Heart's Song

 Some of you know one of my quirks is constantly humming to myself... There’s always a song in my heart and it overflows for others to hear... Almost every minute of every day. Some people may be annoyed. Some love it about me. I do try to keep track of my surroundings and not hum when I’m in close quarters. But, it’s difficult for me to not make noise – at least it’s usually joyful. 

Last week while driving I began complaining to Chris about a friend who I felt had been mistreated at their work. They had been placed a step “down” the ladder... I know how brilliant they are and I started making a list of reasons that maybe their superiors had demoted them... one by one by one by one. Chris challenged me, “what is going on? This isn’t you.” I had traded in my happy tunes for something else. And it was even more annoying. And Chris wasn’t a part of the problem or the solution. He was an innocent bystander. And I hadn’t taken my complaints to the Lord. 

 

On April 28^th I read in Psalm 28:

“To you, O Lord, I call; my rock, be not deaf to me, lest, if you be silent to me, I become like those who go down to the pit. Hear the voice of my pleas for mercy, when I cry to you for help, when I lift up my hands toward your most holy sanctuary... Blessed be the Lord! For he has heard the voice of my pleas for mercy. The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him...”

 

Today I’m singing, “Hallelujah, You have saved me. So much better Your way. Hallelujah, Great Defender.”Thank you Michael (Smitty) for leading us in singing Defender in the past – it has been back on repeat in my heart this week! “When I thought I lost me, You knew where I left me. You reintroduced me to Your love. You picked up all my pieces, put me back together. You are the defender of my heart.”

 

What is your heart singing? Anything? Is it soft or loud? Cries for help or cries of praise? Or both? Alexa, set a timer for 3 minutes. Humor me. Close your eyes. Pause your mind. Listen. It’s only been 3 seconds. Don’t stop. What is going on in your heart? Hear anything? And what, if anything, are you gonna do about it? What does He want you to do about it? Consider putting a new song in your heart. Or turning up or down the volume?! Consider also what the Lord says in Luke 6.

Eavesdropping

 I absolutely love to people watch. I could sit and watch and listen to people all day long and learn from them. I love when I get to see what makes them tick... Yesterday, we had a 6 hour layover in Tampa on our long journey home from Chris' dad's funeral in West Virginia. I’ve been reading through the Bible this year with my “The Jesus Storybook: Every Story Whispers His Name” but while I’m traveling I don’t carry it so my go-to is to read the Proverb & Psalm of the day and whatever book of the Bible I’m studying through. It’s amazing that while I’ve read in Psalm 4 now at least twice in 2022, I’ve made note of different verses. In seasons of life the same scripture calls out in different ways.

Yesterday as we found comfy chairs to sit and study in, I was observing two different couples near us. Let’s be clear - it took literally zero effort to hear both conversations. I wasn't snooping. One was in town for the Shriner’s event, but had been delayed already by 24 hours. They were waiting on a table for dinner. The other was trying to communicate to their ride where to pick them up while sporting very nice shoes. Like shoes from a foreign country, fancy leather, hand sewn and sharp. They stood out just seeing their shiny wooden soles. The couple waiting on dinner were sharing with another couple the chaos of being stuck in the airport and how the hotel had been sold out of rooms and people had nowhere to sleep. They were thankful and making the best of an inconvenient delay. 

 

This one (with the nice shoes) who had just arrived was being sugar sweet on the phone saying he’d landed, he’d missed his wife (or mom – sadly I couldn’t tell) and had had a good trip but was ready to relax. The conversation quickly turned as he could not coordinate their logistics. He began to cuss loudly and even stomp his feet like a 3 year old as he was trying to coordinate where he was compared to where they were. He held his phone away from his face furiously as he cursed at them. How very sad I was for the person on the other end of that phone call. And how very sad I was for him. He did not appear to have an ounce of joy in his heart. He had not experienced a delay in his flight or any inconvenience other than not being able to communicate where to meet. 

 

So, as you can imagine Psalm 4 landed so differently on my heart yesterday. I prayed for the arriving fancy shoed guy to come to know Him personally: the peace and safety He offers. And that he and his ride would come to know everlasting joy found only in Him. I prayed for the Shriner’s couple as well. Two different ways of dealing with frustrations... and anger. Check it out:

"Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness! You have given me relief when I was in distress. Be gracious to me and hear my prayer! O men, how long shall my honor be turned into shame? How long will you love vain words and seek after lies? Selah
But know that the Lord has set apart the godly for himself; the Lord hears when I call to him. Be angry, and do not sin;ponder in your own hearts on your beds, and be silent. Selah
Offer right sacrifices, and put your trust in the Lord. There are many who say, “Who will show us some good? Lift up the light of your face upon us, O Lord!” You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and wine abound. In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.” Psalm 4

What is David angry about? How does David deal with his anger? How can we be angry and sin not? How can reflecting on angry feelings be a healthy way of dealing with anger? How can knowing the joy of the Lord help you deal with anger? Talk to God about any anger you are dealing with right now. Ask Him to help you express it directly and not hold it in. (Questions taken from The NIV Quiet Time Bible)

*Taken from LIFT weekly email.

Hunger for Righteousness

 It’s so true that I love to people watch, but today I’m wondering how much of that may be unhealthy? When wires are firing in my brain using my creativity to make up a story with the bits of pieces of information I gain – it can be a very satisfying passing of time. It’s a kind of entertainment. But, it can also be a distraction to what’s going on inside of me. Or what He wants to be going on inside of my heart. There’s a time for everything. A time to sit at the Tampa airport escaping a long layover by making up stories... and also a time to get into the Word and focus on Him and what He wants to teach me in those hours about who He is and who He wants me to be for Him. 

Yesterday I sat in Proverbs 11 for quite some time and the Lord seemed to highlight two verses for me with a common theme. These questions landed on my heart: What evil(s) am I pursuing? What evil is pursuing me? How can I be steadfast in righteousness? Where am I investing my time? What am I allowing to take up my headspace?

Almost every single week one of the prayers in our Ladies Group is that God would give us a hunger for righteousness. And over these last 5+ years I’ve witnessed God answer the prayer over and over again. Am I hungry for righteousness or am I hungry to pass the time – because “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” John 10:10 

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.  Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.  And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.  To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen.” 1 Peter 5:6-11

I challenge you to read Proverbs 11 and see what verses the Lord highlights to you and to sit with questions He may be asking you. Or sit with these two questions I’m sitting with – am I steadfast in righteousness – if not, how do I become steadfast? And what evil(s) am I pursuing?

“The wicked earns deceptive wages, but one who sows righteousness gets a sure reward.
Whoever is steadfast in righteousness will live, but he who pursues evil will die. Those of crooked heart are an abomination to the Lord, but those of blameless ways are his delight. Be assured, an evil person will not go unpunished, but the offspring of the righteous will be delivered... Whoever diligently seeks good seeks favor, but evil comes to him who searches for it. Whoever trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will flourish like a green leaf. Whoever troubles his own household will inherit the wind, and the fool will be servant to the wise of heart. The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and whoever captures souls is wise.

If the righteous is repaid on earth, how much more the wicked and the sinner!” Proverbs 11:18-31ish

 

*Taken from weekly LIFT email.