Hello, friends! I’m back after a lazy, freewheeling summer hiatus and a purposeful back-to-school transition. Tell the truth, now. You thought I had forgotten you. Yes, you did. You thought that I had gone out and made new friends and forgotten all about Walkin’ and Talkin’. No, no. I would miss our virtual stroll. After a summer of actual sitting by the pool I need the exercise. (Virtual exercise counts, right?)
What I did forget was how to get on the blog. Just momentarily, but still. Forgot the password, forgot the address, forgot everything. After a few minutes of typing in various combinations--wretched use of eternal minutes that I will never get back--it finally let me in. I hate computers. When your Bible study teacher tells you that God will stretch your boundaries for His service, pay attention. I never thought I would be working in such a technical field. I’d really rather write each woman in the church a pencil-and-paper note every week. Sometimes I actually think it would be faster. This week, however, I have some encouragement that can’t wait.
Go look up Psalm 27:13. Go ahead. I’ll wait. It’s a good one. It’s my new theme verse for fall, and it’s funny.
All of Psalm 27 is about trust. In my Bible the subtitle is “A Psalm of Fearless Trust in God.” David is having some trouble with the toxic people in his life. He tells us about evil doers who “devour his flesh,” false witnesses who “breathe out violence,” and parents who won’t help him. They’re probably out of town the way my parents always are when I am having a crisis. I love David. He’s so extreme. He, like me, never passes up an opportunity to have a colorfully detailed vent. He vents to the Lord, and I vent to my bathroom mirror, but whatever.
Then in verse 13 he switches gears and says “I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.” Don’t you love his nonchalance? As it to say he hasn’t even started to get upset. “I would have been worried about these violent breathers, but then I remembered the Lord. I would have tried to shake off all these people trying to bite me, but then I thought of my faith. I would have sent my parents a pouty text, but then I remembered Jesus and all.” It makes me chuckle every time I think of it.
I encountered this verse several weeks ago and can assure you that it plugs nicely into almost any situation. When you lose your keys: “I would have despaired, unless I had believed.” When you get home from the grocery store with lots of nice items, except the one thing you went there to get: “I would have despaired unless I had believed.” When your child puts you down, and then slams the door in your face: (Take a deep breath first and with power) “I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.” Okay, that one’s not so funny, but you get the picture. It’s an antidote for that wave of panic or that rising anger in your throat.
Try it and see if it doesn’t restore your inner chuckle. (Yes, even rueful laughter counts.) What’s your favorite verse to fight off despair? Send me a comment. I panic often, and I could use the extra help. I have a couple more notes about the second part of the verse, but I’m out of time right now. I’ll be back. Keep your heart rate up!
