Week One Part 2 - Day Five: Housekeeping

Let’s end our week with some housekeeping.

Have you ever had dinner with someone who spent the whole time answering their cell phone or responding to texts? How did that make you feel about your relative importance? I realize that for those of you who are much younger than me this may be a relatively unnoticed common occurrence, so imagine that you’re on a date and this happens. If that doesn’t work, then just imagine how it makes me feel.

Okay, so I suspect that must be about how God feels sometimes when I’m trying to hang out with Him. It goes something like this … “Now, what do I think of this spiritual truth? Oh, I forgot to call Bob. Shoot! How am I going to explain that tomorrow? Anyway, how does this spiritual truth apply to my life? I have got to fix the squeak in this chair. It’s eventually going to fall apart if I don’t. So, where was I … oh yeah, what do I think of this spiritual truth … My rear end hurts. Where is that pillow?” You get the idea.

Here’s a suggested format for these exercises:

• Do the morning exercise first thing in the morning and do the end of day exercise right before you go to sleep.
• Find a comfortable place. Don’t let it be too comfortable, but comfortable enough so that you can mostly forget how you feel physically.
• Prepare for no interruptions. For example, do not have your cell phone near. Make sure the kids are taken care of.
• Have two extra pieces of paper handy, or a note pad of some kind. If you’re doing this on your computer, open up two word documents. Call one of them something like “worry list October 2010” and the other “to do list October 2010.” Then when any random unrelated thought occurs to you, just jot it down so you can forget about it for 20 minutes.
• Have a writing utensil handy in case you want to jot down some thought or to use on your lists. (An alternative would be to do this in a word document on the computer.)
• Have a Bible handy, either the book itself or an internet version (like Biblegateway.com).

Why so anal? Well, I believe there is a spiritual principle that governs activities like this: long term gain is directly related to energy investment. Just like physical exercise. What we invest here is a primary factor in what we take away. The pieces of paper (worry list and to do list) in particular will help us focus and therefore invest. I like what St. Augustine said, “You must be emptied of that with which you are full, that you may be filled with that whereof you are empty.” The lists help us stay empty. The quiet and comfort help us get full!

In summary:

1. Read Psalm 84 before we begin the day.

   (1) How lovely is your dwelling place,
         O LORD Almighty!

   (2) My soul yearns, even faints,
         for the courts of the LORD;
         my heart and my flesh cry out
         for the living God.

   (3) Even the sparrow has found a home,
         and the swallow a nest for herself,
         where she may have her young –
         a place near your altar,
         O LORD Almighty, my King and my God.

   (4) Blessed are those who dwell in your house;
         they are ever praising you.
         Selah

   (5) Blessed are those whose strength is in you,
         who have set their hearts on pilgrimage.

   (6) As they pass through the Valley of Baca,
         they make it a place of springs;
         the autumn rains also cover it with pools.

   (7) They go from strength to strength,
         till each appears before God in Zion.

   (8) Hear my prayer, O LORD God Almighty;
         listen to me, O God of Jacob.
         Selah

   (9) Look upon our shield, O God;
         look with favor on your anointed one.

   (10) Better is one day in your courts
         than a thousand elsewhere;
         I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
         than dwell in the tents of the wicked.

   (11) For the LORD God is a sun and shield;
         the LORD bestows favor and honor;
         no good thing does he withhold
         from those whose walk is blameless.

   (12) O LORD Almighty,
         blessed is the man who trusts in you.– Psalm 84

   1. This is a song of longing, even homesick. What does the Psalmist long for?
   2. He uses the word “blessed” or “happy” three times. What does each usage tell us?
   3. What would this Psalmist say is the answer to doubt?
   4. Look for some verse or some phrase that catches your attention. Linger over it for a moment.
2. Review Hebrews 11:1 now.

   (1) Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. – Hebrews 11:1

3. Pray.
   1. Find some part of Psalm 84 to use as your own prayer to God this morning. Just say it back to Him.
   2. Pray for someone else doing this project. Ask God to help them put their full trust in Him.

Comments (1)

The Valley of Weeping

1Friday, 01 October 2010 08:04

Sondy

A Bible I used to use had a note that "Valley of Baca" in Psalm 84:6 can be translated "Valley of Weeping." Isn't that a beautiful image? When those whose strength is in God pass through the Valley of Weeping, it becomes a refreshing place of springs.

I don't know about you, but I've recently been through the Valley of Weeping. And amazingly, God can transform even that.

I love it today that it also says "The autumn rains also cover it with pools." Today I'm going to Boston for a Kidlit conference, and forecasts say our rain from yesterday is going up there, too. So let that autumn rain be a reminder to me that God is giving me wonderful refreshment!

Going from strength to strength...

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