Lord, guard the door of my lips – July 3
Today’s Readings: AM Psalm 140, 142; PM Psalm 141, 143:1-11(12); Num. 24:1-13; Rom. 8:12-17; Matt. 22:15-22
I scroll through social media posts, looking for something different…anything…and then: Ooh! A delicious recipe. Ugh…a disheartening post. Bwa-ha-ha…a hilarious video. I come away with some new (and unhealthy) way to present chicken and cream cheese to my family, a bur under my saddle regarding someone else’s opinion, and maybe a giggle to share. I am amused, but I am not comforted. Momentary distractions are not enough to resolve this wholly uncomfortable time.
When I was six or seven, I went to Eufaula with my friend Caroline and her dad for a weekend at their lake house, complete with fishing, hiking, a bonfire and roasted marshmallows – topped with lots of laughter. On the way home, Mr. Crook treated us to pizza. There was probably “co-cola” (translation: Coca-Cola) involved in our lunch feast, too – because that’s what good fathers give children! We had a rollicking good time and got back on the road to Montgomery. At some point on the journey, I started to feel nauseated. I curled up in the footwell of the backseat to take a nap.
As I slept, the wooziness tapered off and I felt better. Upon waking, another wave of nausea returned. I closed my eyes again. I did not let Caroline’s dad know the extent of my discomfort. Pulling into their neighborhood, he said, “We’re almost there!”, but it was too late. While napping had helped temporarily, my motion sickness was not comforted. I vomited all over the backseat of the relatively new Cadillac. It was awful…on many levels. (Years later, I learned that they had to sell the car, as no amount of cleaning was able to remove the odor.)
I hang on these words today: “Set a guard over my mouth, O Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips. Do not turn my heart to any evil, to busy myself with wicked deeds in company with those who work iniquity…” (Ps. 141:3-4a). Those words of prayer couldn’t help the situation between my mouth and the Cadillac on our journey from Eufaula…that was a lost cause from the Pizza Hut. But, as for living into a faith journey with God in 2020, there is some wisdom in this ancient plea. Before idly scrolling for fleeting comforts, imagine what would happen if we incorporated these three actions as part of our individual spiritual disciplines:
· Ask God to give us strength to turn back from our own sinful impulses of self-righteousness and pride.
· Pray for the Lord to provide a sense of centeredness and focus, comfort and direction.
· Ensure that what we put in our mouths, minds, and hearts is rooted in the source of goodness: God.
With God’s help, the words and deeds flowing from each of us would then be grounded in God’s truth and love. Shall we try?
-- Katherine+
Questions for Reflection
What person (or issue) is bothering you today?
What would praying for that person (or issue) look like?
Daily Challenge
Take the words of Psalm 141 to heart today: do not busy yourself with getting swept into the hurtfulness of others. Through meditation, journaling, or some other method, turn to God in prayer for courage to examine your own hurts.