Short and Sweet

PSALM 117

Praise the Lord, all you nations; extol him, all you peoples. For great is his love toward us, and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever. Praise the Lord.

That's it. The shortest chapter in the bible. There's an irony here. Three sentences with the second one ending in "endures forever." That's pretty long isn't it? Unfathomably long actually. But I have to say I enjoy the sentiment here: this is what you do, this is why you do it, so just do it. I often wish my own pulpit minister, (yes, I own him, he just doesn't know it, well, until now), would take a lesson here, (love you Jimmy, no really, I do), because sometimes I just don't have the mental capacity, the energy, the "umph" to listen for 20 to 30 minutes. Just say what needs sayin' and let's get on with it already! I figured out what I want for lunch during that unbearable silence in communion, so now I'm starving! Hurry up man!

It's not that I don't ever listen, I do. And I am making a concerted effort to take notes these days, (mainly to recall ideas for blogs, I confess), but I am trying. But, no matter what, I catch myself watching one of the teens doing something silly or trying to make out faces on the farthest side of the auditorium from me just to check my eyesight, (yes, I have vision insurance, but I find this exam cheaper and no one's blowing air on my eyeball which is the part that gives me serious gas pains.).

Patience is something not easily gained. And don't ask Him for it unless you're really ready. He will give it to you in spades. And never let up. Ever. Side note: He has a similar plan with wisdom which begins with a very long process of making you realize you don't know a flippin' thing. Turns out Aristotle was right all along.

So, the purpose of this was, wait, I've been too busy going back and forth between this and Facebook to recall. Oh, nope, wait, I've got it.

God knows we all suffer from some form of ADD. So, just because you haven't progressed to some deep place of spiritual discipline, (you know, like me), it doesn't mean that your brief moments of prayer and worship aren't as sweet to Him as the most intricate, well thought out, masterly crafted Psalm.

Often it is "Help," but mostly it's a sigh, a groan, an upward glance, or a handful of tears. To Him, it is the reason you were made and there is no more beautiful melody than that. He even appreciates my old school, Vanilla Ice, two pounds on the chest followed by a peace sign. Stop. Collaborate and listen.