Let Your Light Shine Day 12

I bless the LORD who counsels me;

even at night my heart exhorts me. You will show me the path to life, abounding joy in your presence, the delights at your right hand forever.” Psalm 16: 7 & 11

This passage is so uplifting! However, we need to get through some of the archaic language in order to fully grasp the meaning. In this case the word “bless” means to “hallow” or respect greatly, according to Webster’s dictionary. That makes much more sense, when we reinterpret the phrase to say, “I greatly respect the Lord who Counsels me.”  The passage goes on to say that the writer’s heart “exhorts” him, or urges him strongly to listen to the counsel of the Lord. Biblical scholar and writer of The Message Bible, Eugene Peterson,  translates this first verse as follows: “The wise counsel God gives when I’m awake is confirmed by my sleeping heart.”  

God is always speaking to us if we listen. The problem is that for most modern humans, it is nearly impossible to listen to God. There is so much clamoring for our attention--work, family, streaming video, financial pressures, the pressures to keep up appearances, etc. I must say that I am grateful in a small way to the New Jersey “Stay-at-Home” order, because it has freed up some valuable time, which in turn enabled me to write this 21-day meditation challenge. I find that working from home is challenging, because it is always “on”. However, the time that I used to spend commuting has been happily re-directed. Unfortunately, sometimes it takes a tragedy for God to get our attention. 

But when God finally does get our attention, then we get the good stuff. This psalm passage promises, “You will show me the path to life, abounding joy in your presence, the delights at your right hand forever.”  Life, joy, and delights-- those are things that I want in my world! Life, joy, and delights are hard to find when one is always chasing the almighty dollar, or trying to please our boss, spouse, or children. These gifts from God come from staying still for a while and just enjoying the present moment. I love how Eugene Peterson translates this last verse in his Message Bible: “Now you’ve got my feet on the life path, all radiant from the shining of your face. Ever since you took my hand, I’m on the right way.” I personally feel like this slow down is helping me “get my feet on the life path.” How about you?

Please join me in this prayer today,

“Holy Spirit, thank you for slowing down the world enough for me to hear your still, small voice. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to experience your joy and your delights. Help me Lord to truly find your life path at this time, and keep me on that way in the future. Amen.”