Really?! A First Priority?

“Looking for Lunch,” Eagles on the Taunton River, Sullivan, Maine

What in the world was Jesus talking about when he made this mind stopping statement? “Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? …do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?“

If we believe in a God who is good and loving, we easily accept that God values mankind in a uniquely special way. His extreme mercy and grace are revealed in Christ, whose sacrificial work for us reconnects us with God when we avail ourselves of that love and the redemption it provides. But what about the claim that that God’s care is so personal that we should not “be anxious” about the things we need? That idea seems a bit baffling because we have had to scramble to sustain ourselves ever since Adam and Eve were kicked out of the Garden!

However, Jesus modelled this peace for us. Trusting his Heavenly Father was a  reality for this much beleaguered, hard working, weary worn, poor Rabbi, who had no place to call home and who faced all the trials and temptations and needs of humans. He came to share in the human experience and heal it. In the darkest of moments he could and would pray with integrity  “not my will but Yours be done.”

In that setting, Jesus’ words take on substance. He had winnowed out the fact that life  is not just about one’s own humanity but is about seeking God’s Kingdom, which on the surface is a baffling place where the happy carry the cross of self denial daily, where satisfaction comes through self-sacrifice, where righteousness has nothing to do with individual effort but is a gift given by God, and where the happy are not only repentant,  humble, merciful, and peace loving, but their journey takes them through mourning, persecution and even death because of their devotion to God, who is their protector!! (Mathew 5-7) On the surface, living in this Kingdom may have limited appeal to self oriented humanity. However, the trade off is attaining what we desire and work for in this life. “For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 14:17)

The primary purposes and meaning of life are found in our Creator and His purposes, not in gourmet food, designer clothes, or mini-mansions, not in expending the energy and worry of accumulating, attaining, and  possessing. So, Christ cautioned his followers against anxiously and exhaustingly chasing meaningless dreams or cluttering  minds with trivial pursuits or devoting means to personal idols and allowing self and stuff to become the empty treasures of a life instead of finding satisfaction in who they were created to be. “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven… For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Matthew 6:19-34)

This spiritual Kingdom is a priority-must. “… seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness” and all these things will be added to you. Kingdom values are ever enduring, always contemporary, extremely important, and spiritually fulfilling principles which are relational in nature and are defined by love. Loving God with all ones being and loving one’s neighbor unconditionally will  bring joy, meet the requirements for a purposeful life, and have eternal benefit which can not come from obsessing about, totally investing in, and becoming anxious over material things which will disappoint and disappear. Seeking God places desires and pursuits into right perspective. Christ encouraged taking the long view, considering the end of the game.

He showed the way to fulfillment. He loved God with all his being and elevated his love for “neighbors” to the point he died for us. His self denial not only marked out the course to the Kingdom but is the Way into the Kingdom of God through faith in his redemptive work for us. His Gospel empowers one to live the graces extended to us and emboldens one to confidently trust, to “not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”

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Ready or Not, Here I Come…

Season’s Change, Franklin, Maine

Beginning a New Year is cause to celebrate renewal as well as an opportunity to contemplate how time and circumstances transition from one phase to the next. Sometimes, change is gradual and unnoticed. Days slip by; weeks merge; seasons cycle; the years roll on. Bleak winter surprises Fall’s beauty! Biology jolts us as aging sneaks then pounces; the battle for vigor and beauty and lasting dreams is lost! Unexpected moments shatter a future, or sudden realizations bring transformation.

Psalmists, Theologians, and Poets lament, ponder, and speculate about the essence and brevity of life and the nature of an afterlife! The Psalmist said that our lives “quickly pass, and we fly away.” (Psalm 90:10) Major world religions hold hopes of immortality through soul reincarnation and recurring attempts at redemption by being and doing “good” and/or by seeking forgiveness with various gods. Shakespeare’s Macbeth said that life was ” a tale told by an idiot, signifying nothing.”  Emily Dickinson imagined life as riding in a horse drawn carriage headed “toward Eternity.”

