Please just Listen to me!

Psalm 142

    A maskil^[b] of David. When he was in the cave. A prayer.

 ¹ I cry aloud to the LORD;
   I lift up my voice to the LORD for mercy.
² I pour out before him my complaint;
   before him I tell my trouble.

 ³ When my spirit grows faint within me,
   it is you who watch over my way.
In the path where I walk
   people have hidden a snare for me.
⁴ Look and see, there is no one at my right hand;
   no one is concerned for me.
I have no refuge;
   no one cares for my life.

If you don't know the story, David wrote this when he was hiding in a cave. He was hiding from Saul who was out to kill him. He was alone and miserable. Stephanie and I went to Wind Cave National Park on vacation and took a tour of the cave. As caves go, this one was uneventful. It didn't have the great stalagmites or stalactites like Carlsbad Caverns. It was pretty, but not awe inspiring. Most caves are dreary and depressing. When we were at the deepest part of the cave tour, the ranger shut off all the lights. I have never witnessed such complete darkness. I put my hand inches from my face and couldn't see it. It was weird having lost the sense of sight. But, I became much more aware of the sounds of those around me.  I could hear everything.

Thinking about David in this cave made me think about a conversation I had on Thursday with a good friend. I hadn't had a very good week. I wasn't being hunted down like David, but I certainly felt alone, miserable and tired. My friend sat with me and just LISTENED. He hardly said a word. He occasionally acknowledged his support and once in awhile spoke some words of reassurance. But, he didn't solve my problems. (He can't!) All he did was listen. His listening meant more to me than he could ever imagine.

Sometimes all we want is to be heard. Sometimes all people need is a good friend who is there to listen and by listening they lend their support and comfort. Oh, that I could learn to listen like my friend. Praise God he sent this great man into my life at the right moment in time. 

Blowing Smoke!

Psalm 141

A psalm of David.

 ¹ I call to you, LORD, come quickly to me;
   hear me when I call to you.
² May my prayer be set before you like incense;
   may the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice.

We don't talk about incense much any more. I don't think I've ever been to a church that burns Incense. I'm sure some churches still do this, but I haven't been to a service which does. In the 60's incense got a bad name and it seems it never made a come back. The Bible talks of it's use often and it nearly always ties it with prayers.

It is such a relaxing vision when we see "smoke" or incense gently rise in the air. But, it is not just smoke. It is also the aroma that fills a room. The "Smoke" of the incense is seen for only a brief time, but the aroma is around much longer even though it can't be seen.

Just like Incense fills a room, our prayers should fill Heaven. There should be a continuous prayer with our Lord. He doesn't just want to see the smoke, he wants to smell the aroma of a lasting prayer life. When we pray only at times of hardship, or when our stress level is high, prayer is like the temporary smoke. But, when we pray continually, as we rise, as we rest, as we walk through our day, God can enjoy the aroma of our prayers. God will listen no matter what, but it is his greatest desire to be continually involved in our life. Praise God he loves to hear from me when I'm mad, when I'm frustrated, when I'm happy, and when we are sad. God loves the aroma of our prayers. May our prayers be more than smoke and fill Heaven with their aroma.

No Comment!

Psalm 140

 ¹ Rescue me, LORD, from evildoers;
   protect me from the violent,
² who devise evil plans in their hearts
   and stir up war every day.
³ They make their tongues as sharp as a serpent’s;
   the poison of vipers is on their lips.^[b]

 ⁴ Keep me safe, LORD, from the hands of the wicked;
   protect me from the violent,
   who devise ways to trip my feet.
⁵ The arrogant have hidden a snare for me;
   they have spread out the cords of their net
   and have set traps for me along my path.

 ⁶ I say to the LORD, “You are my God.”
   Hear, LORD, my cry for mercy.
⁷ Sovereign LORD, my strong deliverer,
   you shield my head in the day of battle.
⁸ Do not grant the wicked their desires, LORD;
   do not let their plans succeed.

