Opening Prayer:
O Christ Jesus, when all is darkness and we feel our weakness and helplessness, give us the sense of your presence, your love, and your strength. Help us to have perfect trust in your protecting love and strengthening power, so that nothing may frighten or worry us, for, living close to you, we shall see your hand, your purpose, your will through all things.
Psalm for the Week: Psalm 31
Scripture for the Day: Psalm 37:1-11
Reading for Reflection:
So I got my lawn mower stuck in the mud in my back yard last week. Well, it actually wasn't me, and it wasn't actually my lawn mower, but that's a longer story. Anyway, it was stuck in a ditch in the back of the yard where the pond drains out into a creek that runs behind our property. It was stuck good too; the tires were half way buried in the mud. Three people pushing still couldn't get it out, in fact, the harder we tried the deeper it went. Ever feel like that? Like the harder you try to extricate yourself from those broken and hurtful patterns, or ways of thinking; the harder you try to get yourself out of the mud, the deeper you seem to sink?
It is like when you try to rest. Or when you try to go to sleep. Or you try to be still inside. The trying seems to make it a more remote possibility. Or when you try not to worry, or not to think about something in particular. It seems like the more effort and energy you focus on the problem, the deeper it seems to get. Maybe that's why Paul tells us in Philippians 4:6 not to worry, but instead to pray. After all, that's where the peace of God (which surpasses all understanding) enters the picture; in the prayer...letting go of worry and holding on to God.
And maybe that's why a little later on he tells us, "Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you" (Philippians 4:8-9). Peace comes not when our hearts (and thoughts) are consumed with the problem, but when they are consumed with that which is excellent and praiseworthy...God himself.
Years ago I had a friend that made the Olympic Team in the 100 meter hurdles. I mean this guy could run--and still can, although he's in his early 50's. Anyway, once I asked him how he was able to run the hurdles so fast and so effortlessly (seemingly). And of course he talked about practice, and preparation, and working at it. But he also talked about the movements becoming so familiar and natural to him over time that he was able to knock a quarter off of each hurdle with his leg without actually touching the hurdle. Is that not amazing? I told him that if I tried that, I would kill myself hitting the hurdle. And then he said, "You can't focus on the hurdle, you have to focus on the finish line. If you focus on the hurdle, you hit the hurdle." And to this day I still remember that little piece of wisdom, because it is not only true on the track, but also in life. We must keep our eyes focused on the good part, that which is excellent, i.e. on the finish line. If we are consumed by the hurdles, we will never get over them; in fact, they will actually seem to grow larger and larger.
Maybe that's why David counsels us (in Psalm 37:1-4) not to fret, but to: "Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart" (Psalm 37:1-4). In fact he says a little later on "do not fret—it leads only to evil." The dictionary definition of the word fret is to feel or express worry, annoyance, discontent, or the like. Or to cause corrosion; gnaw into something. In other words, fretting is a consuming activity. Don't do that! Instead, be consumed with that which is beautiful...God...trust in Him, delight in Him.
Anyway, so the mower would not budge. We could do nothing, in and of ourselves, to get it out. We would have to rely on something bigger and stronger than us to pull it out for us. So we drove a four-by-four into the back yard, tied a rope to it, and pulled the mower out. The mower had to be attached to the truck. Funny that the Hebrew word for trust literally means to attach. Of course it does.
So what is it exactly that I'm trying to say? Good question. I'll have to think about it some more and get back with you. Just kidding...sort of. I guess I'm saying that when we get consumed with the doing of something, sometimes it actually hinders rather than helps that certain something become a reality. Sometimes the harder we try the more stuck we become. So am I saying not to try? In one sense, not at all, but in another sense, maybe I am. Maybe what we really need to be doing is focusing our attention and affection and efforts on the beauty and character and majesty of God instead of whatever it may be that we are trying to solve or correct or conquer. And as we are more and more consumed with that magnificent vision of Him, we will be more and more captured by the vision that we see. And as Paul put it so beautifully, transformed into that very image: "We all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another (2 Corinthians 3:18). Thanks be to God!
~Jim Branch (June 2013)
When I am not convinced that God is good, and when I underestimate the seriousness of my struggle to believe in his goodness, I will quietly—but with tight-lipped resolve—take over responsibility for my own well-being. (Finding God by Larry Crabb)
Reflection and Listening: silent and written
Prayer: for the church, for others, for myself
Song for the Week: Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus
Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus,
Just to take Him at His word;
Just to rest upon His promise,
Just to know “Thus saith the Lord!”
Chorus:
Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him!
How I’ve proved Him o’er and o’er
Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus!
O for grace to trust Him more!
O how sweet to trust in Jesus,
Just to trust His cleansing blood;
Just in simple faith to plunge me
’Neath the healing, cleansing flood!
Yes ’tis sweet to trust in Jesus,
Just from sin and self to cease;
Just from Jesus simply taking
Life and rest, and joy and peace.
I’m so glad I learned to trust Thee,
Precious Jesus, Savior, friend;
And I know that Thou art with me,
Wilt be with me to the end.
Closing Prayer:
But I trust in you, O Lord, I say, “You are my God.” My times are in your hands. Amen. (Psalm 31:14-15)