Although her beliefs may be difficult to categorize, themes of faith and immortality frequent Dickinson’s poetry. In “Because I could not stop for Death,”  the speaker realized that they had lived life in the constant company of two unassuming companions, Death and Immortality.  Death had been ignored as “he” rode along  with patient “civility.” (“Because I could not stop for Death – He kindly stopped for me/ The Carriage held but just Ourselves – And Immortality.)

The poem’s tone seems rather matter of fact, untroubled. The three companions rode together through the different stages of life (“We passed the School, where Children strove / At Recess – in the Ring / We passed the Fields of Gazing Grain –We passed the Setting Sun.”) But there is a slightly surprised lament about being unprepared as the warmth of life leaves and a recognizable grave is approached. (“before a House that seemed A Swelling of the Ground.”).

Although obsessing over irreversible physical endings is unhealthy, death will not be denied. When we make wills, plan for our families, and say what needs to be said, we wisely live with what most commonly seems like a distant eventuality. However, the book of James reminds us: “How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone…” (James 4:14-15 (NLT2) We live with no guarantees of any earthly future, always walking in that “shadow of death.” (Psalm 23)

Scripture constantly reminds us to live day by day, to attend to our journeys by being people of faith, by making God our God, by having God as our personal Shepherd. Although Dickinson’s poem doesn’t speculate on afterlife details, “Immortality” was more than implied. It was one of the riders as the carriage was driven toward “eternity”: “Since then – ’tis Centuries – and yet Feels shorter than the Day I first surmised the Horses’ Heads Were toward Eternity.” That is a cautionary thought; we should be aware of our immortal spirits long before the closeness of their destination becomes a sudden realization.

In his parables and in the story of the rich man and the beggar Lazarus, Jesus confirms eternity’s explicit details. Some of these are blissful. Others are disturbing but are very much worth pondering in the context of the redemptive claims surrounding Christ,** who has made every provision for our spirits. (Matthew 13) (Luke 16) On the day he stood by his friend’s grave , Christ called for people to put their faith in him and his resurrecting power, which he proved by raising Lazarus alive from the grave and soon after by His own resurrection. Both resurrections are cause for great joy because they shore us the promise of life with God beyond physical death for those who believe. (John 11:25) Where O death is your victory? Where O death is your sting? But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 15:57 (NLT2)

Ready or not? That final transition from life may surprise us, but we can be prepared! Christianity has such an optimistic view of death that it speaks of the believer’s demise as the mortal being “swallowed up by life,” not by death. (2 Corinthians 5:4)

**(John 3) (John 3:16-17) (Isaiah 53:6) (Romans 10:9-10) (Ephesians 2:8-9) (Titus 3:5)

Ready or Not, Here I Come….

Ready or Not, Season’s Change

Beginning a New Year is cause to celebrate renewal as well as an opportunity to contemplate how time and circumstances transition from one phase to the next. Sometimes, change is gradual and unnoticed. Days slip by; weeks merge; seasons cycle; the years roll on. Bleak winter surprises Fall’s beauty! Biology jolts us as aging sneaks then pounces; the battle for vigor and beauty and lasting dreams is lost! Unexpected moments shatter a future, or sudden realizations bring transformation.

Psalmists, Theologians, and Poets lament, ponder, and speculate about the essence and brevity of life and the nature of an afterlife! The Psalmist said that our lives “quickly pass, and we fly away.” (Psalm 90:10) Major world religions hold hopes of immortality through soul reincarnation and recurring attempts at redemption by being and doing “good” and/or by seeking forgiveness with various gods. Shakespeare’s Macbeth said that life was ” a tale told by an idiot, signifying nothing.”  Emily Dickinson imagined life as riding in a horse drawn carriage headed “toward Eternity.”

Although her beliefs may be difficult to categorize, themes of faith and immortality frequent Dickinson’s poetry. In “Because I could not stop for Death,”  the speaker realized that they had lived life in the constant company of two unassuming companions, Death and Immortality.  Death had been ignored as “he” rode along  with patient “civility.” (“Because I could not stop for Death – He kindly stopped for me/ The Carriage held but just Ourselves – And Immortality.)

