To Follow Jesus

Selwyn introduces today’s study with these words: “Today we ask ourselves: What is the point of the uncomfortable psalms - these jarring outpourings in which the psalmists capture the struggles of the heart as it attempts to make sense of the goodness of God in the midst of the troubles of life?”

He goes on to say: “One of the purposes of this type of psalm is simply this: to invite us to admit whatever we feel, know we are not alone in those feelings and work through our uncomfortable emotions to a deeper relationship with God. … they also teach us how to wrestle with negative feelings until those negative feelings give way to hope.”

Psalm 139 has been set for reading and meditation, and it’s another great psalm.

The verses highlighted by Selwyn are worth thinking about (Psalm 139:23-24, New Living Translation): “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.”

There are aspects of our personality which we accept as normal but they’re offensive to God.  An honest relationship with God is vital for our spiritual growth. We must be willing, to say to God - ’search me and point out anything that I need to change’. It’s the willingness to undergo such an analysis by God and to be prepared to listen to His advice - that we can grow to become more like Jesus. It’s an acceptance that often we are not able to identify the causes of our anxieties and fears - we just don’t know ourselves as well as we might think - and that’s a hard fact to accept! Jesus created us - and, as the potter who moulded these jars of human clay - He knows us, inside out.

What are your views on this?

Selwyn continues his discussion about negative emotions, he writes: “Out of these (uncomfortable) psalms comes a voice which speaks directly to you and says: ‘Look at what is going on in the hearts of these people. Isn’t the same thing going on within you?’ Emotions such as fear, anger, disappointment, hurt - feelings we are often ignorant of or wilfully reluctant to face - begin to stir in us, and we realise that we are not as aware of what is going on within us as we thought we were.”

These psalms help us to see the inner workings of our heart - they illuminate areas within us, that are sometimes buried deep within us. It’s only when we recognise these issues for what they are, that we can start on the road that leads to resolution of these issues, Once we identify our negative emotions then we can open ourselves up to God’s healing love.

Psalm 70 ( re today’s reading and meditation, New Living Translation): “Please, God, rescue me! Come quickly, Lord, and help me.

May those who try to kill me be humiliated and put to shame. May those who take delight in my trouble be turned back in disgrace. Let them be horrified by their shame, for they said, “Aha! We’ve got him now!”

But may all who search for you be filled with joy and gladness in you. May those who love your salvation repeatedly shout, “God is great!” But as for me, I am poor and needy; please hurry to my aid, O God. You are my helper and my savior; O Lord, do not delay.”

A short psalm, and we hear David cry out - ‘I am poor and needy, please hurry to my aid, O God.’ Likewise, we too, need to recognise those times - when we are ‘empty’, a time when all our resources have been exhausted; a time, when we cry out to God - please hurry - I need You. We can only cry out to God in this way, when we honestly admit to ourselves, that we have run out of our own energy, and there is nothing left - but to call out, ‘ You are my helper and my savior, please quickly reach out and hold me up, so that I don’t drown in my despair.’

Jesus - loves you, and He will always respond to a broken and hurt heart, calling out for His help.  Do you believe this?

Selwyn conclusion to today’s study is good:“How sad that so many people have gained the impression that the only thing one must do with negative feelings about God is repress or bury them. … Our love for Him may change, but His love for us is changeless.”

The problem is that God knows our every thought - it is fairly pointless to try and deny the emotions we actually feel  - we may fool ourselves, but we hide nothing from God - so why even try?

Today, Selwyn starts a new study - ‘Being Real in the Pslams’, in particular, he will be looking at the ‘uncomfortable’ psalms; those psalms, in which, you ‘find expressions of rage, loneliness, despair, fear, confusion, anger, contempt, envy , shame and many other negative emotions’. 

As Mick Brooks (Consulting Editor, CWR), mentions in his introduction - Selwyn uses these psalms to demonstrate a ‘proper integration of thinking and feeling, … The psalmists share their feelings and invite us to empathise with them but they never allow themselves to be swept away by emotionalism.’

In Paul’s letter to the Galatians 5:22-23a, NIV; we read : ” … the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.”  We are transformed, by the Holy Spirit, during our  journey to become more like Jesus - but we never reach that point, during our life-time. Consequently, there will be times when we are flooded by negative emotions - the answer is not to deny that these emotions exist within our heart - but to take them, to God, in prayer - that is, to be ‘real with God’.

Selwyn starts today, with the first six verses from Psalm 51, for reading and meditation; but, it’s worthwhile inserting the whole Psalm.

