January 3, 2020
Last year I was all over the place with my Bible reading and so I thought I’d take a trip back through Psalms. I feel the need to settle. To stay awhile in an area of the Bible and meditate, let it wash over me in a slow, sweet river.
I love the rawness, the honesty of David. He was this mighty warrior and yet I see him time and again calling out to God like a little child, needing his Father to carry him through trouble and hardship.
His default is to turn towards God – always – and not away from him. So easy to read…so hard to do.
I’m sitting here thinking of many instances in my life that I ran away from the Lord during rough patches and I’m overcome with the stupidity of it!
To believe that anything worldly could set my heart at rest is crazy. To rely on anything the will rust, fade and tarnish is madness. To turn to anything that has been created, instead of the Creator is such foolishness.
Psalm 1:1-2 reads like this: “Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.” NIV
How can the favor of the Lord rest on my life when I’m running away from him? The Lord wants me to run TO him, so what are these verses telling me?
- They caution me not to accept council or wisdom from those who don’t serve the Lord as I make choices for my life-path because their advice does not honor him.
- They caution me against being one of the crowd that is acting contrary to his ways because it will impede my ability to stand out and be a witness and a beacon for him.
- They caution me against mockery which demeans others because when I hurt them, I hurt him too.
Instead
I will meditate each day on his Word
When I need advice and council I will turn to him and to his Word for answers.
When the need to belong threatens to sweep me away with the crowd, I will turn to him and his Word to fill me with the strength I need to stand alone.
When I feel insecure and want to put someone else down so I feel better, I will turn to him and to his Word for affirmation that he loves me and doesn’t need me to be better – different – more – less. Just his. And that will always be enough.
When I am tempted to hurt someone else I will remember that he has always loved first and spoken from a desire to heal and restore, not put down and destroy.
Lord help me today to be mindful of my posture, my walking, standing and sitting. I am so sorry for filling my heart with everything but you when life throws all sorts of junk at me. Help me to think deeply on your Word, to mull it over and plant it, root it in my heart so that it becomes my default. You are more than enough.
reflect…
- What stands out to you as you read these verses?
- Compare a time that you ran away from the Lord rather than running to him when you faced a difficult circumstance. How did you feel in each case?
- How will you walk, stand and sit differently this week?