It’s Faith-refresher Wednesday

This tends to happen a lot around our house:

Ted walking past me and saying, “What?”

Me replying, “Huh?  I didn’t say anything.”

“But,” Ted persists, “You sighed.”

I will do the same with Ted.  Sometimes as he comes up from his basement office, he reaches the top step and lets out a big sigh.  “What?”  I’ll ask him.  Haha – it’s usually just nothing – just a big weary breath after climbing the stairs!

But many times our sighs are indeed a wordless response to something we feel or something we’ve seen or read.  It’s sweet that Ted notices when I sigh and many times he will persist in getting me to verbalize what’s on my mind.

You know, if you don’t communicate and express what you really are thinking, you can get yourself into trouble with a response to the question of “What’s wrong?” with a reply of “Nothing!”

I’ve started reading through the Psalms and sometimes the wording of a passage just strikes a chord with me.  Today my NIV version of the bible stated chapter 5 verse 1 this way:

Psalm 5:1 Give ear to my words, O Lord, consider my sighing.

Not only does God HEAR our prayers, but in those times when we don’t even know what to pray, our God knows our heart and our thoughts.  He considers our sighing and knows just how we feel.

I know there have been many times when the challenges of life have worn me down so much and the fatigue has set in – when I know I need to talk to God but there are no words.  And so I cry, or I moan, or I sigh.

And He knows just what I mean.

Just Laurel

It’s Faith-refresher Wednesday

I usually pray for inspiration to write my blogs.  Sometimes a thought or idea smacks me in the face.  Sometimes I read a bible passage that runs in contrast to a life situation.  Many times music inspires me.

This past Monday’s blog was inspired by the Gospel reading that was part of last Sunday’s sermon.  But also last Sunday at our traditional service, we sang an old hymn, “All Depends on Our Possessing.”  It’s not at all one of the top most familiar hymns like “Amazing Grace” or “What a Friend We Have in Jesus” or “How Great Thou Art”.  But the lyrics were incredible.  I really enjoy Christian music including the old stuff and the new contemporary music.  But the new music can be slim on lyrics and often resort to a much repeated chorus of “Praise Him, Praise Him, Alleluia” or some such thing over and over again.  The lyrics to this hymn were so poetic … so true … so heart felt.

Many spend their lives in fretting
Over trifles and in getting
Things that have no solid ground.
I shall strive to win a treasure
That will bring me lasting pleasure
And that now is seldom found.

If on earth my days He lengthen,
He my weary soul will strengthen;
All my trust in Him I place.
Earthly wealth is not abiding,
Like a stream away is gliding;
Safe I anchor in His grace.

Can you believe that these lyrics were written by an unknown author somewhere around 1673?  The original was in German but translated to English by dear Catherine Winkworth in 1858.  Here’s the rest of the lyrics and info if you are curious:

http://www.hymntime.com/tch/htm/a/l/d/aldepend.htm

The music that goes with this song was by Johann B. Konig in 1737.  I found a lovely harp version in case you would like to hear it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=edufZqFPwdQ

Now you just don’t find lyrics like that today.  I made a note on my church bulletin to somehow use this song in a blog … and today after work as I sat down to write – it all became clear to me.

In the light of Robin Williams’ death … now I am not judging at all about why he did it and I do not understand deep depression or mental illness …, but I do think that too many people live lives that are so empty and without purpose.  How many times have all of us heard about the self-inflicted death of someone who seemed to have everything in this world – Success?  Health?  Money?  And folks, that’s just the problem – if you depend on happiness through things of this world, ya ain’t gonna be happy!  Like the lyrics of this song so poetically state:  “Many spend their lives in fretting … over trifles and in getting … things that have no solid ground.”

Again – I am not judging because I did not know the mind of Robin Williams.  I have heard that he was a generous man.  But whatever tormented him, whatever made him so sad, whatever it was that he may have been missing … he will deal with those things with his maker in heaven.  But may his passing remind us that it is not the earthly wealth and trifles that will satisfy us.

Nothing in this world lasts.  Nothing in this world can we take with us in the end.

Lasting pleasure is only through trusting and abiding in Christ Jesus.

He is our treasure.

Just Laurel

1 Timothy 6:7-10 For we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.

I came across this comic in last Sunday’s paper.  I thought it was funny.  Man cave!  Haha.

I know what a man cave is but I looked up a definition anyway.  The simple one was:  “a male sanctuary”.  This definition elaborated:  “An emotional sanctuary for men when they’re stressed and need “space” or time away from females, responsibilities, etc.”

Well I am reading this book my friend loaned me called, “Christ the Lord, The Road to Cana” by Anne Rice.  It is a novel of the life of Christ before his ministry.  It gives you the feeling of what life was like for Jesus in ancient Jerusalem – about things he did, what his home life may have been like, and events that may have happened and led up to the life of Jesus we know about from the bible.  Ann Rice has Jesus visiting the Garden of Gethsemane quite often as a favorite, peaceful place where he can retreat to.  I thought it was rather like his man cave!  Well, why not?  We all know how Jesus went to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray before Judas came there to betray him.  It couldn’t have been Jesus’ first visit there.  It was where He went when he was stressed, or needed “space” … it was His Sanctuary. 

Gethsemane means “olive oil press” in Greek and the Garden is believed to actually be a grove of olive trees where a press was also located.  I bet it was a cool place.  A grove of beautiful old olive trees whose leaves probably whispered to Jesus when he visited.

It made me think 🙂

We ALL need a man cave – women too!  Maybe you have one.  Jesus knew the importance of getting away from people and the problems of the outside world.  It was a place where He could pray and find peace.  It doesn’t have to be an actual cave.  Maybe your special space is that comfy corner chair with a cup of coffee when no one else is home.  Some people find solace when they can go to their bedroom and close the door to be alone with their thought and prayers.  Many people actually have a garden where they can sit and reflect. 

It doesn’t matter what or where your man cave is.  The point is, everyone needs a place where they can go to be alone with God.  I hope you all have that space and take the time.

I hope you find your own Garden of Gethsemane.

Just Laurel

Matthew 26:36  Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.”