40 Days of Seeking Him 2011 ~ Day 29

I have been, or can be if you click on a link and make a purchase, compensated via a cash payment, gift, or something else of value for writing this post. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

We are now well past the middle mark of Lent and Holy Week is fast approaching. Unlike some years, I do feel like this Lent has offered plenty of opportunity for sacrifice and prayer.

In the wee hours this morning, I spent time with Jesus as a substitute for Perpetual Adoration at our parish.  After years of having Adoration for 5 days of the week, the parish made a push to make it perpetual.  It was during this push that I offered to be a substitute until I can find what time slot I can permanently commit to covering.  1 AM is NOT exactly my best time, but I felt called to cover this spot.  As Sunday afternoon and evening progressed, I started seeing plenty of prayer requests that I brought with me.

Like some of the other times I have spent in Christ’s presence without any kids, I found myself in tears.  Not so much tears of pain, but rather from shedding of all barriers normally held up to the world.  In HIS presence we have no need of those barriers as he can see past them and into our hearts.  Releasing them brings such a feeling of relief that I have a hard time describing it.

After spending time in quiet prayer, I opened up my Bible to read a selection my hands seemed to guide me to read.  It had been a long time since I had sat down and just opened up the Bible to a random page and started reading where my eyes and hands landed.

Last night, the Scripture I found was Psalm 69, A Cry of Distress and Imprecation on Adversaries. I read the entire Psalm multiple times, but  where my reading had be lead to start was this stanza:

May ^(AP)their table before them become a snare;
         And ^(AQ)when they are in peace, may it become a trap.
²³May their ^(AR)eyes grow dim so that they cannot see,
         And make their ^(AS)loins shake continually.
^24(AT)Pour out Your indignation on them,
         And may Your burning anger overtake them.
²⁵May their ^(AU)camp be desolate;
         May none dwell in their tents.
²⁶For they have ^(AV)persecuted him whom ^(AW)You Yourself have smitten,
         And they tell of the pain of those whom ^(AX)You have wounded.
²⁷Add ^(AY)iniquity to their iniquity,
         And ^(AZ)may they not come into ^(BA)Your righteousness.
²⁸May they be ^(BB)blotted out of the ^(BC)book of life
         And may they not be ^(BD)recorded with the righteous.

Having just prayed over the recent situation we had with a particular group where I asked for continued guidance for our actions and that he would continue to work within that group, I was stymied as to why THIS passage had literally leapt out of the Bible then.  Parts of this Psalm tie in with the theme of Lent and Christ’s ultimate death and resurrection.  And, I appreciate that aspect.  I just found it interesting that we left a situation where one family member was being targeted for all blame to be laid unjustly and then this passage makes an appearance. 

I will be pondering this Psalm, and those verses in particular throughout the week.  And, my one time substitution at Perpetual Adoration has wet my appetite for finding more time to spend in His presence.  Today feels good, even if this mama is tired and not so inspired to push the boys in their schoolwork.  Both R and P are still exhausted from a snow cave building camping trip they had this weekend.  So, it will be a slow going rest of the day.