April 19, 2020 -- Psalm 119:153 -- Fighting our Reflection

Look on my affliction and deliver me,

for I do not forget your law.

Psalm 119:153 English Standard Version

This morning as I was making my coffee I happened to look out the window and saw a robin attacking my neighbor’s basement window. The robin would strut by in the garden and a little further out on the lawn, see his own reflection in the window and attack it. He’d fly against the window. He would ruffle his feathers, pace back and forth and fly against his own reflection yet again. It was funny at first. A few minutes later it was more sad than funny. That robin was looking disheveled. Feathers seemed to be askew. Something pretty drastic would have to intervene to break the robin’s misguided determination to hurt to his own reflection.

Sin makes us humans follow a destructive pattern. We are prepared to go down the same foolish path repeatedly. Unless something drastic breaks our concentration and directs us away from our sinful behaviour we might sin ourselves to death.

Thomas Boston, a Puritan preacher and writer, describes such drastic actions on God’s part as putting a crook in our lot. A crook is an affliction, a malady, something painful that will tear us away from our self-destructiveness. Our lot is our life, our circumstances, or the things and events and people which together constitute our life’s course. Consider the various people the LORD afflicted, and how He afflicted them so that they would turn from destructive self-focus, or sin, and rely on God:

Zechariah, the aged priest, had an angel visitor tell him he would become the father of John the Baptist. Zechariah protested, asking how this could be since he and his wife were old, past child-bearing years. He was afflicted, struck so that he became mute, unable to speak until his son was born (Luke 1:18-23).

Paul, the incredibly gifted evangelist and writer of half of the New Testament books, had a thorn in his side (II Corinthians 12:7-9). He cried out to God . Yet the King of Mercy did not remove it, instead telling Paul His grace is sufficient to meet Paul’s needs…and govern him from uselessly shadow-boxing his own sinful flesh.

Hebrews 5:8 teaches us that although Jesus was the Son of God, He learned obedience through what He suffered. Just let that sink in for a minute! His obedience was tested and perfected by His sufferings and afflictions. He grew into manhood understanding this constant suffering refined Him, proved His moment by moment need to cry out to the Living God in order to find help and relief. No other helper, no other rescue would ever be able to deliver. God alone is His joy His salvation His rescue and His rock..

What is the crook in your lot this day? Perhaps it is the Covid-19 isolation? You are climbing the walls in frustration—have you cried out to God? Have you learned what He longs to teach you? Perhaps you are facing financial ruin because the markets have plummeted and your retirement savings are evaporating? The LORD is your strength and song. He is more precious than gold or silver. I write this as one who has seen a huge drop in his own LIRA (locked in retirement account).

Ah sinner, hurtling yourself like a robin against a window, be aware of God’s intervention in your life. Remember the instructive words of C.S. Lewis: "God whispers to us in our pleasures, but shouts in our pains: it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world." In our suffering God our Father is seeking to awaken us from our stupefaction and bring us fluttering to the safety of His nest. The Spirit of Power is near, ready to hear and bring your urgent requests to Jesus, the LORD of Glory, Who is strong to deliver you and loving enough to bring the exact circumstances into your life which will prepare you for eternity in His glorious presence.

Teach us, O LORD, Your way of truth and from it we will not depart. Perfect us through suffering and by Your Spirit show us that we are never alone, never abandoned or struck down instead You in love and faithfulness have put the various crooks in our lot which will inevitably lead us to You. Spirit of God, guard our hearts and minds in Christ. Jesus, You, Who for the joy set before You in expectation of the glory You would enjoy with Your Father in heaven and the Plenteous Wonders of the Holy Spirit, endured the cross, scorning its shame. Triune God of Majesty, Worthy of all we have to give in blessed service to You, sustain us through every trial, direct us in every heart-ache so that we will be suited for eternity with You. Amen.