Sometimes I read the Psalms and almost gloss over them, but this one got me this morning from bible.com and it took me in some interesting places.
First, the simple word “declare” was used – not “I think about” or “I consider” or anything like that, but declare. It’s active. It’s on-going. It’s personal. Whatever I’m declaring is something that I support, acknowledge, and believe to be true.
Then the words that follow are the ones I’m declaring: “He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God and I trust him.”
So … and this is where the rubber hits the road … how do I declare this faith in God as I work through my sabbatical time and hope I can get everything done? How do I declare while I’m worried about serious health concerns of family and friends? How do I declare when stress and other burdens weigh me down to the point where I get grumpy and I’m not a lot of fun to be with?
There are many places we can go to relieve worries, burdens, and anxieties – most of them temporary, and not all of them healthy. Martin Luther writes on the 1st Commandment:
Anything on which your heart relies and depends, I say, that is really your god.
The intention of this commandment, therefore, is to require true faith and confidence of the heart, which fly straight to the one true God and cling to him alone.
~Martin Luther, The First Commandment
He goes on to say that it is as though God says to us …
Whatever good thing you lack, look to me for it and seek it from me, and whenever you suffer misfortune and distress, crawl to me and cling to me. I, I myself, will give you what you need and help you out of every danger. Only do not let your heart cling to or rest in anyone else.
~Martin Luther, The First Commandment
There are times it’s easier to declare than others. There are times you may feel in your heart of hearts that you’re the biggest hypocrite on earth if you declare because you have doubts or don’t feel very strong or faithful.
Sometimes my wife and I say “I love you” even when we’re annoyed with each other or don’t particularly feel head over heals in love. Does that make us hypocrites? In those moments, we’re declaring what we know to be true regardless of the fickleness of our feelings. Regardless of how we feel, we never truly stop loving each other, we never stop providing for each other, and we would never stop protecting or doing whatever we can to support the other. Such a declaration expresses our confidence and trust in the foundation of our marriage regardless of how we may feel at that moment.
Can we also declare the truth of our relationship with God that is built on the foundation of grace regardless of how we happen to be feeling at the moment?
If you have about 6 minutes, watch this video of Steve Harvey – yes, the comedian, talk show host, and host of the Family Feud. It’s good throughout, but, especially at the 4 minute mark. It speaks to the second quote above from Martin Luther.
God bless you today in your declaring!
Pastor Jeff
Epicurious Lutheran 