Misery to Music--Lay your cares at the Carer's feet!

 

1 Peter 5:6-7

Psalm 55:22

Psalm 40:17

Psalm 55:16

Psalm 18:6

Psalm 69:1, 3, 5-6, 13

Deuteronomy 26:1-11

Yesterday, I told you the harrowing saga of little girl me--scared of the dark, scared of the shadows, scared of the train whistle.  Even as a child, I knew I couldn't save myself from any of these things. Mostly because I was pinned to my sheets in fright.   But as a child, I knew who I thought could save me.  My parents.  That's why I didn't just cry out.  I didn't just scream bloody murder and hope somebody came running.  I called their names.  I cried out "Mom!" and "Dad!" And when I got older, and the fears turned into real-life hurts, I still called out "Mom!" and "Dad!"  Why? Because I could trace their line of faithfulness in my life.  Because I was able to trust them with my mostly-imagined fears, I knew I could trust them with the heavy, really-real ones.  

But wait.  Didn't I just say yesterday that my own parents were imperfect?  That they were tired, busy, HUMAN? Yes, I did and yes, they were.    My parents cared for me, of course, and they still do.  I know for a fact that my dad would still try to solve all of my problems if he could.  (I know because I still call him every morning to cast all my cares on him. 😂) Does that resonate with any other parents out there?  My kids are 32, 30, and 19;{{2025 edit--they are now 35, 32, and 21--and all of this is still true!!}} and although I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that I am tired, busy, HUMAN, if one of them laments to me, my instinct will be to whip somebody's eggs and ask questions later.   But my parents pointed me to the Greater Carer.  He is the true and better Parent. He cares for His children (He cares about all that bear His image and gives them common grace for a time; but the faithful, stubborn, loyal, unwavering love He shows to His children, those who bear His image AND His Name,  endures forever.)  He has a line of faithfulness we can trust, from the beginning of time until forever.   

Yesterday we learned that the first step of lament is crying out. It’s an overflow of emotions, a reaction to pain, grief, sorrow, regret.  It's coming to the realization that we are poor in spirit, poor in emotion, poor in our abilities to escape.  Yesterday we just let it fly, screaming "Help me!  Save me!  Rescue me!" Today we learned to spend some time mourning our lack-- and the lack of those around us-- to help, save, and rescue in any lasting way.  We learned that our helpless cries have a safe place to land, at the feet of Jesus.  Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.  And when you are comforted by the Great Carer, you can consider yourself COMFORTED, indeed.

  

**If you do not find yourself with memories of any kind of a faithful caregiver in your past, please do not let that leave you with a jaded view of God.  Our parents CAN be an earthly picture of our Heavenly Father, but too often they are not.  "The LORD--the LORD is a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger and abounding in faithful love and truth, maintaining faithful love to a thousand generations, forgiving iniquity, rebellion, and sin.  But He will not leave the guilty unpunished, bringing the consequences of the fathers' iniquity on the children and grandchildren to the third and fourth generation." Exodus 34:6-7  God's faithful love is eternal--generational "curses" have an expiration date.  I pray that you can step out of the dark cloud of a painful upbringing and step into the glorious light of your Loving Father.  💓