"Having Our Eyesight Restored" - Thoughts on Mark 8:1-26 (especially 22-26)

PART A

The healing of the blind man covered in verses 22 to 26 is very interesting, because it takes two actions of Jesus for this man to fully regain his sight. Normally it only takes one touch of Jesus (whoever initiates it) to bring complete healing. There might have been more complex issues in this blind man’s case, we just don’t know … but is there greater significance behind Mark’s inclusion of this healing story (when no other gospel writer includes it)?

Not only does no other gospel writer include this story, but this text in Mark is rarely preached on. Did Jesus have an ‘off-day’, or was something quite significant being modelled here? One positive of preaching through a whole book (like Mark) is that you can’t avoid the difficult bits. What is the significance of the healing [of the blind man] in two stages? Will you start thinking about this while I fill in some context!

Chapter 8 begins with another miraculous feeding of a large crowd … this time in Gentile territory. What disturbing feature do we read here? Have a look at verses 4-5! The disciples still didn’t understand about the loaves from the ‘feeding of the five thousand’; and here they even had greater resources {seven loaves}, and had them closer to hand. The good news was that the whole crowd had their fill (out of the hospitality of God) and there were more basketfuls left over. [If the “seven” loaves and the “seven” basketfuls left over in this latter feeding miracle represent anything, they would represent the completeness of the gospel message when it reaches to ends of the earth through the Gentile mission.]

Then at verse 11, Jesus encountered the Pharisees, who obviously were following Jesus around to collect some more damning evidence against him. They were baiting Jesus seeking a sign that he was truly from God. Well, Jesus was not going to fall into such a satanic and cynical test … if anybody, especially those brought up in the Hebrew Scriptures, could not recognise God in Jesus already (with all the signs previously offered), then they were not going to get any special favours now. Those with minds set on unbelief, despite evidence to the contrary, will always find grounds for their unbelief, especially where belief would actually mean abandoning the familiar and the comfortable. Jesus knew that these religious leaders’ had absolutely rejected him and his teaching, and their minds were already fixed on Jesus’ destruction.

Then, back in the boat with Jesus (at verse 14), the disciples realised that they had forgotten to bring any bread with them … not enough anyway they thought, they had just one loaf! But … what were they thinking!?! Whenever had they been ultimately short of bread when Jesus was around!?! They had just seen 4000 people fed with seven loaves, and they were still worried about one loaf stretching to feed thirteen people! Jesus knew that, despite two miraculous feeding miracles, the disciples still didn’t get it! But note carefully, this was different from those who had set themselves against Jesus, but then … how different?

So Jesus preached a little sermon to them right there and then. He began with, ‘Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and also of Herod’ (v.15). “Yeast” or “leaven” is used to raise bread, and so can be seen as a positive ingredient. Yet here “yeast” is seen as a negative … a contaminant to be avoided. The “yeast” here represents the negativity of faithlessness – the failure to recognise who Jesus is. In other words Jesus was saying, ‘Don’t get trapped into the faithless patterns of the Pharisees and Herod’. The Pharisees for their own reasons have ignored and sought to destroy the movement of God. And Herod because of his weakness and indecisiveness had killed John the Baptist, and would never step in to save Jesus.

The disciples are on a knife edge here! Which way will they go … toward true discipleship or back into unbelief? Jesus asks them, “Are your hearts hardened” (v.17)? As we have seen before, this means that Jesus is asking whether they are his friends or his opponents. Then, “Do you have eyes and fail to see” (v.18)?

So what do you reckon is trying to be communicated through the healing of the blind man that follows??? Jesus put his healing saliva on the man’s eyes and laid his hands on him, but this man could only see partially through a blur … such that people looked liked trees.

· That we can experience something of Jesus, even salvation, but not yet truly understand all Jesus has for us to know.
· That we can become a sort of follower of Jesus, yet be blinded (or maybe short-sighted) about what is most important in life.
· That we can have our eyes partially opened to the light, but still not see the forest for the trees.

Subsequently of course, Jesus touched the man’s eyes again, and then he saw everything clearly. Therefore ultimately, we CAN see fully! Our understanding CAN be fully enlightened!

