Today's Meditation
Read Psalm 32
1Happy are those whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.
2Happy are those to whom the Lord imputes no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit.
3While I kept silence, my body wasted away through my groaning all day long.
4For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer. Selah
5Then I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not hide my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” and you forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah
6Therefore let all who are faithful offer prayer to you; at a time of distress, the rush of mighty waters shall not reach them.
7You are a hiding place for me; you preserve me from trouble; you surround me with glad cries of deliverance. Selah
8I will instruct you and teach you the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you.
9Do not be like a horse or a mule, without understanding, whose temper must be curbed with bit and bridle, else it will not stay near you.
10Many are the torments of the wicked, but steadfast love surrounds those who trust in the Lord.
11Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart.
For today's meditation, I want to focus on verses 6-8.
There are moments in life when the "rush of mighty waters" threaten to overtake us; when the circumstances of the day are overwhelming and we feel that our present day living is simply too much. The psalmist says, in those moments, at our times of distress, offer prayer to God.
The result of prayer during those times will be that God serves as a hiding place, a shelter from the raging waters and the overwhelming circumstance of the moment. Sheltering in God's presence, we can breathe, we can gain a better foothold and grip, we can rest.
But this isn't the only thing that happens when we find shelter in God. We are given the opportunity to learn. God teaches. God gives counsel with His eye upon us. Sometimes, in the midst of so much anxiety and too much turmoil, we can't think clearly. When we offer up our burdens to God, we're given a moment to breathe, to rest, and in that rest we find counsel and teaching for a clear path forward.
I find that I hold on to my troubles way too long. Why? Because I often think that I'm strong enough, smart enough, or brave enough to bear it all. We aren't. So, in times of stress, in moments when the raging waters might feel that they are about to overwhelm you, go to God in prayer.
The popular children's Disney animation of Elsa in Frozen gives us a clue regarding this in the thematic song, "Let it go!" We need to learn how to let things go and stop holding on to them.
No comments:
Post a Comment