The poem’s tone seems rather matter of fact, untroubled. The three companions rode together through the different stages of life (“We passed the School, where Children strove / At Recess – in the Ring / We passed the Fields of Gazing Grain –We passed the Setting Sun.”) But there is a slightly surprised lament about being unprepared as the warmth of life leaves and a recognizable grave is approached. (“before a House that seemed A Swelling of the Ground.”).

Although obsessing over irreversible physical endings is unhealthy, death will not be denied. When we make wills, plan for our families, and say what needs to be said, we wisely live with what most commonly seems like a distant eventuality. However, the book of James reminds us: “How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone…” (James 4:14-15 (NLT2) We live with no guarantees of any earthly future, always walking in that “shadow of death.” (Psalm 23)

Scripture constantly reminds us to live day by day, to attend to our journeys by being people of faith, by making God our God, by having God as our personal Shepherd. Although Dickinson’s poem doesn’t speculate on afterlife details, “Immortality” was more than implied. It was one of the riders as the carriage was driven toward “eternity”: “Since then – ’tis Centuries – and yet Feels shorter than the Day I first surmised the Horses’ Heads Were toward Eternity.” That is a cautionary thought; we should be aware of our immortal spirits long before the closeness of their destination becomes a sudden realization.

In his parables and in the story of the rich man and the beggar Lazarus, Jesus confirms eternity’s explicit details. Some of these are blissful. Others are disturbing but are very much worth pondering in the context of the redemptive claims surrounding Christ,** who has made every provision for our spirits. (Matthew 13) (Luke 16) On the day he stood by his friend’s grave , Christ called for people to put their faith in him and his resurrecting power, which he proved by raising Lazarus alive from the grave and soon after by His own resurrection. Both resurrections are cause for great joy because they shore us the promise of life with God beyond physical death for those who believe. (John 11:25) Where O death is your victory? Where O death is your sting? But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 15:57 (NLT2)

Ready or not? That final transition from life may surprise us, but we can be prepared! Christianity has such an optimistic view of death that it speaks of the believer’s demise as the mortal being “swallowed up by life,” not by death. (2 Corinthians 5:4)

**(John 3) (John 3:16-17) (Isaiah 53:6) (Romans 10:9-10) (Ephesians 2:8-9) (Titus 3:5)

Of Shoes and Ships and Whether Pigs have Wings

Dreaming, Sullivan, Maine

We know little girls are made of “sugar and spice and everything nice,” but what do they think about? What size and shape are the ruminations of this pensive little girl as she dreamily looks down the path beyond the cottage garden to the little beach and the movement of the tide? Hopefully, her mind is filled with summer dreams and is uncluttered by the anxious messiness of less innocent minds which are drained of imagination.

Time does that; it saps the imagination. Waking moments are spent in self absorptive thoughts, pondering immediate needs, managing a sensually perceived world, and finding little if any time to ponder the abstract or transcendent. Thoughts of the ultimate are pushed to the back burner.

Undisciplined, unguarded minds are in danger of being like those of the little oysters in Lewis Carroll’s “The Walrus and the Carpenter.” Not at all street wise, those creatures were foolishly deceived by the idea of a pleasant walk with the Walrus and the Carpenter. During their meanderings, the selfish and sinister Walrus distracted them with fun, innocuous, meaningless pleasantries. “The time has come,” the Walrus said,/ “To talk of many things:/Of shoes—and ships—and sealing-wax—/ Of cabbages—and kings—/And why the sea is boiling hot—/And whether pigs have wings.”

Then he devoured them!

