Psalm 86 - Bend an ear, God; answer me. I'm one miserable wretch! ...
You snatched me from the brink of disaster! ...
As you, God, gently and powerfully put me back on my feet.
A saved mess. A glorious mess.
Psalm 87 - God registers their names in his book ...
Can I fathom the Mystery that my name is there?
Psalm 88 - God, you're my last chance of the day. I spend the night on my knees before you ...
Take notes on the trouble I'm in ...
You turned my friends against me ...
Blinded by tears of pain and frustration ...
My only friend left is Darkness ...
Pain.
Frustration.
What do I do with that?
Psalm 89 - You put the arrogant ocean in its place
You put your arrogant child in moments like today
that I may see into my heart.
I've thought a whole lot this year about the story of the Prodigal Son. In his book about the prodigal, Henri Nouwen writes: "Can I let the younger and older son grow in me to the maturity of the compassionate father?" The father is who I must become, he writes. As the father deals with his own anger and loneliness, his anger turns to solitude and his loneliness turns to gratitude. I am that younger and older brother. Frustration. Anger. Pain. Can you grow both of my sides into a compassion that moves into the lives of others in the midst of my own mess?
I woke up feeling overwhelmed with so many things, but don't want to sound like a drama-queen. I'm looking forward to our vacation next week (in northern Michigan at a lake house) to be able to spend time with God and write my own Psalms and get to the bottom of some stuff.
ReplyDeleteI think I better... "Praise first and feel it later." Um... let's see. I'm thankful for this special place to feel safe to share what's really going on in my heart. This place is a refuge! Thanks, you guys!
Love,
Angie xoxo
Blessed are the people who know the passwords of praise, who shout on parade in the bright presence of God. Delighted, they dance all day long; they know who you are, what you do—they can't keep it quiet!
ReplyDeleteDon't you love the words "The passwords of praise..."? The secret keys to the Kingdom of delight and dance, knowing Him intimately, there's no way to keep it to ourselves!
These psalms are so personal, so specific, and yet capture the universal praise and promise of His living Word.
I haven't read Henri Nouwen in about one year. But, I keep thinking about the Prodigal Son story and what Nouwen wrote about it. I read the Nouwen quote I put in my post today in a book, then I came home and checked my email and The Nouwen Society had emailed me that quote. Checked my snail mail and a friend had mailed the same quote with the Prodigal postcard. Okay, God, I hear! I'm listening...amazing to me when you hear same quote out of millions of quotes from 3 different directions on same day.
ReplyDeleteNo matter how often that happens, I still am amazed. It often seems to be the way God works. No coincidences in this life. God has your attention, Bev. He's so obvious in your words, on your face, in your heart. Thanks again for your faithful service here on this blog. It blesses me daily.
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