Overwhelmed in Psalm 61:2

Last week I discussed the words overwhelm, whelm, and underwhelm. I also introduced how the word overwhelm was used in the Old Testament and promised a look at its usage in a couple of Psalms.

As a quick review, we saw that overwhelm in the Old Testament usually depicts the feeling one is left with after a disastrous event. It is usually used with a subject that involves the heart or the soul. The basic thought is that one’s soul is left faint, weakened, exhausted and languished after experiencing a disastrous or dramatic circumstance. (Info from TWOT and Old Testament Professor Dr. Stephen Schrader, Baptist Bible College/Grad School)

If you are familiar with the Old Testament, you know David experienced many overwhelming circumstances! He speaks of one in Psalm 61.

                Verses 1-2: Hear my cry, O God: Attend to my prayer. From the end of the earth I will cry unto You. When my heart is overwhelmed; lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

My Children’s Ministry Resource Bible from CEF provides the following notes from this passage. The phrase “end of the earth” is a Hebrew idiom expressing personal extremity. In other words, David was completely covered in trial and turmoil. He was at the end of his rope. The phrase “rock that is higher than I” refers to a place of safety in God’s care ABOVE earthly turmoil. 

I don’t believe David could have used a better combination of metaphors to express his emotions at this particular time!

David’s emotions (his innermost being) were taken to a personal extreme-to a point beyond earthly turmoil.  David looked for a strong rock to grab onto.  But notice, David did not just say “lead me to A rock that is higher than I.” He called out, “Lead me to THE Rock that is higher than I." David knew that when his soul was exhausted and in languish he could cry unto the Lord and be led safely to the Rock that is higher than the submerged condition of his soul.

C.H. Spurgeon, in Treasury of David, rewrites David’s prayer as follows, “when huge waves of trouble wash over me, when I am completely submerged…”   Yes, William Tyndale (or one of his translators) chose the perfect word when they placed the word OVERWHELM in verse 2!

What about you? Is your soul weak? Faint? Exhausted? Or, in languish from disappointment, crisis, or heartache? Do stress and responsibilities buffet you and wash over you like angry waves;  leaving you with your head buried in your hands? ARE YOU OVERWHELMED?

Do what David did in times of old when he was overwhelmed with grief, false accusations, disappointments, and uncertainties. Do what David did when both his soul and his physical body were exhausted from running. Look to THE Rock that is higher than you, higher than your struggles~~ The Rock  of our salvation, God’s Son, Jesus Christ. Only He can rescue a submerged soul.

Spurgeon concluded his commentary on Psalm 61:2 with the following: “It is all over for me, for affliction is all over me, surrounding me like a cloud, swallowing me like a sea, shutting me in  with thick darkness”  Feel that way?  Let’s continue. “Yet God is near, near enough to hear my voice, and I will call Him.”  That was David’s prayer. And, as we read verses 3 and 4 we see how his faith was strengthened as he declared God’s protection, help, and goodness—HIS GRACE!

                Verses 3-4 For You have been a shelter for me, a strong tower from the enemy. I will abide in Your tabernacle forever; I will trust in the shelter of Your wings.

Maybe you can remember this little ditty to cling to when you feel overwhelmed:

When he was overwhelmed, David knew just what to do. 

I, too, will follow Psalm 61:1-2

Lead me to THE Rock that is higher than I~~

Debbie

 

Word of the Day

Well, I sure have missed you! My laptop was down for a week, and I wasn’t able to just sit here and write! I’ve been jotting things on paper, and I am ready to go!!

If you remember, we had been looking at John 11 and going through different sections of the chapter in my John 11 Awards. We have gotten through the first one, The Most Puzzling Award, and have discussed Jesus’ timing and purpose for waiting two days to head to Bethany to assist Martha, and her sister, Mary, during a time of crisis.

Last time we personalized God’s grace as I discussed how this played out in my own personal crisis (see Your Life is a Tapestry). Before going on to the next award from John 11, I felt led to remain in ‘crisis mode’ for a couple of more weeks and deal with that particular topic a bit longer. I have been saving this particular segment for just the right moment, and I think this is the right moment.