Our world is a fantastic place. There are wonderful conversations to be had, many ideas and facts to be considered, substantial advice to be taken or discarded, much fun and joy to be experienced. Many possibilities and opportunities lie before us each day. Clearly, if we do not want to be like the vulnerable oysters or the unprincipled, complicit Carpenter, who avoided truth and even participated in the oyster holocaust, our minds must be informed and strongly grounded in valid ideas. Otherwise, we are in danger of being distracted, sucked in, and destroyed by meaningless philosophies and misadventures like the misguided, inattentive, undiscerning, and hoodwinked little creatures who were led to their demise.

We frame our life views around whether or not we believe life has meaning and if it does what gives it purpose. Scripture cautions about what we allow to beguile our minds and encourages us to fill them with “…whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. (Philippians 4:8) It warns against spiritual scammers who cheat the mind and soul. “Don’t let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ. (Colossians 2:8 (NLT2) Scripture also highlights the uttermost importance of seeking the reality of God and His Kingdom,( Matthew 6:33) and of trusting the truth of Christ above all else with an enduring faith: “…looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, …Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.” (Hebrews 12:2-3)

This world has plenty of Walruses and Carpenters who invite us to follow and invest our lives in their ideas. Considering the life and words of Christ will never lead one astray because they take us to God and His Kingdom. “For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell…” (Colossians 1:19)

Of Shoes and Ships and Whether Pigs have Wings…

Dreaming in Sullivan, Maine

We know little girls are made of “sugar and spice and everything nice,” but what do they think about? What size and shape are the ruminations of this pensive little girl as she dreamily looks down the path beyond the cottage garden to the little beach and the movement of the tide? Hopefully, her mind is filled with summer dreams and is uncluttered by the anxious messiness of less innocent minds which are drained of imagination.

Time does that; it saps the imagination. Waking moments are spent in self absorptive thoughts, pondering immediate needs, managing a sensually perceived world, and finding little if any time to ponder the abstract or transcendent. Thoughts of the ultimate are pushed to the back burner.

Undisciplined, unguarded minds are in danger of being like those of the little oysters in Lewis Carroll’s “The Walrus and the Carpenter.” Not at all street wise, those creatures were foolishly deceived by the idea of a pleasant walk with the Walrus and the Carpenter. During their meanderings, the selfish and sinister Walrus distracted them with fun, innocuous, meaningless pleasantries. “The time has come,” the Walrus said,/ “To talk of many things:/Of shoes—and ships—and sealing-wax—/ Of cabbages—and kings—/And why the sea is boiling hot—/And whether pigs have wings.”

Then he devoured them!

Our world is a fantastic place. There are wonderful conversations to be had, many ideas and facts to be considered, substantial advice to be taken or discarded, much fun and joy to be experienced. Many possibilities and opportunities lie before us each day. Clearly, if we do not want to be like the vulnerable oysters or the unprincipled, complicit Carpenter, who avoided truth and even participated in the oyster holocaust, our minds must be informed and strongly grounded in valid ideas. Otherwise, we are in danger of being distracted, sucked in, and destroyed by meaningless philosophies and misadventures like the misguided, inattentive, undiscerning, and hoodwinked little creatures who were led to their demise.

We frame our life views around whether or not we believe life has meaning and if it does what gives it purpose. Scripture cautions about what we allow to beguile our minds and encourages us to fill them with “…whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. (Philippians 4:8) It warns against spiritual scammers who cheat the mind and soul. “Don’t let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ. (Colossians 2:8 (NLT2) Scripture also highlights the uttermost importance of seeking the reality of God and His Kingdom,( Matthew 6:33) and of trusting the truth of Christ above all else with an enduring faith: “…looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, …Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.” (Hebrews 12:2-3)

This world has plenty of Walruses and Carpenters who invite us to follow and invest our lives in their ideas. Considering the life and words of Christ will never lead one astray because they take us to God and His Kingdom. “For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell…” (Colossians 1:19)

A World of Words

On the Taunton River, Sullivan, Maine

Until an intrusion into their spaces, these beautiful but weary ducks were resting on the cold, winter waters of the Taunton River. Always on the alert for predators, their anxious appearing behavior is a protective fright/flight response, a feeling we understand because of both innate and learned abilities to sense physical or emotional threats. But how well are we primed to recognize insidious intellectual and spiritual threats?

