Mind Meld of A Different Kind

PSALM 28
A psalm of David.
I pray to you, O Lord, my rock.

Do not turn a deaf ear to me.

For if you are silent, I might as well give up and die.

Listen to my prayer for mercy

as I cry out to you for help,

as I lift my hands toward your holy sanctuary.

Do not drag me away with the wicked—

with those who do evil—

those who speak friendly words to their neighbors

while planning evil in their hearts.

Give them the punishment they so richly deserve!

Measure it out in proportion to their wickedness.

Pay them back for all their evil deeds!

Give them a taste of what they have done to others.

They care nothing for what the Lord has done

or for what his hands have made.

So he will tear them down, and they will never be rebuilt!

Praise the Lord!

For he has heard my cry for mercy.

The Lord is my strength and shield.

I trust him with all my heart.

He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy.

I burst out in songs of thanksgiving.

The Lord gives his people strength.

He is a safe fortress for his anointed king.

Save your people!

Bless Israel, your special possession.

Lead them like a shepherd,

and carry them in your arms forever.

Bursting out
The past few weeks we have watched as the people along the Mississippi River have worked feverishly to prevent levees from bursting. Sometimes their efforts have succeeded at other times they have not. If you have seen a burst levee it is a dreadful sight. A wall of earth that is supposed to hold the water at bay, becomes a channel spewing water directly into neighborhoods and towns. A burst levee cannot hold back water.

Many times in life I feel like bursting. (No I am not talking about how I feel after Christmas dinner at Grandma’s house, although it could apply.) I am referring to times when I want to burst forth verbally about something. At times I want to burst forth in praise, but other times I have heard words of anger and disgust flowing out of my mouth.

James provided some good insight on what comes out of our mouths. “Does a fresh water spring produce salt water? Neither should a believer’s mouth produce abusive and foul language.” (My paraphrase)

David longed to burst forth in praise to God and rightly so for God is worthy of our praise. I say let it out. Shout to the Lord! Sing to the Lord! Burst forth in praise to the King! Sometimes when I am singing I just have to shout “whew”. When God has a hold on your life don’t try to hold it inside, burst out in praise.

Father, help my words to be always uplifting and positive when I burst vocally. Instead of anger or bitterness fill my mouth with praise and rejoicing. I desire to sing your praise today. - Dan Jones

A divine jetty
In just a few weeks I’m moving to Silver Creek, New York, a village along Lake Erie. I already know what one of my favorite places will be. The rocks.

There is about a quarter mile long and 30’ wide jetty of rocks reaching into the mighty lake like a finger pointing to Canada. Someone stacked hundreds of large rocks and poured a sidewalk like a spine down the middle. Sitting on a rock at the farthest end will be one of my favorite places to read, meditate, think, pray, and relax.

I won’t have to swim to enjoy that spot. Or tread water the deep water in order to stay afloat. I won’t worry about any current causing me to drift. I won’t need to keep my eye on other boats or kayaks. The rocks make it possible for to enjoy this beautiful spot and focus my attention of matter completely unrelated to this inland sea.

Neither will I focus on the rocks and wonder if they will collapse. I don’t know the people who put them there, but I trust them. Strange how we put our lives in the hands of perfect strangers!

God is no stranger to me. I trust him to be like one of those Lake Erie rocks. Firm. Solid. Trustworthy. Unmovable. In fact, because of his reliability, I do not need to focus on shifting, lapping, even dangerous life all around me. He’ll be my support through everything. I can fill my mind wit new discoveries and deeper awareness rather than worry and anxiety.

Rock of ages, I don’t always simply trust you as my unshakable foundation. I let worry and anxiety invade as if you were not completely reliable. Forgive me. Help me to increasingly treat you like I treat this jetty; absolute confidence. - Mike Leamon