But so often, we just don’t see things the way God sees them, and so we are actually blind! {Quote the story of the ‘blindness’ of the Cambodian refugees; from W J Bausch, “A World of Stories”, 1999, 315.} Because we are part of a culture that is largely blind to God, our own eyes can be blinkered by uncritically accepting cultural norms as being okay, whether that is in the area of economics, morality or ethics. Our thinking can be engulfed by the same attitudes that have blinded so many in the world. Also, because we live busy lives, we can have blurred vision about what are the most important things. {I have in the past so often given the greatest priority to my ‘set-in-concrete’ diary agenda, that I’ve missed moments of important (social) interaction.}

Okay, so we are not really totally blind, for we open the scriptures quite a few times each week and focus on what God was doing in these pages. But can our vision still be blurry … just like human beings looking like moving trees? Even when we understand the passage before us perfectly well, the application into our everyday life experience can be allusive!

PART B

Let’s see how this text applies to three groups of people. Firstly, the original disciples; secondly, the original readers of the Gospel of Mark; and thirdly, us!

(i) The disciples who currently did not understand, and bordered on faithlessness, would come to see fully. They would not become opponents of Jesus (with the exception of Judas), quite the opposite, they would change the world in Jesus’ name. This full understanding and realisation of Jesus’ full identity would not come until after the resurrection, but it would come. New disciples would not have to be chosen (other than a replacement for Judas). The first touch of Jesus on their lives (with the healing gift of saliva) represented the disciples’ opportunity to experience Jesus, and to travel and minister with him around Palestine. The second (and ultimately effective) touch would come with their encounter with the resurrected Jesus. These disciples would come to be fully enlightened about who Jesus was and is, and the implications of this for their future lives of mission to the Jews and the Gentiles.

(ii) The community that Mark wrote his Gospel for could have faith in the original disciples and their message (despite their obvious failings). In fact, their own humanity and frailty and vulnerability could truly connect with these fallible disciples; and they could also be encouraged that Jesus would bring light to their dim eyes as well, as well as use them mightily in the spreading of the Kingdom in the late first century. Also, the choice was very clear for them (as it is for us), whether to number themselves with the obviously unbelieving or with the ones on the journey of new discovery.

(iii) What about us? We, in the post-resurrection era, with the gospel in front of us, with the freedom to discuss and debate and learn, should desire to see clearly, and follow Jesus more nearly … “day by day by day”! [How did that song from ‘Godspell’ go? – “to see thee more clearly, to love thee more dearly, to follow thee more nearly”] Discipleship – that is, a growing ability to follow in the Jesus way, is a calling; but it is also a gift (of God) to be able to fulfil this calling. We have to be ready to move beyond our blindness (or our short-sightedness), and have our eyes opened, our full sight restored, our hearts illuminated; and then Jesus will continue to touch our eyes so that we can truly see! This could happen very gradually, but it needs to be happening progressively; we should more and more be able to truly see how God is moving around us.

[The rest of Mark’s gospel concerns the way of discipleship … what it means to follow Jesus (in every age) no matter the cost.]

Open the eyes of my heart Lord, open the eyes of my heart;
I want to see you, I want to see you.
Open my eyes Lord, I want to see Jesus;
to reach out and touch him, and say that I love him.
Light of the World you came down into darkness,
opened my eyes, let me see.
Lord let me see, see more and more;
See the face of our Lord in the pain, Lord let me see.

New Testament scholar, the late Athol Gill wrote: “Thanks be to God for his grace and power in the call of Jesus which perseveres until we are able to see clearly and follow him”.

In Philippians 1:6, Paul writes: “I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work among you will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ”.

"Unusual Outcomes" - a Sermon on Mark 7:24-37

Do you get excited when you read the results of faith on the pages of the Scriptures? I do!

Last week, in the first part of chapter 7, we read about how the Pharisees had failed to see what was most important about God’s relationship with His people; worse than that they were actually perverting the way in which God wanted people to interact under God’s own wise commandments. Then Jesus explained to his disciples, who were always slow to understand, how it was the output of the heart that counted, so that none could be prejudiced against just because of their culture. God would be looking way beyond the cultural practices of the Jewish people to see how Jesus and his disciples could connect with non-Jewish peoples.