Psalm 51 A psalm of David, after he had committed adultery with Bathsheba. (New Living Translation)

“Have mercy on me, O God, because of your unfailing love. Because of your great compassion, blot out the stain of my sins. Wash me clean from my guilt. Purify me from my sin.

For I recognize my rebellion; it haunts me day and night. Against you, and you alone, have I sinned; I have done what is evil in your sight. You will be proved right in what you say, and your judgment against me is just. For I was born a sinner - yes, from the moment my mother conceived me. But you desire honesty from the womb, [Or, 'from the heart'; the Hebrew reads, 'in the inward parts']  teaching me wisdom even there.

Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Oh, give me back my joy again; you have broken me - now let me rejoice. Don’t keep looking at my sins. Remove the stain of my guilt.

Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me. Do not banish me from your presence, and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me.

Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you. Then I will teach your ways to rebels, and they will return to you.

Forgive me for shedding blood, O God who saves; then I will joyfully sing of your forgiveness. Unseal my lips, O Lord, that my mouth may praise you.

You do not desire a sacrifice, or I would offer one. You do not want a burnt offering. The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God. Look with favor on Zion and help her; rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. Then you will be pleased with sacrifices offered in the right spirit - with burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings. Then bulls will again be sacrificed on your altar.”

Don’t you agree, that this is one great Psalm? (Some of the verses I’ve highlighted, are numbered amongst my most loved verses.)

Today, the last day of this particular issue - ‘The Promised Holy Spirit’, Selwyn summarises the material he has covered over the last two months, in the following six points:

“1. He seeks to draw out of us all the potential that God has built into us.

2. He prods us to prayer.

3. He brings hidden things to light in our souls and seeks to rid us of all sin.

4. He shines the laser beam of knowledge and wisdom through the fog that sometimes surrounds us, and guides us in (His holy ways).

5. He teaches us as no other could teach us, and leads us into what our hearts were built for - truth.

6. He comforts us whenever we are in need of solace, and strengthens our hearts to go on even though we have no clear answers to our predicament.”

Selwyn, presents a concise conclusion: “When we refuse to open up to Him, to depend on Him and consult Him, we deprive ourselves of the love, wisdom and spiritual sustenance we need to live effectively and dynamically.”

I also liked the verses set for reading and meditation, especially these ones (James 4:7-10, NIV): “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.”

The Holy Spirit is God - God living in us  - He is the Spirit of Jesus. He loves us, totally - and, we need to totally trust in His love. He will never leave us - to make our own way in this world - like orphans. He is our Father, waiting for us - watching our path - guiding us - all the way, home.

Any comments?

It’s a question of trust - the answer to which, is found in your view of the cross; if you accept Jesus, our God who created you - and, who also died on the cross to take the punishment due to you for your sins - as, the one and only God who loves you. The conclusion you can reach is that He will take every bad thing that happens to you - and turn it into something good that will cause you to smile - when you reach ‘home’.

Jesus - says: ‘I am your God, who loves you.’

Believe these words, and you can trust that He is with you - all the days of your life - even, the worst of days.

I agree with Selwyn, when he writes: “We have been emphasising that we are not always going to receive answers to difficult questions that arise during our lifetime. Questions such as these: Why has God allowed this? What possible good can come from it? How can a loving God permit such a thing? A good deal of frustration can be avoided if we settle for the fact that God knows what He is doing and that one day, when we get to heaven, all will be made clear.”

Life is difficult - if, this planet was in a slightly different orbit to the sun , then life as we know it - would be a whole lot different. There is just so much on this earth that works, against all the odds, that - it begs the question -  who, is holding it all together?

Jesus, our amazing God, loves you - trust in HIs love; and, follow Him - home.

Selwyn answers the question - is optimism enough to get us through the terrible times? Clearly, as he suggests - it fails, when the worst does happen - he concludes: ‘the only reality we can depend upon in this barren world is the consolation and comfort of the Holy Spirit’.

I liked the quote taken from the biography of  the missionary, Allan Francis Gardiner: ‘Great and marvellous are the loving kindnesses of my gracious God to me.’  Written during a time of very difficult circumstances - it is not optimism that enables a person to say such words - which in a way, denies the reality of the situation. Yet, these words come from an eternal vision of the permanent reality of a loving relationship that is purified, while here on earth; to be enjoyed forever, in its perfection - when we arrive in heaven.

What did you think of today’s study?