Back in late January, right after I had posted, “Martha, Martha, Martha”, a friend posed a humorous, although deep, question. I jotted it down in my journal for future use.

As I did some research surrounding the particular question, I discovered that it could easily describe Martha’s dilemma in Luke 10, and now, I see it fits into her dilemma in John 11 as well. Martha was overwhelmed with “responsibilities” in Luke 10 and with circumstances in John 11.

My friend’s question?  If it is so stressful to feel overwhelmed-should we desire to just be 'whelmed' instead? That got me thinking deeper, and I took it one step further. Thinking I had created a new word, I wondered if it would even be better to be 'underwhelmed'?   HM????

So, for the fun of it, I looked up all three words on my Merriam-Webster Dictionary that I had recently downloaded to my phone (actually, I was taking the opportunity to ‘play’ with my new app!).  Imagine my surprise when I discovered that all THREE words are legitimate words! Let's take a peek:

                OVERWHELM: a transitive verb (which means it doesn’t need a direct object)-first used in the 14^th century-first used in Middle English from the word over and whelmen (to turn over or cover up)

1.       To upset or overthrow

2.       To overpower in thought or feeling

3.       To cover over completely-submerge

WHELM: Also a transitive verb from the 14^th century

1.       To turn upside down in order to cover something

2.       To submerge or engulf-complete with disastrous results 

      

Since both words can be traced to the same general time period, I am guessing that the original word was whelmed, and in an attempt to exaggerate an extremely whelming situation, someone created the word overwhelm in an effort to make a point~~thus overwhelmed is used to express an extremely overpowering situation, thought, or feeling.

Now let’s consider the word underwhelm.

                UNDERWHELM: first used in 1949 meaning to fail or

                to impress or stimulate

                                                 

                 My definition: it doesn’t do much for you

The dictionary used a movie/film related sample sentence, so I will create my own similar sample sentence. I am underwhelmed by most of the new shows on TV, but not by Blue Bloods!  (I couldn’t resist an opportunity to plug my favorite new show.)

Anyway, I take it that being whelmed is really not much better than being overwhelmed, and being underwhelmed isn’t such a good deal  either.

Next, I looked for usages of the word overwhelmed in Scripture. There are numerous occurrences in the Old Testament, especially The Psalms. I’m glad this word had been created before William Tyndale and others had begun translating God’s Word into the English language.  I think overwhelmed is the perfect translation of the word used in the original copies of Scripture. The original connotation of the word found throughout the Old Testament involves an overpowering situation that leaves one’s body at the point of exhaustion and one’s soul in languish. It was also used to describe a person that has become weak or feeble. (From The Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament-TWOT)

We will look closely at a few of the usages from Psalms over the next couple of weeks before heading back to the AWARDS from John 11.  

Keep in mind, Martha, and her sister, Mary, were definitely overwhelmed with the situation surrounding their brother’s sickness and death. Did Jesus care? You bet He did! If you have read my previous posts, you, too, can know that you can be comforted by His loving grace~~because He cares about your situation too!

May God's Grace OVERWHELM today! I have decided to change this closing, since I have realized that overwhelm is usually used to express disastrous results. God's grace definitely doesn't provide disastrous results!! Maybe, instead, I will state:


Trusting my blog doesn't underwhelm anyone!   :)

Debbie 

Your Life is a Tapestry

Last time we discussed lessons from John 11:1-6 that can be an encouragement and provide direction during a crisis. We discussed how God doesn’t always answer our prayers when WE want it done, or how WE want it done. We have discussed the hope we have in Christ as a result of His resurrection. Now, let’s see personally how that all plays out.

A few years ago we faced a crisis. It came as a shock and a surprise to our entire family. I cried and cried. Basically, I immediately began praying, “Lord, You ‘gotta’ fix this—now! This is serious, you know!”

Was God shocked and surprised? Of course not! Did He know it was serious? Yes!  But I had to ‘let Him know’!