What got up the nose of the Pharisees the most was that Jesus was taking their God beyond their borders. How easy it is to try to confine God to our personal agendas and needs; whilst ignoring the broad and deep need beyond ourselves. It is actually, as we have learnt, when we think well and truly beyond ourselves, that the blessing comes to us (not the other way around). God is on mission to connect with people who are not with us yet, but are not far from our reach. As we connect with them, we will experience such warmth and encouragement, that we will know our faith is well-placed. As Jesus was here in Mark’s Gospel extending the borderlines of the Kingdom, God is continuing to lead the same approach today.

And it’s not as if people are always antagonistic or difficult; I have found it to be quite the opposite, especially when effort has gone into building relationship. When Jesus went to Gentile places like Tyre, people were anxious to see him and bring their needs to him – to the point at which Jesus would be exhausted. We read at 3:8 how people had travelled from Tyre and Sidon to see and hear Jesus at the Sea of Galilee.

One such person who came to Jesus would both challenge the religious status-quo to the limit, and typify God’s intent to connect with people who would normally be ignored. Here was a Gentile woman with a daughter who had an unclean spirit of some kind … a woman from a foreign culture who must have done something really wrong for her daughter to be in such a predicament … totally untouchable – such was the mindset! She was from Tyre, whose inhabitants Jewish historian Josephus described as “notoriously our bitterest enemies”.

Yet, what we see here is a pure responsive faith in Jesus, which was completely missing in the people who should have known better. She “bowed down” at Jesus’ feet, worshipped him and trusted him, and “begged” (or ‘implored’) Jesus to help her daughter. This woman even knew how she was seen by the Jews, but didn’t let that dissuade her from approaching Jesus. She didn’t argue with Jesus over where the history of God’s dealings with humanity had been based, just simply stated a case for her own faith. This woman was prepared to accept whatever measure of God’s grace was on offer. So often we sell people short on what potential they may have!

Knowing what we know about Jesus, and on the basis of his earlier journeys into Gentile territory, it is not easy to understand what he said in verse 27. Clearly this little parable is referring to the people of Israel as the “children” and the gentiles as “dogs”, with the possible implication of superiority and inferiority; which doesn’t fit well with the Jesus we know. However, in trying to explain this, was Jesus looking for an acknowledgement from the woman that the origin of faith in the true God began with Israel, and that that was okay? If the woman was able to concede this point, then her understanding would be far ahead of those who simply restrict God to Israel alone i.e. the Pharisees. The woman did concede this point in her response and thus receives all of what Jesus has to give.

Another possibility is that Jesus is simply feeding back to this woman, how she is viewed by most other people (with the exception of himself), and how she reacts to this. Would this be a deterrent to her? How real was this woman’s faith? So real … that she was willing to accept any measure of grace that Jesus could offer her. Even a crumb of grace was able to heal her daughter completely and immediately.

Others have commented that this woman is the only character in Mark who wins an argument with Jesus, in so doing being lifted in everyone’s estimation, and offering a clear presentation of the full scope of Jesus’ ministry. In any case, Jesus, aided by this woman, was here breaking down the social boundaries between cultures, and forever challenging the existing distinction between ‘clean’ and ‘unclean’. Here was a magnificent scene of divine wisdom meeting human need; and divine love meeting human faith, for this woman was in no doubt that Jesus could grant her what she was asking for – the cleansing of her daughter.

So what is the connection to the next passage concerning the deaf man with the speech impediment? I think the connection Mark is seeking to draw, is in the reaction at the end. In what you would think was the more difficult region of the time to share the gospel, ears were opened to the Word of God and tongues were able to speak of the wonder of Jesus. This was clearly God at work, because Jesus had looked up into heaven, sighing under the weight of this man’s need, and asked God to act through him.

The order of proceedings here in verses 33 and 34 is very interesting. Jesus first acted in touching this man, by getting involved, by connecting with him, irrespective of whatever anyone else would think; Jesus put his fingers in the man’s ears, and put his own healing spittle on the man’s tongue. Then Jesus prayed that this relational interaction would be effective! Making connection … establishing relationship … then praying for a good outcome! And what a result! This would be talked about excitedly in this community for days. They would be saying that this Jesus, against all odds, could open ears to hear and understand, and allow those who had previously had trouble expressing themselves to talk openly.

