Category: Psalms

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When Ordinary Snow Becomes Extraordinary

When the Almighty scattered the kings there, it was snowing in Zalmon.  Psalm 68:14  (NASB)

 

Snow . . . it’s one of my favorite things.  It’s so pretty and it quiets the world.  Have you noticed that?

One thing my late husband and I enjoyed was taking a walk in the first snow. Usually this was at night after dinner. It seemed like God had wrapped the world in cold cotton and silenced the noise.  It was magical and peaceful. 

Of all the times I have read through the bible and even more times the Psalms, I have never noticed the reference to snow. Of course I had to Google to see if it snows in Israel.  Was this a real thing?  Yes it is !  It snows in a few areas of Israel, particularly the north. 

Next I Googled Zalmon to pinpoint it’s location.  Zalmon is in the northern region of Israel.  The ruins of Zalmon are located directly south of Wadi Zalmon National Park.  So experiencing snow there is completely possible.  What a great discovery !  There’s lots of weather in the bible, but snow?  Yes – ordinary snow. 

Call me crazy, but I thrill to see ordinary things cited in scripture.  It makes me smile, and yes, chuckle, to read about snow in the bible.          Oh how God delights us as we read His word! Isn’t it extraordinary how He communicates deep truth as well as the joyful, ordinary things? God provides the perfect balance of heavy and light.  I love that about Him !

So what do we know about snow?  What would it have to do with scattering an enemy army?

Well, we know that in a snowstorm, visibility can be tough.  Snow also deadens sound, so verbal communication would have been challenging.  Also, depending on how much snow was on the ground, it could have been difficult marching on foot or traveling on horseback. 

Did God bring the falling snow to aid in scattering the enemy?  I think that’s a logical possibility.  Of course, this is just my imagining.  And while plausible, it could just be a statement of fact tucked into scripture. 

No matter what the truth of the snow reference,  I love seeing God in the ordinary. 

We don’t usually assign anything spiritual to ordinary snow. It’s usually an inconvenience to us.  It cancels plans and causes rescheduling.  For kids it means playing and hot chocolate. But what if God wants us to see Him in ordinary snow? 

Maybe God brings snow to make us smile at it’s beauty and hear laughter as kids build snowmen.  Maybe it’s to slow us down to enjoy time snuggling under an afghan, reading a good book. Maybe it gives us a leisurely morning in our PJs in front of the fire with an extra cup of coffee. 

After reading about snow in the Psalms, I don’t think snow will ever be ordinary for me ever again. 

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What Steals Your Sleep?

In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, O Lord, will keep me safe.   Psalm 4:8

 

There have always been thoughts that steal our sleep; always been situations that upset us; always anxious feelings whether for good or bad.  It’s probably been like this since the beginning of time. 

Sometimes it’s a choice to hold onto the hurt, the sorrow, the unbelievably exciting, the infinite possibilities, the nervousness, or the pain.  And other times all of that, or some of that, or a piece of that swirls around in our mind and heart on its own with seemingly no end. 

I’ve experienced stolen sleep before and I bet you have too.  Thankfully, it’s rare for me. 

The most common reason for my lack of sleep has revolved around fear – intense fear.  One time the fear was combined with shock, which my friend, is an unbelievably awful combination. 

I would like to tell you that my fears were unfounded, but I can’t.  No – the two times I’m thinking of were pretty accurate in outcome.  Yet, there were great lessons to be learned in each of them.  God is the reason the two situations ended up alright – not perfect,, not what I wanted, but alright – because it was all part of God’s plan. 

It was probably 22 years ago or so when I first held onto Psalm 4:8.  I was having a little trouble getting to sleep, so I decided to recite this verse over and over till I felt relaxed and sleepy.  There is something so wonderful in speaking God’s word.  God met me right there in my fear and calmed my mind and heart.  This verse reminded me the Lord was my safety and because of that, I was ultimately secure. 

There have been other times when I have recited that verse over and over till sleep would come.  Each time I needed to know I was safe.  I needed peace – complete peace. 

As I write this we have been in a pandemic for roughly 7 months.  We’ve been  bombarded with information overload about not only the pandemic, but politics, financial uncertainty, culture uncertainty. . . . . . . . . . . . . .and a bit of fear. 

So I believe it’s no coincidence that God brought me to Psalm 4:8 today. 

This verse has been an anchor for me and I want to offer this anchor to you. 

We all need absolute truth and peace these days.  God’s word can give that. 

If  you haven’t known where to turn in God’s word for help, comfort and safety, try reading the Psalms.  There you will find the writer is totally transparent and he points to the Rock that holds him securely. 

I need that.  Maybe you do too.  Let’s dive into the Psalms. . .starting with Psalm 4:8. . .peace & safety – a very good place to start. 

Let God put an end to stolen sleep.