Psalm 8:5-6 (MSG) Yet we've so narrowly missed being gods

Psalm 8:5-6
A David Psalm

^5-6Yet we've so narrowly missed being gods,

     bright with Eden's dawn light.
You put us in charge of your handcrafted world,
     repeated to us your Genesis-charge

Recovery is about a lot of things.  It is about change.  Changing our focus from what feels good to what feels right.  The focus also changes from ourselves to things much larger than ourselves.  In that regards the theme of Psalm 8 is very similar.  Psalm 8 describes how God's handiwork drowns out the evil of the world - if we allow it.  If we can take moment step back long enough to see it.

This shift in focus in recovery is also about taking responsibility.  Taking the responsibility that God intended for us.  Psalm 8 discusses this "Genesis-charge" that we are to take care of his handi-work and do His work on earth.  We need to put down our insignificant, and sometimes selfish habits, and replace them with what God intended for us.

As I look at the worries and issues that seem overwhelming in my life from a broader perspective grand scheme of what's important in the world - my worries are fairly insignificant.  I need to keep perspective on what is important to God.  I need to make sure my priorities are aligned with God's priorities.  Is the work I'm doing, and the work I am making my priority really making sure that His handiwork and His word is sustained?  The honest answer is clearly no.

Dear Lord, thank you for the Psalms, that they help us pray and keep us in an honest and strong relationship with you.  Help us keep perspective on our lives and our role that you have planned for us in the world.  Guide us and allow us to take advantage of the opportunities to do your work on earth.  As Psalm 8 so aptly describes you have given us the beauty of creation.  Help us to enjoy, conserve, and protect the beauty of your creation, without polluting, wasting, or misusing these precious gifts.  We want to be in charge of your handcrafted world, help us make your priorities our priorities.  Help us have the courage and perspective of the leaders before us that have brought about the change needed to protect and conserve the gifts you've given us.  All this we pray in your name, Amen.

Thanks for letting me share.

Psalm 7:9 (MSG) Close the book on Evil, God

Psalm 7:9 (The Message)
A David Psalm 

Close the book on Evil, GOD,
     but publish your mandate for us.
You get us ready for life:
     you probe our soft spots,
     you knock off our rough edges.

This was one of the harder psalms for me to decide on how to approach. The main theme to Psalm 7 is that David is an innocent man - he did not rebel against God or treat others unfairly. Whereas I, in my addictions, did rebel against God and treated others unfairly.  So, I am not innocent.  Nevertheless, I see what I've done is wrong.  I want to change my ways.  I want to close the book on evil.

Like David, though, I need God to rise and protect me from my enemies, to close the book on evil.  However, unlike David I am guilty so I need God to forgive me before he can do that.  In order for that to happen, according to the Lord's Prayer, I need to forgive people who have done me wrong.  On paper that seems like a fair trade.  On paper that seems easy.  That is, until I think about some of the people that have done me wrong.  But I do want God to close the book on evil.  So, today I will focus on that forgiveness.

Dear God, thank you for giving us today.  A day where we can focus on your plan in our lives.  A day where we can focus on being a reflection of you, and practice love and forgiveness.  Be with me as I work on this forgiveness.  Help me to let go of my pain and understand the other person's situation.  Help me to understand my role in the situation that lead to the wrong doing.  All these things will be hard for me so ask you help me as I struggle through them.  In doing this help us all to close the book on evil.  Especially, the addicts that still suffer.  Be with them as they try to put the cap on their bottles forever.  Be with them as they try to close the book on their destructive compulsions.  Lead them to a meeting to show them that there is a solution to their problems.  Show them there is road to recovery, restoration, and forgiveness.  For all this we pray, in Jesus's name.       AMEN.

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Psalm 6:2-3 (MSG): God, how long will it take?

Psalm 6:2-3 (The Message)
A David Psalm

^2-3Can't you see I'm black-and-blue,

     beat up badly in bones and soul?
GOD, how long will it take
     for you to let up?

