psalm 13
Through the past few weeks, losing my dog, the shooting in Orlando, and reading through Jeremiah & Psalms, I've been reminded again of the importance of lamenting. So this is a short post tonight as I learn to process it all, simply the words of a beautiful lament in the Psalms that follows the pattern of crying out in honest bluntness, and ending in a re-preaching of truth to your own soul.
I'm in much the same place as I was two weeks ago in learning to understand and accept God's unchanging love for me. I had a simple little ring made with a tiny paw print on the outside, and the words "I'll always love you" on the inside to remember my Boo. Even tonight at church, I found myself battling to believe that God supported me in this grief; I wondered bewilderedly whether I was chaining myself with emotion that was uncalled for. I started hearing a voice telling me that even this little ring was taking my focus away from more important things. I didn't know where the voice was coming from. In the midst of the music - whatever song it was - I had to fight to pull Scripture and truth to mind: what does God really say? And then I realized that His words were already inscribed inside that ring: "I'll always love you." I thought I'd written those words from me to my dog, but only then realized that before it all God was writing them from Him to me. I told the devil to get out, get away from me, then and there. I am loved. And I am loved by a God who walks with us when we have to re-learn the same lesson over and over again. I'm loved by a God who draws near to the broken-hearted. I'm loved by a God who answers the laments of confused, bewildered people. So even if I feel like I'm in verse 1 of Psalm 13, I know I can preach the truth of verses 5-6.
I'm in much the same place as I was two weeks ago in learning to understand and accept God's unchanging love for me. I had a simple little ring made with a tiny paw print on the outside, and the words "I'll always love you" on the inside to remember my Boo. Even tonight at church, I found myself battling to believe that God supported me in this grief; I wondered bewilderedly whether I was chaining myself with emotion that was uncalled for. I started hearing a voice telling me that even this little ring was taking my focus away from more important things. I didn't know where the voice was coming from. In the midst of the music - whatever song it was - I had to fight to pull Scripture and truth to mind: what does God really say? And then I realized that His words were already inscribed inside that ring: "I'll always love you." I thought I'd written those words from me to my dog, but only then realized that before it all God was writing them from Him to me. I told the devil to get out, get away from me, then and there. I am loved. And I am loved by a God who walks with us when we have to re-learn the same lesson over and over again. I'm loved by a God who draws near to the broken-hearted. I'm loved by a God who answers the laments of confused, bewildered people. So even if I feel like I'm in verse 1 of Psalm 13, I know I can preach the truth of verses 5-6.
13 How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?
How long will you hide your face from me?
2 How long must I take counsel in my soul
and have sorrow in my heart all the day?
How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?
How long will you hide your face from me?
2 How long must I take counsel in my soul
and have sorrow in my heart all the day?
How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?
3 Consider and answer me, O Lord my God;
light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death,
4 lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed over him,”
lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken.
light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death,
4 lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed over him,”
lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken.
5 But I have trusted in your steadfast love;
my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.
6 I will sing to the Lord,
because he has dealt bountifully with me.
my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.
6 I will sing to the Lord,
because he has dealt bountifully with me.
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thoughts so far