We live in a world of words, of volumes of expressed thoughts, notions, opinions, and theories originating in the ruminations and ramblings of men and women with varying degrees of intellect, insight, motivation, and position; these philosophers and spiritual leaders are as imperfect in mind and are as flawed in character as we all are; some are inspiring; others are charlatans, scammers, and cultists. When Christ sent out his disciples, he encouraged them to beware of the power and deceitfulness of men and to be “ wise as serpents and innocent as doves.” (Matthew 10:16-18)

That is good advice for creatures who seek meaning and purpose, who desire substantive ideas which help them explain and cope with existence and prepare for any afterlife. (Colossians 2:8) We value logic and reason. But not always! Our personal views may become deeply ingrained, but they may not have been well contemplated because we gravitate toward ideas which appeal to us intellectually or make emotional sense to us or reinforce our desires and lifestyles. So, we may fail to challenge concepts we have easily accepted or rejected. Discernment is crucial.

Our minds and spirits are vital organs which can be damaged as we pick our way through this mine field of mind influencers.  Solomon said, “ Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.”  Christ made the point that “ out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil. Our convictions, states of mind,  and behaviors flow  “from the heart.”  (Matthew 12:34-35) (Mark 7:20-23)

Scripture is replete with warning about how to guard hearts and minds. King Solomon spoke of the wisdom of God’s words: “… keep them within your heart. For they are life to those who find them…” (Proverbs 4:20-23) The Psalmist felt the same way: “The sum of your word is truth, and every one of your righteous rules endures forever.” (Psalm 119:160) The Apostle Paul emphasized “learning Christ.” He told the Ephesians to “walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us…”(Ephesians 4:20; 5:1-2)   “… Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” (Ephesians 4:21-24) While praying for his disciples, Jesus said: “ Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth. (John 17:17 (NLT2) He finished his Sermon on the Mount with an ear catching statement:  “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock…And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.” (Matthew 7:24,26)

What we allow into our minds and hearts shapes our character. When Jesus faced down the great Tempter and Deceiver, he knew truth and was empowered with moral courage: “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” (Matthew 4:4) Inspired Scripture holds up the highest standard of moral thought and behavior. It is “useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.(2 Timothy 3:16) It instructs us how to know God, how to love Him, and how to love our neighbors. Filling our minds with Christ’s thoughts and claims protects our spirits because “they are life to those who find them.”

When we search and sift through our world of thoughts, it makes “no sense” to leave God out. He is where “life” is found.

A World of Words….

On the Taunton River, Sullivan, Maine

Until an intrusion into their spaces, these beautiful but weary ducks were resting on the cold, winter waters of the Taunton River. Always on the alert for predators, their anxious appearing behavior is a protective fright/flight response, a feeling we understand because of both innate and learned abilities to sense physical or emotional threats. But how well are we primed to recognize insidious intellectual and spiritual threats?

We live in a world of words, of volumes of expressed thoughts, notions, opinions, and theories originating in the ruminations and ramblings of men and women with varying degrees of intellect, insight, motivation, and position; these philosophers and spiritual leaders are as imperfect in mind and are as flawed in character as we all are; some are inspiring; others are charlatans, scammers, and cultists. When Christ sent out his disciples, he encouraged them to beware of the power and deceitfulness of men and to be “ wise as serpents and innocent as doves.” (Matthew 10:16-18)

That is good advice for creatures who seek meaning and purpose, who desire substantive ideas which help them explain and cope with existence and prepare for any afterlife. (Colossians 2:8) We value logic and reason. But not always! Our personal views may become deeply ingrained, but they may not have been well contemplated because we gravitate toward ideas which appeal to us intellectually or make emotional sense to us or reinforce our desires and lifestyles. So, we may fail to challenge concepts we have easily accepted or rejected. Discernment is crucial.