There is no doubt that life can beat us down,  This past week has been challenging for me - and on at least one occasion the urge to turn to addiction presented itself as an option.  In those situations, like David I ask, "How long will this go on?"  The answer that comes back is, "As long as it takes."  For me, it went on until I cried out to God for it to stop.

I can carry a Bible around, but until I actually use it nothing will change.  I can have the best intentions of visiting an AA meeting but until I go nothing will change.  I have to want it, I have to be prepared to take that step before God will meet me.

Our addiction took several years to progressively get to the place it is today.  So, we have to expect that it will take at least that many years of praying and working the steps to unwind that chaos, insanity and destruction.  Thankfully, when we do take those actions, when we pray and work the steps, God responds and answers our prayers.  Thankfully, this week when temptation presented itself God responded to my prayers - and I was able to maintain my sobriety.

Dear God, thank you for your blessings and answering our prayers.  As we go into the world today continue to be with us and help us unwind the chaos, insanity, and destruction, which our addition(s) brought into our lives.  Help us be a tool of your peace.  Where there is chaos, let us sow your plan.  Where there is insanity, let us sow balance and truth.    Where there is destruction, let us sow restoration.  Grant that we may not so much seek to be understood as to understand; to be loved, as to love; For it is in giving that we receive; it is in forgiving that we are forgiven, and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.  All this we pray in your name, and our savior, Jesus Christ.  AMEN.

Thanks for letting me share.

Psalm 5:1-3 (MSG) Every morning you'll hear me at it again

Psalm 5:1-3 (The Message)
A David Psalm

^1-3Listen, GOD! Please, pay attention!
Can you make sense of these ramblings,
my groans and cries?
     King-God, I need your help.
Every Morning
     you'll hear me at it again.
Every Morning
     I lay out the pieces of my life
     on your altar
     and watch for fire to descend.

Can you make sense of these ramblings, my groans and cries?  Although I plan on these blog entries sometimes the words don't come initially.  Sometimes, after sitting and giving thoughts to the words of Psalms I start typing the first things that come to my mind.  I ramble.  Then when I look at the words I wonder, myself, what I meant.  Then I go back to the psalm and focus, focus on what I think God wants me to take from these prayers.  So, I wonder if the "Please, pay attention," of Psalm 5 is for God or for the person praying.

I realize from that process that praying requires a focus on God.  Somethings in life can become automatic.  You get into a habit it comes naturally, then you can do those things without thinking.  I don't believe that's true for prayer.  I believe prayer takes your focused energy and thought.  So, in times when I'm not sure that God is hearing my prayers, or can't make sense of my ramblings, I ask myself where are my thoughts?  Even though He'll hear me every morning, am I focused on this prayer?  If not then why not?  Have I drifted from God?  If I drifted then who moved?

Dear Lord, hear me, again, as you do every morning.  Be with me today, and help me to focus on your message.  Lay out your plans for me, as I lay out the pieces of my life on your altar.  Help me be attentive and let me not drift away from you so that I can make courageous choices.  Help me, especially during this time of Lent, to say no to worldliness.  Help me say no to idols, especially those idols that become the focus of addiction, like caffeine, alcohol, shopping, gambling, tobacco, and of course sex and pornography.  Help me instead to focus on you, your word, and the plan you have for me.  I pray this in the name of your son, Jesus - Amen.

Thanks for letting me share.

Psalm 4:6-7 (MSG): Why is everyone hungry for more?

Psalm 4:6-7 (The Message)

A David Psalm

^6-7Why is everyone hungry for more? "More, more," they say.
"More, more."
I have God's more-than-enough,
More joy in one ordinary day

It amazes me that this message comes from Psalms - that the idea that we need more than what we have to be happy is not new.  That the idea of having more or newer "stuff" will make me happier is as old as the bible itself.  We all know this idea is completely false - we all know that the the desire for more and newer stuff only leads to a temporary happiness.  Once that temporary happiness leaves us we're just left with a need to have even more and newer stuff.

