Daily Digest #174

Make haste to help me, O Lord! —Psalm 70:1

Honestly, I hate long waits. Just an hour ago, I was telling a friend how I'd rather buy dvds than wait for the download to finish. It irks me when it takes forever to load a page in the internet. I also don't like waiting for others, as I don't like others waiting for me, like during shopping. I'd rather go on my own just to keep up with my schedule. I always seem to be in a hurry.

But there are instances where waiting is really necessary, and that's when our character is tested. Many times I have found myself on the verge of giving up -- on my dreams, on other people, on myself. I used to get easily discouraged by what other people say, or others' bad experiences. Had I not been taught about hope and perseverance, I would have completely lost the will to wait. Waiting has taught me how to become less anxious and make use of my time on other useful things. I used to think that to be less anxious is to be less enthusiastic. But I figured how waiting actually preserves enthusiasm, instead of diminishing it -- except maybe when we wait for the wrong things where we quickly lose interest once we get them. Nonetheless, the waiting process molds our character and makes us better than before.

While reading the reflection above, it reminded me of a song. I would like to share the words to you. I hope the song inspires you as much. May we grow a patient heart, and trust in His ways. May we learn to call on Him at all times. Pray always.

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Be Still And Know
Psalm 46:10 / Zec. 2:13

Be still and know that He is God
Be still and know that He is holy
Be still oh restless soul of mine
Bow before the prince of Peace
Let the noise and clamor cease

Be still and know that He is God
Be still and know that He is faithful
Consider all that He has done
Stand in awe and be amazed
And know that He will never change
Be still

Be still and know that He is God
Be still
Be speechless

Be still and know that He is God
Be still and know He is our Father
Come rest your head upon His breast
Listen to the rhythm of
His unfailing heart of love
Beating for His little ones
Calling each of us to come
Be still
Be still

*if you want a copy of the mp3, tell me so i can email it to you ;-)

Playing Soul Catch-Up

March 04, 2005

There is a story I came across recently, reportedly from the writings of Rabbi Kushner, about a group of tourists who went on a safari in Africa and hired several native porters to carry their supplies for them. After three days, the porters announced they would have to stop and rest for a day. When the tourists inquired as to why (they did not appear to be tired) the porters confirmed that fatigue was not the reason: "…but we have walked too far too fast and now we must wait for our souls to catch up to us."

Now our souls can't disembody themselves, but the picture of an inner disconnectedness is a powerful one, nonetheless. For many people from other ways of life, viewing a high-tech postmodern culture is probably like watching a people come right out of their souls. Certainly the ethical compromises and business scandals—even the sports steroid accusations—that have put famous people behind bars and under suspicion and made others appear like liars, or at the least, very clever spin doctors, seem to spring from an inability of a generation to find its soul. Have we tried too hard and moved so fast that we can't hear from our consciences anymore?

"Be still, and know that I am God" (Psalm 46:10 NLT), says the psalmist, and though I'm sure we can know God as we go along—(remember the popular book in the '70s Are You Running With Me, Jesus?)—there is a part of knowing God that requires us to stop long enough to let our souls catch up with us.

The soul is the part of us that longs for God—that tells us how spiritually hungry we are. It's also the part that reminds us of the truth. For David, the psalmist, his soul was like his inner compass that told him the right way to go. He often had to stop and listen to his soul. Over and over again, his soul is thirsty (Psalm 107:9), it longs for God (Psalm 143:6), his soul cries out for salvation (Psalm 199:81), and it recognizes the truth about himself—that he is fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14). If we don't listen to our souls we become spiritually disconnected. It's impossible to know God and not connect to your own soul.

So if you feel as I do sometimes, as if you have left your soul behind somewhere, it's time to stop and "let your soul catch up to you."

As the hymn writer once put it: "Be still my soul, the Lord is on thy side."