These community members were quoted (in verse 37) to be saying, “He [Jesus] has done everything well”. What are these words reminiscent of? When God created the heavens and the earth and everything in it, this was all described as “very good”. Mark here implies that the people of Gentile lands were, ahead of everybody else, sensing that Jesus was God; perhaps also echoing the hope that the fallen creation could be restored. Jesus’ act of making someone whole is here linked with God’s own work in creation.

The woman and previously deaf man are the little people of the gospel stories, yet the ones who open their arms to the Kingdom of God. They see an opportunity to get their everyday human needs addressed, and are vulnerable and open and humble enough to take their opportunity, and (with their families and communities) experience liberation. So, can we be like these? And having been like these and experienced salvation, can we be a part of others responding in the same way. This is the path of discipleship. If anyone feels moved to start following Jesus, then they should begin right here and now!!

Can today we be inspired by the possibilities of such faith for ourselves and also for others? Are we truly excited by such gospel narratives, or have they become mundane for us? Who are the Syrophoenician Woman and the deaf mute man in our everyday life? Is there someone near us seeking Jesus who we can point in the right direction?

"Hypocrisy that Separates" - Thoughts on Mark 7:1-23

(1) The Charge of Defilement against Jesus’ Disciples

With all the remarkable and wonderful things Jesus had been doing for people, we have here the contrast of the negative and backward thinking of the Pharisees. There is always likely to be the knockers and the ‘party-poopers’! Even the greatest of all happenings, the coming of the Son of God into the world, had its detractors; in fact, so much so, that they caused Jesus’ death.

Of course we shouldn’t be too surprised about the behaviour of the Pharisees, as they had been seeking a way to be rid of Jesus since chapter three. Here, in chapter seven, we see that these Pharisees were well and truly stuck in the grip of their own traditions that well and truly veiled their eyes against the things that were of real importance.

So here, we might say ‘Aha’, because we have just realised there are things in our lives that tend to veil our eyes to those things of greater importance! We can get so focussed on small things, and miss what’s happening in the big picture. We could also sense that it is a lot easier to do basic things, or keep simple rules, rather than embrace greater challenges. Put another way, we can focus on the easy, thus ignoring the difficult … but ultimately significant.

The truth of the matter is revealed in Jesus’ reply to all this (verses 6-13). Jesus applied Isaiah’s words from earlier days, to expose people who say what seem to be religious words, but whose hearts are far from God. They would claim through their pious acts to be worshipping God, yet they are really only piling up arduous rules over their fellow citizens. Such rules are a mere diversion from the real movement of the Spirit of God.

Some people would actually prefer a comfortable status quo, albeit empty and unsatisfying, to a really dynamic and challenging spiritual life. Some people, like these Pharisees, seek to cover the emptiness or darkness of their own internal life, by attacking comparatively minor problems in other people.

It’s not even as if these traditions explained God’s commandments in a helpful way. These rigorous traditions actually obscured the intent behind the well-thought out commandments of God. As verse 8 points out, these traditions were purely human inventions, devoid of any spiritual insight. The Pharisees had ‘fenced-in’ God’s worthy commandments with ritualistic traditions. The laws of God were designed to be life-giving, not life-denying. Jesus then gives an example of this.

One of God’s ancient commandments was the care of (along with the upmost respect for) one’s aged father and mother by the adult members of the community … the fifth commandment … “Honour your father and your mother”. Simple enough to accept responsibility for your aging parents you would think, but the Pharisees had come up with a pious ‘escape clause’, that if you promise the funds to the temple that you would have otherwise spent in support of parents, then you would be freed of your responsibility to parents. Just imagine the results brought about by that! It maybe sounds like what some misguided church leader might do as a fund-raising measure, but of course this completely undermined God’s intentions.

Washing hands, food and dishes would no doubt be a good idea much of the time, but this here served as an example of how out of proportion had some religious leaders got in prescribing practices that began to completely obscure God’s major intentions.

Of course the element of Jesus’ ministry that the Pharisees were most worried about, was the beginning of the disciples’ venture into sharing the good news of Jesus with Gentile peoples. Jewish people should not be defiling themselves through making contact with Gentiles like this! So any attack that might divert this enterprise was worth a try!! This of course stood directly in the face of God’s love and concern for all peoples (not just one race). This will be absolutely confirmed in the passage that follows (from verse 24).