As renters we think, our life will be different once we own a house.  Then when we own a house we see its imperfections.  Maybe that first house was too small, or on a busy and unsafe street.  So, we move to a new house - until we see what our friends have - and get one with a view, of the ocean or the mountains.  There are hundreds of scenarios that play out something like this.  All the while we miss the blessings that God has given us in the place where we are living.

For me, Lent, as a time of sacrifice, is a time to get perspective.  A time to realize that all lives will have imperfections some kind of lacking.  Maybe I don't have a great house, or a flashy car, or the latest smart phone, or the title I've been chasing at work.  There are a lot of things I don't have.  Lent for me is a time to remember that you need none of those things.  A time to realize that the God has already given me the important things in my life: the love of my church family, the peace of knowing there's a plan for me, and the list goes on.  It's during this time that I realize that I have more Joy in an ordinary Christ-filled day than any more stuff could bring.

Dear God, thank you for your blessings.  Thank you for your love, and the love you bring into our lives.  Thank you for your miracles of healing and peace of recovery.  Continue to show us that we don't need "more."  Help us share the message that idea that "more" or that any "stuff" will bring happiness is a trap.  A trap that snares addicts, because the idea of "more" is the progressive disease that makes addiction possible.  God, help the addict that still suffers understand that "more" is not the solution - that "more" is "more" trouble.  God, help the addict that still suffers understand that You are the solution - not "more."  Thank you for Psalm 4 verse 6 and 7 that it can remind us of what you have in store for us.  All this we pray in Your name - Amen.

Thanks for letting me share.

Psalm 3:3-4 (MSG): His answers thunder from the holy mountain

Psalm 3:3-4 (The Message)

A David Psalm, When He Escaped for His Life from Absalom, His Son

^3-4But you, GOD shield me on all sides;
You ground my feet, you lift my head high;
With all my might I shout up to GOD,
His answers thunder from the holy mountain.

When I see this, I see David demonstrating steps 2 and 3 of the 12 steps.

Step 2, came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.  This, to me, is reflected in, "you, God shield me on all sides."  As addicts we know, too, that God is that greater Power, which protects us from the insanity of addiction.  Like David, we addicts are inundated by enemies - some external, some internal.  Our lives out of control.  Then something happens and we come to believe, or more appropriately come to realize, that God does protect us and shields us on all sides.

Step 3, Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God, as we understood Him.  This for me, is David's act of "With all my might I shout up to God."  Step 3, in order to be effective, needs to be in total commitment.  You need to be willing to shout to God with all your might - just as David shows us here.  With all of our might, all of our will.

And God's response to our faith and devotion?  "His answers thunder from the holy mountain."  For the addict, God responds by starting the recovery process.  We get to know a new freedom and a new happiness.  As the AA promises recite (not at verbatim or in its entirety), "We come to understand the word serenity and know peace.  No matter how extreme our addiction, we realize that our experience and our story can help others.  The feelings of uselessness and self-pity disappear.  Our attitude and outlook change such that we can intuitively handle situations that used to baffle us.  Until we finally realize God is doing for us what we could not do for ourselves."  This is what Gods response, sounds and looks...no, this is what God's response feels like.

Dear God, thank you for your response.  Thank you for thundering answer from the mountain.  Thank you for doing for us what we could not do for ourselves.  Thank you for protecting us on all sides.  Thank you for grounding our feet and lifting our heads.  For without you, we would not know peace.  We ask that you continue to be with us and protect us.  We beg that you continue to guide us to be committed to your will for our lives that we will be able to live in this peace always.  Help us share this message to those who are in need of your protection and guidance.  Help us be open to opportunities to serve you and your people.  Help us show the light of your word and your love.  Amen.

Thanks for letting me share.

Psalm 2:7-9 (MSG): God said next, "...What do you want?"

