At Water’s Edge

Come to the Table

Posted on July 8, 2022 by Betsy

Several decades ago, I had an interesting conversation with an older gentleman who was leaving my church. I respected the fact that he set an appointment with me to give his reasons. I wasn’t prepared for the answer, though.

A young couple had joined the church the Sunday prior. As was our custom, we printed their names and address in the bulletin for people to add them to their church directories. This gentleman was leaving because we allowed them to join. He said that the fact that they had two different last names and one address was an indication that they were “living in sin” and he was shocked that the church allowed them to join. He saw that as the downfall of the church, the denomination, and Western civilization as we know it.

I carefully explained that the church did not have a policy that prevented anyone from joining. I mentioned that everyone who joins comes with some measure of sin, as “all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” I even tried joking with him that “you have to catch the fish before you clean the fish” and assured him that every member has come to church to be cleansed of their sins and grow closer in their understanding of God.

As I expected, my explanations fell on deaf ears and he and his wife left the church.

Jesus’ teaching is very clear that there is no hierarchy of sin and that the mission of the church is to make disciples of everyone. He had to explain this to the Pharisees at one point:

Matthew 9 (Common English Bible)

¹⁰As Jesus sat down to eat in Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners joined Jesus and his disciples at the table.

¹¹But when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”

¹²When Jesus heard it, he said, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor, but sick people do. ¹³Go and learn what this means: I want mercy and not sacrifice. I didn’t come to call righteous people, but sinners.”

The Pharisees were well known for making the public sacrifices that their religious rituals called for, but for harboring hate toward others in their heart. Jesus was radicalizing a new idea here: drop the meaningless rituals and offer mercy toward your fellow man instead.

They couldn’t do it.

Can we?

Look around. There are people in your community who live on the margins who need to be invited to Christ’s table, and maybe even to yours. Christ welcomes all to his table: the immigrants, the homeless, the kings, the addicts, the LGBTQ community, the prostitutes, the CEOs, the unwed mothers, the prisoners … he would not turn a single one of them away.

Neither should we.

Pie Eating

Posted on July 6, 2022 by Betsy

A long time ago, a friend decided that she wanted to learn more about the subject of piety. She enrolled in a class at the Candler School of Theology, the Methodist seminary at Emory University, to study the subject. Her interest was strictly personal, and she had no intention of pursuing a Master of Divinity degree. At the end of the semester, she knew her days of seminary were over. The systematic, academic approach to the subject was not to her liking, as she had hoped for something that would result more in personal transformation rather than academic preparation for a vocation. She liked to joke that she made a mistake when she enrolled, thinking the class would be about “pie-eating.”

This is why people who have survived the pressures of seminary work so hard to offer personal transformation through bible study and preaching. We understand that people come to church and bible study classes because they are hungry for a spiritual change … and apparently pie. (Have you ever been to a church potluck supper? I rest my case.)

Jesus didn’t have much to say about pie eating, but he taught a lot about piety.

Our Scripture from the book of Matthew today deals with piety head-on. But first, let’s set a base line definition of the word. According to Dictionary.com, piety refers to reverence for God or devout fulfillment of religious obligations: devotion to God.

Now let’s see what Jesus had to say:

Matthew 6 (Common English Bible)

“Be careful that you don’t practice your religion in front of people to draw their attention. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.

Rule One: don’t draw attention to your piety.

²“Whenever you give to the poor, don’t blow your trumpet as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets so that they may get praise from people. I assure you, that’s the only reward they’ll get. ³But when you give to the poor, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing ⁴so that you may give to the poor in secret. Your Father who sees what you do in secret will reward you.

Rule Two: don’t draw attention to your piety.

Showy prayer

⁵“When you pray, don’t be like hypocrites. They love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners so that people will see them. I assure you, that’s the only reward they’ll get. ⁶But when you pray, go to your room, shut the door, and pray to your Father who is present in that secret place. Your Father who sees what you do in secret will reward you.

Rule Three: don’t draw attention to your piety.

Proper prayer

⁷“When you pray, don’t pour out a flood of empty words, as the Gentiles do. They think that by saying many words they’ll be heard. ⁸Don’t be like them, because your Father knows what you need before you ask.

