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By the waters of Babylon, there we sat down and wept, when we remembered Zion. On the willows there we hung up our lyres.  For there our captors required of us songs, and our tormentors, mirth, saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!”  How shall we sing the Lord’s song in a foreign land?  Psalm 137:1-4

Not all Psalms were written by David.  This one was written by a Jewish exile living in Babylon.  Having seen his homeland destroyed and having been taken as a captive into the foreign culture of the Babylonian Empire, he struggled to find his voice and get his spiritual bearings. 

His new homeland was corrupt and excessive.  The people of God stuck out like sore thumbs.  They were invited to sing their simple songs of faith to the taunts of the crowd, not unlike the Jews who were made to perform in the camps for the military tyrants who despised them. 

In another year, our song will be rendered just as peculiar against the backdrop of the next presidential election. I’m holding my breath for what will come, but that is a carnal and short-sighted response.  God is encouraging each of us to breathe, to breathe in the oxygen of His Holy Spirit.  Grace will enable us to stand and sing the songs of the exiles. The lyrics will reflect our allegiance to the King of Kings, His kingdom, and its culture of holiness. 

Though we are made to feel like outsiders, and though we bear the brunt of society’s scorn, our voices must not be silenced.  The noise of evil must not prevail over the praises of God’s people. It’s not time to close the piano lid or retire the pen of the poet. Never has the music of faith been more important, and never are songs sweeter than when saints raise their joyful voices with tear-stained faces. 

Let my hope sing. Amen

But you will not go out in haste, nor will you go as fugitives; for the LORD will go before you, and the God of Israel will be your rear guard.  Isaiah 52:12

You know the feeling of being blindsided, don’t you?  It is to be caught unaware, to be provoked from an unexpected position.  Your adrenalin surges and there’s hardly time to collect your thoughts. 

God promises that we need never suffer the mindset of someone who went out in haste.  If you’ve ever left your house in a hurry, you know that you ended up not having what you needed.  Had there been deliberate planning, provisions would have been at your fingertips. Today, you and I are not fugitives on the run, scavenging to get our needs met.  We stop to breathe in the Spirit.  We look toward heaven and ask God to still our wildly beating hearts.  We ask Him to clothe us with the mind of Christ.  We look to His Word to illumine our next steps, to jump off the page with precise application.  If fragile emotionally, financially, and in any other way, Christ is gathering us from behind and keeping us together as His protected bride.  We are on course and are living for such a time as this.  

Oh, it’s possible to turn elsewhere for advice. King Saul, when under pressure, didn’t consult God and turned to a medium for guidance.  It was careless, sinful, and brought about his death. This is the time for each of us to press into the God of the Ages for instruction.  Isaiah also said, “Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, ‘This is the way.  Walk in it.”’ 

Never have I been safer and more loved, Jesus.  Amen

Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us.  This is the Lord; we have waited for him; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.  Isaiah 25:9

From its very beginning, the land of Moab was cursed.  Moab was born to Lot, and his daughter; incest was the foundation of their history.  As the nation grew stronger, it became increasingly evil.  They practiced sorcery, open adultery, incest, and prostitution.  They even threw any unwanted children into the fire.  When Moab is spoken of metaphorically in scripture, it refers to any place where evil reigns and God is dishonored. 

As a nation, we are residing in Moab.  We are waiting for the Lord’s salvation when He destroys all their fortresses.  While we wait, we have great hope in the promises of a God who preserves his people until the day of deliverance.

‘Living in Moab’ can also describe the personal existence of many of God’s children.  Maybe you are one of them.  Moab may represent your home.  You co-exist with unbelievers who are resistant to the very idea of Christ Jesus. They sin boldly without the slightest wince.

The land of Moab can characterize a nation, a home, a business, and even a church.  Every living entity has a beginning, a righteous or unrighteous inception.  Many try to invoke God’s blessing on their Titanic.  They are painting and redecorating their sinking ship, and prayers for a blessing is an affront to a holy God. 

If you dwell with Moabites and God has not delivered you out of their hand, be joyful in Hope, yet humble.  Pray for their salvation.  One of them could be a ‘Ruth’.  And when there is blatant sin, ask God for the strength to speak the words of Jesus. He modeled ministry against the backdrop of Jewish religiosity and the Roman Empire.      

Don’t let me wimp out and shut down.  As I wait for Your salvation, I want to be Your prophet.  In Jesus’ name, Amen

I depend on God alone; I put my hope in him. He alone protects and saves me; he is my defender, and I shall never be defeated. My salvation and honor depend on God; he is my strong protector; he is my shelter.  Psalm 62:5

In WWII, Japan surrendered to American forces and yet the news of the surrender took weeks and months to reach isolated Japanese garrisons.  Soldiers continued to fight.  Men continued to die.  Those who were ignorant of Japan’s surrender were caught in the ‘not yet’.

I have often been confused by the promises of God.  He is my healer.  Does that mean that I will never know a sick period?  He is my deliverer.  Does that mean that I will never know a season of oppression?  He is the God who avenges.  Does that mean that He will settle all scores on the heels of wrongdoing?  He is my strength.  Does that mean that I will never languish in seasons of weakness?  He is my shield.  Does that mean that I will never be wounded by fiery arrows?  He is my comfort.  Does that mean that I will never feel alone or forsaken?  I can get tripped up when I’m in a prolonged ‘not yet’ period.

