Cry out... and trust

When I was a child (and, to be honest, into my adulthood!), when things were hard, when I was sad or disappointed, or afraid, I turned to my Mom. I was so confident and secure in her love for me that I knew she could make it all better, even if all she did was listen.

As we grow up, sometimes we fail to transfer that kind of childlike trust to The One, the ONLY ONE, whose love is worthy of our trust. And whose power is worthy of our confidence. So many of the psalms convey this picture of crying out to God, of placing our trust in Him. I’ve been reading through the psalms and one in particular stood out to me for this very reason. Psalm 57. Verse 2 says “I will cry to God Most High, to God, who accomplishes all things for me.”

What a practical picture of Christian living! The context for this psalm is when David was hiding from King Saul, tucked away in a cave, appropriately afraid for his life. Instead of plotting his way out, instead of keeping his worries in his head, what does he do? He cries out to God Most High.

“Crying out” to the Lord carries the meaning of literally what it says - crying and out loud. This is what Scripture prescribes for us - not sporting a stiff upper lip. Not bottling up our hurts and fears inside. But pouring them out aloud to God Most High. Just like I always felt better after I told my Mom about whatever was bothering me, so this very act of lifting up our concerns to our Heavenly Father lifts our burdens.

However, this psalm tells us it’s more than that. As much as my Mom loved me, as capable and amazing as she was, she was finite in her abilities to “fix things” for me. Her capacity, though full of love and determination, was limited. Not so with God Most High.

The remainder of that verse clarifies why it is such a great idea to cry out to God. Because HE accomplishes all things for me! God Most High is infinite, limitless in not only His power but also His love. I pour out to Him my worries and fears and pain because I trust Him - I know He loves me (I Peter 5:7 - “casting all my anxiety on Him because He cares for me) and I know is the only One who is working on my behalf all the time. That is what is meant by the word “accomplishes” -not only working but working them after the counsel of His will (Ephesians 1:11). And what is His will? To bless me with “every spiritual blessing in the Heavenly places in Christ” (Ephesians 1:3)!

Psalm 57 goes on to expound on what God Most High does for him - sending help from heaven, and reproaching those who wrong him. And then it recounts the result of this crying out and trusting…Verse 7 says “ My heart is steadfast , O God, my heart is steadfast. I will sing, yes I will sing praises!” Pouring out our fears and pains to The One who cares for us and is actively working all things for our good and His glory takes us from those negative emotions to a place of peace and praise. Steadfast heart, praising voice. What a progression!

If you are in a place of hurt or anxiety, if your heart is afraid or unsettled, I implore you to do what I’ve found to bring victory, what the psalmist demonstrates to us here. Cry out…and trust.

Thoughts on Church on this Christmas Eve

Most of my blog messages are written well in advance of their posting date. Today’s is no exception. I am writing weeks before this is scheduled but I know it will post on Christmas Eve. It might not seem “christmasy” to you but I think it very much feels like the true meaning of Christmas…..

Over the past few weeks, four of my friends have watched one of their loved ones complete their earthly race. The circumstances of each departure were all different - one was a young child, one was an octogenarian, and the other two were closer to my age. Two were dramatically unexpected and two were sad but not shocking. While the circumstances were varied, the thing that was consistent is the subject of this message.

In each case, in the midst of pain and grief and sorrow, I saw THE CHURCH in action.

THE CHURCH. The BRIDE of CHRIST. The PEOPLE of GOD. came alongside by friends in each of these situations. They prayed and cried and fed and grieved and served and did all the things that needed to be done. Not just for a day but for weeks. Each of these situations were different circles of friends but they each one functioned the same. Because each circle was the BODY of Christ. Each different group somehow knew what was needed and they met those needs. With hearts to ease the burdens, to share the grief, to support and love and minister.

In the midst of brokenness and pain…there was beauty. Each of the times. Beauty delivered by THE CHURCH.

What does that have to do with Christmas?

Everything.

Because this is what Jesus came to earth and died for. To create and establish and grow His BRIDE. And when one member of the Body is hurting, it is a glorious sight to see the other parts surround the wound and pour out love. It is beautiful.

I am so thankful to be part of THE CHURCH. The Church universal….and the local church. I love being part of it and participating in the beautiful fleshing out of Christ’s plan for us. Christmas is when we celebrate the gift of Jesus coming to earth. But while we celebrate, let’s remember what He came to redeem us, to give Himself up for us, and to make us holy, blameless, and His Beautiful Bride. As we minister to one another, we see Ephesians 4:15,16 in real life: we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.

