Will the Real Me Please Stand Up?

S

(Psalm 32:6) Therefore, let everyone who is godly offer prayer to You at a time when You may be found; surely in the rush of great waters, they shall not reach Him.

O

This describes people who know and trust God--they invest time and attention to building a safe and secure relationship with Him in anticipation of distressing, destructive life circumstances. When caught in such crises, strong currents of emotions and frantic intentions sweep us into strange, unsought places. But by establishing a secure resting place in God before floods engulf us, godly people find themselves emotionally and rationally anchored to the safe and secure, immoveable Rock.

A

I know God uses the water of His Word to wash away real contaminates (Ephesians 5:25,26). The goal of this pressure hose is our wholeness. Michelangelo chipped and scraped marble blocks to "release" iconic representations of people, but the Holy Spirit removes misrepresentations of His image so--in His image--we become liberated to be our true selves.

P

Lord, be my soul's strong anchor amidst chaotic floods (Hebrews 6:18,19; 12:27,28). Search me and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any evil way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting! (Psalm 139:23,24).

Exchanging Evil for Good

S
(Psalm 109:4,5) In return for my love they accuse me, but I give myself to prayer. So they reward me evil for good, and hatred for my love.

O
In shocking, graphic detail, David inventories how he promotes justice in the midst of an unjust and painful world. Half of this psalm lists specific prayers that cause spiritual crimes to boomerang back upon evildoers. Before being able to pray this way, though, David loved and prayed for his accusing adversaries, and he did good to them when they hurt and cursed him (v. 4, 21, 18).

A
How easy it is to abuse justice by two equally pain-producing extremes: either taking justice into our own badly informed hands or allowing fear to shrink us into a false apathy that causes us to forsake justice. Vengeance clearly belongs to God, not to people (Romans 12), yet He requires people to fearfully use this tool (Romans 13; 1 Peter 4; Ephesians 1:22,23).

P
Lord, You explain that "light dawns in the darkness for the upright" and that Your people are "gracious, merciful, and righteous" (Psalm 112:4). For a season, You evidently allow evil be believe it's winning (1 Corinthians 5:5) so that the contrast between it and Your character becomes increasingly evident. I volunteer to walk the Valley of the Shadow so Your dawn can be increasingly glorious (Proverbs 4:18).

What Do You Want from Jesus?

S
The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ. Acts 5:41-42 (NIV)

O
They leave the highest court in Jerusalem, having just been rebuked and beaten, but the apostles are rejoicing. Their joy flows from their conviction that it was an honor to suffer for Jesus. They ignore the rebuke—to stop teaching in Christ's name—and continually minister, both in the place of public worship, and in people's homes.

A
I see no attractive message of happiness and success in this passage, only the joy of suffering in holiness and service. I love the parts of the Bible that speak of God's blessings for obedience. I often read into those verses, "happiness and success." But I really need the other parts, the passages that serve up a hearty meal of holiness, suffering, and, joy.

P
Dear Lord, please scrub my heart of any un-holy desire for comfort and ease in You. May I rejoice equally in your loving blessings whatever they bring, knowing that sometimes service comes as suffering. I pray that I will testify of Your lovingkindness even in the midst of the worst circumstances.