Solomon said it another way in his well-known discourse. 

“There is an appointed time for everything.  A time to give birth and a time to die; a time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted.  A time to kill and a time to heal; a time to tear down and a time to build up.”  Ecclesiastes 3

Without listening to God, I cannot guess which season I am in.  I can easily become an agent that works against God’s purposes.  I’ll try to preserve what God is dismantling.  I’ll try to bring something to a close when it’s ready to be launched into a new fruitfulness. I’ll comfort when I should exhort.  The Christian life is a faith walk and we live against the backdrop of human need and impaired spiritual vision.  

Lord, you strengthen the fiber of my faith in the ‘not yet.’  I ‘know that I know’ that You will fulfill every promise when the time is right. Amen

I listen carefully to what God the Lord is saying, for he speaks peace to his faithful people.  Psalm 85:8

We must learn to hide ourselves away with God, not only when we’re alone but also in the company of others.  In doing so, we will be oblivious to their reactions to us.  We will only know the joy of God’s still, small voice.  No longer will we be obsessed with the acceptance of friends and family.  Instead, our spirits will soar in that otherworldly place, the realm where the things of earth are dull in comparison.  We’re invited to live in the refuge of His love and we don’t have to leave the place where His Spirit meets ours for the sake of anyone.  Not anyone.

We have to be careful not to join our souls to others who live without the discernment made available by the Spirit.  If we do so indiscriminately, we risk aligning with those who live outside of a God connection.  Few have learned to abide in Him and we can be assured that fleshly, disconnected believers will suffer a skewed perspective on many things.  Their input can be unreliable.  We will suffer if we rely, without question, on their judgment.  Becoming dependent on such people puts us in jeopardy.

Don’t forget that true spiritual unity that is of a Christ-kind can only exist when two people abide in Christ.  Think about it. Haven’t we suffered in the absence of it and soared in the company of like-minded disciples? I have. I’ve learned the hard way. So together, we raise our standards and walk wisely.  And we also know this, a real litmus test for safe connections is whether we can pray with someone and feel like we are at home with God. The presence of angst, unrest, or a sense of pretense begs us to give pause.

Hearing Your voice above discord in critical situations is possible. Train my ears. Amen

How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!  Psalm 119:103

How does God feel about His own Word? Can you even imagine? When I feel numb and casual about scripture, God is anything but that. How is the gap bridged between how I feel about it and how He feels when He hears His words spoken out loud? How can casual become passionate? There is a way.

The Spirit of God lives inside me. When I read the scriptures, He feels intensely. When I meditate, He is hopeful about how I will be changed. If I ask for help, He is eager to share His emotions with me about what I’ve read.

Because when I’m reading an Old Testament story, He remembers it all in vivid detail like it was yesterday. He remembers the sins of the people and the victories of the saints. When I read a warning about the consequences of sin, He feels the high stakes. He’s praying I’ll believe what I’m reading and avoid the painful consequences. And when I come across a promise He’s made, He’s passionate about my encouragement, hoping I’ll latch on to His words as lifelines.

While meditating on the scriptures, I have experienced feeling little one moment and feeling overcome the next. Words that failed to move me caused me to weep over their beauty. What changed? Asking the Spirit to stir my heart emotionally and make me as alive to the content as He was alive. I’ve learned that there is a real disconnect if I do not experience God in His words. And when that happens, I know what to do until holy trembling takes over.

You are never numb. I am often numb. Help me move out of stoicism into experiential unity with You. Amen

Let my cry come before you, O Lord; give me understanding according to your word!  Let my plea come before you; deliver me according to your word.  Psalm 119:169-170

‘Give me understanding’ ~ to have skill with concepts and to perceive with accuracy.

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There are times each of us must make huge decisions.  We might know in our spirits that something doesn’t feel right about our current situation.  The weight of indecision is crushing at times.  We can find elements that appear to be righteous but are they a smokescreen?  We also know that the evil one is good at masking what is unholy, skewing our discernment. 

So, we cry out to God for understanding.  We want to come to a divine realization about what is really going on.  We desire to be skillful with the concepts of the kingdom to diagnose things correctly.  We need to perceive what is in front of our eyes with God’s wisdom.  Only He can help us see behind all the posturing and pretension.

We can be grateful beyond words that each of our cries are not made in vain.  They do not dissipate into thin air.  They come directly to God’s throne, and He listens compassionately.  He is vested in every care that concerns us.  He loves the prayers of His children.  He takes pleasure in answering and giving wisdom to those who seek it.  Today, we are the seekers, and we are the ones pleading for deliverance from what is elusive and obscure. 

God will let the truth come forth as arrows coming to our heart.  He will answer our prayers and we will rejoice in the relief that truth brings.  The stress of indecision will melt away.  God will put an end to the wrestling that has plagued us day and night.  He will bring deliverance and then give us the courage to act on whatever truth He reveals.  We can be bold because we stand as ones who are loved in His presence. All because of Jesus.  