Rule Four: pray like you mean it, using as few words as possible.

Jesus addressed the Pharisees in this passage, who loved to make a big show of their religious practices. But in some ways, he is addressing us as well. If you are driving around in a Lexus with an ichthus sticker on your bumper while cutting people off and flipping them the bird, you might need to re-think your piety. If you are making a show of attending church in your loveliest finery on Sunday and then refusing to help the poor in your community on Monday, you might need to re-think your piety. If you harbor a grudge against a relative, talk down to your spouse, cheat on your taxes, or neglect to give in proportion to your income, you might need to re-think your piety.

Piety is a 24/7 thing for Jesus. May it be the same for us as well.

A Life of Freedom

Posted on July 4, 2022 by Betsy

I have a strange way of memorizing things. When I took my first Bible introductory survey course in seminary, I developed little tricks for remembering the themes of all 66 books. For Hebrews, I created the phrase “HE (is) B(ett)ER (than the)RESt, which roughly spells out HEBREWS, if you misspell it. Hebrews describes the superiority of Christ over angels, Old Testament prophets, kings, etc. So, he is better than the rest!

For Galatians, I tapped into my love of science fiction. One of my favorites is Battlestar Galactica. What was their mission? To free humanity from the evil robot Cylons. Thus, Galatians is about freedom.

Laugh if you will, but I got an A!

Let us see what Galatians has to say about freedom as we celebrate freedom today:

Galatians 5:16-18 (The Message)

My counsel is this: Live freely, animated and motivated by God’s Spirit. Then you won’t feed the compulsions of selfishness. For there is a root of sinful self-interest in us that is at odds with a free spirit, just as the free spirit is incompatible with selfishness. These two ways of life are antithetical, so that you cannot live at times one way and at times another way according to how you feel on any given day. Why don’t you choose to be led by the Spirit and so escape the erratic compulsions of a law-dominated existence?

19-21 It is obvious what kind of life develops out of trying to get your own way all the time: repetitive, loveless, cheap sex; a stinking accumulation of mental and emotional garbage; frenzied and joyless grabs for happiness; trinket gods; magic-show religion; paranoid loneliness; cutthroat competition; all-consuming-yet-never-satisfied wants; a brutal temper; an impotence to love or be loved; divided homes and divided lives; small-minded and lopsided pursuits; the vicious habit of depersonalizing everyone into a rival; uncontrolled and uncontrollable addictions; ugly parodies of community. I could go on.

This isn’t the first time I have warned you, you know. If you use your freedom this way, you will not inherit God’s kingdom.

The writer of Hebrews contrasts freedom with self-interest. “There is a root of self-interest in us that is at odds with a free spirit.” That is pure genius. Think of all the places in life where people imprison themselves. These situations can be the result of some selfish, self-absorbed, self-interested behavior. Addictions are triggered when we indulge in a dangerous behavior. Adultery starts with the need for the adrenaline rush of someone’s flattering interest. Family disputes happen when one family member feels entitled to what the all the rest should receive. Arguments ensue when we think our opinion is more valuable, right, or superior to someone else’s opinion. Betrayals happen when self-absorbed desires assert themselves over the common good. Basically, nothing good comes from selfishness.

In contrast, Christ offers a life of freedom. He came to set us free from sin, from death, and mostly from ourselves. We are encouraged to pursue a life lived fully in the Spirit, which offers affection for others, exuberance for life, and SERENITY.

22-23 But what happens when we live God’s way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard—things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely.

23-24 Legalism is helpless in bringing this about; it only gets in the way. Among those who belong to Christ, everything connected with getting our own way and mindlessly responding to what everyone else calls necessities is killed off for good—crucified.

25-26 Since this is the kind of life we have chosen, the life of the Spirit, let us make sure that we do not just hold it as an idea in our heads or a sentiment in our hearts, but work out its implications in every detail of our lives. That means we will not compare ourselves with each other as if one of us were better and another worse. We have far more interesting things to do with our lives. Each of us is an original.