At night, I rolled up into a tight ball and prayed “MY” prayer over and over-every night. During the day, I went about my responsibilities at school, church, and home like a zombie. My ‘what if’ thoughts were playing wildly in my mind! I was not at peace-I was in panic. Every night-every day the same thing. I even got tired of praying, because I was running out of words to express my heart-wrenching requests. Eventually, I was praying, “Lord, just do something. I don’t know what to say anymore.”

Then, it hit me. I was reminded that for years I had been teaching children under my care that God is God. No matter what takes place in your life, remember God knows what HE is doing. So trust Him and don’t worry about it. I have taught that lesson for years in many different forms. I had even taught it the Sunday night before 9-11! That was a “WOW!” moment! Now it was time for me to live it! I wasn’t doing very well. But, after that realization, things changed!

I realized I had a responsibility to continue to be faithful in my ministry at school, church, and home. I couldn’t continue as a zombie. I had to rely on God’s grace and peace and get on with my life. My prayers became more like Ephesians 3:16-18.

 Lord, please give me your strength to get through this crisis in such a way as to demonstrate your grace to others. Help me to remember that You love me, died for me, and are planning the best for me.

My prayers were then based on Genesis 50:20 “…But You meant it for good” and Romans 8:28-29~"...we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose…to be conformed to the image of his Son…"

My stiff, rolled-up body began to relax and unwind as I relied on Romans 8:26-27 and prayed, “Lord, humanly speaking, this is what I would like to see happen, nevertheless, thy will be done-and since I don’t necessarily know Your will through this-I’ll ‘let’ (smile) you handle it Your way".

Peace came. Strength came. Growth came.

I have compared this concept to a tapestry, needlepoint, or cross-stitch work. From the back side-what a mess.  You can’t tell what it is, and it doesn’t make any sense. Yet, on the top side, it becomes a beautiful picture for all to enjoy.

 Often our lives can be compared to the underside. Things seem to be a mess. We don’t know what is going on, and nothing makes any sense. Yet, God is the craftsman and sees the top side, and when it all comes down to it-we have a beautiful life for all to see. The artist receives all the compliments and praise.

I am reminded of a Stephen Curtis Chapman song entitled, “God is God.” The chorus goes like this:

God is God and I am not

I can only see a part

Of the picture He is painting.

God is God and I am man

So I’ll never understand it all,

For only God is God.

We will never understand it all-now. But the day will come, as a result of the Resurrection discussed in an earlier blog, when we will understand it all. We will see that it truly was ALL good! That is the HOPE in which we gain our strength and peace. The needle pokes may hurt like the dickens right now, but the ultimate picture will be a beauty!

Oh, and yes, good did come~A special young lady came to find Christ as her personal Savior! God used a bad situation to change a life for His Glory~~and definitely for her good!

Remember, God is God-You are not. Trust Him and rest in Him.

Debbie

(shared with approval from those involved)

John 11~Most Puzzling Award~DOES He Care, Really?

From my teaching years, I remember the many teacher conferences I attended, both in Dallas and Kansas City. I even referred to one  I attended in Dallas 20 years ago in a previous segment. They always provided fun and fellowship and were usually beneficial in one way or another. After teaching for many years, there often wasn’t that much NEW material to be gained from the conferences, yet they were always informative, refreshing, and served as a reminder of what we should be doing in the classroom. Often, there were sessions that would serve as a good kick in the rear to encourage us to return to what we knew should be taking place with our students. Of course, we were also introduced to new techniques for presenting the routine concepts that often became common place to the seasoned teacher. So hearing something you already know in a new or different light can always serve as a reminder to get back on track.

That is what I trust takes place from this particular segment of John 11. The basic concept is nothing new to most of my readers. But, a good, refreshing reminder of how God handles our prayers can always be an encouragement when it seems as though He isn’t handling our prayers.

Earlier I awarded verse 6 “The Most Puzzling Award” of John 11. What Jesus did (or didn’t do) just didn’t make sense! Reading through this section of John 11 leaves readers scratching their heads! HUH? Why did He do that? I thought He loved this family? I don’t get it!

