Month: April 2024

This past weekend was one of those times when I really had to rely on God’s strength. For the first time ever, Ryan left for four days out of state and I had all three children by myself. I love my children and we have so much fun together, but because of their ages, my responsibilities over the weekend, Emmaline’s first sleepover and one of our three being sick, I had some anxiety around what those 4 days would bring. You see, my sweet husband is my Teammate and we are partners in all things so having him gone was tough. Ryan shares the load in so many ways at home with the cooking, cleaning and kids, so I was worried about being loving, patient and present without him there.

But here is where I saw God in the midst of it. When I named my fear about my doing this alone and gave myself grace, I ended up feeling loved and blessed by my kids in ways I didn’t expect. For instance, I could feel God in the hugs from my son, or in the help I observed from my oldest or in the laughter of the baby. I felt strengthened when I got a text from a friend that was checking on me or a call from my parents to see if I needed anything. It doesn’t matter how many times it happens, I still need reminding; when I am weak, God is strong. When I let go and let God, I am amazed that I am not alone. When I am honest about my shortcomings and fears, my children meet me with confidence and grace. And I don’t know why it hasn’t sunk in yet, but I keep needing a refresher course on this.

I choose this Psalm for us to pray over this week because I found agreement in these words. The Psalmist starts right off by debunking a common lie. In those days, when these words were first penned, sacrifices and priests and fertility gods happened at the tops of mountains, so a believer in these pagan practices were told just to fix their eyes to the highest place to be strengthened. And as we look at our culture today, the “pagan” practices of our day tell us the lie that we need other’s approval to be content, that we have to have our act together to be loved, that we are judged based on our appearance, wealth, education or orientation…but all of those pressures are lies and those lies run counter to the truth of the Gospel.

As you read this Psalm, my hope for each of us is that we can not only profess with our lips but know deep in our bellies that our strength comes from God. And that God won’t let us stumble. Not only that, but that nothing is too small, silly or trivial for God to pay attention to. At first I thought it was silly to be so worried about solo-parenting this weekend and how I should just stop whining and just be thankful that I have children to care for. But God cares about each of our fears, doubts and insecurities because our God never lets us walk alone. I hope this Psalm will encourage you this week and I invite you to share one place in your lives where you are afraid and where you need strength.

121 ^1-2 I look up to the mountains;
does my strength come from mountains?
No, my strength comes from God,
who made heaven, and earth, and mountains.

^3-4 He won’t let you stumble,
your Guardian God won’t fall asleep.
Not on your life! Israel’s
Guardian will never doze or sleep.

^5-6 God’s your Guardian,
right at your side to protect you—
Shielding you from sunstroke,
sheltering you from moon stroke.

^7-8 God guards you from every evil,
he guards your very life.
He guards you when you leave and when you return,
he guards you now, he guards you always.

Psalm 121 The Message

In the coming weeks, Pastor Rachel and I will share some of the most helpful and inspiring Psalms in our weekly devotional. Today, I want to share one that has impacted me the most. At first glance, it may seem like an unusual choice, but its theme of chaotic waters that run throughout the entire Bible is what draws me to it. Psalm 69 is straightforward and poignant, with a message that resonates deeply with me: “Help me! I’m about to drown.” Perhaps you haven’t physically been there, but we have all experienced similar emotions and can empathize. Please take a moment to read Psalm 69 and continue reading the rest of this devotional.

Psalm 69 beautifully captures the cry of a soul that is overwhelmed by trials, sinking in deep waters without any support. This theme resonates deeply with anyone who has experienced the engulfing floods of despair or persecution.

The Psalmist starts by expressing their dire situation: waters have risen to their necks, and miry depths threaten to pull them under. They find no resting place for their feet. These waters symbolize the overwhelming difficulties and the sensation of being lost in the trials of life without relief. The floods engulfing them depict the relentless waves of hardships that sometimes seem to define our existence.

Water is used in two different ways in the Bible. When it is used as fresh water, we see that it gives life and restores life. However, the opposite is true when salt water or ocean water is used. We see the flood waters overtaking us and get lost in the waves. This concept can be traced back to creation, through the flood, past the Red Sea event, and through many of the Psalms.

In their moment of despair, the Psalmist turns to the only source of hope they know—God. They plead with urgency, “Save me, O God,” asking for divine intervention when human efforts fail. The psalmist is exhausted from calling for help, both physically and emotionally. However, their faith leads them to the throne of grace, expecting God’s love and salvation to answer, even in their weariness.

The Psalmist’s language transforms from despair to a declaration of praise and trust in God’s unfailing love. They vow to praise God’s name in song and glorify God with thanksgiving, which pleases the Lord more than any sacrifice. This shift from petition to praise is crucial—it is an act of faith, recognizing that even when the waters rise, God’s purposes for us are rooted in God’s love and justice.