Our minds and spirits are vital organs which can be damaged as we pick our way through this mine field of mind influencers.  Solomon said, “ Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.”  Christ made the point that “ out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil. Our convictions, states of mind,  and behaviors flow  “from the heart.”  (Matthew 12:34-35) (Mark 7:20-23)

Scripture is replete with warning about how to guard hearts and minds. King Solomon spoke of the wisdom of God’s words: “… keep them within your heart. For they are life to those who find them…” (Proverbs 4:20-23) The Psalmist felt the same way: “The sum of your word is truth, and every one of your righteous rules endures forever.” (Psalm 119:160) The Apostle Paul emphasized “learning Christ.” He told the Ephesians to “walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us…”(Ephesians 4:20; 5:1-2)   “… Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” (Ephesians 4:21-24) While praying for his disciples, Jesus said: “ Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth. (John 17:17 (NLT2) He finished his Sermon on the Mount with an ear catching statement:  “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock…And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.” (Matthew 7:24,26)

What we allow into our minds and hearts shapes our character. When Jesus faced down the great Tempter and Deceiver, he knew truth and was empowered with moral courage: “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” (Matthew 4:4) Inspired Scripture holds up the highest standard of moral thought and behavior. It is “useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.(2 Timothy 3:16) It instructs us how to know God, how to love Him, and how to love our neighbors. Filling our minds with Christ’s thoughts and claims protects our spirits because “they are life to those who find them.”

When we search and sift through our world of thoughts, it makes “no sense” to leave God out. He is where “life” is found.

Do I Really Care?

Sand Beach, Acadia National Park, Maine

Although the Bible speaks some amazing words, it raises some mighty big questions!  The Psalmist said, “How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! If I would count them, they are more than the sand.. “(Psalm 139:17-18) Is that just poetry, or is it truth? Those thoughts challenge even the most devout believers! Does God inhabit humanity’s fallen and broken circumstances? Is His goodness present in moments of pain, suffering, grief and injustice? What is the evidence? How can we know His thoughts?  However, an overarching question lurks! Do we really care what God thinks? Are we like those of whom Job spoke? “They say to God, ‘Depart from us! We do not desire the knowledge of your ways. What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? And what profit do we get if we pray to him?’ (Job 21:14-15 (ESV)

A read of the entire 139th clearly indicates that the Psalmist had a relationship with God on multiple levels. God was his Creator, his ever present caring, all knowing Sovereign, and his Savior. The Scriptures were vital to his discovery of God, whose wisdom, and insights for living brought value, stability, and joy to the Psalmist’s spirit.

“The instructions of the LORD are perfect, reviving the soul. The decrees of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The commandments of the LORD are right, bringing joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are clear, giving insight for living. Reverence for the LORD is pure, lasting forever. The laws of the LORD are true; each one is fair. They are more desirable than gold, even the finest gold. They are sweeter than honey, even honey dripping from the comb…They are a warning to your servant, a great reward for those who obey them.” (Psalm 19:7-11 (NLT2) “I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.” (Psalm 119:11) 

The 139th Psalm draws us to the reality that even though God’s purposes and plans are good, they may not be convenient, comfortable, or understood. As the hymn says, “There are things as we travel this earth’s shifting sands/That transcend all the reasons of man.”  Yet, throughout Scripture and the historical narratives, God has cherished humanity and has opened His nature, His thoughts, His compassionate purposes, and His unfailing promises to us.

The enormity and the intensity of His mercy and grace and His faithful pursuit are most vividly illustrated in the nature, life, and sacrificial work of Christ, whom Scripture identifies as the Word, or the image and expression of God in humanity and the one whose words are “spirit and life.” Jesus said that believing in him and his word sets one “free” and brings eternal life. (John 1:1; 3:16; 8:32; 6:63; 11:25; 15:3) His words are powerful and redemptive.