Let our souls live and praise You, and let Your rules help us.  Psalm 119:17 Amen

But as for me, I trust in You, O LORD, I say, “You are my God.” My times are in Your hand.  Psalm 31:14-15

Anyone who has struggled with an anxiety issue knows how crippling it can be. Something triggers it, and that ‘thing’ is different for everyone. It can be a fear of the dark, or something more defined and unique, like a creaking of the floor outside a closed door, a thunderstorm, or a dreaded car coming up the driveway. 

As a 14-year-old teenager, I was performing music in very stressful situations where I wasn’t given the time to prepare adequately. An hour before going on stage, five or six pieces of music were handed to me. Almost none of them involved sight-reading, as that would have been far easier. Instead, they all had to be improvised ~ looking at each one briefly, then transposing it, modulating to other keys at some point, as well as having to craft an intro, interlude, and ending. I wouldn’t be performing them before a group of 50 but for audiences of 3,000 – 5,000. While backstage, I became obsessed with looking at my watch.  The stress mounted as time progressed. My inner dialogue sounded like this. 

“I have thirty minutes before I have to walk onstage.” 

“Oh no, now it’s only fifteen.” 

“I’m not ready. But I have to be!” 

“But I can’t do this. I’m trapped.” 

“Pull yourself together, Christine!” 

I would hear my name being announced and would flip a switch in my head before walking out. I felt like Job when he said, “That which I feared has come upon me.” 

How creative God is when called upon to heal complicated issues such as these. In my thirties and early forties, I faced triggers related to these memories.  Anxiety crippled me. But God’s healing was creative and personal. His healing was unlimited and love driven. His plan to heal existed long before the original events happened. 

He is a God of intervention, not a God of passivity. Though life can catch up to us and momentarily pin us to the ground, God has already been to those events. Under His wings, there is an intimate cocoon where He and His child can step out of time and rebuild what was shattered so long ago.

Thank you for giving me wings out of confinement. Amen

Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. Psalm 4:23

If Christ lives in me, I have full access to Him; everything that He is and everything that He has promised to give to me. He withholds none of it. He plays no games. I am not used for sport. He is not emotionally unavailable. He does not make me earn His approval. As my Savior, He opens His heart and lets me in without restrictions. This level of intimacy is to extend in both directions. I have been given full access to Him and He wants full access to me.

You’re familiar with the term, “He’s dead to me.” It is usually spoken by one family member regarding a relationship he has with another member of the family. One, or both, has declared the relationship over. Access is denied. The time for reaching out has passed. The heart is closed. This, unfortunately, can describe some of the dynamics that are in place between us and God. Oh, this should not be. 

If I am alive to God, His voice quickens a response inside of me.

If I am alive to God, His feelings about me matter.

If I am alive to God, His promises are lifelines, and His warnings are heeded.

If I am alive to God, His words are a rudder for how I approach everything.

If I am alive to God, whatever causes me to be distrustful of Him is addressed immediately.

If I am alive to God, I won’t hide in corners.

If I am alive to God, I won’t withhold expressions of love and worship.

There are times I have felt estranged from God, not because He went away from me but because my own heart was in a bad place, and I pulled back from Him. Even though God was near, I made myself numb to His impact. Ah, but when I am alive to Him, how different it feels. The contrast is exhilarating as I relax in perfect holiness.

 Lord, I will stay alert so that no one, and nothing, can try to shut down my heart or even numb it. I will keep it with all vigilance. Amen

You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over.  Psalm 23:5b

This Psalm is more than just poetry.  I am invited to picture walking in green pastures.  I am encouraged to see Jesus with his staff, guiding and protecting me.  I am urged to behold a banquet table laden with delicacies prepared by God’s own hand.  I am even invited to perceive God’s enemies looking on from afar.  I am comforted that they have no access to this holy moment. 

And then, there’s the anointing.  As I anticipate it, I think of another anointing by water when Jesus was baptized.  John the Baptist was breathless with wonder.  He was about to lower the Lamb of God beneath the surface of the river Jordan.  Time stood still, and this holy act unfolded in slow motion.  Jesus was submerged, then burst forth.  This only lasted for a moment, but neither was ever the same again. 

I’m told that the Anointed One anoints me. After a sumptuous meal at His table, this is His holy benediction.  He pours oil over my head, and it runs down the side of my face.  “I have called you, and you are mine,” He says.  I am filled to overflowing as His Spirit energizes each word.  The anointing accomplishes its purpose as I am refreshed to live and serve in the power of His Spirit, just like Jesus. 

I leave this holy place in my spirit and enter the wilderness of my life, just as Jesus did.  Oftentimes I am tempted to doubt the love of the One who anointed me, but memories are powerful things. Anytime I want, I can revisit them. I was created with eternity in my heart. My spirit, even at this moment, can feel the impact of this encounter with the Anointed One.  Because the Word of God penetrates the mind, soul, and spirit, the taste of manna and the feel of oil on my skin are real enough to impact me dramatically, to change me, and to sustain me. 

Anointed for service.  Filled to overflowing.  I live today for Your glory.  Amen