Psalm 64 Preserve my Life from the Dread Enemy

Observation: There is kind of an established genre of Psalms that cry for God's help from an earthly enemy. It seems from the language that this enemy is an insidious one, plotting in secret, laying snares and ambushing innocent people.

Application: Reflecting on my week so far, this psalm doesn't connect with for me any particular human enemy, but more the enemy within: addiction. Addictions are just like any living creature. They will do anything they can to survive. But unlike most living creatures, they have our own minds--our imaginations, our sense of reason, our capacity for deception--at their full disposal. Addictions do not distinguish rich from poor, right from wrong. They only want to survive, and for that, they need our substance or behavior of choice. They are a formidable enemy.

At the beginning of this week, I attended a training with Hope Not Handcuffs, to become a volunteer "Angel" on call to help individuals who have resolved to get clean from opioid addiction. Pictured above is my Naloxone kit, which every volunteer received. In the event of an opiate overdose, these kits can instantly reverse the effects of an opioid for 30 to 90 minutes while EMTs are on their way. Despite a lot of misinformation floating around, this is a one-time drug, it costs about $150 per dose, and it doesn't get anyone high or enable their habit. On the contrary, its sole purpose is to save the lives of people who would otherwise die of an overdose.

Another fact I learned is that on average, a person addicted to opioids tries to get clean at least seven times before successfully doing so. Facing that strong of an enemy, I'm glad to be enlisted as an ally. If you have any interest in this program, I'd encourage you to check out their website and see if you can be of help in your area.

As the psalmist says, "the human heart and mind are deep." We are too smart for our own good sometimes, and we have so much capacity to be our own worst enemy, to deceive and do harm to ourselves. But we are better together than alone, and we are best when we enlist God's help. We all have demons of some form. I'll gladly have your back as you fight yours, and I always appreciate prayers as I fight mine.

Prayer: God, be our help and our warrior as we struggle with strong enemies. Be our strength when we feel weak. Draw us together when we feel alone. Amen.

Proverbs 3:13-18 Woman Wisdom, the Treasure of God

Observation: In the book of Proverbs, God's wisdom is personified as a woman, inviting all people to a feast of knowledge. This section is like a love poem to her, saying she is worth more than any earthly treasure.

Application: I remember an old school camp song that was based on this passage,

"Lord, you are more precious than silver/ Lord, you are more costly than gold/ Lord, you are more beautiful than diamonds/ and nothing I desire compares with you."

It's a beautiful song, but I never knew that this original scripture passage described God's Wisdom, which is named as a woman.

When I think of God's wisdom this way, it helps me remember that God is beyond any one gender--God invented genders, after all--and it helps me remember all the wise women who have helped me grow. Teachers, camp counselors, church women, and most importantly my sisters, my Mom, my wife and my daughter, have all shown forth God's wisdom for me. When we only think of God as male, we tend not to notice so many of the ways God shows up to teach us in our lives. I'm grateful for God's wisdom, and the women who have helped me see it. It really is more precious than silver and gold.

Prayer: God, thank you for raising me, for teaching me, for loving and supporting me. Thanks for being a mother to me. Amen.

Joel 2:18-29 The Spirit of Life

Text: Joel 2:18-29

Observation: I notice in this text that God promises abundant rains, harvests, food, to the land and creatures, to make up for the desolation of locusts, which was punishment for human wrongdoing. I also notice that the promise to nourish the creation is directly followed up by the promise to "pour out my Spirit on all flesh," for all people regardless of social status. God promises to care for the whole people and the whole land, body and soul.  This reminds me of psalm 104 from yesterday, that God's Spirit "renews the face of the Earth".

Application: Sometimes I try to separate out physical, mental, and spiritual wellness. Maybe I'll go all out on diet & exercise (this rarely happens, but sometimes...) and then neglect prayer & devotions. Or I'll get into a routine talking with a counselor but let that old elliptical machine collect dust.

When this happens, some part of me knows something's off. God cares about the whole person, mind, body & spirit, and so should I. You can't just work on one at a time.

But the grace I see here, is that God's Spirit comes to help us as whole people. The Holy Spirit cares for me, mind, body and soul, and also cares for the land and creatures where I live. By my own work, I can't care for myself, much less my family, my congregation, my planet. But when the Spirit comes, I am able to do a little at a time, the next right thing, and that's enough.

Prayer: Lord, send forth your Spirit and renew the face of the Earth, and of my life too. Amen.