Fish and Snakes – Rewind
I waited, waited for YHWH; And He inclined to me, and heard my cry. Psalm 40:2 (Hebrew Text)
Inclined – Natah. Nun-Tet-Hey. That’s how you spell this Hebrew verb. The picture? What is revealed (what comes) from life surrounded. Actually, the pictures are fish darting through water (life activity) and a snake coiled around something (surround). OK? So, consider this imagery and ask yourself, “Does God surround my life?” If He doesn’t, do you think He will incline toward you?
The verb means more than incline. It means to stretch forth, to bend toward, to pay attention to, to establish, to turn toward, to show hesed toward someone. As God stretches forth the heavens, we live under His sheltering sky. He is our Father. He bends toward His children. When our lives are surrounded by His hesed, we are cared for. He puts His arms around us and listens to us. The doubled verb (to wait) indicates an attitude of patience on behalf of the psalmist. While God has all the time necessary to accomplish His purposes, we tend to expect His purposes to be completed within our temporal frame. The psalmist reminds us that a double portion of waiting is needed if we are to enjoy God’s attention. God is never in a hurry. The state of haste in our lives often runs right past His plans. He pays attention to those who exercise the spiritual discipline of expectant hopefulness since this discipline demonstrates trust in His word.
We all want God to bend toward us. We all want His undivided attention. In fact, we often press Him to respond. We are like those people in an elevator who keep pushing the button when the door doesn’t close fast enough. Yeshua reminds us that our frenzy for answers displays an attitude of anxiety inconsistent with the hesed of the Lord. Seeking the Kingdom is a corollary of rowing with hope.
If we wait patiently for YHWH and row with the expectation of His fatherly attention, then no decision we make can be a mistake. When we row in alignment, we follow His exhibition of trustworthiness. When we row off course, He guides us back with gentle corrections or chastisement. Either way, we can’t miss the final goal. The trick is simply to wait until He turns toward us.
Patience is more than a virtue. It is a necessary component of living the biblical worldview. A man without patience is a man without a word from the Lord. Such a man has accelerated past the next turn in life, moving too fast to see the road signs of warning. Rush hour is a symptom of self-importance. Natah surrounds. Its direction is a circle. Slowing down does not prevent getting to the goal. It just makes the circumnavigation much more pleasant.
Topical Index: natah, incline, pay attention, turn toward, Psalm 40:2
I’ve taken up mountain biking (dirt trail riding in a local park with about 10 miles of dirt trails). I’m fifty eight years old with bursitis in my right leg and shoulders. While on the surface the activity and the ailments don’t seem to mix. However, they do, oddly enough. As I’ve mentioned before I’m basically a 24/7 care giver for my bed-ridden father.
I have worked out a schedule of sorts that allows me an escape several times a week for an hour or two. I used to go to this park that is only four minutes from my apartment just to get away from being cooped up in the apartment so much. I went and usually sat in the woods and read or just contemplated trees, leaves, and/or the bark on the trees. Yes, I actually did. Anything to have a respite from my caring duties.
Then I took up Disc Golf with one of my sons. It was fun and challenging. But the walking hurt my leg with the bursitis in it. Bummer. Not too long after that I discovered trail riding from another son and jumped in. I eventually bought a decent mountain bike ($$) and hit the trails. I loved it. Challenging, freeing, exciting, physical and soothing all at the same time. Also, it was dangerous, particularly for an ‘old’ man! When was in the tree/leaves/bark mode walking in the woods I would occasionally come across the path of a mountain biking trail rider. I would always politely say hello as they zoomed by but they never even ever acknowledge me in the least. I found out why after I took up mountain biking. Moving that fast in the woods on a bike provides for little room for error. One second on taking your eyes of the trail could prove disastrous as you are usually only a fraction of a second away from hitting a tree, going in a ditch or over a cliff if you didn’t pay absolute attention ALL of the time. Who has time to say “Hello” to a walker, for Pete’s sake! I want to live, so I do NOT acknowledge anyone either when I’m riding.
I’ve had several falls, spills, and exciting wrecks. Yes, they hurt, but nothing serious. I’ve acquired skills now and fall a lot less. Good thing.