So, before the parade-watching, flag-waving, fireworks extravaganza begins, ask yourself this: where do I lack freedom in my life? I bet that if you trace that back, there will be selfishness at the root … either yours, or somebody else’s.

The cross and the flag are both symbols of our freedom. As we lift one high today, let us lift the other higher.

Peer Pressure

Posted on July 1, 2022 by Betsy

I have a beautiful friend who does jail ministry. She visits women who have been incarcerated for many different reasons. My friend listens patiently and without judgment as the women pour out their hearts to her. These relationships last for years, as she serves as an email “pen pal” while they go in and out of the system and hopefully home.

Regardless of the charges against these prisoners, they all seem to have one thing in common: at some point in their lives they succumbed to peer pressure that led them to make poor decisions. Some were influenced by bad boyfriends and became trapped in a criminal lifestyle. Some got involved in a drug culture that led them to get caught buying and selling illegal substances. Some succumbed to the violence advocated by their gang buddies. Some were desperate to feed their children and stole things. Feeling helpless and without options, none of them stood alone and refused to participate in activities that others around them were doing. And then they got caught.

Today’s passage from Jeremiah highlights the importance of standing alone and not letting the crowd influence you. This is a hard path to take, but the end result is righteousness:

Jeremiah 15 (Common English Bible)

You understand, Lord!
    Remember me and act on my behalf.
Bring judgment on those who torment me.
    In your mercy, spare my life.
    Consider how I’m insulted on your account.
¹⁶When your words turned up, I feasted on them;
    and they became my joy, the delight of my heart,
        because I belong to you,
        Lord God of heavenly forces.
¹⁷I didn’t join the festive occasions;
    I took no delight in them.
    I sat alone
        because your hand was upon me
        and you had filled me with curses.

“I sat alone.” There may have been times in your life where your faith made you the object of ridicule. This happened to me in middle school when my new conversion and decision to wear a cross to school resulted in being mocked and called “holy.” It was meant as a put-down, but I later learned that the definition of the word “holy” is “set apart.”

I’ll take it.

¹⁸Why am I always in pain?
    Why is my wound incurable,
        so far beyond healing?
You have become for me as unreliable
    as a spring gone dry!

¹⁹Therefore, the Lord proclaims:
If you return to me, I will take you back
    and let you stand before me.
If you utter what is worthwhile,
        not what is worthless,
    you will be my spokesman.
They will turn to you,
    not you to them!

Proclaiming our faith can eventually result in others turning to us when they encounter hardships. When I got to high school, I met a few new friends who were curious about my faith, noticing that something about me was different. That opened up doors for me to share my story.

²⁰I will make you a sturdy bronze wall
    against these people.
They will attack you,
        but they won’t triumph,
    because I am with you
        to protect and rescue you,
            declares the Lord.
²¹I will rescue you from the hand of the wicked;
    I will redeem you from the grasp of the violent.

You might be struggling with co-workers, family, or friends who mock your faith. Never mind. God is here to protect and rescue you and assures you that when you are attacked for his sake, your attackers won’t triumph. You are a sturdy bronze wall!

Stand tall.

Standing Tall by Wende Pritchard (Wright Brothers Memorial)

Spring Rains

Posted on June 29, 2022 by Betsy

Do you believe God causes injury to those who love him? This is an excruciatingly hard question for believers. If you shouted “no,” please indulge me by continuing to read.

What if I said, “Do you believe God will do anything to stop us when we are going the wrong direction?” I bet you would say “yes” to that. Or how about, “Do you believe hurt can result when God redirects our path for our own good?” Phrased in this manner, perhaps the subject might seem a little more palatable.

I’m sure we all understand that God will do extreme things to stop us from sinning and spending eternity away from his presence. In fact, he sent his only Son for that very reason. The cross is evidence of God’s desire to put us on a righteous path no matter the cost, pain, harm, or suffering.

In our passage today, the nation of Israel had strayed far away from God. They had separated into two nations and had fallen into great apostasy, idolatry, and rejection of the Law. Hosea came along as a prophet in this fractured time, and God described what is happening in Israel as “adultery.” And so, God acts to discipline and correct the nations that he loves. His correction is painful, as it sometimes is with us. But see what Hosea says to the people:

Hosea 6:1-6

“Come, let’s return to the Lord;
for it is he who has injured us and will heal us;
he has struck us down, but he will bind us up.

