I Recant

Okay, I recant. After I said I had nothing to say - I felt a deep conviction that I did have something to say, but that I was letting my own silly nature get in the way today. Probably 'cuz I am emotionally and mentally beat at the moment. The last couple months have been exhausting - but also tremendous spiritually - I have not felt this alive in a long, long time. God is good, and His vision for the future is imparting life into our community, into our individuals, and into each of our personal relationships with God.

I thought of this Psalm as fitting for the season. There will always be trouble - there will always be issues and stress - and we will often have brought it on ourselves! But the fact of the matter is that it is not about whether or not we make mistakes - whether or not we sin - we ARE going to sin - we are going to fall and many times! But the key indicator is learning.

When we have trouble - what happens? If we put our trust in Him - a) we will never be ashamed b) we will be open to hear His voice c) He will teach us the correct way to go and how not to repeat our mistakes d) We will have the power and assurance of His salvation actively and daily at work in our lives. We make mistakes daily; if we work on those mistakes daily; then we are also in daily contact with His faithful instruction, correction, and life. The assurance is that as long as we are making mistakes and learning from God in prayer and His word - what the right way should have been - then that is an actual proof of his Love and care for us.

Hebrews 12:10-11: "Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. 11No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it."

Read through this Psalm! look at all the discussion that goes on about learning, teaching, instructing, correcting - why He does it, and what kind of a reflection that is on His nature and His love towards us, His children. I like it, I like it a lot.

(btw, stumbled across this factoid, we geeks will love it: This psalm is an acrostic poem, the verses of which begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet - Free Starbucks to the first person who can reply comments with WHAT THOSE LETTERS ARE - add-shot if you figure out which Hebrew letter is also the letter of Messiah. First wager on who I will owe coffee to - just the initials - Lavalier.)

Psalm 25 Of David.

1[a] To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul;
2 in you I trust, O my God. Do not let me be put to shame, nor let my enemies triumph over me. 3 No one whose hope is in you will ever be put to shame, but they will be put to shame who are treacherous without excuse.
4 Show me your ways, O LORD, teach me your paths;
5 guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.
6 Remember, O LORD, your great mercy and love, for they are from of old.
7 Remember not the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways; according to your love remember me, for you are good, O LORD.
8 Good and upright is the LORD; therefore he instructs sinners in his ways.
9 He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way.
10 All the ways of the LORD are loving and faithful for those who keep the demands of his covenant.
11 For the sake of your name, O LORD, forgive my iniquity, though it is great.
12 Who, then, is the man that fears the LORD ? He will instruct him in the way chosen for him.
13 He will spend his days in prosperity, and his descendants will inherit the land.
14 The LORD confides in those who fear him; he makes his covenant known to them.
15 My eyes are ever on the LORD, for only he will release my feet from the snare.
16 Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted.
17 The troubles of my heart have multiplied; free me from my anguish.
18 Look upon my affliction and my distress and take away all my sins.
19 See how my enemies have increased and how fiercely they hate me!
20 Guard my life and rescue me; let me not be put to shame, for I take refuge in you.
21 May integrity and uprightness protect me, because my hope is in you.
22 Redeem Israel, O God, from all their troubles!