Today’s readings are Psalms 5 and 6.
For whatever reason our 12-year-old has been listening to and likes the popular 2005 song by Daniel Powter, Bad Day. As I read today’s Psalms, it made me reflect on what we do when we have a bad day. Sometimes we may say “I need a drink..” and take refuge in that or mindless social media scrolling or binging on a Netflix series. While drinking alcohol can be a polarizing topic among some Christians, one could argue that Jesus drank wine and unless you have an addiction problem, having a drink isn’t necessarily inherently bad. I’m not trying to make any readers feel guilty in that. But even without an addiction problem, just like social media or binging on a series, it’s not good for us if that’s where we consistently take “refuge” when things don’t go well. They are not the solution. Those things sometimes may make us feel worse or even if it makes us feel better and forget our problems temporarily, they will not solve them or give us the greater and long-term peace and comfort we are looking for.
Psalm 5:17 reads, “But let all who take refuge in you rejoice.” If we read on Psalm 6:8-9 says,”….for the Lord has heard the sound of my weeping. The Lord has heard my plea; the Lord accepts my prayer.”
Isn’t it amazing? The Lord of the entire Universe hears us. The Lord of the entire Universe accepts our prayer. And we are told it’s in Him that we will then be able to rejoice.
It is common to hear the verse Jeremiah 29:11 referenced…
“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare, and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.”
This is a great verse and though I think the verses around it give us more context and tie closely with our Psalms reading today.
Let’s check out Jeremiah 29:12..
“Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you.”
Then in the following verse Jeremiah 29:13…
“You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.”
We will find Him and He will hear us; we will be able to have comfort in Him and rejoice in His saving and loving grace when we seek Him with all our heart.
So, the next time we have a bad day (or a series of them), let us remember this and turn to Him in prayer and through reading His Word, rather than other vices. Those other vices are temporary. Only in Him will we truly be able to rejoice and find a peace that passes understanding.