I am the co-leader of a small group in this fall’s Beth Moore Bible study about the Psalms of Ascent. (Actually, the study is really about knowing God more, as is any study, no?)
I am sometimes very puzzled by things I read in the Bible. After meditating on these things, I often ask a believing friend of strong faith, or my small group, what they hear. I feel very free to ask these questions in my small group because I am not afraid of sounding ignorant or stupid. The fact that my small group knows full well that I don’t even pretend to know everything helps me to be free enough to learn from them.
So, I told them that when I was in about third grade, I was assigned a school project that would explain the workings of the human ear. I carefully drew and labeled a chart of the ear. It was very exact and very boring. I taped the chart to the inside of a shoe-box, cut a viewing hole in the end, installed a little flashlight bulb and battery (Is it any surprise that I am now a bicycle mechanic?), lit up the chart with great drama, and showed it to my dad. He asked, Why make something dark just to make it light again?”.
So, Beth Moore led the Bible study to 1 Peter 5:6: “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time.” Now, this made me wonder how this is different than darkening a box just to get to light it up again. Why would God lower us down just to raise us up again?
My group had some wonderfully faith-filled answers that started turning me around.
That was two days ago.
This morning, I was pondering Psalm 124, remembering how God has rescued me and protected me. I am the daughter of a mother who was a Holocaust survivor. She became a violent and abusive mother. I am the survivor of that childhood. Instead of staying sunk in a life spent reacting in anger and hurt to what I experienced, God has lifted me up from that paralyzing, destructive place of hurt, and has allowed me to see the wonder of His work in me and in others.
Back to this morning—My husband left to do some errands, giving me the freedom to take some time to be on my face before the Lord, as Beth Moore has been suggesting we do. I didn’t take the opportunity; instead I just began to go through today’s study. Right off, Beth told some amusing stories, and then asked if I had spent some carpet time before the Lord. Okay, okay. I’ll do it.
I lay face-down on the floor, and immediately began chattering to the Lord. Then I remembered that this is an opportunity to listen for His voice. I quieted myself and listened. After awhile, I clearly heard Him say to me that He asked me to lower myself before Him, so that He can raise me up straight and true; some of the crookedness from past injuries will be straightened. (He definitely got my attention.)
I went back to the study book, and read what was next: Psalm 125 in the HCSB translation. Verses 4 and 5a say, “Do what is good, LORD, to the good, to those whose hearts are upright. But as for those who turn aside to crooked ways…”
Aloud I said, “Ha!” I said it again and again because He had totally knocked my socks off once again. Talk about confirmation of a word from Him…
Without the accountability and inspiration of being part of this small group, I might have missed this opportunity this morning to have the Creator of Heaven and Earth amaze, astound, encourage, and delight me once again…