PSALM 13
For the director of music. A psalm of David.
For the director of music. A psalm of David.
How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever?
How long will you hide your face from me?
How long must I wrestle with my thoughts
and every day have sorrow in my heart?
How long will my enemy triumph over me?
Look on me and answer, O LORD my God.
Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death;
my enemy will say, "I have overcome him,"
and my foes will rejoice when I fall.
But I trust in your unfailing love;
my heart rejoices in your salvation.
I will sing to the LORD, f
I will sing to the LORD, f
or he has been good to me.
Perception is realityIt shouldn’t be. And it isn’t. Still, judging by my words and deeds, I believe what I see and understand to be the way life really is. David did. When the battle went against him and defeat loomed; when circumstances turned dire and his emotions turned dour, then God had obviously forgotten him.
I know how David felt. Searching for a new job has been a bumpy ride. I knew it was time to leave where I’d served God for nine years. But, judging by what I see and feel, God has left me on my own to find that next place. The deadline looms ever larger! And the cost of living grows with it. Family obligations resist shrinking. Some days it feels – it appears – as if God has forgotten me.
But I also know how God must have felt when David blurted out his accusation against God based on his own perceptions. Others have drawn conclusions about me based, not on authentic understanding of my actions or motives, but based on their perceptions of my actions and motives. Inevitably they react and talk to others based on the “obvious reality” of their perceptions rather than the truth.
How dare I accuse the ever-present, perfectly good, and all-wise God of abandoning me! Or acting in a way that cannot be justified!
So what am I, or anyone, to do? Pray with honesty and a faith that takes us beyond our perceptions.
Faithful Father, you are always involved in every aspect of my life. While I cannot always see this and certainly don’t feel it, with David, I will move beyond my perceptions and trust in your unfailing love. I will rejoice in the future I will experience in your care. - Mike Leamon
1 comment:
I am thinking that "perception" , the act of perceiving, is a verb; a doing word. Therefore when us mere humans are doing an action word there is much room for error.
Truth, on the other hand, is a noun and has no room for error. We do often get the two mixed up. At least I 've been guilty of it.
On a personal relational side, there have been people who I perceived as arrogant, hard-hearted etc. who have turned out to become warm-hearted, faithful friends. A perception problem again. I think of the scripture:
"Faithful are the wounds of a friend,but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful."
This scripture,I believe, helps clarify "perception".
Post a Comment