives. Were we in this for our own glory or for God’s? For us, one of the key points of Psalm Four became the last half of verse six. How much better to ask God to shine His light on us, reflecting His glory to others. That became our prayer each time we performed. 

Questions for Reflection: How can I challenge myself to memorize more scripture? In what ways can I apply that memorized wisdom to the difficult questions of my life?

 

PSALM 3 - When You're Feeling Less-Than

 

But you, Lord, are a shield around me, my glory, the One who lifts my head high.

I call out to the Lord, and he answers me from his holy mountain.

—Psalm 3:3-4 NIV

I woke up early, eager to run to my computer and look at Amazon reviews. It was launch day of my first book, and I couldn’t wait to read the reviews. The first one knocked the wind out of my sails. It began, “I wanted to like this book, I really did.” You know that any sentence starting like that can only be followed by a but. This one certainly was, and the but was followed by a stream of abuse. 

My very first review of my very first book was so horrible, I had to laugh—between tears. Convinced my career as a novelist had ended before it even began, I said, “Well, Lord, I guess that’s that. I’m not meant to write books. At least I tried. I’ll see what else I can find to do.”

Thankfully, this initial horrendous review was soon eclipsed by many lovely ones, and I went on to publish, to date, eleven books. While my book’s reviewer can hardly be counted as an “enemy” in comparison to the enemies of David, who wrote Psalm 3 amidst the real threat of death on all sides, I certainly felt attacked and defeated. Even in small matters like a negative book review, it’s life-giving to know God is my shield on all sides. He lifts my head from shame and strengthens me for life’s journey.

Question for Reflection: Where am I allowing an enemy to defeat and discourage me instead of trusting in God as my shield?

Psalm 2: When you just can't take it anymore...

John Lennon & Yoko Ono's poster in Times Square, 1969

 

 Therefore, you kings, be wise; be warned, you rulers of the earth.
 Serve the Lord with fear and celebrate his rule with trembling.

—Psalm 1:3 NIV

The ache in my gut grew as I watched the nightly news, and questions flooded my sickened heart. Will the rioting never end? How long can a war last? Who died of hunger today? Bomb blasts? Suicide? How can the world’s leaders hold such opposing views and all believe they are right? Feeling helpless to make even the smallest change, I turned off the television and muttered, “O Lord. You see this? How can you stand it? Why can’t they all just serve you as faithful rulers and kings?”

It was a prayer of sorts, I suppose. As I read all of Psalm 2, God brought two thoughts to mind. Praying for those world leaders is not a pointless act. Though we cannot see the results, God is at work. He hears our prayers. He will make things right in his time. 

Secondly, God reminded me that each of us is the leader of a kingdom in some small way. Maybe it’s a business or family. It might be only a kitchen or a desk. For some, it’s limited to a bed or a wheelchair. No matter how small, we are each responsible for our attitudes, thoughts, prayers, deeds, and words. Imagine a world where not just every leader but every individual followed after God with their whole heart in true humble leadership. There is always something I can control. Start with that.

Questions for Reflection: Have I prayed for the leaders of my community, my church, or my country today? Am I managing my own tiny kingdom God’s way?

Sundays in the Psalms: Psalm 1

 That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither—
    whatever they do prospers.

—Psalm 1:3 NIV

The river property to which we moved in 1988 was populated equally by oak and poplar trees. When we moved away fifteen years later, only oaks remained in our yard. While poplars spring up quickly, they do not put down deep roots in sandy soil. Over the years, we watched the pretty but weaker poplars succumb one by one to storms—leaving us with a mess to clean up each time. 

Our family in our yard in 1994. Already, most of the poplars had fallen, leaving the stronger oaks. Our daughter is seated on one of the poplar stumps.

An oak tree takes much longer to grow but sends its roots down deep, through the sand to the rich soil and moisture below. It stands firm against the storms and lives to a ripe old age. Later, it provides the more valuable wood for sturdy furniture and cabinets. 

Another twenty years have passed, and still those oaks remain on that property. This visual has stayed with me, reminding me of the promises in this first chapter of Psalms. If I focus on what is above the surface, on what others see, I will never develop the strength I need for a fruitful, useful life. But when I allow my spiritual roots to grow deep by focusing daily on God’s ways and Word, I can be like that sturdy oak—unfazed by life’s tempests. Rooted and grounded in His love, so that I can share it with others even when difficulties come. 

Question for Reflection: What habit can I form this year to make my roots grow deeper into God’s rich soil?