Bible: 5 Poetic Books

Lesson 4: The Book of Psalms, part two: Passionate, but not Positive!

Stress

As our world becomes more technologically advanced, our stress levels continue to rise. Through cell phones, fax machines, the Internet, and GPS systems, we become instantly available to anyone at a moment's notice. No wonder our lives are so stressful!

That stress has led to a modern boom in the fitness and wellness business sectors. Yoga, Pilates, wonder drugs, cosmetic surgery, the latest diet (like the low-carb craze going on right now)--everyone seems to have the secret solution to living well and avoiding stress. And yet people are more stressed than ever! It's an excellent reason to turn yourself over to God's leadership and guidance.

When we are under stress, we must be careful not to go "over the top" with our emotions and our pleas to God. Remember, God's time may not be our time. The anonymous author of Psalm 91 seems to struggle with this concept:

46 How long, O LORD ? Will you hide yourself forever? How long will your wrath burn like fire? 47 Remember how fleeting is my life. For what futility you have created all men! 48 What man can live and not see death, or save himself from the power of the grave? Selah

[The LORD is hardly hiding anywhere, from anything. Remember, you can't bully God into action. The writer of this psalm seems to be almost whining to God to do something about his troubles (instead of asking for God's guidance to help him learn to solve the problems himself).]

49 O Lord, where is your former great love, which in your faithfulness you swore to David? 50 Remember, Lord, how your servant has been mocked, how I bear in my heart the taunts of all the nations, 51 the taunts with which your enemies have mocked, O LORD , with which they have mocked every step of your anointed one.

[Now prepare yourself for a 180-degree turnaround. This writer has a sudden epiphany. It's all clear to him now. He understands what must be done, and that's not to whine about the situation. Let's see what he does:

52 Praise be to the LORD forever! Amen and Amen.

In a moment of clarity, he remembers the meaning of life--to praise God and enter into a relationship with Him.

David, a powerful, in-control leader, often felt the stress of his situation. You can hear it in the following section of Psalm 31:

9 Be merciful to me, O LORD , for I am in distress; my eyes grow weak with sorrow, my soul and my body with grief. 10 My life is consumed by anguish and my years by groaning; my strength fails because of my affliction, [1] and my bones grow weak.

[At our point of exhaustion, we seek out the Lord. Again, that is why when we are weak, then we are strong.]

11 Because of all my enemies, I am the utter contempt of my neighbors; I am a dread to my friends- those who see me on the street flee from me. 12 I am forgotten by them as though I were dead; I have become like broken pottery. 13 For I hear the slander of many; there is terror on every side; they conspire against me and plot to take my life.

[That section should remind you of someone's story we've already examined earlier: Job, maybe?]

14 But I trust in you, O LORD ; I say, "You are my God." 15 My times are in your hands; deliver me from my enemies and from those who pursue me. 16 Let your face shine on your servant; save me in your unfailing love. 17 Let me not be put to shame, O LORD , for I have cried out to you; but let the wicked be put to shame and lie silent in the grave. [2] 18 Let their lying lips be silenced, for with pride and contempt they speak arrogantly against the righteous.

[Again, in comparing this psalm to the Job example, we must guard against being self-righteous!]

19 How great is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you, which you bestow in the sight of men on those who take refuge in you. 20 In the shelter of your presence you hide them from the intrigues of men; in your dwelling you keep them safe from accusing tongues.

21 Praise be to the LORD , for he showed his wonderful love to me when I was in a besieged city. 22 In my alarm I said, "I am cut off from your sight!" Yet you heard my cry for mercy when I called to you for help.

23 Love the LORD , all his saints! The LORD preserves the faithful, but the proud he pays back in full. 24 Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the LORD .

[As long as God's on our side, we have hope. Take away God, and you take away hope. Take away hope, and our stress levels skyrocket. Sound like anyone you know? If not, take a peek out the window during rush hour. Who seems to be in control and who is about to have an attack of road rage?

Dealing with stress in healthy ways instead of fads leads to success. A steady diet of God's Word will nourish and strengthen us to become all that we can be, and avoid the stress that afflicts so many.

I once wrote a poem that reflects this stress, this rush in our lives. Try to say it out loud now, as fast as you can! Quick! Hurry!

My Way IS The Highway

First on through the archway

and then through the doorway,

out into the hallway,

yes, I'm going your way,

now down, down the stairway

out into the street

that's named, oh yes, Broadway,

which is kind of neat.

Now walk down the pathway

not all that far,

until the next walkway

where I parked my car.

We'll drive the expressway,

a roadway, a highway,

and zoom right along

until the next byway.

We'll get on the freeway,

we'll go straightaway,

we haven't much leeway

to get to the bay.

Then over the causeway

and all across town,

we'll hop on a tramway

and make our way down.

We'll walk through a gateway

out onto the runway,

Yes, this is the straight way,

this is the fun way!

To get where we're going,

we could never take your way,

or else we would never

get back home to Norway!

Now pen your own precious pressure poem!

  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8