The One who has hurt you will heal you. Every parent who has had to correct or discipline a child understands this dichotomy. What happens for our own good can sometimes hurt a great deal.

I experienced this many years ago when a new pastor arrived at the large church I was serving and proposed a new staffing structure that eliminated all of the Associate Pastor positions. In a few months I was gone from the church and the people I had loved for 16 years. As I lay wounded, a lovely friend came and gave me the most startling news: God was the agent of my pain. It wasn’t the new pastor, or the restaffing plan, or the committee, or the church. God had done this for reasons beyond my understanding, but I was to trust in him.

Gotta be honest here; it took a while … about two years.

But I landed on this beautiful island and a year later, a position suddenly opened up for me in a wonderful church. Twelve years later I can say with assurance that God absolutely allowed me to have great pain in order to get me to a place where I needed to be. God indeed caused this to happen for my own good. I am thankful for his intervention in my life every day.

As you read this next part, notice the beautiful foreshadowing of the resurrection:

²After two days he will revive us;
on the third day he will raise us up,
so that we may live before him.

And that’s the good news. If God has you in a hurt locker right now, he also has plans to bring you out of it.

³Let’s know, let’s press on to know the Lord;
        whose appearing is as certain as the dawn;
        who will come to us like the showers,
        like the spring rains that give drink to the earth.”

Like the spring rains that give drink to the earth, God will quench your thirst and restore you to joy if you return to him.

Hosea leaves us with the same warning he delivered to Israel. God desires faithful love. He is not interested in your faux acts of piety, your token offerings, or your shallow appearances at church for the sake of being seen there. No, indeed. We are called to give him our all with a love that is as steadfast as his love is for us.

    Ephraim, what will I do with you?
            Judah, what will I do with you?
    Your love is like a morning cloud,
            like the dew that vanishes quickly.
⁵    Therefore, I have attacked them by the prophets,
            I have killed them by the words of my mouth,
                and my judgment goes forth like a light.
⁶    I desire faithful love and not sacrifice,
            the knowledge of God instead of entirely burned offerings.

Can God cause you pain? Only when you really need it. So come back to him with the offering of yourself and he will heal you.

Have Mercy

Posted on June 27, 2022 by Betsy

One of my favorite children’s songs is “I Just Wanna Be a Sheep.” This, of course, was before sheep were politicized.

The lyrics go like this:

Chorus
I just wanna be a sheep
Baa, baa, baa, baa
I just wanna be a sheep
Baa, baa, baa, baa
I pray the Lord my soul to keep
I just wanna be a sheep
Baa, baa, baa, baa

The premise is that we are the sheep in God’s pasture, following the Great Shepherd Jesus. Sounds like a great life to me. But the brilliant part of the song is that it teaches kids about the nature of the Pharisees and the Sadducees in a memorable way.

Verse 3
Don’t wanna be a Pharisee
Don’t wanna be a Pharisee
‘Cause they’re not fair you see
Don’t wanna be a Pharisee

Verse 4
Don’t wanna be a Sadducee
Don’t wanna be a Sadducee
‘Cause they’re so sad you see
Don’t wanna be a Sadducee

The Pharisees weren’t fair because they were unkind and judgmental toward others. They condemned anyone who was not like them, and they hoarded their resources for themselves. They weren’t fair, you see. Sadducees did not believe in a resurrection, so they were so sad, you see.

Isn’t that clever?

Our Scripture today addresses the unfair Pharisees. Jesus really had a time with them, didn’t he? They criticized the starving disciples for picking and eating wheat on the Sabbath. See what Jesus does with that:

Matthew 12 (Common English Bible)

1 At that time Jesus went through the wheat fields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry, so they were picking heads of wheat and eating them. ²When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him, “Look, your disciples are breaking the Sabbath law.”

