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Wednesday, October 20, 2004
I really love The Message when it comes to the Psalms. Take a look at 124:
"If God hadn't been there for us--all together now, Israel, sing out!--If God hadn't been there for us when everyone went against us, We would've been swallowed alive by their violent anger, Swept away by the flood of rage, drowned in the torrent. We would've lost out lives in the wild, raging water.
Oh blessed be God! He didn't go off and leave us. He didn't abandon us defenseless, helpless as a rabbit in a pack of snarling dogs.
We've flown free from their fangs, free of their traps, free as a bird. Their grip is broken; we're free as a bird in flight.
God's strong name is our help, the same God who made heaven and earth."
In reading over the Old Testament, it's fair to say that the world had it out for Israel. There were a lot of wars. A lot of mistreatment. A lot of hard, dark times. Things haven't changed much when you think about it.
And look at the words used for what their enemies would've done to them if God wasn't on their side: swallowed alive; engulfed by waters; raging waters sweeping their very souls.
I've been white-water rafting several times in my life. Each time, trained guides would spend a great deal of time on rowing techniques and such, but one particular safety feature they teach is the "swimmer's position." Obviously, if you're rafting, you don't want to be a swimmer so something's gone awry. Get on your back, allow your lifejacket to support you, put your feet in front of you (to keep you from hitting rocks/debris with your face) and simply be at the mercy of the rapids until things settle down again and the boaters can get you in the calm water.
When you're in rapids, that can be a scary proposition for both the swimmer and those in the boat. Everyone's job changes from fun to emergency procedures in the blink of an eye. Safety first, right?
The reality is that the rapids are beyond your control, so both the rafters and the swimmer have to wait for calmer waters to regroup. The torrent of water pretty much has control.
As a church, our lives can feel that way, too. Our brothers and sisters in Iraq are debating exodus as their businesses are burned and their loved ones kidnapped for ransom. Churches are bombed. The church worldwide doesn't spend much time in debates over whether or not coffee should be brought into the auditorium during worship or on the value of the 7/11 praise chorus (seven words sung 11 times)...they're too busy in the swimmer's position.
Our local church can feel that way, too. Sometimes it's from within like during budget meetings. Sometimes it's when the local town council won't let you put in the parking lot you need or make the building changes you want. Others it's bad-mouthing by the locals or whatever. It's more annoying than life-threatening in our local congregation, but the truth of the psalm remains the same.
Without God watching over us, we're sunk.
But with God watching over us, our life is more abundant. We don't have to worry. Their grip is broken and we're as free as a bird in flight.
Brent 5:06 AM
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