Today’s scripture: Psalm 84:1-9 (NRSV) (The Message) (KJV) What might God be saying to me?
My thoughts (Steve Adams):
This Psalm comes to life when you realize it’s a song of action. According to many sources, including The New Oxford Annotated Bible, lovers of God sang it as they journeyed to Jerusalem to mutually proclaim their overflowing love and thanksgiving to the Creator! Maybe they sang strains of Psalm 18 — I love you O Lord, my strength; You are my refuge, my fortress, my deliverer, my God, my rock in whom I take refuge.
I love how these people overcame the strong human tendency of yielding to inertia. Inertia is defined by merriam-webster.com as a property of matter by which something that is not moving remains still and something that is moving goes at the same speed and in the same direction until another thing or force affects it. How interesting to realize that inertia is not only the tendency to remain at rest, but also the tendency to continue going in the same direction and speed as you have been. The spiritual/psychological parallel is obvious yet striking!
God has infused us with a spirit that yearns for growth. For example, a plant naturally grows when spring arrives. It doesn’t keep going the way it has been all winter. In fact, plants have substances in them called auxins which spur growth. They can’t stand to remain the same! They have to grow! The Greek word for growth is auxano, found in several New Testament verses including II Peter 3:18a, “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”
How thrilling to see that the Spirit God has placed in us activates us to do exactly the same thing — grow! It spurs us to broaden our spiritual horizons — to compile a prayer list and pray every day, go on a missions trip, make phone calls for marriage equality, become part of an Oasis family, work for a homeless ministry — even possibly have a child — so many possibilities!
Thought for the day: The spirit within us, God’s amazing gift, spontaneously activates growth — expansion of our horizons — when we become receptive to it’s energy.
We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to get started, consider the suggestions on the How to Pray page.