Have you ever thought that way when you prayed about a particular matter for either yourself or someone else? Did the ‘outcome’ leave you scratching your head and wondering what was up? Did it leave you doubting whether God truly loved you?

In verse 3, Mary and Martha sent word to the Lord that their brother, Lazarus was sick unto death. As mentioned last time, these two sisters, who probably depended greatly on their brother, were facing a time of crisis. They knew what to do~they went straight to Jesus. They knew Who He was. They knew He cared deeply for their family. They knew He could take care of the situation.

Isn’t that what we often do when we face a time of crisis? I trust you know Who He is, know that he cares deeply for you, and know He can take care of the situation.

But, what do we do when He responds like He did in verse 6?

It was a one day journey to the home of Martha and her family. When Jesus didn’t arrive the next day, I’m sure she worried and doubted. She may have even restated the question she so angrily asked in Luke 10:40~”Lord, don’t you care?”

I wonder if the disciples scratched their heads and wondered why Jesus didn’t grab His gear and set out immediately for Bethany.

But, remember, Jesus is God. He KNEW exactly what was going on. He wasn’t shocked and surprised by the news that Lazarus was sick unto death. He KNEW that! He knew the eventual outcome. He even knew the purpose of this supposed crisis. He assured His disciples (verse 4) that Lazarus’ sickness would not END in death. He told them the event was taking place so that He would be glorified (magnified) through it.

These events took place as part of God’s plan for His Son and for Mary and Martha’s growth.  We saw in the previous blog segment how this event was used to teach Mary, Martha, their friends, the disciples, and US about God’s plan for the resurrection of His Son, and the HOPE we have as a result.  We will see how this event specifically affected Mary and Martha as we look further into the chapter in days to come.

The crises that take place in our lives are also part of God’s plan

~ that others may see Christ in our lives~

 and for our growth. The events and crises WE face do not come as a shock or a surprise to God either. He knows what is happening, why it is happening, and what the outcome will be.

The end of the story bore true. It didn’t END in death. God is God. He knew what He was doing!

It is the same way in our lives today. God may not answer our prayers right when we want Him to. He may not answer them the WAY we want Him to (so we think). But He DOES answer our prayers:

-in His timing

     -in His way

          -for His glory

               -for our good.

This is getting long enough. How about next time we continue to look into how God handles the events in our lives and better understand that He DOES care? After that we will go on to the next John 11 Award.

God is God-we’re not! He knows what He is doing. It is always for our good and for our growth.

Yes, friends~~He does care, REALLY!

Debbie

John 11: Setting the Stage

John chapter 11 begins what many (Merrill C. Tenney- Expositors’ Bible Commentary, Life Application Commentary, The Bible Knowledge Commentary, among others) believe to be the climatic episode of John’s gospel. Each miracle in John seems to demonstrate one of Jesus’ characteristics. For example, in the Feeding of the 5000, with the little boy and his loaves and fishes (Chapter 6), Jesus refers to Himself as the Bread of Life. In the events surrounding chapter 11, Jesus refers to Himself as the Resurrection and the Life-the ultimate demonstration of life-giving power. God uses the lessons from Lazarus’ resurrection as a picture of His Son’s upcoming resurrection and as an example of this life-giving power.

To understand the power of the resurrection is to understand the hope we, as believers, have in Christ. The resurrection is the basis for our future hope. An understanding of this Resurrection Power becomes very important as we begin to study Martha’s responses to the various events that took place that week.

As we evaluate the lessons set before Martha, her family, and the disciples during a time of crisis, I trust that we can learn some very practical lessons of hope for ourselves, as well.

 Merrill C. Tenney stated in the Expositor’s Bible Commentary,    “…this episode [John 11] contains a strong personal command to believe in Jesus in a crisis…” Because of the hope we have in Jesus Christ, as a result of His resurrection, we, too, can have peace, hope, and comfort in our time of crisis.

