“But even”
By Rev. Michael Stonhouse
Meditation – Monday, April 29, 2024
Psalm 56 (Forward, p. 91) CEV p. 587
I have read the psalm many times in the past but this morning those two little words struck me as never before, those two little words, ‘but even.’ The psalmist, David, who is in dire straits, caught ‘between a rock and hard place’ you might say, stuck between Philistine rulers who are not kindly disposed to him inside where he’s living and Saul who is after his life, on the outside, utters those two rather telling words, ‘but even.’
‘but even’ when enemies chase him all day
‘but even’ when many of them pursue and attack him
‘but even’ when he is afraid
Even then, he keeps on trusting God:
-he trusts God’s promises.
-he knows that God is fully aware of his sorrows.
-he knows for certain that God is with him.
-he is sure that God will answer his prayers.
-he is confident that God will not allow anyone to hurt him.
David was fully convinced, but are we? And, can we necessarily take his confidence for granted, take it as applying equally to us today? I say this because we know for certain that people trusting in God have not always been immune from opposition, attacks or even death. Indeed, Jesus clearly acknowledges, predicts in fact, that these things might well happen to us as His followers or believers.
So, what can we take from this? In Paul’s letter to the Romans, he makes a bold and rather audacious statement, namely that God works out all things to good for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28). And indeed, that is the testimony of countless believers before us. And, even then, even when things are not exactly ‘working out’, when things are not exactly what we’d like, we can always rest confident in God’s loving care and God’s loving provision.
Forward notes: “You have noted my lamentations; put my tears in your bottle; are they not recorded in your book” (verse 8).
“We all have periods of lamentation, times when we feel deep sorrow and sadness. The impact of lament, especially after a serious loss, may result in tears, sometimes at unexpected times and inconvenient places. Despite what some in our culture suggest, tears of grief are evidence not of weakness but of healing. It is essential to find healthy ways of expressing the feelings associated with deep sadness and crying helps us do that.
“Some scientific studies have shown that emotional tears are different from other kinds of tears, such as the ones from an irritant like dust or peeling an onion. Emotional tears, including those associated with grief, contain different substances that some scientists say can help reduce pain and stress.
“The psalmist recognized the special character of the tears that result from our expressions of grief and sorrow. These tears are so important that God, aware of our sadness, puts them in a bottle for safekeeping.”
Moving Forward: “How do you express sadness and sorrow?”