If Only I Had Wings
“And I say, “Oh, that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and be at rest; yes, I would wander far away; I would lodge in the wilderness; I would hurry to find a shelter from the raging wind and tempest.”” ESV Psalm 55:6-8
Have you ever wanted to hop in the car and just keep on driving? Have you ever had more than a passing thought about starting over in a different place without the years of baggage that seem to pile up at home? Have you imagined that the grass may indeed be greener or that you would find rest for your weary bones if you could just get to the other side of the fence? I suspect most of us have had thoughts like these on occasion. But hey, if you have then you’re in good company; the Psalmist had these thoughts too!
How do you deal with stress? I really believe that one of the reasons I enjoy the outdoors as much as I do is because of the peaceful solitude it offers. A long hike in the woods is refreshing after a stressful day. Maybe you prefer fishing, hunting, a shopping trip, or just a long drive; regardless, sometimes we just need something to release the stress in our lives.
Many things cause stress and sometimes we bring it on ourselves through our actions. But Psalm 55 was written in response to a particularly stressful situation; betrayal at the hand of a close friend. How did the Psalmist deal with the stress?
Well, he didn’t follow through on his initial thoughts about flying away into the wilderness—and neither should you. Instead, he calls out to God in prayer. Verses 16 through 18 show a proper response in times of despair. The Psalmist says, “But I call to God and the LORD will save me. Evening and morning and at noon I utter my complaint and moan, and he hears my voice. He redeems my soul in safety from the battle that I wage, for many are arrayed against me.”
A couple of things stand out to me in this psalm. The most obvious is that the Psalmist calls out to God in prayer and makes his desires known. But how often does he pray? Did he pray once and gain instant relief? No, he prayed in the morning, at lunch and in the evening. The burden of his betrayal was not removed in an instant but he prayed with confidence that God could and would redeem him from the situation—from the battle he was waging.
What battles are you waging right now? What is it that irks you so much that you want to fly away and rest in a quiet spot? Do you struggle with addictions? Has someone betrayed you? Don’t run and don’t wait. Instead, “Cast your burden on the LORD, and he will sustain you...” Psalm 55:22.
Ken Askew
Have you ever wanted to hop in the car and just keep on driving? Have you ever had more than a passing thought about starting over in a different place without the years of baggage that seem to pile up at home? Have you imagined that the grass may indeed be greener or that you would find rest for your weary bones if you could just get to the other side of the fence? I suspect most of us have had thoughts like these on occasion. But hey, if you have then you’re in good company; the Psalmist had these thoughts too!
How do you deal with stress? I really believe that one of the reasons I enjoy the outdoors as much as I do is because of the peaceful solitude it offers. A long hike in the woods is refreshing after a stressful day. Maybe you prefer fishing, hunting, a shopping trip, or just a long drive; regardless, sometimes we just need something to release the stress in our lives.
Many things cause stress and sometimes we bring it on ourselves through our actions. But Psalm 55 was written in response to a particularly stressful situation; betrayal at the hand of a close friend. How did the Psalmist deal with the stress?
Well, he didn’t follow through on his initial thoughts about flying away into the wilderness—and neither should you. Instead, he calls out to God in prayer. Verses 16 through 18 show a proper response in times of despair. The Psalmist says, “But I call to God and the LORD will save me. Evening and morning and at noon I utter my complaint and moan, and he hears my voice. He redeems my soul in safety from the battle that I wage, for many are arrayed against me.”
A couple of things stand out to me in this psalm. The most obvious is that the Psalmist calls out to God in prayer and makes his desires known. But how often does he pray? Did he pray once and gain instant relief? No, he prayed in the morning, at lunch and in the evening. The burden of his betrayal was not removed in an instant but he prayed with confidence that God could and would redeem him from the situation—from the battle he was waging.
What battles are you waging right now? What is it that irks you so much that you want to fly away and rest in a quiet spot? Do you struggle with addictions? Has someone betrayed you? Don’t run and don’t wait. Instead, “Cast your burden on the LORD, and he will sustain you...” Psalm 55:22.
Ken Askew
posted by TBC at
5/13/2009 10:00:00 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home