1 Peter 1:3-8 is a great passage that deals with the connection between the resurrection and our hope in Christ. Note specifically verse 3, which states; Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

The peace we can have amidst life’s toughest crises comes from the resurrection power of God’s Son. Maybe you have heard people ask, or maybe you have wondered yourself, “How can you be so calm right now?” Or, as we were asked after my father-in-law’s funeral, “How can you sit around the piano and sing songs right now?” This kind of peace seems as impossible as a resurrection. That is exactly the point. It is a peace that can only come from God as a result of Jesus’ resurrection.

As Lazarus lie near death, Martha and Mary recognized Who they needed to call on, Who they needed to call out to- they knew that One could only be Jesus-the One who had promised life and hope. Friends were there to offer support (11:19), but the sisters sent for Jesus (11:3).

Who do you go to in time of crisis? What do you depend on for strength or comfort?  Support groups? Self-help books?  Psychological evaluations? Eating binges? Shopping sprees?

Or, do you #1, go straight to God’s Word and straight to your knees in prayer?  Do you then, #2, go to a trusted godly friend or counselor who knows the Bible well enough to direct you to applicable passages and pray with you according to God’s will in your crisis?  

This time, Martha had it right. She went straight to Jesus, the source of all hope, all peace, and all comfort.

Consider the following passages from the Book of Psalms.

Psalms 121:1-2:

I will lift up my eyes to the hills-From whence cometh my help?

My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth.

OR~~

Psalm 46:1:

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in time of trouble.

 In closing, I recommend you read 2 Corinthians 1:3-7. Verse 5 specifically says, For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ.

Who ya gonna call?

Because of His death, burial, and RESURRECTION,

Debbie
Next time, a look at the Most Puzzling Award.

Debbie's John 11 Awards

Since the beginning of the year, we have looked in depth at the encounter between Martha, Mary, and Jesus in Luke 10:38-42. (If you are just joining us in this study, please feel free to read previous posts that deal with the Luke 10 passage.) Now, we will focus on a second encounter between Jesus and Martha found in John chapter 11. As we look through this particular episode over the next several weeks, we can see if Martha has learned her lesson. Has she had a change in attitude? Does she respond differently this time around? 

 We will also see what lessons can be applied to our lives.  Can we see a change in our attitude? Our fears? How we see our ministry? How did we respond to our last stressful situation?  How will we respond to our next stressful situation?

Remember, it is not so much that we change our works, but that we change our motives for our works.

But first, I thought we would just provide a quick glimpse of John 11. There are several interesting nuggets that are easily overlooked in this chapter in our efforts to quickly get to the section that says, “Lord, by now he stinketh” and “Lazarus, come forth.”  That is just part of the story. What about the rest of the chapter?

With all the awards being shown on TV over the past few weeks, I thought I would present some John 11 awards to introduce us to the exciting and interesting events and comments found throughout the chapter.

                Debbie’s John 11 Awards

The Most-Puzzling Award: Verse 6- Jesus STAYED where He was for two more days. I thought He loved them very much?

 The Most Comical Verse Award: Verses 11- 12-(They definitely didn’t get it, did they?

 The Switch-a-roo Award: Verse 20-Martha runs to Jesus, while Mary stays with the guests?

 My Favorite Word Award: Verse 21-22-BUT ……I love coming across these contrasts! I have often thought, “I’d like to write a book about all the ‘buts’ in the Bible!

 Most Powerful Words Award: Verses 25-26- “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me , though he may die, he shall live.”

Most Important Words Award: Verse 26-Do YOU believe?

Most Surprising Response Award: Verse 28-Martha SENDS Mary to Jesus.

 Good Ol’ Martha Award: Verse 39-But, Lord….

Over the next few weeks we will study these ‘awards’ in more detail.  Next time we will set the stage as to what is about to take place and begin with a study of The Most-Puzzling Award. We will see how an understanding of this puzzling event can make our prayer life less puzzling!

I was going to make my closing..and the winner is..., but then, I realized it would say... And the winner is..., Debbie~~~Not a good closing  :). So I guess I will go without a fancy closing!

See you next time,

Debbie