Anyway, when I read this TW I thought of my mountain biking adventures somehow. Many of the disciplines required to navigate a trail safely and successfully are similar to our walk with Yeshua I think. As I follow the trail (path) I MUST keep my eyes on it exclusively. I can’t take in the scenery, otherwise I end up OFF the trail. It just happens. The trail isn’t always smooth but it is doable as long as I focus my eyes, limbs and whole self on the trail. Sometimes I slip off which makes me immediately have to slow down, stumble in all the icky stuff along the trail and then expend a lot of wasted energy getting back ON the trail.
The more I travel the trail the more familiar I get with being ON the trail. I see the same bumps and obstacles but get better at navigating them from previous practice. As I grow in my knowledge of the characteristics of trials the better I get at traveling them. BUT, as I get faster, the danger level increases as well, so I always have to ride in my skill set.
I’m a lot better now. Somewhat impressive if I do say so myself. However, it just takes taking my eyes off the trail for a brief moment that potential danger rears itself ever so quickly. I have narrowly missed huge trees by not watching the path. What a disaster that COULD have been! Even now I still hit a tree with my arm sometimes. It hurts. Sometimes, due to going the wrong speed my momentum and balance is thrown off and I am forced to stop to keep from going in a ditch, hitting a tree, or missing a jump that could result in a perilous accident. It certainly keeps this old man alert. It surely has kept my mind and attention free of cob webs. And it absolutely makes me feel abundantly alive when I am finished with a trail.
It’s similar with my walk following the steps he has delineated on the path of life in him. The path is narrow but doable. Safe and secure when I do the right things. Enjoyable and refreshing when accomplished according to the ways of the true path. It is also full of danger at any second if I take my eyes and feet off the path. One little diversion from his way and disaster awaits. I can get back on the trail, but there is usually damage done to some degree.
There’s more, but, alas, I’m sure I put you to sleep by now. Even so, my exciting trial riding has really caused me to focus and consider my walk on his path much closer.
You can’t think about trail riding. You have to DO trail riding. It’s not the same in your mind as it is with the wind in your face and the trees and rocks zinging past at break neck speeds. Faith isn’t simply thinking. It’s doing, going, and full bore action. (James 1:ff)
Thanks for the insight, Skip. Again.
Great analogy Michael. Thanks for sharing it.
Thx, and you’re welcome. 🙂
I think you have an impressive point Michael. When I first read about the snake image, I got an image of “containment.” If our lives are contained by God, then there is no waiting or patience needed, He is already here. It´s more like your experience, more of being alive in the moment, not waiting for a future anything.
Skip, correct me if I´m wrong, but I see this message as hope delivered already instead ofexpectant hope. God is already wrapping around meh while I go through my very active life. What else are we to expect? We must LIVE each moment like Michael does when he´s on the trail, and not overthink it. This life in which everything important is still waiting to happen is depressive. God already DID. My life is now, this second, with Him all around me. We don´t need patience, we need awareness.
Michael, you have me looking for trails with your story, and I don´t even know how to ride a bike!
Thanks, Bessy. If you do find some trails and get a bike, take it slow and deliberate until you get your groove. I wasn’t kidding about the dangers that lurk just a wee bit off trail. 🙂
Ah, Bessy. You KNOW that I overthink everything.
That may be true, Skip, I don’t know. I DO know you’re “over thinking” certainly has helped me to think better and more productively. While I do read a lot, my brain is such that more leaks out than remains, it seems. Your words help me tremendously in maintaining some cohesion in my thinking. So, please, continue over thinking. I am on great need of it!
Thinking is great, it´s a wonderful tool God gave us, but when does it run away with us and stops us from living?
Last Monday was the first anniversary of my husband´s passing. This community was a big part of my dealing with his departure. But if I have learned anything this year, it is that LIFE IS NOW. This brain tool is great for planning and understanding, but not very good at much else – it is a great source of stress. The past and the future are somewhat irrelevant after we use our brain to plan and understand. We must live our minute, like Carl did on his hike with his family. God is here NOW, we can become aware of His presence every minute of the day. I´m sure if we do, our stress melts away.
Skip, you are as intense as I am – what if we live intensely each moment instead of trying to reign ourselves in waiting for…something! anything! We treat life as we do traffic. It´s hectic, we have to deal with it whether we like it or not, we are going somewhere and every moron seems to get in the way of my getting there my way.
