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Thanksgiving has always been one of my favorite holidays–the food, the family, the cool fall weather, the smells, the general spirit of the holiday. But this year especially, with Thanksgiving only hours away, I’ve appreciated it from a whole new perspective. Perhaps stemming from this new perspective, one particular psalm has stood out to me over the last several weeks, Psalm 145, David’s psalm.
“One generation shall praise thy works to another…” Psalm 145:4
Disappointments are a part of life. Unfortunately, we have to face that reality pretty early in our existence. But even as an adult, married with two children, I still find myself facing disappointment and frustration that are largely my own fault. I say that because most of my frustrations, whether with my husband, myself, or my children, stem from my own unfulfilled expectations.
I know the usual advice is to set “realistic” expectations, but the reality is that no expectation is truly realistic. After all, when I have to combat Murphy’s law, people’s short comings (including my own), and a two year old’s eratic decisions, the only “realistic” expectation I have is getting out of bed in the morning. (And even that occurs earlier than I expect most mornings.) So how can I maintain my sanity and avoid despair? The answer to my lack of fulfillment is not what I am expecting but WHO I am expecting it from. Read the rest of this entry »
“His delight is in the law of the Lord, and in his law doth he meditate day and night.” Psalm 1:2
When my mind rushes through tasks to accomplish without thought for God, my busy schedule is not the only thing to blame. Because meditating involves more than just taking time to be still, it also involves discipline. We don’t think of resting as a matter of discipline, but resting is not always an excuse to not work. Sometimes, work is our excuse for not resting.
We worry about what would happen if we stopped doing what we’re doing, as if the world would fall apart if we didn’t hold it together. Afterall, who would think about all of this stuff if we didn’t? But we forget that the Lord holds the world together by His word, not our strength. Martin Luther said, “Pray, and let God worry.”
To get my mind to stop rambling and to start meditating on God and His person takes discipline; it takes a conscious effort. We must put the brakes on. And when we do, we will find, miraculously, that our world has not come to a screeching halt. Instead, we will find not only the rest that we need in the still waters of God and His truth but also the power of God and the sufficiency of His grace stepping into our very lives and mundane routines.
But discipline is hard at first. That’s why when I find that moment of silence in my schedule where I can meditate, I have to continually keep my mind from straying off. Bringing our bodies into subjection, including our minds, takes hard work, exercise, and self control. Incredibly, our minds have a great aptitude for training. Athletes, scientists, artists, and others train their minds to reach intense levels of concentration, blocking out all distractions. Even as parents, we train ourselves to certain levels of concentration. A mother has the uncanny ability, no matter what else may be going on, to hear her baby cry. Conversely, a parent may be able to block out certain child-related noises when other tasks need to be accomplished.
So, why can’t we do this in our spiritual lives? I think the time must come where we place the blame where it really lies–not with the children, not with our busy schedules, but with our own priorities and desires. You see, the first part of Psalm 1:2 provides us with the real answer. If we truly delighted in the Lord, we would put all else aside for Him.
“In his law doth he meditate day and night.” Psalm 1:2
I can’t remember the last time I meditated. I can’t remember the last time I communed with my own heart upon my bed and was still (Psalm 4:4). Unless you count the time I spend at night before I go to bed, thinking through all I didn’t get done and all I have to do tomorrow. But the last time that I stopped all the busy-ness of my mind and thought about nothing but God, I can’t remember a time like that.
You see, I’m the mother of two, now. My oldest one is two. And I can’t remember what I need to remember as it is, with my mind going 90 miles a minute. “Kids need to take their medicines; pack a bottle; are there diapers in the diaper bag; has he gone potty yet; need to get meat out for supper tonight; where are his shoes; laundry–need to do the kids laundry TODAY; do we have any towels left–’Son, do not sit on your sister!’” Where does God fit into all of that? And yet, He’s supposed to fit. In fact, for me to thrive, for my exploits of the day to be successful, He MUST be there.
I’ve heard that I need to take time out for my husband; I’ve been hounded about taking time out for me. But the truth is, the one I really need to take time out for is God. So, when does this happen? Try day and night, first of all, just like the psalmist recommends. Rather than ending the day with a list of failures and To-dos and beginning the next day where I left off the night before, I ought to be still–and reflect–on the God who got me through the day–on the God who will get me through tomorrow–on the God who gave me my blessings and my responsibilities–on God. Then, once I’m still and calm and reflective, I can think about my ways (Psalm 119:57), where I’ve fallen short of God’s will instead of my ideals. With repentant heart, I can take the time to make those ways right again and to readjust my path when I get distracted from my goal (which is God). Then, I can start the next day–still, meditative, communing with God once again–by dedicating my day, my tasks, my strength (or lack thereof) to Him who is my strength. I can delight in His presence and companionship.
But then, do I stop there? After “Amen” has been said, do I rush to my list of To-dos? Sure, I can rush to my tasks, but not without God today. Today, I pause throughout and acknowledge His grace, strength, and wisdom. I even have the children pause with me, occasionally, to pray for someone that we think of or to simply praise God for a beautiful day to play outside. The difference is, with my mind on God instead of on my tasks, I am in control of my tasks rather than those responsibilities dominating me. And I’m finding delight in the One who is Delight, who is the I Am of all I need. With my roots in His calm streams, I am like a tree–sturdy and stable–providing what I can for those the Lord has placed beneath my branches.
“For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.” Psalm 1:6
There are many aspects of God and His work that David praises throughout the Psalms. But one recurring praise that is addressed as early as Psalm 1 is this: God rewards the good and punishes the evil. Why was that so important to David? Why did it make such a deep impression on him?
For the same reason that the characteristic of God’s justice is important to us. His justice, whether enacted in the present or stored up for the future, provides comfort, stability, and balance in our troubled world and difficult circumstances. We crave God’s justice, even though we ourselves are sinful and unjust in our fallen world. Perhaps because we were created in God’s image, we crave the character of God; we crave that which is good and just.
One area where I can provide comfort and stability in my home, especially for my children, is to create that same atmosphere of justice–rewarding good and punishing evil. As controversial as discipline is today, it is discipline and structure that provides a haven in the midst of a sinful, unpredictable world. After all, isn’t that what we run to when we run to God? Lord, bring justice to my life, to my enemies, to those who would harm me or my family. See what I am going through and set it to rights.
