Meditating on the Psalms

I am finally working out the old muscle related to daily devotions. It has been hard to be in the habit since the era of child-rearing has begun--but what with all the unknown of what this time will hold and the threating thunder of the worry-storm in the distance, I realize I need to start running again...running back to Christ consistently. So I'm in training.

You can pray for me, if you think about it, 'cause I'm not a runner, generally speaking (both metaphorically and literally). I hate to run, and spiritually speaking, that looks like me doing it all in my own strength. However, I need to understand the reality of Christ and His gospel on a day to day basis.

I had already thought about a month ago that if I were to do a book study, I would do Psalms because David really knew how to pray--and really understood his need for the Holy Spirit at every hour of his life. I started at random, and have been encouraged each time I've read, but on Sunday Pastor Vander Haas' sermon really challenged me to go at it with more thought....literally, meditation. He spoke on Psalm 63, and discussed the themes of finding, feeding, and following. One thing he mentioned in particular had to do with our disconnection as a culture with what restful meditation (on God's word) looks like. I figured adding a tiny bit of structure to my readings (i.e. pick up on one thing that jumps out at me from each passage and reflect on it) might be good. So, I also thought I ought to start from the beginning.

Well, I am sharing with you my reflection from today because I hope it will be encouraging to you, but it is also another plea for prayer that I will continue to believe it. Here is a quote from my journal:

"Today is Psalm 3. This is what strikes me about it today:
'I lay down and sleep; I wake again because the Lord sustains me."

I realize that the only reason I continue to breathe and have life is because the Lord wills it to be so. This is the very basic unit of His provision for me: the fact that I have any life at all is only because of His hand upholding me. Why would we not trust Him to take care of our daily needs for life--our food and shelter? It is only by His volition and grace that we live, and He will provide for us as long as He wants us to remain. And if He wills that we die, as Paul says, it is gain. What He wants for us is not our anxious efforts to make things happen and to figure out how we are going to make ends meet and cling to the things of earth. He wants our hearts, He wants us to fill ourselves up with Him, He wants us to follow Him (on a crazy adventure). Lead on, oh Lord."

If you were hungry for a recipe tonight, sorry--but I hope you found something more satisfying here.