Sunday, January 1, 2012

Faithful in All he does


 One of Honeysuckle's boys falls asleep in the stable.
 
Today didn’t seem like Sunday, January 1, 2012. I’m without a car – holed up in Toad Hall.  Feeding Honeysuckle and the last two boys left in her litter, drinking red wine and eating chocolate by myself. Denis is in St. Louis and Anita is visiting Marsena in Chicago. I stayed home from church. I could have called a friend to pick me up, but I was not feeling my best, so just as well. No!  ONE glass of wine does nothing except be “good for the stomach.”
I suppose a lot of us have fleeting urges to review and reflect. I do. But I learned long ago that making New Year’s resolutions is plain stupid. It’s not that I don’t try. Anyway, since there was no one around to blame for my adult attention deficits, I settled down with coffee to reflect and write.
One of the important things to came out of this is a Psalm I’ve probably read dozens of times, but today it sounded all new and like I should read it everyday this year so I can remember what it says. Here is part of Psalm 33: 

     For the word of the LORD is right and true; he is faithful in all [All!] he does.
The LORD loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full [Full!] of his unfailing love.
The LORD foils the plans of the nations; he thwarts the purposes of the peoples.
But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations.
From heaven the LORD looks down and sees all mankind; from his dwelling place he watches all who live on earth – he who forms the hearts of all, who considers everything they do.
     No king is saved by the size of his army; no warrior escapes by his great strength.
A horse is a vain hope for deliverance; despite all its great strength it cannot save.
But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love, to deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine.
                We wait in hope for the LORD; he is our help and our shield.             In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name.”

I  think the death and famine David writes of could be both literal and not. That in life, things, dreams, hopes, not just bodies, die. Jobs vanish. Friends move away. Families disappear or never were. We are often famished for people and things we can’t reach, or don’t have. Death and famine can make me everything from desperate to numb to hungry to resigned. God knows this about us. That’s why he is so careful and caring to give us words like these that reorient our hearts and reflect realities we often forget. I’m hungry for words such as these – for help. It is God who keeps us alive, who is unfailing in his love for us.
This past year I reckon there were many ways in which God met us unexpectedly both in famine and in death. I was given things I don’t deserve. I was loved by people who I think, if only they knew me better… well, some do know and still. I’ve found things I thought were lost forever. I’ve heard music that made my stunted little Presbyterian heart rock ‘n’ roll. It seems a little ridiculous to keep on listing. But I’ve made my private account of the times. I’m keeping a record and I’m trying to be thankful for once. It’s scary to wait for God, to be patient, but it’s what I want to do.
A lot of friends read this blog, and I think of you, and of others I may not know. What I wish for you and pray is that you would find that this year – in ways you can’t imagine now – that God is with you in all your days and that he will save you not in the way you expect, perhaps, but in ways that will cause you to know that he is the one who loves you most and can make you live. 


10 comments:

Lynda said...

Thank you Margie. You have no idea what an encouragement you are. I thank God for the way He uses you to bless me (and others) with your wonderful humor, your wonderful recipes, your wonderful bunny videos. God bless you and keep you!

Margie Haack said...

Thank you, Lynda for being "with" me. God bless and keep you, too.

deborah said...

Lovely post! The photo is delightful. I have been thinking this season about how Jesus is the Lord of even the beasts(I love the carol "The Friendly Beasts" even though I've heard it dismissed as sentimental and silly).Seems like Psalms is a beginning point for lots of people this year. Happy New Year!

Margie Haack said...

Deborah, I, too, was thinking of how Jesus loves all his creatures. It particularly came home to me when Anita found good homes for eight of Honeysuckle's litter. It might seem silly to some (and I agree their cuteness evokes an abnormal amount of love and sympathy)but we were thankful to God.

Jenny said...

Margie, thanks so much for posting this. I am encouraged! :)

Anonymous said...

Love your line, Margie, about God saving us in ways that cause us to know that he is the one who loves us most. What a beautiful way to put it!

In my Bible reading a few days ago, this is the passage that stuck out to me as brand new. In Rev. 19: "Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!" I need to remind myself of that every time my focus is on discontentedness.

God bless you and Denis.

I loved the bunny pic, too!

Cara said...

That last sentence brought tears to my eyes. It is my desperate prayer every morning, "Father, be with me today." And now I will add, "make me live," cause some days I wonder if that's really what I'm doing. Thanks for this.

Margie Haack said...

Anonymous and Cara, thank you for posting. For your honesty. It helps to think about that invitation. A place where we can be perfectly relaxed? Not worried about whether my clothing sucks or my conversation is lame? Where the food is better than the French Laundry? And the host will serve us like we're a bride? We'll be there together. Unbelievable.

java diva said...

Margie, I am so happy I stumbled across your blog through Ransom Fellowship! I am so drawn to your blog and what you write about. Including the pictures of the bunnies that make me squeal!

Yesterday for the first time I thought about how what if what I really truly want is in God's will after all, but not now, years from now? I am stuck on the timing and my impatience and my short-sightedness of earthly timing compared to eternal timing.

The death that came to our family is what brought me to finally know His love for me. And to avoid the famine, I kept a gratitude journal for over a year. I have fallen off the wagon, sort of, but I am desperate to keep record of all the ways He shows His love to me daily.

Your newest fan, kimberlee ;)

Margie Haack said...

kimberlee, thank you for your kindness and for stopping by. I think we are sisters. many of us are... we want to know God, to be patient and wait for his work to fruit in our lives ; we just don't know how much it will hurt. Or how long it will take. It's scary.