Psalm 62:1-2 ESV
Psalm 62:5-7 ESV
Psalm 62:8 ESV
Thoughts on Scripture for Life
Scripture has long been an important element in my walk with God. While I took time to pray and talk with God, I found that reading God’s Word helped me to understand the character and nature of God.
I knew even in junior high school that when we want to understand something or someone, we can read and research to find answers to what we don’t understand. I loved writing papers and finding answers in encyclopedias. Through the years we have seen significant changes in how we do research.
The internet was a game-changer.
When I entered college the first time in 1971 we had to spend an enormous amount of time in the library reading hard copy books and articles.
Even learning how to understand and read information about scripture was dependent on the library collection we visited.
That sounds so antiquated now.
Today, thanks to the miracle of the internet we have tools. Even before I entered Seminary in 2007 when I would read something in scripture that I didn’t understand, I could look for help from good source materials.
When I coupled my thirst for research and learning with regular visits to see a Spiritual Director, I discovered how to ask the right questions about scripture.
Allow me to explain.
I thought I needed to seek God to get answers. While that is true, I didn’t understand that God was watching and waiting for me as well.
I thought I needed to find out what God wanted me to DO for Him.
Even though I had studied communication and culture in college and I knew Americans are “doing” oriented, I had been taught in Sunday School that I need to be obedient to find out what God wants me to DO.
The first time my Spiritual Director told me God doesn’t need me to DO anything, I was dumb-founded!
I felt confused. I had to learn to rewrite my hard drive.
I had to learn life is not about what I can DO for God.
Life is about who God IS to me. Life is about being. It’s about what God has for ME.
That’s the gift.
Learning that was the start of a whole new experience with God.
In Psalm 62:1-2 we read, “For God alone my soul waits in silence; from him comes my salvation. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken.”
BE. I had to learn how to BE in God. I needed to sit and let God BE God.
I needed to let God bring salvation to me…let God BE my fortress.
Then I shall not, cannot be shaken.
Psalm 62:5-7 goes on to say, “For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him. He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken.
On God rests my salvation and my glory; my mighty rock, my refuge is God.”
Being with God brings Hope. I do not need to try to Hope. I do not DO hope.
God brings hope TO me.
God is my rock. God brings the fortress to me.
I think of it this way…I cannot be shaken because God, the mighty rock brings His glory to me.
BE. Be in God.
Be in God the refuge.
I sit in silence and I open my hands. I ask God to bring His refuge to me.
Once again, it’s not about what I DO for God.
It’s not about what I need to do to fulfill an expectation.
It’s about me opening my hands to let God BE.
It’s about us letting God BE God.
We need to stop trying to run the show. We need to step aside and let God.
Psalm 62:8 tells us, “Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us. Selah”
Trust God. All the time trust God.
Let God have your heart and rest in His refuge.
Today’s Spiritual Practice is: Open your hands
Sit comfortably and open your hands to God. Trust God. Let God be in charge of what happens next.
In God, Deborah
Comments