These Pharisees had more concern for dinky little traditions like ritual hand-washing (and food laws and Sabbath observance) than the healing ministry of Jesus. Such hypocrisy separates in various ways:
· It separates such Pharisees from God, because they are so missing the point
· It separates people from each other, due to setting up this overburdening judgement of people’s behaviour (which doesn’t even assess their heart anyway)
· It separates others from God, because too many barriers are being put in the way of spiritual liberation and renewal. In fact this passage seeks the breaking down of any barriers that would separate fellowship and community building between any Jew and Gentile persons; and thus by implication, seeks the breaking down of any barrier that divides any people in any place at any time … whether they be ethnic barriers or economic barriers or cultural barriers.

To be able to share Jesus with people from different backgrounds, far from finding an ‘escape clause’, we actually have to be able to say from our hearts, that we love muslims and we love buddhists and we love atheists (in the same way that God loves them).

(2) Yet, It’s What Comes Out of a Person that Counts

We see from verse 14, that where a person is at, is determined, not by their input, but by their output; not by what comes in to a person, but by what comes out. Of course we know that what we eat and read and think about has a dramatic effect on our life. But what this is about is testing where our life is at, and that is seen in what comes out of us. All that comes out of the Pharisees is antagonistic and God-negating activity. For all their faults, Jesus’ disciples, on the other hand, have left behind the distractions of everything else to follow Jesus into exciting challenges! While the Gospel of Mark paints the disciples in a very realistic way, it still clearly states that they were the ones who were on God’s side (as they sought to follow Jesus).

The context here of course is food being taken into the body through ritually unclean hands. Yet this is really a minor matter, for such food can’t really affect the spiritual heart which determines ethical and interpersonal behaviour. Food, that may or may not have been defiled, slips past the heart without touching it, on the way to its destination in the stomach. It is the human heart though, not the digestive system, that determines one’s standing with God.

What clearly counts most in God’s Kingdom, on the testimony of this text, is the way in which human beings relate to one another (through words and actions and exposed attitudes). The rubber of our lives hits the road in the appropriateness of our interpersonal behaviour. And if the output of our lives is not what it should be here, this is where ‘defilement’ really occurs.

So, what would it mean to be ‘defiled’? To ‘defile’ is to make dirty, pollute, corrupt, desecrate. This is a spoiling of what would otherwise be pure and perfect. Of course, relationships are spoilt, undermined and ultimately undone through incidences of violence, abuse and manipulation. But they can also be badly affected by misplaced criticisms, outbursts and jealousies.

Sometimes we are too hard on ourselves, forgetting about God’s love and acceptance of us. But perhaps here we might see that sometimes we are actually too easy on ourselves. Sometimes we think we are a certain type of person … we think favourably about ourselves … but are we thinking more about the way we want to be (our ideal selves), rather than who we actually are – the reality! We are given a very ugly sounding list in verses 21 & 22 of those things that should not be the output of the Jesus follower’s life.

Yet it is not Jesus’ disciples being judged in this text, but rather those who are attacking their credibility. I think by implication Jesus is defending the integrity of his disciples’ lives against those who are bringing petty charges against them. It is actually the Pharisees who are intent on murder, deceit, envy, slander and pride. Still, all those who read this text can examine themselves properly; not against human agendas and priorities, but rather against what God deems really important.

We might not be the most successful person, we may not be the most popular person, we may not be the most talented person, we may not be the richest person; but in each of our everyday relationships we are God’s person … and thus we should be an honest and helpful person, a caring and self-giving person, and a positive and creative person.

And if our conduct proves that we are not where we should be, then thank God we have the solution at hand. First there is more of God’s grace to receive, bringing us forgiveness … and the ability also to forgive ourselves. Second there is the example of Jesus to follow, who was so thoroughly honest, giving and creative in his earthly life. Third we have the Holy Spirit’s availability to change us into the image that God had in mind when we were created.

How can this happen? How can our heart be set right??
· By constantly remembering what Jesus has done for us
· By guarding our heart from those things that tend to cut us down
· By not watching or reading or participating in what we shouldn’t
· By making open spaces that God can move into to
. By actively changing the way we think about other people.

