A Lump of Kindness... Psalm 141, Proverbs 30

May the mumbling commence!

It is better to have lumps on my head from the righteous than all the plastic surgery money and influence can buy.  I pray along with the psalmist: “Keep my heart away from any inclination of evil.”  May I never become wistful for the perks of those who work iniquity – for those perks are only for a time.

May I seek instead the blows of the righteous.  They will be the most excellent anointing upon my head.  These blows will lead to perks that never expire in the eternal kingdom of God.  Read from Psalm one-hundred forty-one:

Lord, I cry out to You;

Make haste to me!

Give ear to my voice when I cry out to You. 

Let my prayer be set before You as incense,

The lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice. 

Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth;

Keep watch over the door of my lips. 

Do not incline my heart to any evil thing,

To practice wicked works

With men who work iniquity;

And do not let me eat of their delicacies. 

Let the righteous strike me;

It shall be a kindness.

And let him rebuke me;

It shall be as excellent oil;

Let my head not refuse it. (Verses 1-5a)

The blows of the righteous are better than the kisses of the wicked.  The righteous acts for our good, while the wicked work in manifold ways for our destruction.  May I ever remember these wisdoms of God!

Hear my prayer – may it be as incense.  See me lift up my hands in supplication – acknowledge them as sacrifice.  Acknowledge also what I refuse to do – to desire evil within my heart, to slip into wicked works, to associate with those who work iniquity, and to benefit from iniquity in any way.  These are the sacrifices of those after the heart of God.

And may I learn from Your rebuke and punishment.  Your punishment is an excellent oil of sealing and blessing upon my head.  I will never reject Your discipline. 

Supply all my needs.  And may I be content with my needs and allow by greed and wants fall rapidly away from me.  Read the prayer recorded in Proverbs chapter thirty:

Two things I request of You

(Deprive me not before I die): 

Remove falsehood and lies far from me;

Give me neither poverty nor riches –

Feed me with the food allotted to me; 

Lest I be full and deny You,

And say, "Who is the LORD?"

Or lest I be poor and steal,

And profane the name of my God. (Verses 7-9)

This is our prayer.  Set our hearts far from falsehood, lies, and deceptions.  Give us only what we truly need – as defined by You, O Lord.  Destroy riches and poverty in the same stroke, for they are related evils. 

May we depend only on You, O God.

Enough mumbling for now… 

Peace Out