Selah - Pausing

When I was younger and I would read the Psalms, I often wondered about this word Selah.  But at that age, I did not follow through to find out it’s meaning.  It was one of those mysteries of the Bible.  Then a few years back, I came upon a singing group named Selah, but even then when I liked their music I did not pursue the meaning of the word.

But this past Sunday the pastor at church was preaching in Psalm 3, and we see Selah 3 times in this passage.  So, finally you say, I looked up the meaning after she explained it in church.

There is no consensus on its actual meaning but it has been narrowed to at least two 1. Stop and Listen, or 2. Pause.  It is used primarily in the Psalms which were sung so the feeling is it is used in terms of a musical direction. But it is also found in the Habakkuk.

So less than clear. but both of those ideas seem to make sense in terms of this particular Psalm.  David is crying out to God, and then he pauses, cries out again, pauses again and cries out one last time, then a final pause.

Please read the text below.

1 Lord, how many are my foes! 
How many rise up against me! 2 Many are saying of me, 
“God will not deliver him.”

SELAH

3 But you, Lord, are a shield around me, my glory, the One who lifts my head high. 4 I call out to the Lord, 
and he answers me from his holy mountain.

SELAH

5 I lie down and sleep; 
I wake again, because the Lord sustains me. 6 I will not fear though tens of thousands
assail me on every side. 7 Arise, Lord! 
Deliver me, my God! 
Strike all my enemies on the jaw; 
break the teeth of the wicked. 8 From the Lord comes deliverance. May your blessing be on your people.

SELAH

This past Sunday was the Parliamentary election in Cambodia.  There have been many accusations of election fraud, people not allowed to vote, people who claim that someone else voted for them.  It looked like it might come to violence.  There were a few incidents at voting locations.  But it dissipated that evening, even though there is still tension in the air.

But there seemed to be a calm after the original agitation, and now we are eagerly awaiting the results.  We are in a time of pausing or stopping and waiting.

 

I have found the same thing happens in my life.  I cry out to God and he promises he will answer, but when the answer does not come quickly enough, I call out again, and again.  I think I need to apply Selah to my own life.  I need to stop and listen, waiting patiently and yet eagerly for God’s reply.  Selah seems to be one of those God ideas, that is just backward to our humanness.

 

Has there been a time in your life when you needed to apply the concept of Selah – to wait with patience and eagerness?  Did God respond in a timely manner for you or for him?

Elections and Politicians

I have been living in Cambodia for the past 13 years, so I have been kind of out of the American political loop, but with each election, I feel like I understand a bit more what is happening here.  Voting is something many young people in America take for granted. Conversely, it is something that is being cherished and brings hope for change and a better life in Cambodia.  Unfortunately, corruption is very high, so often, the hopes are dashed.

It made me think of Abraham Lincoln.  He lost every election but the presidency.  He was the one who said, "No man is good enough to govern another man without the other's consent."

One of the things I see most often these days is people desiring change.  However they are looking for other people to affect that change, but true change comes from within.  Like the quote says we choose to consent to let others govern us.  Yes there are situations where we have no control, ie corrupt governments.

But that is where the above quote comes to play.  Change almost never happens quickly.  My mom says change is a wide curve that is best taken slowly.  It requires us to continue to put one foot in front of the other, no matter how slowly but walking forward toward the goal of change.

Having a degree in political science, I enjoy reading, watching and analyzing the process.  But at this age, I have realized that I can expect very little change from any politician no matter what they promise.  The change starts with my own decision to face reality and move in the appropriate direction to change myself first.

I am not saying that voting is bad, I believe in the process.  I think people need to be informed and participate, because if not one day the politicians will say they don't really care. So why do we have elections?  It is cheaper and easier for us just to decide for them, besides we know better then they what they need.

Life is a daily journey and true joy does not come from the things around us.  Yes they impact us but our own choices, experiences and expectations are what continue to drive us.  Choose to have the life you want by taking that first step. Choose Joy today.

What first step really made a difference in your life?

 

 

Learning by Giving Class

The son of a friend of mine had been diligently working on a mooc        ( massive open online course ) by the Learning by Giving Foundation.  This really sparked my interest, so I signed up for the class.  Yep, it started this week and it lived up to its billing.

After a very thorough introduction to who gives, how much and the different non-profit sectors there was an interview with Doris and Warren Buffet.  Yes, that is Warren Buffet of Berkshire Hathaway fame. They were talking about Philanthropy.

Philanthropy is defined as - the desire to promote the welfare of others, expressed especially by the generous donation of money to good causes. 

They had a few really choice ideas to share, 1^st make sure that you have the correct heroes, so you will emulate character and goodness.  They both started young with intentional plans to give to others. Giving is a habit that is formed and developed over time.

Samuel Johnson said, “the chains of habit are too weak to be felt until they are to strong to be broken.”

But here was the real kicker.  Every person has a tool box, for some it is money, but everyone has passion, time, enthusiasm, etc..  It is important for each of us to look at the tools we have and use them to positively affect people around us. Giving time to help just one person is a true gift.

I was inspired and cannot wait to consume the info in the remaining three weeks of the course.  I want to be a good giver, not just of money but of the gifts, skills and abilities that God has blessed me with.

 http://www.learningbygivingfoundation.org

What do you find to be the most effective way to give?

The Big Year

This past weekend, I watched a movie called The Big Year.   It is about 3 guys who are competing for a Big Year.  Ok, so what is that you ask?

Apparently, in the Audibon Society there is a contest for who can see the most birds in North America in 1 calendar year.  There is a great line in the movie when, it looks to be a European who says, “only Americans can make a contest out of bird watching.”  I am pretty sure that it was not meant as a compliment.

As the movie progresses you have Owen Wilson who is trying to protect his reco, while Steve Martin and Jack Black (almost any movie with Jack Black is a winner for me) are heading out on the adventure for the first time.  There is a lot of smack talk back and forth, with no one actually admitting that they are going for the record, until feelings get hurt, and people get manipulated.  Relationships get strained and broken, repaired and encouraged, as these guys pursue their dream  It was a delightful movie.  I won’t tell you who won, you will have to watch it for yourself.

But what it did make me think of was the fact that we should all be attempting to have our own big year’s.  Meaning that we will seek God in a big way.  That relationships would be strengthened  and encouraged.  That we would walk closer to Him, like the song says.  How awesome if we teamed up to accomplish a Big Harry Audacious Goals, when it comes to deepening our faith and discerning how to know God more.  I am pondering this and starting in July, I started  my Big Year.  A little bit of a hint, it will include fasting, memorization and periods of solitude and silence.   Stay tuned for more to come.

What would constitute a Big Year for you and what would you need to do to get started?