"When I Feel Forgotten" - Looking Again at Psalm 13

(1) Introduction

This seems a very honest psalm. David feels alone and forgotten … forgotten even by God. We at times during the journey of life can feel alone, forgotten, and even have this sense that God is not with us anymore. What should we do at times like this?

The psalmist David seems to be suffering under spiritual turmoil and human grief. David also feels oppressed by those opposing his progress in life. What would he do in these circumstances? What would David’s strategy be?

We too need a strategy when we feel the way David did in verses 1 & 2 – a ready response that we can almost automatically apply. Let us quickly see how David approached this, to see if we might do the same.

There is a clear three phase approach in this psalm. There is firstly the expression of need (v.1-2) that we have already spoken about. Then there follows a prayerful response to that need (v.3-4). Then thirdly there is a changed reality being spoken of (v.5-6).

Whereas this psalm would have been written by David in response to a certain specific incident or experience (or series of incidents), we can easily see and appreciate the relevance of these words to us! We might also see and appreciate the basic strategy that was used to get through the feelings of aloneness and suffering. There is here for us to consider … a battle of the soul and a stern test of faith, but also, where intense agitation transitions to a trusting sense of calm.

(2) Need

Human beings, even people of strong faith, can experience a sense of isolation or loneliness. People can also come to project this onto God and think that God is idle or even dead, or just indifferent to them. And once you have known God it is unthinkable to have to try to live and survive the everyday rigors without God (this would be too hazardous to contemplate).

"How long, O Lord? Will you forget me for ever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I bear pain in my soul, and have sorrow in my heart all day long? How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?"

There is a great weight of burden expressed here, overbearing despair and uncertainty. We can see from the repeated use of the words “How long…” that these agonizing feelings were persisting, the psalmist feeling that he had been enduring this way too long! This agony surely can’t be allowed to go on much longer! And at the conclusion of verse 2 there is the feeling of getting very small … while everyone else around appears to be getting very big.

This is how “The Message” paraphrases verses 1 & 2:
"Long enough, God – you’ve ignored me long enough. I’ve looked at the back of your head long enough. Long enough I’ve carried this ton of trouble, lived with a stomach full of pain. Long enough my arrogant enemies have looked down their noses at me."

While we might not really have enemies (although there may be some who take delight in bringing us down); it could be though that while we feel forgotten like this, we think that everybody we meet is trying to get one up on us, and that every word spoken is being said negatively against us, or that we have to compete with others for the attention and credit we need.

Reading between the lines, we can sense that David felt that no-one understood, and he was strongly regretting this experience of not being able to go forward in life; and David was trying to fathom out why this would be the case.

One answer would be that all this is part of the human condition … being a human being in the world where all sorts of unfortunate things happen; a world where, because people have made up their own minds what agendas to pursue (and ignored God’s agenda), many situations are far from ideal.

We cannot easily cope with everything life throws up. But, of course, even knowing this does not lessen the pain. Thus we need other coping mechanisms to be in place.

In the clear light of day, we would realize that God can’t actually forget about us because this is contrary to the covenants that God has made with humanity. No matter how real the feelings are, comments along the lines of ‘God has left me’ or ‘Jesus has forgotten me’ cannot actually be substantiated on the basis of scripture, quite the opposite.

[We would have to be careful to say though, that feelings exactly like this can be tangibly present! And where such feelings are expressed by someone, like they are in this psalm, they need to be approached with great sensitivity.]

Sometimes such feelings might derive from wrong beliefs about God, like for instance … God will give you everything you want, or … God will bail you out of every dilemma straight away! Also, sometimes being forgotten about by other people is projected onto God as God’s fault or doing.

So, what is David’s strategy, and what can be our strategy???

(3) Prayer

Such feelings that go so deep, as expressed in this psalm, are not going away. What should we do? In my heart of hearts I know that God is there, loves me, cares for me, wants the best for me, and is available to listen to me! So I should pray! Should pray, or will pray?

It may have taken supreme effort for David to pray here given his feelings, but he made that effort! The psalmist prayed – but what did he pray for??