³But he said to them, “Haven’t you read what David did when he and those with him were hungry? ⁴He went into God’s house and broke the law by eating the bread of the presence, which only the priests were allowed to eat. ⁵Or haven’t you read in the Law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple treat the Sabbath as any other day and are still innocent? ⁶But I tell you that something greater than the temple is here. ⁷If you had known what this means, I want mercy and not sacrifice, you wouldn’t have condemned the innocent.

The piety of the Pharisees led them to condemn the innocent actions of others. They were so concerned with the outward appearances of themselves and others, they neglected the human need right before them. Ritual practices do not equate to the heartfelt worship of God. We are reminded that God looks upon the heart, not the appearance. So, all of the pious activities of these men meant nothing if mercy was not extended to God’s people in need.

This causes us to step back and consider our own piety. Do you make a show of attending church for the sake of being seen there? Do you read your Scriptures religiously and then go out and judge or condemn others? Are you practicing mercy toward God’s people in need in your community?

God wants sheep who will follow his Son seven days a week, not just Sundays. Where is he calling you to offer someone mercy?

Turning a Cold Shoulder

Posted on June 24, 2022 by Betsy

One of the most frustrating things about parenting is when a child won’t listen. I was talking with two moms last week who are in the throes of raising teenagers, and each shared a story about their kid not listening. It is hard to know if it is due to inattention, selective hearing, rebelliousness, stubbornness, distraction, or a combination of all those things. If you have raised a teenager, you know the struggle!

I know a mother of a four-year-old who contends with the same issue. She has developed a unique strategy that seems to work. She gently takes her son’s chin in her hand and gets down to his eye level. Then she says, “Ryan, look me in my eye.” Works every time. Unfortunately, that won’t work with your teenager when she is walking away from you, and it definitely won’t work when they are taller than you, but it does point to the necessity of ensuring that you have the child’s full attention.

I bet there are many times in my life when God wishes he could stoop down in front of me, hold my chin gently in his mighty hand and say, “Betsy! Look me in my eye.”

Our passage from Zechariah is a cautionary tale about what happens when we don’t look God in the eye and pay attention to what he is saying. His law, his instructions, and his will for our lives are clearly spelled out multiple times in Scripture. But too often we are walking away and not listening.

Zechariah 7 (Common English Bible)

8 The Lord’s word came to Zechariah:
⁹The Lord of heavenly forces proclaims:

Make just and faithful decisions; show kindness and compassion to each other! ¹⁰Don’t oppress the widow, the orphan, the stranger, and the poor; don’t plan evil against each other! ¹¹But they refused to pay attention. They turned a cold shoulder and stopped listening.

Neglecting to show mercy the way God shows mercy to us has negative consequences. As we talk about God being our refuge and our deliverer, we sometimes forget that we can anger God if we don’t offer those same things to other people who are hurting. When we steel our hearts against his Word and do things our way, there indeed is “hell to pay.”

¹²They steeled their hearts against hearing the Instruction and the words that the Lord of heavenly forces sent by his spirit through the earlier prophets. As a result, the Lord of heavenly forces became enraged.

¹³So just as he called and they didn’t listen, when they called, I didn’t listen, says the Lord of heavenly forces. ¹⁴I scattered them throughout the nations whom they didn’t know. The land was devastated behind them, with no one leaving or returning. They turned a delightful land into a wasteland.

Modern readers, take heed. God distanced himself from Israel when they gave him the cold shoulder. Left to their own apostasy, the beautiful Promised Land they had been given turned into a wasteland whose borders are still in dispute today.

This warning from an Old Testament prophet is a wake-up call. What is God calling you to do today that you are resisting? Pay attention. Look him in his eye. Ignoring God comes with a great price, so listen, trust, and obey.

For Your Own Good

Posted on June 22, 2022 by Betsy

A very smart four-year-old I know recently told me that there are more stars in the sky than grains of sand on the beach. (Okay, full disclosure … it was my grandson.) Skeptics are welcome to go here. Naturally I believed him since he has known the word “paleontologist” since he was three and can identify about twenty different dinosaurs, including his favorite, the Mosasaurus. Have you ever heard of a Mosasaurus? Me neither.

So, when you read things in the Old Testament that talk about the number of stars in the sky, you know you are talking about a really big number. A really, really big number.