I say let´s enjoy the traffic jam. Let´s breath deeply, becoming aware of God´s presence. Let´s turn off the radio and try to remember when we last had a minute of silence. Let´s put away our brain for a minute, and just relax and be. Because in a minute we can be alive somewhere else, like heaven, and all this might be over.
I write this in joy. Italo´s passing has taught me GOD IS REALLY HERE, I don´t have to seek. And that there is really no death, just life in a different form. And that´s what the image Skip painted reminds me of, and gives me happiness.
I miss seeing you in person, my dear friend. I miss your smile and your intensity and the wonder of life that has always been yours. And I am glad that you are closer.
That is clearly so, thank you, Michael, beautiful response to TW, so appropriate.
I love your personal insights.
Shalom!
Just wanted to say Thank you Skip 🙂
Why do some people call our Messiah Yeshua? He came in His Father’s Name, Yah. Yeshu is an acronym meaning, “may his name be blotted out”. Joshua’s name was changed to Yahoshua. Don’t you believe our Saviour’s Name would have His Father’s Name in it.
May YHWH bless the work you are doing.
Margaret
MIchael C, I read your trail-riding analogy, enjoyed it, and didn’t even count the words! An excellent article and analogy to life and to living.
We too, (all of us) are also on a journey. It is a journey toward death. Death, (for the Christian only)- or to be more “correct” – how can you be more correct than a Christian?, the talmudim- the students of Christ were first called “Christians” at Antiioch. But now, to avoid identification, we would prefer, “followers of the Way.” Call me a Christian, please. With every “connotation” or “accusation” included. His words? (not mine!) “Follow me.” Even Yeshua, our LORD Jesus, the Second Adam was led by the Ruach (the Spirit) into the wilderness!
Hop on your bike, (hold on to your hat!), you must be this tall to ride this ride!- and how many times have I heard? – “fasten your seat belt,- it’s going to be a bumpy ride!”
Several years ago, our entire “extended” family- in-laws, outlaws, cousins, including firsts and once-removed, all caravanned and cohabited together for a week of fun at a pleasantly situated rented farmhouse in far Eastern Tennessee. It was (and is) still today, a beautiful memory. Yes, kids- “let’s do it again!”
This was a “rails-to-trails” ride. Two long vans and eighteen bicycles were dropped off at the top of the Virginia Creeper trail near Damascus, VA. It was beautiful day, family was present, (both young and old and male and female) and for the next 18 miles- it was all “downhill from there..” Just hang on- keep it pointed in the right direction, and enjoy the ride. I failed to mention the time of year, for it was now fall and the trees surrounding the trail were certainly showing off their best colors.
When we were all properly assembled and dressed for safety, our foray into the forest began. As eighteen bicycles descended down the mountain, the youngsters in our midst moved their way into the front and the competition began to see who could make it to the bottom – “first.’ The gravitation pull and the strength of youth,- maybe the energy of the crisp fall air all seemed to say- “go!”
But something strange came over me. I was being inundated with color. Yellows, reds, oranges all blurring past my brain. I realized at that moment, (was this another kairos moment?)- I could not “process” all of this in my memory banks. I was losing the moment and my response? My hands were now squeezing the brakes and how I wanted to SLOW DOWN and enjoy the constantly fleeting moments.
Yes kids, -you go on ahead.. I want to take all of this in..- taking nothing for granted for this moment, this God-given moment was another “gift from God!” I was with my family (all of them) and in the midst of tremendous beauty; friends, this was beyond a doubt, “a moment to remember!” Even now, as I write these words, I smile and say to the One who made it all and makes it all possible, “thank You.”
I say “thank you, my Father,” for allowing me to “be here,”- at this very moment, in the midst of Your gorgeous creation and to be here with the beautiful ones I love. Exhilarating indeed. “Thank you for my breathing in and out, – may I absorb every memory, every movement and every magical moment of this.
Was my mind engaged in all of this? Absolutely and positively. Body on the move, endorphins raging, but the mind was fully engaged in processing billions of bits of stimuli. Sight, smell, hearing the kids laughing- being able to enjoy this day, this very day- all are gifts from Above. “Give thanks with a grateful heart.” – (I can do this.)
