Lord, I
prayed to you again and again,
but I
did not talk about my sins.
So I
only became weaker and more miserable.
Every day you made life harder for me.
I became
like a dry land in the hot summertime.
Selah
But then
I decided to confess my sins to the Lord.
I
stopped hiding my guilt and told you about my sins.
And you
forgave them all!
Selah
Psalm
32:3-5 (ERV)
Selah is a Hebrew word meaning pause
and reflect. It is believed to be a
musical direction, much as the rest symbol is written in compositions. In the Bible, it is commonly found within the
book of Psalms, a record of lyrics sung to and about God.
If you are not a musician, you may not think
about the places within a piece of music where the composer inserts a
pause. It’s easy to overlook moments of
silence, focusing only on the noise. But
intentional moments of rest carry as much significance as the notes
themselves. Silence compounds desire.
In Psalm 32:4, the composer expresses
distress with the strain of keeping secrets from God. He tells of how difficult life grows without
being humble and fully transparent, “like a dry land in the hot summertime.”
Selah.
Pause and reflect on that metaphor.
When, in your life, have you desperately
needed Jesus? Do you know that feeling
of being scorched and thirsting for a cool reprieve?
Quiet reflection on hard times can be a
healthy moment of remembrance on what life is like without Jesus. It’s good to know from where we came. Or what might impede us yet again.
After the breath, the Psalmist releases the
tension by giving his confession. “I
stopped hiding my guilt and told you about my sins. And you forgave them all!”
The discord of the previous verse progressed into
harmony! This moment of joy and praise
is well worth another Selah!
Take a moment to reflect on the unconditional love and
forgiveness of the Lord in your life!
Selah is the moment we slow enough to be present to the
presence of God. We see our own position
in relation to Him and can then, if need be, change our tune. Surrender.
Confess. Repent. Praise!
The time we take to pause and reflect can be small sacred moments. The Psalmist wrote them into his
worship. We too can intentionally write
them into our lives.
Where does your life need habits of quiet reflection? Are you parched? Selah.
Are you blessed? Selah!
Author
Bio:
Sharon has been writing and teaching biblically based curriculum, Bible studies, and devotionals since 2007.
She has
had the unique position of writing curriculum and teaching for two private,
Christ-based, residential recovery programs. Both programs primarily served
women in the homeless community.
Sharon has
traveled multiple times to Kenya, serving on medical teams and teaching in the
rural Maasai communities. She’s been privileged to speak in Leadership camps intended
on encouraging and empowering the impoverished, underprivileged, and often
abused young women.
Within
these ministries, Sharon has witnessed the transformative power of loving words
spoken to the broken-hearted. Sharing God’s love and witnessing its
transformative power has become her passion.
Sharon and
her husband, divide their time between Oregon and Hawaii. They have two grown
children.
Currently,
Sharon is encouraging others via her inspirational blog, but prefers sharing
face to face. Additionally, she is working towards a degree in Ministry.
~*~
Connect
with Sharon:
Website: Sharonmusgrove.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Sharon-Musgrove-Untethered-102208978041060
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sharonmusgrove_untethered/
1 comment:
Amazing word! There is so much to unpack in this short devotional. Thank you for sharing.
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