A Contemplative Poem for Instruction

“Send your light and your truth to guide me, to lead me to your holy mountain, to your home.” (Psalm 43:3 ERV)

The entire Book of Psalms, with its lyrical style, invites recitation and reflection. Some of the psalms have descriptions in their titles. Psalm 43 starts with the following notation in its title: ‘A contemplative poem for instruction.’ This statement of purpose immediately calls the reader to pay attention. Like a fine wine, these verses are meant to be rolled around in your mouth. Smell, sip, taste, breathe. Slow down. Appreciate the texture of each word. Savor the subtle notes of each phrase. Notice how you feel. Is there one word or phrase that stands out to you? Repeat it to yourself until you get the fullness of its meaning. Visualize the imagery. Paraphrase the words so they are digestible. Train your spiritual palette to recognize and enjoy every nuance of these verses. 

Lord, pour Your light and truth into me. Train me to appreciate the bright flavors, the subtle notes, the wisdom, and the insights. Reveal your truth to me in ways I can understand. Gently lead me along the right path that leads to Your holiness. 

Moving Forward

“So don’t be impatient for the Lord to act; keep moving forward steadily in his ways, and he will exalt you at the right time.” (Psalm 37:34 TPT)

Running is hard. It takes a while for the body to adapt to all the demands of this sport. Novice runners often get discouraged and quit. They look at the experienced runners who seem to cover the miles quickly and with relative ease. This can be more intimidating than inspiring. The truth is that most runners started off walking, then jogging, then running. They struggle through injuries, sickness, bad weather, and time pressures like everyone else. Yet, they press on, putting one step in front of the other. 

Life is complicated. Everyone struggles at different times with different issues. Some cope in private, while others reveal their pain. The urge to give in to discouragement is common. How do some manage to keep going even in the midst of trials, while others are sidelined? They patiently wait for the Lord to act. They are not expecting life to get easier, but they hope to develop the strength to advance steadily in God’s ways. Even though they can’t see the finish, they take the next step in the right direction. They focus on the progress, not on hindrances or failures. They trust God’s timing. They press on despite resistance. They move forward in faith, one step at a time.

Overpowering Light

“Life came into being because of him, for his life is light for all humanity.

And this Living Expression is the Light that bursts through gloom—the Light that darkness could not diminish.” (John 1:4-5 TPT)

We have a room with no windows. It can be pitch dark inside. But if we open the door, light streams in from the adjacent room which has windows. The reverse is not true. The darkness of the windowless room does not diminish the light of the room with windows.  

Light provides illumination. It helps us see, understand, and know. Darkness does the opposite. It causes us to stumble and fall. It leads to misunderstanding and ignorance. 

Christ provides light to all humanity. This Living Expression is the Light that bursts through gloom—the Light that darkness could not diminish.  Even the darkest soul is no match for this overpowering Light. 

“Then Jesus said, ‘I am light to the world and those who embrace me will experience life-giving light, and they will never walk in darkness.’” (John 8:12 TPT)

The Tempter

“I was afraid that the tempter had gotten the best of you and that our work had been useless.” (I Thessalonians 3:5 NLT)

Have you ever watched lions hunting for antelopes? Or a cat stalking a baby bird? Predatory animals observe their prey before chasing them down for the kill. They look for weaknesses and vulnerabilities. They try to separate them from the group and pounce on them when they are alone.

The Tempter works much like a predator. He looks for vulnerabilities. He preys on human weakness. He convinces us to depend on ourselves. This separates us from the protective sphere of God. When our confidence and hope are based on our own talents and circumstances, our faith atrophies from disuse. Like a lame animal, we become easy prey. The Tempter pounces on us and tears us down. 

“Be disciplined and stay on guard. Your enemy the devil is prowling around outside like a roaring lion, just waiting and hoping for the chance to devour someone.” (1 Peter 5:8 VOICE)

Sydney

"Well done, good and faithful servant!" (Matthew 25:21 NIV)

Our beloved dog, Sydney, died this weekend. She spent 4238 days on this earth. In that time, she brought joy to everyone that came into her life. She exuded goodness; she was consistently faithful; she loved unconditionally, and trusted unceasingly. Her presence brought our little family together. Her absence will create a void that cannot be filled. She didn’t play favorites. She made everyone feel special.  She taught us many lessons --about patience, loyalty, caring, and consistency. She lived her 11 years 7 months and 6 days being the best dog she could be. She fulfilled her purpose magnificently. During her last few hours of life, I sat by her side repeating the above verse: Well done good and faithful Syd; well done.

Home

“Lord, through all the generations you have been our home!” (Psalm 90:1 NLT)

The words home and house are often used interchangeably; however, they are not the same. A house is a structure, whereas home is a place of belonging and security.  These days, when we speak about houses, we think of buildings with a certain number of rooms, square footage, specific decor, appliances, etc. Houses are often showcases for displaying and storing stuff. For some, it is a place they return to after work, while for others, it doubles as both workplace and sleeping quarters. Some of us live alone, while others live with families. Some of us feel loved, respected, accepted, and safe with our families; others don’t. 

Ancient Israelites were nomads who lived in tents. As such, their idea of home was clearly different than a house.  For tent dwellers, home was neither a permanent location nor a structure. It was a place of refuge and shelter from the elements. The transient nature of their dwelling places reminded them to depend on a Higher power for security and stability.  

“He who takes refuge in the shelter of the Most High will be safe in the shadow of the Almighty.” (Psalm 91:1 VOICE)

Lord, You are my home, my secret place of security and belonging. You are my habitation, my place of consolation. I am enshrouded by Your Spirit. I shall take refuge in the shelter of the Most High and be safe in the shadow of the Almighty. 

Intentional Living

“So be very careful how you live, not being like those with no understanding, but live honorably with true wisdom, for we are living in evil times. Take full advantage of every day as you spend your life for his purposes.” (Ephesians 5:15-16 TPT)

When I am cleaning my house, I tend to zone out by listening to music or podcasts. Vacuuming consumes a lot of time and energy, so I tend to do it hastily. I push the vacuum cleaner over every surface, moving from room to room, emptying the clear canister as it fills with dust and dog hair. I neglect to clean the less visible parts of the vacuum cleaner--the filters and the rolling brush. I know from experience that the vacuum works more efficiently if all the parts are free of debris. Yet, I am reluctant to take the extra time. Instead, I waste my energy pushing a vacuum cleaner that is working at less than full capacity. 

We hustle through our day, getting things done, checking off lists, and feeling accomplished. Outwardly, we look productive and successful. Inwardly, we are conscious that all is not well. There are parts of our soul that need attention. Entangled in worldly debris, we move through life with our spirits obstructed.  Ineffective busyness is as wasteful as hedonic dissipation.

Intentional living requires us to pause frequently, listen carefully, and make conscious adjustments. Both the interior and exterior, the visible and invisible are inspected closely and frequently. Every aspect of our day is considered deliberately, every habit evaluated thoughtfully. Spiritual attentiveness is key, for it is essential for understanding and true wisdom. Thus, let us live intentionally and honorably, utilizing our time, energy, and attention for God’s purposes.