SLOW DOWN. Stop. Selah. Now… remember. Remember – ~ how good and how pleasant it was for brothers and sisters (and cousins!) to live together in unity! ~ If only. If only we could extend these moments into a day called today. To recognize and to realize “He is with us.” Now. Right now, right here, for the LORD your God in the midst of you is Mighty. Give us eyes to see this and a heart to understand and a will to obey. ~ For the LORD “IS” (and always will be!) good. And His “hesed” (a blood-covenant word!) endures to all generations. To grandfathers, fathers and sons. ~ that you may tell it to all generations ~ Tell what? What is it that I am to say to my children and to their children after them?
I have wonderful- wonderful “news” for them. It is the “gospel”, the good news of The Messiah.
~ And He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all- how shall He not with Him- also freely give us all things? ~ He is able (also) to do exceedingly-abundantly (that’s a lot folks!) above all that we could ask or think! – What a mighty God we serve!
Carl, Just for the record Michaels C’s letter was a hefty 906 words, while your response was a mere 837 words. Both stories were well written, informative and having a spiritual application. Thank you. Interestingly, while you both share the common experience of bicycle riding, your methods of achieving your goals are completely the opposite (one fast, one slow)-just like your spiritual experience; but the one is not better than the other, just different. Sometimes it is nice to read these types of letters rather than all the “heavy” stuff tendered daily. Now I see why it’s called Today’s Word, but I always thought it meant Skip’s offerings; but I’m glad it is both! Ride on! Shalom, Michael
DITTO!
Thx, Carl. Sometimes I do the same thing. I slow down and enjoy being in the woods just riding. There’s even a regular albino squirrel that I see often on a certain area of the trail. Of course, I only glimpse him if he’s in front of me. I kind of look forward to catching a fleeting glimpse if him as he scampers to get away from my charging bike.
But, actually, I really need to go a minimum speed as trails are difficult to maneuver going slow. They just don’t go together. For those slow speeds there are some roads and straighter trails to ride.
As I get into the grove of trail riding I’m thinking more and more about the life correlations. It really has produced some tangible and practical aspects for me to apply in my life.
By the way, my son crashed kind of hard yesterday. He is stiff and sore today but generally ok. His bike, however, is on the bike hospital getting some bents things fixed!
Thank you Carl, that was beautiful, I have enjoyed that. 🙂
Shalom!
I think I’ll shut up now! :-O
LOL! But do not stop expressing such thoughts, Michael C.
They are encouraging.
Ester
Ps 5:12 For You, YHVH, will bless the righteous; with favor You will compass him about as with a shield.
Skip, today’s TW may be one of my favorites, well, besides Sarah and NaNaNa.
So I write in agreement.
Without God’s power and goodness we’d never development an ounce of patience.
We are strengthened by Him according to HIS glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering (or endurance). Col. 1:11
And James lets us in on some inside info: TRIALS are His way of perfecting our patience.
Resting in God’s perfect will and timing, even in the face of evil men (Ps. 37:7)
(even in the White House?) our hope remains in HIM, to lean toward us.
“The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him” (Lam. 3:25).
Yay! Amen! All we need to know for today, and today may be all we have.
Alas, how often we make the mistake of rushing ahead, and then realized it was the wrong direction, had to make a U-turn back, thankfully there are u-turns ahead, but these days road designs are not made to facilitate u-turns, so, you have to travel further down the wrong path before you can turn back! 🙁
I guess that is the penalty of rushing ahead of ABBA. Yet, oftentimes I thought it was the right path, having ‘waited’ and ‘waited’ for ABBA’s ‘go ahead’, and even sought for signs from Him, and had ‘gotten’ them.
So, I guess, sometimes, ABBA allowed us to go that way for a reason? I reasoned, if that is so, I need to know what His purpose/s is/are?
Like Brad Scott said, “NO regrets, everything for a purpose!”. How consoling!
“A man without patience is a man without a word from the Lord. Such a man has accelerated past the next turn in life, moving too fast to see the road signs of warning. Rush hour is a symptom of self-importance.” It is so.
Teach us to wait, ABBA YHWH.