The closing verses of the psalm not only assure the individual sufferer but also the community. The poor will see and be glad, Zion will be saved, and its cities rebuilt. Those who love God’s name will dwell there, a promise that extends the hope of restoration and peace to all who trust God’s salvation. This promise of restoration and peace is a beacon of hope in our darkest times, reminding us that God’s salvation is sure, and God’s love is unfailing.

As we reflect upon Psalm 69, let us remember that even in our deepest despair, we are not forsaken. God listens to the cries of the needy and does not despise those who are captive. We can trust that God’s salvation is sure and that this assurance will guide us through our darkest moments. We can cling to the hope that the same God who raised the Psalmist from the depths is the same God who offers us a saving hand today. We see this theme continue into the New Testament as well. Jesus walked on the chaotic waters and calmed the sea, and in the last pages of the Bible, the book of Revelation reveals that two things will be missing in the New Heaven and the New Earth: darkness and chaotic waters. Someday, we will no longer drown in the deep.

Watch today’s update with Pastor David to learn more about the General Conference.

Psalm 62 NIV

¹ Truly my soul finds rest in God;
my salvation comes from him.
² Truly he is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.

³ How long will you assault me?
Would all of you throw me down—
this leaning wall, this tottering fence?
⁴ Surely they intend to topple me
from my lofty place;
they take delight in lies.
With their mouths they bless,
but in their hearts they curse.

⁵ Yes, my soul, find rest in God;
my hope comes from him.
⁶ Truly he is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.
⁷ My salvation and my honor depend on God^[c];
he is my mighty rock, my refuge.
⁸ Trust in him at all times, you people;
pour out your hearts to him,
for God is our refuge.

⁹ Surely the lowborn are but a breath,
the highborn are but a lie.
If weighed on a balance, they are nothing;
together they are only a breath.
¹⁰ Do not trust in extortion
or put vain hope in stolen goods;
though your riches increase,
do not set your heart on them.

¹¹ One thing God has spoken,
two things I have heard:
“Power belongs to you, God,
¹²     and with you, Lord, is unfailing love”;
and, “You reward everyone
according to what they have done.”

For those of you that know me, you have probably figured out that I don’t rest well. Maybe I was drawn to this Scripture today because I am tired, or maybe the Holy Spirit had something in mind for you today too. In this busy world, we elevate and reward the “go-go-go” lifestyle even though we know it is not healthy or life giving. Even as a pastor, you would think that I had built in insight to resting well, but I clearly do not, and it seems like a habit that the week after Holy Week, I am learning this all over again. As I have pastored at this church over the last four years, so many of you are so encouraging toward me as you see the work I do, the young family I am raising and the many plates I am spinning at one time. I will hear from you from time to time, “I don’t know you do it!” And this is meant as an encouragement and probably also a prayer that you are hoping I can keep on, keeping on and stay the course. But if I can be really honest today, I don’t always know how I am doing it too other than to say that God’s grace is made perfect in my weakness, and I have A LOT of weakness. And it comes out most when I am really tired and at the end of my rope. I have noticed how when I am burning the candle on both ends, God fills in the areas where I am not measuring up with God’s abounding grace.

I believe that Psalm 62 has a good word for us about resting in the right things, so I invite you to sit with this passage of Scripture this week. As we have just walked through Lent and Easter, we felt that it would be helpful to study the Psalms in our devotional time together, especially in light of the resurrection. Jesus often quoted from the Hebrew Bible and used the book of Psalms in his own prayers, and so can we read these prayers through the lens of the hope of resurrection? For the next two months, Pastor Philip and I will be spending time with a few specific Psalms and then sharing how it brings us hope and healing.

As I re-read Psalm 62 today, I am struck by the ambiguity of the “THEY.” In some Psalms, the “THEY” is the named enemy which is usually an oppressive country or brutal army. But if I am reading this Psalm through the lens of resurrection, I could just as easily be to blame. My own unhealthy habits or internal expectations could be the “THEY.” Let me explain. If I am consistently resting in the Creator, to let God be my fortress, and finding my salvation in God alone, then I am truly living into the person God has called me to be. But I am here to tell you that I don’t always nor do I consistently do this. Because sometimes I have created my own fortress of people pleasing tendencies. Or my pastoring and my abilities to live into that calling has become my salvation. Or my rest is based on earning rather than being. When this happens, I am far from resting in God because I have made myself the Lord of my own life, not Jesus.

As I was processing this Psalm, I came across a post from another pastor mentor of mine who quoted these words from one of her favorite authors, Nicola Jane Hobbs.

“Instead of asking, ‘Have I worked hard enough to deserve to rest? I’ve started asking, ‘Have I rested enough to do my most loving, meaningful work?”

What powerful words that really flip the script on our desperate need to find rest in the real life-giving way God intended it to be. I won’t always get this right, but these words hit me deep. This mixed with my own exhaustion and the words of Psalm 62, it seems like God might be trying to tell me something…huh…I wonder.

AMEN