I've been reading Psalm 19 often throughout the pasts weeks.
Tonight I read it in The Message version. If you read it out loud it just might do this really crazy joy-thing in your soul...
"God's glory is on tour in the skies, God-craft on exhibit across the horizon.
Madame Day holds classes every morning,
Professor Night lectures each evening.
Their words aren't heard,
their voices aren't recorded,
But their silence fills the earth:
unspoken truth is spoken everywhere.
God makes a huge dome
for the sun—a superdome!
The morning sun's a new husband
leaping from his honeymoon bed,
The daybreaking sun an athlete
racing to the tape.
That's how God's Word vaults across the skies
from sunrise to sunset,
Melting ice, scorching deserts,
warming hearts to faith.
The revelation of God is whole
and pulls our lives together.
The signposts of God are clear
and point out the right road.
The life-maps of God are right,
showing the way to joy.
The directions of God are plain
and easy on the eyes.
God's reputation is twenty-four-carat gold,
with a lifetime guarantee.
The decisions of God are accurate
down to the nth degree.
God's Word is better than a diamond,
better than a diamond set between emeralds.
You'll like it better than strawberries in spring,
better than red, ripe strawberries.
There's more: God's Word warns us of danger
and directs us to hidden treasure.
Otherwise how will we find our way?
Or know when we play the fool?
Clean the slate, God, so we can start the day fresh!
Keep me from stupid sins,
from thinking I can take over your work;
Then I can start this day sun-washed,
scrubbed clean of the grime of sin.
These are the words in my mouth;
these are what I chew on and pray.
Accept them when I place them
on the morning altar,
O God, my Altar-Rock,
God, Priest-of-My-Altar."
I have been so overwhelmed by myself lately. My thoughts, my actions, the way I speak to those I love, the things I've made important in my heart... I've been so focused on self that some how... Some How... I've forgotten that I can start each day sun-washed & scrubbed clean of the grime of my own sin. I couldn't possibly express with my elementary words how incredibly lovely this is! How can I go even a day without His precious Word flooding my heart, my mind, my thoughts? Warm my heart towards You Lord! Direct me to hidden treasure! Please show me the way to joy.
Your Unspoken truth is spoken everywhere... How then Lord, are there so many days that I just don't see? Lord please don't let me miss out simply because I am to caught up in myself, in the way that my house looks, in the next thing that I want to buy, in the clothes on my back or in what my neighbor has that I don't. Increase my vision to see what you see. Break my heart for the things that break yours. Help me to live this one life empty of myself and excessively overflowing with you!
Often times the best medicine for a heart bogged down by self is simply a dose of unspoken truth spoken everywhere, drops of saline for the dry eye, truth painted beautifully in plain sight. He makes himself known everywhere, always, to everyone, we need only to ask for eyes that can see.
It's late on a Saturday night, I'm sitting in the dark punching keys, rubbing the soft blonde hair of my little girl treasure who's tossing and turning and moaning with an ear ache. I have a head cold, again. My Joey is snoring like a train plowing right through my bedroom...
Even so... EVEN SO...
He's warming my heart and showing me the way to joy.