Repetition and eyes of faith

Since it's Saturday, I'm still in Psalm 103. This is day six.

 

When I first started this prayer book, I wasn't sure about reading the same psalm for seven days straight--especially if it's a short one. But I think I've said it before and I'll say it again, there's something about repetition that works.

Rather than being boring, Yeah, yeah, I read that yesterday--and the day before, each day something new rises to the surface, something different appears at the forefront. If you're feeling like you could use a change in your quiet time routine, try it. Pick a psalm or a passage of Scripture and read it each day for a week. See what stands out to you each day--what word or phrase or idea prompts your thinking.

Today it was this that grabbed my attention: "The LORD works righteousness and justice for all the oppressed" (verse 5, emphasis mine). It struck me because it often doesn't look like this is true in our world.

You don't have to look very far to see injustice, to see pain and sorrow and oppression. So how is this true? How do we reconcile what we see with what God's Word says is true? These are questions that must be answered--because either what God says is true or it isn't. There's no "sorta" true.

Here's where my thoughts led this morning in my journal:

Living by faith is crucial. Living by faith is the life of the believer. To know there is more that is unseen, that what we see is just a shadow of the real reality. To know that our life--our real life--is hidden with Christ in God.

We must live by faith because too often what we see doesn't match what we know to be true, what God says is true.

When faced with horror, with pain, with injustice, with death, we must live by faith in order to be at rest, to be at peace, to be whole.

My thoughts turned to faith because I've been reading Choosing Rest by Sally Breedlove (my friend Terri sent it to me not too long ago and while it's not what I expected, I am loving her solid teaching on how the hard things of life can lead us to rest if we will let them). 

Here's something I read yesterday afternoon at the pool as she was talking about faith in relation to fear (something I can totally relate to!):

The most alive life is the one lived by faith. From the definition of faith in Hebrews 11:1, we learn that faith is the firm conviction that what we see around us isn't all there is to reality and that what we presently possess isn't all that will one day be ours.If we believe this, the implications are cosmically fightening and wonder-filled at the same time. To live by faith means that invisible spiritual realities and promises about the future will give my heart strength...

We need a faith like that. Life is shot through with fearful things. Your child is out with friends on a snowy January evening and the falling snow develops into icy rain. He's past is curfew, and you find your heart tightening. Does faith mean a guarantee that there will be no car accident? Or does it mean you know your child is in God's hands no matter what happens out on the road? Does faith mean you won't be laid off, or does it mean you will have the inner resources to survive joblessness? Does it mean your husband won't have an affair, or that God will hold you in His arms even if the worst happens?...

If we want more than an existence where we attempt to hem in and protect ourselves and those we love, the only recourse we have is faith--the choice to trust the goodness of God in the face of a very imperfect and incomplete reality. (Sally Breedlove, Choosing Rest, Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress, pp. 98-99.)

Have you ever heard the expression "eyes of faith"? I was thinking about that this morning--especially since Audrey started vision therapy again yesterday to help strengthen her eyes to work together and improve her visual memory. I'm praying that God would give me some vision therapy too. To strengthen my eyes of faith so that my faith vision and my natural vision would work together to give me a clearer and more accurate picture of the world--both seen and unseen.

There are so many parallels here with the exercises that Audrey does. But I think I'll save that for another day...this is getting too long and it's Saturday. Go enjoy your day!

Comments

[Teri in CO]

Choosing Rest is one of my favorite books! Awesome thoughts... thanks for sharing!

[Debbie]

I agree repeating is not something we might pick but it sure does help us meditate on the Word.
Great Post!

[Sara]

Great word Joanne. Thank you for sharing. I'll have to pick up that book.
Have a wonderful weekend!
Sara

[Megan]

I love what you said about asking for vision therapy to improve your eyes of faith. It just really gave me a clear picture of wanting to see beyond what my natural eyes see. I want that too.

[Tanya]

I really like your blog. A few days ago I saw your handmade things for sale and really liked them. Now I can't find them on your blog. Do you still have them?

Tanya

[Angie]

I came across your blog last night and read this post and thought I would try the repetition reading with the psalm I had read the night before. Funnily enough it was Psalm 103 :)