“Lift up the light of Your countenance upon us, O LORD! You have put gladness in my heart, more than when their gain and new wine abound. In peace I will both lie down and sleep, for You alone, O LORD, make me to dwell in safety” Psalm 4: 6-8(NASB)
Is your desk and bureau cluttered? You know what they say: “a cluttered desk is the sign of a cluttered mind.” If this is true, a peek at my desk - my entire office, really – raises some serious concerns about the state of my mind. I wonder if my brain is truly cluttered as my desk always seems to be. I wonder what all of this cluttered-ness and growing to-do lists says about my life. Am I really this overburdened, hemmed in on every side by pressures that will not relent?
Do you feel so disorganized that you can’t get everything done? Do you make lists so you won’t forget – lists like for groceries, to-do, house-hold chores, taking care of the children and/or grandchildren, taking care of parents, taking care of pets. Do you schedule time for rest, reading, meditating, exercise, relaxation and rejuvenation?
If I am honest with myself, I must admit that sometimes my desk does indeed mirror my life. And whether or not you have a desk, you may feel the same about yourself from time to time. It’s easy to feel trapped or smothered by our high pressure jobs, busy families, aging parents, demanding relationships, along with high expectations for those in school, and necessary project deadlines, that have been put off until ‘it’s got to be done!’ With all this host of life’s stress, it’s easy to feel claustrophobic with traffic jams, never ending noise, seeming endless work and chores to be done with not enough time to do them.
We all need to remember and turn to Psalm 4, the ‘Night-Time Psalm.’ We recently studied this on a Wednesday evening. I mentioned to Pastor Chris Crain, who led our devotional thoughts that night, that if no one else ‘got it,’ I did. It felt like it was meant for me. This Psalm is meant for you too!
I would like to encourage you to meditate on this Psalm in the evenings so that when you lie down and lay your head on your pillow, you can feel at peace with God. You can have that restful sleep that you need – wake up feeling refreshed and rejuvenated, ready to face a new day with a fresh dose of God’s joy, love and peace!
Gracious Lord, give me room when I am in distress and help me to make the most of the freedom that you give. Send Your calming reassuring peace! Amen.
