Running Lost In The Woods (Psalm 49:12-14)

This morning I found myself in the book of Psalms which to be quite honest, I don't often explore as much as I should. My comfort zone is really in the gospels and even more so in the letters from Paul. I find this a little odd because I myself have long enjoyed writing poetry, despite not having revealed any in quite some time. Poetry has this ability to paint with words in broad strokes and captivate the imagination. It speaks from the heart of the one writing, but also from the heart of the interpreter who is reading it from their own point of view.

Perhaps this is why poetry is the language of music. Almost every popular song out there (regardless of whether it is musically complex) has a theme in that it is written to resonate with others. It might be some beautiful story about love or love lost (Adele, I hope you cheer up soon) but it also might be something far less noble like just looking to have a good time dancing.

Psalms is one of the best collections of poetry in the Bible and it's no wonder that many hymns and even modern worship songs are based around verses taken from this beautiful book of expression about who God is to God's people. It is also a very honest book full of both praise and petition, but also confession of doubt or of a wavering faith.

How many times have I struggled to see God at work in my life? How many times have I found myself overwhelmed by the difficulty situations that this world sometimes brings and wondered, where is God and why can't He just show up in the way I want? The number is probably far too many to count, but it seems that if we're often doubting God and struggling to see His face in this world, we are in good company as countless times throughout Psalms we see mentions of praise for who we believe God is, an assurance that we truly trust that if God could just intervene we know what God is capable of. We also see grief expressed in what often follows which is something to the effect of, "God I know you're the almighty God, a God of love and grace who knows no match, but why then, if you are all of these things, have you not put on your cape and wisked me away from this struggle? I know you could save me from this, but are you going to ever show up?"

But then I stumbled upon something that I really want to focus on. The idea that, yes God can do all things, but that we only allow God's work in our lives to truly glorify Him when we stop relying on ourselves, when we stop putting God in second place to us as ruler over our own life.

People, despite their wealth, do not endure; they are like the beasts that perish. This is the fate of those who trust in themselves, and of their followers, who approve their sayings. They are like sheep and are destined to die; death will be their shepherd.

-Psalm 49:12-14

Confession time, I wrestle with God constantly over who should have control over my life. God lets me win though and it's only in discovering my inadequacies that I am able to fall on my face and plead for Him to take over.

Once when I was a kid I was walking through the woods near my house. My dad and a couple others were with me as we were returning from a hike down to the creek and at some point I decided to get out ahead of the group on the path. Eventually I stopped and looked back but did not see anyone. They were hiding to prove a point and it was only when I realized that while I liked the idea of being leader of this hike in theory, I was not the best equipped for it. I didn't know my way back so I turned and sprinted back in the direction from which I came. I tripped over a root and fell face first to the ground. I was cut up and bleeding and I was scared. I lay there unable to move because I knew that I couldn't make it home on my own. It was only then that my dad came out from behind a tree, helped me to my feet and dusted me off before showing me the way.

There are times when God won't feel present, but I wonder if it's not so much that God isn't there with us, but that we've decided to sprint in our own direction without worrying to bring God along. We get the feeling that we know what's best for us and rather than continue to remain by God's side to make sure the way we thought was best really is, we just leave Him in our dust.

Father, we want to be just like you, and it's sometimes hard to remember that even in our best attempts to be like you, there is no better ruler over our lives than you are. In the times when we try to lean on our own strength, our own understanding of the world, we pray for brokenness so that you might be restored to the throne we often try to sit in ourselves. Make us more like you but Lord, we glorify you for who you are, the King of our lives. Help us along the way to know your presence, never let your voice part from our ears. Amen.