"Consider and answer me, O Lord my God! Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep the sleep of death, and my enemy will say, ‘I have prevailed’; my foes will rejoice because I am shaken."

Firstly, we would have to say that this prayer was completely and vividly honest, and reflected the sort of urgency the psalmist was feeling. For David, having feelings of God being absent was an experience of death. Because of the power of his enemies, not feeling able to connect with God was devastating. The psalmists witness to God (in the world) was being compromised and potentially destroyed. David was used to intimacy with God, and this feeling of distance was too much to take. The absence of God is the definition of ‘hell’! It was an experience of darkness where ‘light for the eyes’ was most needed. David needed new perspective and guidance; so this is simply what he prayed for … “light”.

The very act of praying, reestablishes where our faith stands. We are truly not alone. Because, after all, prayer is communication … talking with God. In the midst of confusing feelings, to say “O Lord my God” reestablishes intimate relationship with a personal God (who is also comprehensive enough to bring about enormous change). There is hope! We know that through faith what seems impossible can come to be. The finding of one’s voice brings relief. So the psalmist prays for the sort of “light” that will bring enlightenment and new perspective. David will be able to start making sense of the things happening around him and within him, and thereby re-ignite the journey of recovery and growth.

[Also, as a bonus, as we are more open to God through prayer, as a result we become more open to other people (who can also bring us light).]

This will probably not happen as easily as you can count 1, 2, 3! This will be a process over time of naming your need, praying regularly for guidance, and maintaining your faith. But this is certainly a process worth beginning, unless you want to remain stuck where you are in verses 1 & 2.

For all of us this is a reminder of bringing our every need before God, not ever thinking that God can’t help. We should actually affirm in our minds that God can help, and that we know Jesus cares for us; asking God to be active in this area of our life – knowing that God will bring about good outcomes; and claiming God’s peace to take away our fear. You can ask for God’s “light” to shine into the darkness that obscures your hope.

(4) Worship

And part of the process of growth there will be a commitment to (start or) keep worshipping while God’s answer is on its way.

The very act of placing feelings of pain into prayerful words has reestablished confidence in God. The complete answer had probably not yet come to David, but the dynamic of prayer had reinvigorated a desire to worship.

‘I have prayed and God will act, and in fact is already acting!’ ‘One thing for sure, God has touched me within, quieted my spirit.’ ‘My eyes are beginning to sparkle again!’

So worship of God should never be postponed until you feel better, have received God’s answer, or finally get around to it. Both personal and corporate forms of worship should be maintained as a regular determined habit. Whether we worship or not should never be based on whether we feel like it or not, or can get up in time or not, but rather be based on a commitment to participate in it no matter what.

Sometimes worship is treated like singing the club song after a big win … worship only has its place for us after prayer has been successful. Rather, worship itself should be part of the process of going forward.

The psalmist David again placed his trust and confidence in God’s unconditional love for him through prayer, and as he did so, his heart welled up in songs of joy for the liberation he was immersed in. There are the beginnings of a spiritual revelation here! Prayer transforms the loneliness, pain, sorrow and fear of verse 1 into the worshipping confidence of verse 6. It’s like this sorrow and pain being confidently submerged into singing and the practice of worship, and this being part of the answer to the psalmist’s prayer for new perspective.

"But I trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation. I will sing to the Lord,because he has dealt bountifully with me."

David will allow these songs of joy to come vocally out of his mouth. He will take his rejoicing into the ‘house of God’ and let rip; because as he does so God is changing him back into the ‘image of God’ and ‘person of Christ’ he was born to represent. Verse 6 represents a vow or promise concerning our basic attitude to God … ‘I will worship God – because of the relationship that God has begun with me’. Yes I’m a sinner, yes I’ve made mistakes, yes I feel awkward and frustrated and despairing at times, but I’m going to sing words of praise to the One who loves me despite all this, to the God who has forgiven me and who is in the process (right now) of answering my prayers.

We “sing to the Lord” because God has “dealt bountifully” with us. God has been patient, understanding and long-suffering with us. God has listened to us over and over again. For God’s dealings with us to be described as “bountiful” this would indicate that this activity was well above our expectations.

As ‘the church’ raises its collective voice in praise and worship of God, God’s plans for ‘her’ welfare and mission are already going forward.