the perfect storm

Psalm 59:9-10a, "O my strength, I watch for you; you, O God, are my fortress, my loving God..."

Ya know the expression, "sticks and stones...?"  What?! According to Wikipedia (don't judge me), it was an English children's rhyme meant to persuade the child victim (can you even believe they used this word?!) to stay calm and not retailiate...to remain "good-natured".   "It is reported to have appeared in The Christian Recorder of March 1862, a publication of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, where it is presented as an old adage in the form, 'Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never break me.'"  What a bunch of bullocks.

David, a grown man, is crying out to God because he is being slandered by men...he talks about the "sins of their mouths", "the curses and lies they utter"...to name a few.  In verse 7, David says, "See what they spew from their mouths-they spew out swords from their lips..."

There is nothing easy about letting words not hurt you.  And to expect young children to remember some silly rhyme to placate them and make it all better is not preparing them to battle for their souls and cling to truth.  

I walked through this this very week.  Satan was just beating me down telling me the same 'ole, same 'ole junk.  You take that and the fact that my communication styles are to negatively interpret what I hear and sometimes see and to withdrawal, and you have the perfect storm.  By Friday, I was a mess.  I had forgotten to battle for my soul and go to His Word, cry out to His people to pray for me and watch for Him.  That puttin' on the whole armor of God is no joke.  I asked my community group for prayers and those prayer warriors went to work on their knees and sending me scripture reminding me to look to God.  

David got it, "O MY STRENGTH, I WATCH FOR YOU; YOU, O GOD, ARE MY LIVING FORTRESS, MY LOVING GOD." Later in the psalm, confident of his deliverance (and His avenging evil), "But I will sing of Your strength, in the the morning I will sing of Your love;  for You are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble.  O my Strength, I sing priase to You; You, O God, are my fortress, my loving God." (verses 16-17)

Armor on!