This passage ends with a reference to stars, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves just yet. The writer begins with the startling question, “What does the Lord your God ask of you?” Have you ever thought about that? Do you even want to know? Maybe it’s too much …

Deuteronomy 10 (Common English Bible)

¹²Now in light of all that, Israel, what does the Lord your God ask of you? Only this: to revere the Lord your God by walking in all his ways, by loving him, by serving the Lord your God with all your heart and being, ¹³and by keeping the Lord’s commandments and his regulations that I’m commanding you right now. It’s for your own good!

Well, so far, so good. Revere God: check. Walk in all his ways: check. Love and serve him: check. Keep his commandments and regulation: daily effort, but we do the best we can. Check.

¹⁴Clearly, the Lord owns the sky, the highest heavens, the earth, and everything in it. ¹⁵But the Lord adored your ancestors, loving them and choosing the descendants that followed them—you!—from all other people. That’s how things still stand now. ¹⁶So circumcise your hearts and stop being so stubborn, ¹⁷because the Lord your God is the God of all gods and Lord of all lords, the great, mighty, and awesome God who doesn’t play favorites and doesn’t take bribes.

“Circumcise your heart” is a hard teaching. The writer is suggesting we “cut away” anything extraneous thing that might prevent us from revering, loving, serving, and keeping the commandments. What would that mean in your life? Less screen time? Less arguing? Less bashing your ex on social media? Less spending money on frivolous things while people go hungry? Less self-indulgence?

And now for the challenging part.

¹⁸He enacts justice for orphans and widows, and he loves immigrants, giving them food and clothing. ¹⁹That means you must also love immigrants because you were immigrants in Egypt.

I realize that immigration is a scalding hot political issue. It is complex and there are no easy solutions. But what exactly do you think verses 18 and 19 are saying to us? How can we care for the widows, orphans, and immigrants in our community?

²⁰Revere the Lord your God, serve him, cling to him, swear by his name alone! ²¹He is your praise, and he is your God—the one who performed these great and awesome acts that you witnessed with your very own eyes. ²²Your ancestors went down to Egypt with a total of seventy people, but now look! The Lord your God has made you as numerous as the stars in the nighttime sky!

God requires a lot from his people, but he gives even more. What does that mean to you today?

Tonight, look up at the stars and ask God to show you places where you might revere him more, love him deeper, serve him better, and follow his commandments with greater integrity. Remember what it says in verse 13; it’s for your own good! We have been made more numerous as the stars in the sky. We are his people! May we witness to the world what that means.

Practice, Practice

Posted on June 20, 2022 by Betsy

Do know the old joke about how to get to Carnegie Hall?

Question: “How do you get to Carnegie Hall?” Answer: “Practice, practice, practice.” The poor guy was looking for directions and he got a lecture.

But this is good advice for those who want to master an artistic, athletic, or academic performance of any kind. Good math requires practice. Good piano playing requires practice. Good ballet requires practice. My inability to do any of those three things is a result of my not wanting to practice!

Have you ever considered that praising God also requires practice? David was surely in the habit of praising God continually. It was a lifestyle for him and when he found himself in a place where his life and his sanity were in jeopardy, his praise practice helped him out:

Psalm 71 (Common English Bible)

I’ve taken refuge in you, Lord.
Don’t let me ever be put to shame!
²Deliver me and rescue me by your righteousness!
Bend your ear toward me and save me!
³Be my rock of refuge
where I can always escape.
You commanded that my life be saved
because you are my rock and my fortress.

The lovely phrase, “Bend your ear toward me” is a beautiful portrayal of our relationship with God. God indeed inclines his ear toward us every time we cry out to him. Like a mother bird feeding her squawking babies, God is ready to supply the need when we ask. He is the rock of refuge where we can always escape.

⁴My God, rescue me from the power of the wicked;
rescue me from the grip of the wrongdoer and the oppressor
⁵ because you are my hope, Lord.
You, Lord, are the one I’ve trusted since childhood.

Here we see why it is important to bring our children to church. David writes that he has trusted God since childhood and has depended on him from birth. How will our children have this type of relationship with God if we don’t make the effort to get them to Sunday school and worship every week?

