psalms

Flourishing or Flailing?

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While struggling to pull out dandelions I have always been amazed at how their outward flimsiness belies their power and tenacity. Those weak looking weeds are really tough guys! Not only are they hard to dig out, they even grow during drought and in a matter of weeks produce tremendous quantities of seeds to ensure their future generations. They are flourishing!

Their secret is not in looking good or being loved and cultivated by the general public. Dandelions like palm trees have roots that penetrate tough soils and draw moisture from deep below the surface. They thrive in spite of opposition. Then they astonish us with their lace like seed balloons ready to start new generations!

In this Psalm God gives a promise for when we enter our later years. He reminds us that old age need not be synonymous with weakness. God’s assurance is that if our roots reach down deeply into our relationship with Him that this may be the most fruitful and amazing time in all of life. We don’t need to just flail along through life’s race. We can be flourishing all the way through the final lap when He brings us home!

They are planted in the house of the Lord ; they flourish in the courts of our God. They still bear fruit in old age; they are ever full of sap and green, to declare that the Lord is upright; he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him. Ps 92:13-‬15

Seeing the Specialist

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Because of various aches and pains I’ve had to see a lot of specialists over this last year. There was a longer and a premium price to see them but I was happy to pay because they understood my problem. I willingly waited because they knew the best course of action to help me. Why is it then that when I find myself in spiritual difficulties I ignore the symptoms or seek advice from the barber, the neighbors or even the internet?!

Sometimes King David had the same weaknesses as I. He depended on unreliable friends, forgot to pray and tried to pretend everything was fine even after he sinned. I love the conclusion He discovered in Psalm 59. He found by experience that there was no one better to help with his problems than God.

Are you facing trouble today? God is a specialist is trouble but unlike medical specialists you won’t need an appointment to see Him. Like an emergency room, Heaven’s office is always open. The fee to see the Good Physician is very high but the good news is that it has already been paid. The doctor is in. He is ready to see you. You are the next person in line!

But I will sing of Your power; Yes, I will sing aloud of Your mercy in the morning; For You have been my defense And refuge in the day of my trouble. Psalms 59:16

My Song

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The Lord is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation Psalm 118:14 NKJV

What I miss most about childhood is baseball.  I loved the summer memories of trying to catch, pitch and the challenge trying to hit the ball. Only once can I remember hitting a home run and it happened while wildly swinging with both eyes closed!

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But this story isn’t about baseball; it’s about music and while the thing I loved most was baseball, the thing I loved least was daily music lessons. I hated not being able to play with my friends till my clarinet lessons were done. I hated sitting trying to remember that every good boy does fine (EGBDF). I hated split and bleeding lips from the clarinet reed. I dreaded sitting Saturday mornings with my music teacher squeaking and squawking through my lesson. But gradually music grew to be less like an unwelcome intruder and more like a family member. Clarinet blended into piano and then guitar. One summer I learned to sing and then music which had always been a part of my life became my song.

 

It is the same way in our relationship with the Lord. Every day we squeak and squawk through the notes to His song. Sometimes it seems like it would be fun to just run off to do our own thing. But if we commit to Him a little every day we will find that slowly we are being changed. Little by little, note by note He begins to teach us the musical score which He has created just for our life. Learning that melody by heart changes His music into our daily strength and song.

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