She sat slumped with closed eyes, and with every breath, she slumped further. I sat down beside her. When her torso was nearly horizontal over what should have been her legs, she jerked up and started over, like a weighted metal bird, pecking grubs in your garden.

Fascinated, I watched closely, trying to figure out her angle. I had a hunch she was pretending to nap to avoid stares in the dermatologist’s office. If she was, no judgment. This woman, alone and without legs, with a rash from her face to her fingertips and who-knew-where-else, had to be hurting.

I wondered how she might’ve gotten there. I worried how she’d get home. I touched her arm and spoke, “Excuse me, and I’m sorry to bother you, but the last time you leaned over so far, I feared you’d fall right out of your wheelchair!”

She opened her eyes and smiled as she said, “Well, hello.” She was as wide awake and surprised as I was, and as friendly as if she were the hostess for the office. We exchanged names.

I jumped right in. “It looks to me like you’ve gotta be suffering. Would you tell me about it?” She poured it all out, and we both cried as she told it. “I don’t know who will get called back first, but I’d love to pray with you before we go,” I offered. Jennifer nodded.

I’m not sure why I so rarely care enough to be kind to someone who’s hurting, but this day I did, and the joy was beyond my ability to tell you.  I could hardly fall asleep that night for feeling it.  

The good things we do boomerang back to bring us more blessing. Want to feel long-lasting joy? Take time out. Do something for someone else.

These passages tell more about it.

Deuteronomy 33-34

Before Moses heads up to look over the land God’s promised Israel and to die there on the mountain, he says his last words of blessing over Israel. While his words are noteworthy, it’s the peek behind the scenes he gives that grabs me this morning, De 32:48-33:4.

Every now and then, the Bible lets us look behind the curtain of reality as we know it to see what’s really going on (see *endnote). This is one of those times. Here, Moses describes what went down on Mt Sinai, when God gave Israel his commandments 40 years earlier.

Elsewhere, we’re told that Mt Sinai is shaking and smoking, and the people have gathered as God’s told them, having showered and shaved and gussied up. That account is told from the people’s perspective, Ex 19:9-20. But Deuteronomy gives us what sounds like God’s take.

There’s no scary smoke or shaking, only God radiating light as he “came down from Sinai.” He “dawned from Seir upon them….“ How he came down and also dawned at the same time, only God knows, but the point seems clear–he’s as brilliant as sunrise in the morning, De 33:1 MSG (Seir is another word for Sinai, biblearcheology.org).

There are thousands of angels with him and “tongues of fire streaming,” ** which is the Holy Spirit made visible. His believing, “holy ones” are in his hand. They sit at his feet and listen to his teaching about his law. He is King, after all, and these are his people, who give him obeisance, De 33:2-5 MSG, (**MSG adds “tongues of fire streaming”).

God holds all the pieces of this scene together—the light piercing, his presence warming, his glory dazzling, the tongues flaming, the angels surrounding, the people yielding and listening and learning. Something feels familiar—I can’t put my finger on it—and then I recognize this as my experience, as the experience of all believers, De 33:1-5.

Whenever we yield to God, when we’re “at [his] feet,” listening to his words and taking them in, God’s light is both coming down and dawning for us, too. Our Great God Almighty comes to us and the angels surround us, while the Spirit with his “tongues of fire” gives light and insight and woos us, flaming our passion for God and his words, De 33:1-5.

Our worship is unique because we’re individuals, but we’re also part of a larger community of faith. So we join a great assembly of those around the world, who also gather and listen to what God says. It’s not getting busy that pleases him. It’s “sit[ting] at your feet, honoring your teaching” with all who make God their King, De 33:3-4 MSG.

While we can’t see the Father or the Spirit, we can (sometimes) feel them because of the joy and warmth they bring. And maybe this is why these verses grab me, because this is how I feel when I’m with him–like I don’t want to be anywhere else, like this is what I was made for.

