“A wicked and foolish man truly believes there is no God. They are vile, their sinfulness nauseating to their Creator; their actions are soiled and repulsive; every deed is depraved; not one of them does good.” (Psalm 14:1 The Voice)

I recently pulled G.K. Chesterton’s “Orthodoxy” off my bookshelf and jumped in with joy. I love his brilliant mind and playful exploration of Christianity. Here’s how one author summarizes Chesterton’s approach:

“Chesterton criticizes modern philosophers for erasing religion. Modern philosophies encourage people to over-analyze everything, including religion, and when we question something too deeply, we stop believing in it. He suggests that Christianity is simple enough to answer life’s questions while mysterious enough to keep us guessing.” (https://www.supersummary.com/orthodoxy/summary/)

As we sit with Psalm 14, we pick up on this same sentiment from David. The foolish person, in an attempt to be wise, actually thinks their way into believing God does not exist. As the psalm continues, the outline of the foolish person is filled in with the following complaints:

• They are corrupt;

• They only think of themselves;

• They turn their backs and walk their own roads;

• They use other people for their own gain;

• They reject the reality of their Creator;

• They laugh at those who put their trust in God;

• They attempt to rationalize and reason away another person’s hope.

The conclusion of this list of grievances, Psalm 14:7, stands as a powerful rejection of this mad form of wisdom which leads to complete abandonment of faith.

Psalm 13 begins with another deep cry from the depths of David’s soul: “O Lord, how long will you forget me? Forever?” (v.1 NLT)

Perhaps, in an attempt for us to fully grasp the desperation of these first few verses, we need to go out to a solitary place and say the words ourselves. Maybe we need to groan them…or cry them out! We’re so familiar with the story of David, with the complaints and the raw emotions, that we’re actually less able to locate ourselves, and our  circumstances, in the story.

No, not David’s actual story. Our story! Dietrich Bonhoeffer said it perfectly:

“Celebrating Advent means learning how to wait.… Not all can wait – certainly not those who are satisfied, contented, and feel that they live in the best of all possible worlds! Those who learn to wait are uneasy about their way of life, but yet have seen a vision of greatness in the world of the future and are patiently expecting its fulfillment.” (from Plough Daily Email, 2022.12.02)

David knows how to wait! Let’s not mistake his questions for a lack of patience. He’s willing to sit in the reality of what is, pay attention to the broad spectrum of emotions, name the emotions, bring them to God, and turn his lament into a declaration of God’s goodness.

Might this be a demonstration of emotionally healthy spirituality?

Here’s the pivot: “Turn and answer me, O Lord my God! Restore the sparkle to my eyes, or I will die.” (v.3)

Even as David is shifting from his very real turmoil, he’s counting on God to make the turn toward him. This deep awareness of a “vision of greatness in the world of the future” doesn’t happen by accident. We can’t really “will” ourselves into it. We must nurture this level of surrender across a lifetime of Advents!

“The celebration of Advent is possible only to those who are troubled in soul, who know themselves to be poor and imperfect, and who look forward to something greater to come. For these, it is enough to wait in humble fear until the Holy One himself comes down to us, God in the child in the manger.” (Bonhoeffer, ibid.)

For all who are crushed and harassed by those who hold power over them, God is a safe place, a stronghold, a trustworthy refuge in times of trouble. We know David, the author of Psalm 9, retreated to places of refuge when he was being chased through the wilderness. These strongholds would give David a bird’s eye view of his enemies while remaining hidden, safe and secure.

Even more than the physical safety of a high shelter, David found his greatest security in the LORD.

“I will praise YOU, Lord, with all my heart;
I will tell of all the marvelous things YOU have done.
I will be filled with joy because of YOU.
I will sing praises to YOUR name, O Most High.” (v.1-2)

“My enemies retreated; they staggered and died when YOU appeared.” (v.3)

David rehearsed his reliance on God and proclaimed his trust in the Mighty One who would never abandon those who wait on Him.

“O Lord, our Lord, your majestic name fills the earth! Your glory is higher than the heavens.” (Ps.8:1)

Your majestic name fills the earth. Your glory is everywhere!

• The sky, the stars, the seas, the mountains, the trees, the flowers

• The peacocks, the penguins, the poodles, the prawns

• A single hawk in flight, a river teeming with fish, a trail

• through a wooded forest

• A cry of a newborn baby, a daughter on her wedding day

• A living room with friends who listen to God together, a kind word, an unexpected gift

• A lover’s gaze, a graveside lined with mourners

• A winding prayer labyrinth, a wordless prayer, a hymn of praise, a quiet place to rest

• A child’s playful laughter, a meal shared with those in need, a joyful “welcome home,”

• A person made in the image of God who is seen and heard and beloved

Somewhere in the Middle
Here we are, once again,
somewhere in the middle:
between the already and the not yet,
between what is and what’s to come.

Emmanuel,
God With Us,
be with us now -
in the waiting and the longing,
the hoping and the praying,
the singing and the silence.

All our little wants loom large as we wait.
The pleasures of “more”
tickle our taste buds
and candy our conscience.

We say you alone are enough,
but how quickly
we are bent right back
toward ourselves -
looking downward,
limping and listing
toward the next best thing.

In this temporary and necessary now,
deliver us from the tyranny of our fancy Pharaohs,
and the bondage of our shiny shackles.

We were living in Flagstaff, Arizona. On this particularly clear night, as the moon hung full and bright in the star-filled sky, I was driving my son home from the church building. This was a time in his early development when I would’ve been answering lots of “why” questions. I wasn’t expecting this.

“Daddy, why is the moon so far away?”“I don’t know. Maybe someday you’ll be able to answer that question for me.”(Quietly staring out the window before reaching out his hand) “I just want to touch it.”

As we continued to drive home, I asked God to give me that same curious and courageous spirit - to not only ask questions, but to reach out and grab hold of God. “Why are you so far away, God?” “I just want to touch you.” I wonder how God responded to my question that night. Did God delight in my curious and courageous spirit?

Likewise, I wonder how God responded when the psalmist asked, “Why do the nations conspire, and the peoples plot in vain?” (Psalm 2:1)

It was a great question.

Psalm 2 would’ve served as a royal song highlighting the reign of King David and his heirs. The worshippers would regularly remind themselves that their God, YHWH, was in heaven laughing at such folly. Who in their right mind would think that they could “out-God” God? Their King, after all, was the one of whom the LORD declared, “You are my son; today I have begotten you.” (v.7) What a pointless endeavor to walk, stand, and sit in the seat of scoffers (Psalm 1), or to heed the counsel of fools!

As great questions usually do, this one kept the conversation going far into the future. The early church, in the midst of persecution, appropriated this same Psalm as a testimony to the sonship of Jesus, the Messiah.