Deciding on certainty

Every day we're reading or listening to part of the Bible together and sharing thoughts with you. Today it’s Bern Leckie:

What did I like about today’s passage?

There’s a clear pattern among the multitude of things going wrong for the Psalm writer today. It looks like he has enemies everywhere and, worse, betrayal by a close friend in Psalm 55. With so much against him, he is understandably afraid and uncertain about what life will bring next.

But he keeps turning to God. Initially, “Save me, O God” sounds like a desperate voice in the darkness. Maybe it’s the prayer of anyone in desperation, whether or not they believe.

Reading on, it’s more clear that the writer’s roots with God go deep. Repeated resolution to turn to God in crisis has gone along with patterns of life, from praising God to making voluntary sacrifices, which sound like religion but in this case, I think, reflect relationship.

When I got to Psalm 57 and read “My heart is steadfast”, it seemed to me that this resolution and relationship may be what had changed the writer so they could find certainty in their heart with God, even though everything else around them had turned bad.

What did it show me about Father God, Jesus or the Holy Spirit?

God wants us to know, recognise and praise him. This is probably not because God’s ego is fragile, and he needs us to encourage him. God knows that we can be changed and supported through crises when we have strong hearts which keep trusting in him.

What am I going to do differently as a result?

I’m aware how much uncertainty can undermine us. As I’m writing, I’ve got a sharp pain in my leg which is similar to things in the past which put me in hospital for days. I’m seeing the doctor shortly, but the uncertainty is almost as uncomfortable as the physical pain, and I’m reminded that if I can’t be sure my leg will support me, it’s very hard to get anywhere!

We’re all dealing with lots of uncertainty in life right now – when will we be able to go out freely? What will happen about work, money, eating? Will we be OK if and when we get the coronavirus?

Looking at the Psalm writer’s choices to deal with pain and uncertainty, not by ignoring it but by embracing God, I can see what a help it was for him to find certainty. He could build his life on his faith and relationship with God.

I’m resolving to praise God like this every day too. I would like my life to be defined by the certainty of God’s love and faithfulness to us, whatever else comes along.

Who am I going to share this with?

We’ll see who I end up meeting over the next few days!

Update (24 hours later):

I feel very thankful that the doctor was able to check my leg and tell me that it wasn’t the kind of thing that put me into hospital a couple of times in the past. Turns out it’s an infection, but probably one that can be treated with antibiotics.

So I’ve gained freedom from the restrictions of a hospital stay, but not yet from the pain! And I was incredibly thankful that my wife was on holiday yesterday and could help navigate fetch quests across the city to get all the bits I needed.

I’m reminded (for the umpteenth time) the difference it makes in a painful time to be rooted in thankfulness coming from a relationship with God. Not just in how I felt about myself, but also how I deal with other people, especially when difficulties arise. I can be a really bad customer when I’m hurting. But when I’m thankful, I notice how much more easily good things from God (like love, joy, peace and patience) can flow through, massively changing how I deal with others, so avoiding hassle for them!

I don’t know how convinced you might have become these last few weeks that God can use us to do and be good in a hurting city, but if you are thinking that might be possible, let me encourage you to dig into today’s Psalms. Yes, there’s uncertainty and pain. No, it’s not comfortable or fair. We might reassure ourselves that God is in control. But I think the biggest help God gives us comes from when we take control, thank and praise God, and choose the certainty of his love as our life’s base.