Psalm 2:7-9 (The Message)
^7-9Let me tell you what GOD said next.
He said, "You are my son,
And Today is your birthday.
What do you want? Name it:
Nations as a present?  Continents as a prize?
You can command them all to dance for you,
Or throw them out with tomorrow's trash.

"Today is your birthday," you are born again, a tree replanted in the soil of Eden.  Your life starts fresh - today.  All those days spent in addiction, or greed, or hate...whatever - those are gone.  What do you want from your life going forward.  Do you have a dream?  Do you think that dream aligns with God's plan for you?  Maybe your dream is on a small scale but incredibly elusive - to be sober for a day (or another day).  Commit yourself to God have faith in Him and He can grant it.  I have seen lives transformed this way.  The key to this is having so much faith in God that you can expect this to come true.  Will you be able to find or "muster up" this much faith?

So, today think about what this new life means.  What will you grow and shine on in your new life - and what will you throw out?  Many things will be different.  Some things we obviously want to throw out.  Others we may want to keep but will not be able to.  For example, in a dream of sobriety, we understand the need to stop drinking and will throw that out.  However, we appreciate a happy hour after work with friends.  Let's be honest, that will likely lead to drinking so that will likely need to go, too.

God is giving us whatever we want - as long as we have the faith to live the life he wants us to lead.  Starting today we start making choices based on the life of our dreams.  Based how we think God would want us to use those gifts and resources.  Will we use these things selfishly or towards a purpose much greater than ourselves?  Will we take them for granted or will we treasure them or will we share them?

God, thank you for your gifts and resources - nations as a present, continents as a prize.  Thank you for this day, giving this day as a birthday to start anew.  Lead us in the way to make the most of those gifts - that our work and our lives would reflect the light of your word and your love.  Guide us not into temptation of addiction.  Deliver us from the evil of selfishness, greed, theft, and lying.  Let our sacrifices not be in vain, that they may be for the benefit of others.  That my success in this journey over addiction may be evidence of Thy Power, Thy Love, and Thy Way of Life. Amen.


Thanks for letting me share.

Psalm 1:2-3 (MSG): You're a tree replanted in Eden

Psalm 1:2-3 (The Message)

^2-3Instead you thrill to God's Word,
      you chew on Scripture day and night.
You're a tree replanted in Eden,
      bearing fresh fruit every month,
Never dropping a leaf,
      always in blossom.

Oh my - it feels good to be back writing and praying.  I believe I have found a new journey, a new adventure.  I have found that recovery is on-going process which never really ends.  The affliction of addiction is never cured - it needs to be constantly managed.  Although I count my sobriety in weeks and months, instead of days, it still takes the same effort.  So, rather than simply repeating the same journey I will try to complete a new journey, using The Message translation.

Of all the translations of The Bible The Message stands out as unique.  This uniqueness will keep the journey fresh.  It's character stands out immediately in this first Psalm of my journey because it talks about you (and me) specifically.  Where most translations refer generically to the blessed, The Message refers to you.  Yes, you, are blessed, you, are a replanted tree.

Let's look at this metaphor more closely.  You are a replanted tree.  You have been given new life.  Taken from evil and toxic ground around us every day.  Taken from the ground where greed, theft, addiction, and lies fester and thrive.  Planted in the fresh soil of truth, honesty, and God's word.  You now have fresh new life where you are able to bear fruit.  Not unlike a light for God's word, you bear fruit that is intended to be shared with others for the sake of God's glory.  And in the same nature of God's glory you, not some generically blessed person, you are always in bloom.

Lord, thank you for giving us this day - a day that we can have of sobriety.  Be with us in this day that we may be strong in the face of our temptations.  Thank you for giving us psalms so that we can understand what it means to pray to You, be honest with you and rely on You.  Thank you for replanting us in Your word that we may be a light of Your word.  Let our actions authentically represent Your word and Your light.  Let us be a light for those who do not know Your word.  Let us be a light for those without hope, for those addicts who still suffer, or anybody who is need of Your love.  All this we pray in Your sons name, Jesus Christ, Amen.

Thanks for letting me share.