⁶I’ve depended on you from birth—
    you cut the cord when I came from my mother’s womb.
    My praise is always about you.
⁷I’ve become an example to many people
    because you are my strong refuge.

Now comes the “practice, practice, practice” part:
⁸My mouth is filled with your praise,
glorifying you all day long.
⁹Don’t cast me off in old age.
Don’t abandon me when my strength is used up!

Is your mouth filled with God’s praise, or do you spend time gossiping, cutting others down, or complaining?

¹⁰Yes, my enemies have been talking about me;
    those who stalk me plot together:
¹¹“God has abandoned him!
    Pursue him!
    Grab him because no one will deliver him!”
¹²Don’t be far from me, God!
    My God, hurry to help me!
¹³Let my accusers be put to shame,
    completely finished off!
    Let those who seek my downfall
    be dressed in insults and disgrace!

David reminds us that we can also build a relationship with God by “repeating God’s righteous acts and saving deeds all day long.”

¹⁴But me? I will hope. Always.
    I will add to all your praise.
¹⁵My mouth will repeat your righteous acts
    and your saving deeds all day long.
    I don’t even know how many of those there are!
¹⁶I will dwell on your mighty acts, my Lord.
    Lord, I will help others remember nothing but your righteous deeds.

What will come out of your mouth today? Try practicing praise for a change. My guess is that your day will be filled with blessings if you do.

Down and Out

Posted on June 17, 2022 by Betsy

Have you ever felt completely down and out? Were you in a place where nothing you did went right, everyone had turned against you, and everywhere you turned, someone was after you, trying to do you harm? Life can sometimes catch up to us and grab us by the ankles so hard we can’t move or breathe.

Several years ago, I found myself in such a place. A person who was struggling with mental illness turned her focus on me in ways that were disturbing and threatening. Then I came out of my office one day to find my tire had been slashed, preventing me from leaving on a trip until it got fixed. A month later, my mother suddenly passed away. With no sibling available, I was left to settle her estate and take care of all of her arrangements while trying to process my deep grief. It seemed that everywhere I turned for a few months, it was nothing but doom and gloom.

King David found himself in such a state many times in his life. His down-and-out moments often came as a result of his own actions, but he also was threatened by a mentally ill king who tried to take David’s life. David learned through all of that, as I did, that there is only one place to go: God is our rescuer in troubling times, regardless of the cause of our stress:

Psalm 41 (Common English Bible)

Those who pay close attention to the poor are truly happy!
    The Lord rescues them during troubling times.
²The Lord protects them and keeps them alive;
    they are widely regarded throughout the land as happy people.
    You won’t hand them over to the will of their enemies.
³The Lord will strengthen them when they are lying in bed, sick.
    You will completely transform the place where they lie ill.

⁴But me? I said, “Lord, have mercy on me!
    Heal me because I have sinned against you.”
⁵My enemies speak maliciously about me:
    “When will he die and his name disappear?”
⁶Whenever they come to visit, they say nothing of value.
    Their hearts collect evil gossip;
    once they leave, they tell it to everybody.
⁷All of those who hate me talk about me, whispering to each other,
    plotting evil against me:
⁸“Some horrible thing has been poured into him;
    the next time he lies down, he won’t get up.”

One of life’s greatest stressors is the betrayal of someone you love. Few things cut as deep as a spouse, sibling, or friend turning against you. This happened to David, too.

⁹Even my good friend,
    the one I trusted,
    who shared my food,
    has kicked me with his heel—a betrayer!
¹⁰But you, Lord, please have mercy on me and lift me up
    so I can pay them back!

David’s plea for revenge for revenge’s sake will go unheeded by God. God reminds us that vengeance is his. But we can certainly tap into David’s emotions here. Who among us hasn’t wished to see our enemy get what’s coming to them?

¹¹Then I’ll know you are pleased with me
because my enemy won’t be shouting in triumph over me.
¹²You support me in my integrity;
you put me in your presence forever.

Are you feeling down and out today? Take heart. God is with you even in the worst of your situation. You are never alone.

¹³Bless the Lord, the God of Israel,
from forever to forever!
Amen and Amen!

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