My Mom and Dad taught me, "If you don't have anything good to say, don't say anything at all." I can't think of anything good to say, so "No Comment".

Evil Thoughts!

Psalm 139

For the director of music. Of David. A psalm.

 ¹ You have searched me, LORD,
   and you know me. ² You know when I sit and when I rise;
   you perceive my thoughts from afar. ³ You discern my going out and my lying down;
   you are familiar with all my ways. ⁴ Before a word is on my tongue
   you, LORD, know it completely...................

...............................................................

²³ Search me, God, and know my heart;
   test me and know my anxious thoughts. ²⁴ See if there is any offensive way in me,
   and lead me in the way everlasting.

Ok, I am still struggling personally. My mind is going a hundred miles an hour and I am fighting "Evil Thoughts". Don't panic. I'm not talking REAL evil thoughts. I'm not talking about doing something stupid or committing some heinous crime. I'm talking about thoughts that Loving Christians shouldn't have. I hope I'm not the only one that's had evil thoughts. I imagine all of us have had thoughts we are not proud of. I am guilty. God knows. 

We can't hide our thoughts from God. We shouldn't even try. God knows our thoughts when we wake up and when we lie down. He knows our anxious thoughts when we wake up in the middle of the night and can't sleep. He knows us. He made us. He knit us in the womb. Every fiber of our being was created by him.

So what do we do about those offensive thoughts? 

How do we get rid of them? 

We ask God to lead us in the better way. We ask him to re-direct our thoughts to him and his ways. I need to be in constant prayer for the Lord to redirect my offensive thoughts. God and I have had some long conversations. I have and will continue to talk with God about my thoughts. I don't use "Church Pew Language" or "Christianese". I don't use any "thees" or "thous". We have a conversation like I would have with my best friend. When I am so angry and I can't even speak to anyone, I always know I can "unload" on God. I share my anger. I share my frustrations.  I share my "evil thoughts". Nothing remains hidden. He's ok with that. He can handle it. He's God!

Open your heart to God, invite him to heal your heart and mind. He knows your thoughts. He knows your struggles. He will heal you. 

I expect to be healed!

The end of a rotten day!

Psalm 138

Of David. ¹ I will praise you, LORD, with all my heart;
   before the “gods” I will sing your praise.
² I will bow down toward your holy temple
   and will praise your name
   for your unfailing love and your faithfulness, 
for you have so exalted your solemn decree
   that it surpasses your fame.
³ When I called, you answered me; 
   you greatly emboldened me.
 ⁴ May all the kings of the earth praise you, LORD,
   when they hear what you have decreed.
⁵ May they sing of the ways of the LORD,
   for the glory of the LORD is great.
 ⁶ Though the LORD is exalted, he looks kindly on the lowly;
   though lofty, he sees them from afar.
⁷ Though I walk in the midst of trouble,
   you preserve my life.
You stretch out your hand against the anger of my foes;
   with your right hand you save me. ⁸ The LORD will vindicate me;
   your love, LORD, endures forever—
   do not abandon the works of your hands.

Most of the things I post in this Blog are positive and hopefully somewhat uplifting. But, life isn't always like that. I am sure every one of us can look back over this year and remember a rotten day. Some have probably had several and others have had only a few. There are sometimes in your life you have a lot of rotten days, one right after another. Sometimes you can go months with nothing but sunshine. Today was a rotten day. The details aren't important. It just was.

It's at times like these I have a hard time opening the Bible. I just don't feel like it. But, it is also at times like these that I really NEED to. So I did. Then God provided the words I needed tonight. If you follow this blog you know I am going through the Psalms. So, the verse today wasn't planned for my rotten day. I didn't go an search it out, God put it in front of me at just the right time.

God is FOR us ALL THE TIME. He knows all our troubles. He knows our pain. He knows about our "Rotten Days". For those who call on his name, read his word, pray from our hearts, he will vindicate us. He will speak to us. He is with us. He is faithful/ He is not just by our side, he is within our heart. No one can defeat you when the hand of the Lord is with you. Praise God for he is good!