Another Interesting Parallel

As I listened to today's podcast from the Daily Audio Bible, this section of verses in the book of Psalm caught my attention. Although not exactly the same situation, I couldn't help but compare David's experience with that of Jesus' on the cross. While not in the same league of suffering, I thought about Jesus as David poured his heart out in the Old Testament.

Psalm 22:1-18 (New International Version)

1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Why are you so far from saving me,
so far from my cries of anguish?
2 My God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer,
by night, but I find no rest.

3 Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One;
you are the one Israel praises.
4 In you our ancestors put their trust;
they trusted and you delivered them.
5 To you they cried out and were saved;
in you they trusted and were not put to shame.

6 But I am a worm and not a man,
scorned by everyone, despised by the people.
7 All who see me mock me;
they hurl insults, shaking their heads.
8 “He trusts in the LORD,” they say,
“let the LORD rescue him.
Let him deliver him,
since he delights in him.”

9 Yet you brought me out of the womb;
you made me trust in you, even at my mother’s breast.
10 From birth I was cast on you;
from my mother’s womb you have been my God.

11 Do not be far from me,
for trouble is near
and there is no one to help.

12 Many bulls surround me;
strong bulls of Bashan encircle me.
13 Roaring lions that tear their prey
open their mouths wide against me.
14 I am poured out like water,
and all my bones are out of joint.
My heart has turned to wax;
it has melted within me.
15 My mouth is dried up like a potsherd,
and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth;
you lay me in the dust of death.

16 Dogs surround me,
a pack of villains encircles me;
they pierce my hands and my feet.
17 All my bones are on display;
people stare and gloat over me.
18 They divide my clothes among them
and cast lots for my garment.

Sometimes, we'll find ourselves suffering and seemingly all alone. Not every life experience will be a mountaintop event, and you can't always feel the presence of God. However, when times are tough, it's important to stand firm and not lose faith in the fact that the Lord is always with us, and is fighting on our behalf. The victory isn't always accomplished on our time table- but it is coming. Sometimes, you're bruised and battered in the process of waiting on the Lord. Persist. It's worth it.

Good Night

God Is Up To Something

There are many things going on in my life right now. Little signs here and there and then some not-so-subtle hints that the winds are shifting. God is up to something. Change is on the way and I'm uncertain of exactly what it entails.

As the Holy Spirit leads me through what I believe is a season of change, it will be important to remember that I need to let go and fully let God have access to all avenues of my life. If I'm willing to wholly surrender to Him and trust that His heart is good and right, only then will the fullness of a life based in Christ be realized. What are you willing to give up, so that you can truly follow Christ?

It's scary sometimes to think about what you could lose in the process, isn't it? Would you give up your home? Your car? Finances? Friends or family? Often we don't fully trust that the Lord cares about such things- or that collateral damage will result if we give ourselves over to God. Maybe we don't really believe He exists in some level of our belief system. Maybe we've been burned by human relationships, therefore we don't trust Him completely. We place ourselves back into the drivers seat and potentially risk missing out on God's intended life for us, because we think we can do a better job. Maybe we're making excuses, or waiting for the "right time" to let go. However, at some point in our Christian walk we need to move from simply acknowledging God, to believing and trusting in Him wholeheartedly in every area of our lives.

In a podcast from a few days ago, Brian Hardin spoke about a group of farmers which gathered together in Africa to start a pineapple processing plant. You see, this group of farmers had historically sold their raw pineapples to a third party processor. The processor in turn made juice and other products at a profit, while the farmers and their families barely earned a living.

In coming to together, these farmers were very proud of the first processing machine, which launched their new business. It was a simple blender. Here is a group of impoverished people, banding together, starting a business- with a blender! They followed the instructions that the Holy Spirit placed upon their hearts and they never waited for optimal conditions to materialize. The heard the call of the Lord and they went for it without excuse and few resources. God showed up and the rest is history. Those farmers now operate a small, four room processing plant, but they're making a difference in their communities.

I'm at that crossroad tonight. I choose to follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit through the Word of God and the guidance of established, Christian mentors. Even if I look like an idiot to the world for doing so, I choose to follow Christ.

Lord Have Mercy.

Good Night