God as a good Father is active in His creation. He illuminate minds, exposes character weaknesses and the inadequacy of our righteousness to redeem ourselves. Through believing faith, which the Apostle Paul calls “more precious than gold,” He lifts us up, and enfolds us in His eternal protection. His words teach and correct us, show us that He desires ultimate good for us, and give us hope. And understanding and applying God’s Word show us how to live rightly.(1 Peter 1:7)(2 Timothy 3:16-17(Hebrews 4:12)(2 Timothy 2:15; 3:16) 

Although God’s Word is as important today as it was in the days of the Psalmist, the question remains: are we too entwined in the business and “reasons of man” to discover His wonderful thoughts toward us?

Do I really care?

Sand Beach, Acadia National Park, Maine

Although the Bible speaks some amazing words, it raises some mighty big questions!  The Psalmist said, “How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! If I would count them, they are more than the sand.. “(Psalm 139:17-18) Is that just poetry, or is it truth? Those thoughts challenge even the most devout believers! Does God inhabit humanity’s fallen and broken circumstances? Is His goodness present in moments of pain, suffering, grief and injustice? What is the evidence? How can we know His thoughts?  However, an overarching question lurks! Do we really care what God thinks? Are we like those of whom Job spoke? “They say to God, ‘Depart from us! We do not desire the knowledge of your ways. What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? And what profit do we get if we pray to him?’ (Job 21:14-15 (ESV)

A read of the entire 139th clearly indicates that the Psalmist had a relationship with God on multiple levels. God was his Creator, his ever present caring, all knowing Sovereign, and his Savior. The Scriptures were vital to his discovery of God, whose wisdom, and insights for living brought value, stability, and joy to the Psalmist’s spirit.

“The instructions of the LORD are perfect, reviving the soul. The decrees of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The commandments of the LORD are right, bringing joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are clear, giving insight for living. Reverence for the LORD is pure, lasting forever. The laws of the LORD are true; each one is fair. They are more desirable than gold, even the finest gold. They are sweeter than honey, even honey dripping from the comb…They are a warning to your servant, a great reward for those who obey them.” (Psalm 19:7-11 (NLT2) “I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.” (Psalm 119:11) 

The 139th Psalm draws us to the reality that even though God’s purposes and plans are good, they may not be convenient, comfortable, or understood. As the hymn says, “There are things as we travel this earth’s shifting sands/That transcend all the reasons of man.”  Yet, throughout Scripture and the historical narratives, God has cherished humanity and has opened His nature, His thoughts, His compassionate purposes, and His unfailing promises to us.

The enormity and the intensity of His mercy and grace and His faithful pursuit are most vividly illustrated in the nature, life, and sacrificial work of Christ, whom Scripture identifies as the Word, or the image and expression of God in humanity and the one whose words are “spirit and life.” Jesus said that believing in him and his word sets one “free” and brings eternal life. (John 1:1; 3:16; 8:32; 6:63; 11:25; 15:3) His words are powerful and redemptive.

God as a good Father is active in His creation. He illuminate minds, exposes character weaknesses and the inadequacy of our righteousness to redeem ourselves. Through believing faith, which the Apostle Paul calls “more precious than gold,” He lifts us up, and enfolds us in His eternal protection. His words teach and correct us, show us that He desires ultimate good for us, and give us hope. And understanding and applying God’s Word show us how to live rightly.(1 Peter 1:7)(2 Timothy 3:16-17(Hebrews 4:12)(2 Timothy 2:15; 3:16) 

Although God’s Word is as important today as it was in the days of the Psalmist, the question remains: are we too entwined in the business and “reasons of man” to discover His wonderful thoughts toward us?

“As the Deer Pants for Flowing Streams….”

Maine. White Tail deer

There is a uniqueness about the Psalms. They are emotionally raw, wonderfully poetic, spiritually deep, and personally applicable. Around 1984, Martin Nystrom wrote “As the Deer Pants,” a song inspired by Psalm 42. I first heard this hymn while riding rather uncomfortably in the bed of an old pick up truck along a rutted, dusty road in Thailand. Our small medical team was returning from several Laotian villages situated beside the Mekong River. As we bumped along in a beautiful, fading but glorious sunset mixed with warm tropical air, lovely Thai/Lao voices began singing in a language I neither spoke nor understood, but the music was deeply touching.

