The Heart's Cry: Psalm 18

Psalm 18

From the Abbey Psalter v.28-29

"You O Lord are my lamp
my God who lightens my darkness
With you I can break through any barrier
with my God I can scale any wall"

This past Sunday I preached about Ecclesiastes and Revelation, about surviving and living, about a song by Derek Webb [This too shall be made right], about a book by PC Walker [Beneath Broken Machines], about a song that my wife taught the kids in Sunday School a few weeks ago and somewhere in the midst of all of that I talked about how the way of Jesus is most helpful in the darkness, that what Jesus teaches is important at all times but it's how we make it through the pains and struggles of life. The Hope that Jesus gives us is what sustains us. The Peace that passes all understanding is a peace for times of trouble. The Grace that we are shown is never felt more than after we have failed and failed hard. Jesus lived, breathed, pooped, and died so that we would know that he lived, breathed, pooped and died just like we do so we wouldn't lose sight of him in the storm.

Jesus lights our way through the darkness, and he strengthens us to accomplish what he has set for us to accomplish. Among all of the red letters there is a moment where Jesus says that those who come after him [i.e. us] would do greater things than he did. The only way we can do greater things is by asking for and receiving his help. If you read enough biographies you will begin to see a pattern emerge throughout the human experience, most of the people who do great things only accomplish those things after great failure, great pain, great sacrifice and while there are many people who do all of that on their own, we do not need to, because we have a savior who is willing to join us if we are willing to join him. Jesus lightens our darkness so that we may accomplish great things, breaking barriers, climbing walls, impacting the world through Hope and Peace and Grace.

How has Jesus been your lamp in the darkness?

Do you agree that Jesus's teachings are never more helpful than when we are in the midst of pain, struggle, darkness?