Wednesday, December 2, 2009

A String of Selah Pearls - Psalm 89:45

Positioned gracefully across the Book of Psalms is a string of seventy-one pearls, lovely beads of wisdom followed by the admonition SELAH which means, “Pause, think on these things, meditate.”   

Psalm 89:45 “You have cut short the days of his youth; you have covered him with a mantle of shame.  Selah.”

Meditation


I remember feeling “old before my time.”  When my dear Aunt Virginia lay dying on a hospital bed in our home, my activities included bathing her, emptying her bedpan, swabbing her mouth, rubbing her hands and feet, singing to her, praying over her.  All the while, my heart was breaking over the loss of this woman who had been so dear to me.  I felt old.

Inwardly, I rebelled at the very idea of dying.  Why, God?  Why must it be so?  Why have you cut short the days of Auntie’s life?  Why are you cutting short the days of my youth?  Where are you when I need you?  Why am I so sad?

At times like this, it’s good to remember that Jesus feels our pain.  He also experienced the loss of loved ones.  He wept.  For that matter, why did the skies blacken prior to Jesus’ death?  Was the Father weeping in cosmic pain, a pain we cannot even imagine?

Ever faithful to his Name and to his Word, God remains committed to redeem mankind from our fallen state. His Holy Spirit walks with us through our days and our predicaments.  (That must be painful, at times, for him!)  Father, Son and Holy Spirit, they know our pain, intimately.

SELAH

Look up:John 11:32-35; Luke 23:44-45; Hebrews 13:5;
Jeremiah 29:11

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