With Your Greatest Fears Realized, You Will Not Be Comforted - Psalm 27

I've had a pretty lame week. Since Monday I've been wreaked with stress because, as I like to put it, my boss likes to pour stress over me like syrup over pancakes. It's a lot of cutting me off mid conversation with the number one technician running one of the departments. A verbal post-it note stapled to my forehead accompanied with an actual post-it note, or a folder, or a file. It really gets under my skin and I lose my cool. It usually is a petty request for detailed information that will take me an hour to track down for an update, and it won't be specific or it'll be wrong, or whatever. It's adding hours to my day for something that won't really bring comfort or really information. I know why he does this. He is getting crazy pressured and the stress is rolling down hill per-se. I'm really no different. I'm a terrible at not dumping on others. I try really hard not to but it happens. My lovely wife talked me off a cliff today. I mean, look at that! A whole week ruined by, if I'm being honest, one day. All the accusing, and lost packages; bad information, and unanswered emails, didn't amount to anything. I actually had a fairly relaxed week, work load wise. What was I afraid of? Losing my job? Being told I'm as worthless as I already think I am? I don't really know. Maybe it's a combination of those and more. I just couldn't hear anything else but that pent up torture. I couldn't declare with confidence that I really trusted the Lord. I wonder sometimes if David didn't declare what he did as a way to talk himself into what he knew. To have faith as C.S. Lewis described it; to hold on with his mind and reason, the things that his fickle heart sometimes gives up on.

1The Lord is my light and my salvation—
whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life—
of whom shall I be afraid?
2When the wicked advance against me
to devour me,
it is my enemies and my foes
who will stumble and fall.

I don't think this is just brash confidence because he ends the psalm with:

14Wait for the Lord;

be strong and take heart

and wait for the Lord

David, in times of trouble does his fair share of fearing. He also does his fair share of reminding himself and us to turn to the remedy of our fear. A confidence in a sovereign Lord that has our best interest at heart. Many times not the most fun, or effortless times, but the best ones for us. What would happen if all my worst fears were to be realized? What one hope would or could carry me? Everyone and everything in this world can tear me down with failure after every cutting insult. Only my Lord has taken those cutting, tearing and hurt upon Himself....and that, for my sake. Ultimate power, and ultimate love, for me. I turn and remember that love every time I enter His house. When I sing His praise, I am at piece. When I resound a response, only then I am set at peace.

4One thing I ask from the Lord,

this only do I seek:

that I may dwell in the house of the Lord

all the days of my life,

to gaze on the beauty of the Lord

and to seek him in his temple.

in Christ,
paul





music for the week (as usual: no claim of being not "offensive" but it is really good):