I’ve done my share of yelling, looking for God in the middle of my tumultuous thinking.  I’ve been honest with God about my frustrations with others who hurt others with words and actions.  And God listens.  God is not put off by our honesty, in fact, He applauds it.  What He won’t listen to is disrespect.  He will not listen to blame and excuses because of pride, selfishness, laziness and greed for that is sin in our character and God cannot be in the same room with sin. God is right, good, pure and holy.  God listens to sincere, humble, repentant hearts who seek His wisdom, help, understanding and insight.

Asaph, the psalmist for today, teaches us that in the middle of your mess, “go over what God has done” and “ponder all the things” God has accomplished, and give a long, loving look at His acts.  That’s when our life-song changes key to higher scale of thinking with more gratitude and praise.  We gain a new perspective.  New verses are added to our song that are full of praise.  Then, miraculously our once dull ears are finely tuned to listen to God after He has heard our yell for help.

“O God! Your way is holy!  No god is great like God!  You’re the God who makes things happen…”

I’ll admit the year 2020 has been a challenge to humanity but we have also witnessed God still at work in the most creative ways we have ever seen.  Pause and list all the ways God’s glory has been revealed around us.  List the ways God taught us.  Consider all His loving acts of kindness, gentleness, love, mercy and grace.  Ponder all these things.  Perspective. 

Worship and Wisdom, Psalms and Proverbs

Psalm 77, The Message

An Asaph Psalm

I yell out to my God, I yell with all my might,
    I yell at the top of my lungs. He listens.

^2-6 I found myself in trouble and went looking for my Lord;
    my life was an open wound that wouldn’t heal.
When friends said, “Everything will turn out all right,”
    I didn’t believe a word they said.
I remember God—and shake my head.
    I bow my head—then wring my hands.
I’m awake all night—not a wink of sleep;
    I can’t even say what’s bothering me.
I go over the days one by one,
    I ponder the years gone by.
I strum my lute all through the night,
    wondering how to get my life together.

^7-10 Will the Lord walk off and leave us for good?
    Will he never smile again?
Is his love worn threadbare?
    Has his salvation promise burned out?
Has God forgotten his manners?
    Has he angrily stalked off and left us?
“Just my luck,” I said. “The High God goes out of business
    just the moment I need him.”

^11-12 Once again I’ll go over what God has done,
    lay out on the table the ancient wonders;
I’ll ponder all the things you’ve accomplished,
    and give a long, loving look at your acts.

^13-15 O God! Your way is holy!
    No god is great like God!
You’re the God who makes things happen;
    you showed everyone what you can do—
You pulled your people out of the worst kind of trouble,
    rescued the children of Jacob and Joseph.

^16-19 Ocean saw you in action, God,
    saw you and trembled with fear;
    Deep Ocean was scared to death.
Clouds belched buckets of rain,
    Sky exploded with thunder,
    your arrows flashing this way and that.
From Whirlwind came your thundering voice,
    Lightning exposed the world,
    Earth reeled and rocked.
You strode right through Ocean,
    walked straight through roaring Ocean,
    but nobody saw you come or go.

²⁰ Hidden in the hands of Moses and Aaron,
You led your people like a flock of sheep.

TRUTH:  God, “You led your people” through good times and bad and accomplished your will and plan.  You will lead us still.  We are your sheep.  You are our God. 

Proverb 24:10, The Message

If you fall to pieces in a crisis,
    there wasn’t much to you in the first place.

WISDOM:  If you are about to fall; fall into the arms of Jesus.

Abba Father,

Thank you for saving my soul.  Thank you for being my strength and my song in the night when I am weak.  Thank you for consistently teaching me the lessons I need to learn in this life while preparing for the next with You.  I have yet to graduate from Your School of Developing your characteristics, but I am gaining ground with each lesson.  Thank you for the comfort and encouragement your Holy Spirit pours over my wounds.  Thank you for the challenges you give us that move us, sometimes kicking and screaming, from our will to your will be done.  Thank you for protecting us and providing for all you know we need before we do.  Thank you for Your Presence felt in our lives each day.  Thank you for listening to my honest prayers and bending low to help me up.  Thank you for what lies ahead.  Thank you for all you have done, are doing and will do.  You are God and I am not.  I trust in You.  I’m Yours.

In Jesus Name, Amen