You got to Be Kidding...Psalm 142
You got to be kidding! You just have to be kidding!
One morning I found a Speakers' Corner in the Bible. My husband had told me about the Speakers' Corner inside Hyde Park in London. This is where, through the years since 1885, folks have been able to stand and voice their feelings and opinions. I decided the first thing I was going to do when we got to London was to find that corner and take my stand.
Is there a corner in your world that is off limits? Nobody wants or cares about your input your opinions, your feelings, or your presence. Even if you did stand to speak those around you would either cover their ears or simply fade away. Some might even scream at you.
If you are bold enough to ask them why, I'm sure the answers would sound something like this:
It's really none of your business.
I'm so busy. I don't have time for this.
This is my life. But out.
Stop nagging me. Stop telling me what to do.
If all the Speakers' Corners are closed to you, get your Bible and turn to Psalm 142. David wrote it when he was in a cave. We could call it David's Speakers' Cave.
I don't know about you, but I've found myself hiding in a cave or two over the years. Caves are dark. My cave days have been dark days when I was in need of light. I found it through David's cave experience. Now let's see if we can put some light on this dark study.
In the first four verses in Psalm 142, he was given permission to stand on a Speakers' Corner and voice his feeling to God. When I realized that, I again thought, You got to be kidding. God listens to us when others don't care or have the time to listen.
I hope you might go get your Bible and follow along here. I have my New Living Translation. So what did God hear when David cried out from his cave? Could these be your words and my words, too?
David told God all his troubles. God listened.
David told God all his feelings of being overwhelmed. God listened.
David told God folks were trying to trap him. God listened.
David told God he needed help. God listened.
David told God no one gives me a passing thought. God listened.
David told God no one cares a bit what happens to me. God listened.
Then after David talked from his Speakers' Corner or Cave and after God listened, God did something. He moved into David's heart. This was the turning point. As God turned so did David. Then in verses 5-8 David began to pray. Listen to David now.
You are my refuge.
You are all I really want.
You are the one I want to thank for bringing me out of this cave of self-pity.
I think I understand this truth about David and me and you. We stand on our own Speakers' Corner and play our lives to the wrong audience. The audience we should want to please is God Himself and not others and not even ourselves.
How can we please Him? Maybe we can turn this thing around when we get caught in our caves labeled no one cares,no one gives a passing thought about me. How By finding another lost cave dweller and saying to them, "I thought of you today. I care."
I can hear them responding with these words, "You got to be kidding. You really have to be kidding."
Writing is a lonely occupation. Would like to hear from you. Send your thoughts to me and I well talk back to you personally. Keep in touch. See means to do so below.
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