I love THE CHURCH universal as well as the local Church. Even though it gets messy sometimes ( we are all still human on this side of Eternity, after all!) and yes, there are failures and disappointments and mistakes. But it’s also beautiful. The different parts working together. The fitting together under the head of Christ. The growth and the building of in love. I get to see it all the time. I get to be part of it. I am so thankful.

I hope you love the church too. I hope you are part of it and that you participate in this fitting together. If you’ve been hurt or disappointed, I am sorry. Church hurt is hard. But, this Christmas, for the sake of what Jesus came for, give it another chance.

It really can be a beautiful and glorious thing. Merry Christmas.

Heart surgery

It has been my experience that God will gently and graciously repeat Himself when something in my heart needs attention. Not that He speaks in an audible voice (although He can do that, too!) but rather I will notice sort of a theme in devotionals I read or sermons I hear or conversations I have with friends. When the same verse “pops up” several times over a few days, I have learned to give it my attention. It usually means the lover of my soul has a message for me.

Such it was recently with Psalm 86:11. Teach me Your way, Lord; I will walk in Your Truth. Unite my heart to fear Your name. Today that verse was repeated in a devotional I read for what seems like the umpteenth time. So I opened my Bible to Psalm 86 and asked God what He wanted me to hear.

Here’s what I see:

First, context. In reading the entire Psalm, verse 11 appears to be dropped in the midst of expressions of praise and pleadings for answered prayer. It’s as though those heart-cries opened his eyes to the reality of his need: for God to teach him, help him, and fix him.

Working backwards in verse 11, the psalmist realizes that the goal is to fear His name. That doesn’t mean to be afraid of God - rather it is an awareness that God is holy…and we are not. It is a recognition that our greatest need and the greatest possible blessing is to know that this awareness effects right living. Having the proper view of God changes how we live.

So that’s the goal. But the psalmist realizes he faces an obstacle to reaching that goal: his own heart. Specifically, a divided heart. That’s why he uses the phrase “unite my heart”. The one God kept bringing to my attention. This is not a longing to be in unity with other believers (although that is certainly a good thing!). No, this is an awareness that the biggest problem we will ever face is not a set of challenging circumstances, other people, or even spiritual warfare. The biggest problem we have to face is much closer: our own heart. For believers, the problem is not so much that our heart is wretched but rather that our heart is divided.

Divided into parts that war against each other. The conflict between our new self and our old nature. Flesh vs spirit. Longings that are in opposition to one another. Like wanting to be fit but also wanting to eat the cookies I just baked for someone else. Longing for the willingness to die to myself yet also craving the comfort of relaxation. Having the desire to open my heart to everyone but still smarting from recent hurts that sprout a sense of self-protectiveness. Wanting for God to receive all the glory and yet longing to be thought valuable and significant myself. Striving towards obedience in the area of forgiveness but still tempted to nurse a grudge against those who hurt the ones I love. And on and on. A divided heart. One that needs to be united. United to fear His Name.

So what are we to do?

I think the answer is in that chapter, in that one verse even. First, as we realize that our heart needs uniting, we cry out to the only one Who can remedy it. God alone can cure the divided heart. Thus, we ask Him to do what only He can do so that we will fear His name and arrange our lives accordingly.

What else are we to do?
The first part of the verse instructs us:

Plead with God not only to unite our heart but first to teach us His way. The Hebrew word for “teach” there means not only provide instruction but especially to “lay the foundation”. We need more than mere knowledge - we need for God to build wisdom into us, to lay the groundwork for our lives, to actually be the rock on which our lives are built. Yes, Lord, teach us Your way!

As we look to Him to unite our heart, to build us on the Rock, we see a great truth in the middle phrase. I will walk in Your truth. At first glance, it seems like a simple declaration of how I intend to live: walking with integrity and obedience. But a deeper dive reveals much more. Much much more. The word “truth” carries with it the meaning of steadfast faithfulness. THAT is what I walk in. The truth that God is ever faithful. Even though I am not! He is steadfast to provide what I need. Which means I don’t have to fight for my own comfort or satisfaction or significance. He will provide that. I am free to forgive and risk being wounded again, free to entrust those I love to the One who loves them more because I can be secure in HIS faithfulness, HIS trustworthiness. I can walk in that - goodness gracious, I can RUN in that!

Lord Jesus, I cry out to You to unite my heart! I acknowledge the divisions that are there and I cast myself on Your goodness, Your power, Your faithfulness to heal them. To build into me the character of Christ, the sure and strong foundation of Your Word. Oh, my Savior, how I long to fear Your name and praise you forever! Thank you for teaching me with persistence <3 Oh, how I love Jesus!