“As the deer panteth for the water so my soul longs for you”

As one reads this Psalm, one can almost hear the Psalmist’s sweet tenor voice: “As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God.“… “ My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?”…“My soul is cast down within me; therefore I remember you…”…“By day the LORD commands his steadfast love, and at night his song is with me…”…“Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.”                     ( Excerpts from Psalm 42:1-11) 

 When our personal worlds are challenging or deeply painful, our tendency is  to seek immediate relief. We want today’s pain, fear and anxiety to go away, to have resolution of our situations, to refrain from borrowing tomorrow’s troubles, and to be assured that all this matters in some grander scheme.

Matt Boswell and Matt Papa also wrote a beautiful song inspired by Psalm 42. Its phrases resonate with sorrow, doubt and longing : “Lord, from sorrows deep I call/ When my hope is shaken/… Hear my desperation/…Storms within my troubled soul/Questions without answers…”  However, neither Psalm 42 nor these songs leave us in despair. There is hope. “When all I possess is grief/God, be then my treasure/Be my vision in the night/Be my hope and refuge/.” (Lord, from Sorrows, Deep I Call)

Our spiritual yearnings are deep and often unfulfilled. We long for love, for forgiveness, for comfort, peace, and joy in mind and heart. Happily, Scripture attests that we have been made by God, for God, to be like God, and to live with God. He is the reality of life, the sustainer of our universe. He loves humanity and is an ever- present, behind the scenes helper. He is the God of peace, comfort and hope.

We should treasure Him. The Psalmist did.

  God is not the Psalmist’s idol or some abstract force or designer but is his personal, “living God.” He is confident that God has his back. When distracted from his God-thoughts, when “cast down,” when worried, sad, afraid, depressed, and anxious, his spirit is revived by consciously remembering who God is and what He has done. In that darkness, God soothes him with a lullaby. (“at night his song is with me”)

One of Christ’s great promises is that he will satisfy the thirsting soul. He said that whoever seeks first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness will have his/her needs met and that whoever is “thirsty,” that whoever believes in him and desires what he offers, will receive “living water.” (Matthew 6:33)(John 4:10; 7:37-39) The pure, unconditional, redemptive work of Christ is an enduring, life-giving gift of love for all people. It is a powerful thought that he gave up heaven to shepherd humanity through the valleys, through the days and nights of suffering, grief and adversity.

He is not just on call. He is present.

Remembering God enabled the Psalmist to face life from a position of strength. Remembering God kept him grateful and focused and confident that God was his “salvation,” the redeemer of his spirit ,and a faithful presence. Some of us may never have had any teaching about or remembrances of Jesus or may not have a mindset to consider him. If not, journeying with him through the Gospels can be life changing. Listen to him speak and teach and mentor; hear his prayers, declarative statements and promises;  sense his deep compassion;  watch him heal and forgive as he walked and ministered for three exhausting years which led him to a cruel, unjust death and then to a glorious resurrection in order to quench our thirst, in order to meet our desperate spiritual need for reconciliation with God.

In his humanity, Jesus bravely travelled through human trials, temptations and horrors because he relied upon the empowerment of His Father’s presence and promises and divine purposes as he survived deprivation, suffering, neglect, rejection, humiliation, sadness and sorrow and grief, injustice and persecution. He is familiar with  weakness, pain, and injustice and touches the bodies, souls, and circumstances of disheartened, hopeless, lost people with resurrecting power which transforms the repentant, salvages circumstance, and reconciles the trusting to God for eternity.

 A contemplative journey with Christ is worth it! He has experienced and conquered it all, even death, and he lives for us. His open invitation is to the living water which quenches our spiritual thirst forever because he promises to never leave or forsake those who trust him. (Matthew 28:20, Deuteronomy 31:8).

“ Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. (Matthew 11:28-29)