Anna the Prophetess was a widow for 70 years or so. She spent all her time in the temple, praying and praising. She got it…and she wasn’t about to give it up to hang out at the Mahjong tables at the shelter or at Laundry Rock, creekside. Her passion was to be in God’s presence, and she was there 24/7, Lk 2:36-37.

Nearly a lifetime of widowhood in that day meant that Anna was poor.  If she had no family, she was poorer still. Great pain drives us into God’s presence, but once there, the sweetness is beyond imagining.  She was met and held, filled and refilled. Like waves rolling onto the beach, God’s supply is endless. I’m guessing that’s why she never left him.  

The joy of God’s presence is a fountain that never stops bubbling. It’s a campfire with s’mores and fireworks. It’s floating in a quiet lake in summertime. It’s Disney World without the lines. The experience changes depending on the need, but it begins when I’m crushed and weak. I open my Bible to find him, and he never fails to meet me, Ps 21:6, 28:7; 87:7; Is 12:3; Ac 2:28.

I didn’t experience him like this at the beginning. He’s come gradually over the years. I’ve pounded my fists on him to show up; I’ve yelled at the top of my lungs for him to hurry. When I’ve had no one else to turn to, I’ve felt him closest. He promises I’ll find him if I keep seeking, 1 Chr 28:9, 2 Che 15:2, Je 29:13-14.

When you’re hurting, open the Bible for relief. I don’t know of any better life hack than reading the Bible, or any better jumpstart for Bible reading than suffering. Bible reading leads you to God, where joy is, “The precepts (commands) of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart.” If you’re not finding joy, keep reading. God says it’s there, and his words are true, Ps 19:8, 119:11, 24; 1 Thes 1:6.

When the bottom falls out and you’re at the end of your rope, you’ll find the door into more with God. Hosea knew where it was. He said that God makes the Valley of Achor, (Achor means Trouble) “a door of hope.” Through it, his beloved finds everything she dreams of. For those who seek him, God promises to turn their troubles into a door of more with him—more than they can imagine, Ho 2:14-23; Is 51:11, 52:9, 65:10.

Keep showing up. Keep knocking.  Pound if you have to. God promises to let you in. The joy he’s got to give isn’t just free–it’s flooding, Ps 118:15, 126:3; Is 35:10; Mt 7:7.

Taking time out with God will fill you slap-up.

Luke 13:1-17

Jesus talks about current events—Pilate killed some Jews during worship, and a tower fell on others nearby. Jesus says it wasn’t because these folks deserved it. His words for those listening are, “You, too, will die. Are you ready? Turn to God now!” Lk 13:1-5, paraphrased.

Then he tells a story about waiting for a tree to bear fruit.  The owner wants to get rid of it, but the gardener asks him to give it more time.  He’ll loosen its roots and fertilize it and see if it bears then. Evidently the owner agrees, because there’s no more discussion about it, Lk 13:6-9.

Your life on earth is for bearing fruit.  God gives you your whole lifetime to figure this out, but eventually, he calls you to account. Jesus is the gardener, who loosens our roots and feeds our hearts so we can bear fruit for God.  Jesus also talks to God for us, so that we have God’s patience to wait for our fruit to show up, Lk 13:8-9.

Lastly, Jesus heals an arthritic woman on the Sabbath. He frees her from the evil spirit that oppresses her.  Jesus faces some flack for it, but he says even the naysayers untie their animals on the sabbath to water them.  Why shouldn’t he untie this woman from satan’s hold and free her on the sabbath, too?  It’s not following rules that pleases God most–it’s loving the people you meet, Lk 13:10-17.

Jesus says the time to repent is now, but then tells a story of God’s patience to wait for us to fruit-up. God is patient but time is still ticking. Jesus demonstrates the kind of fruit God wants: loving every person you bump into, the way he loves the arthritic. Eventually, we’ll all give an account for the time we’ve had here.

Taking time out to pour into others fills you with fruit.

Psalm 79

Here’s a feisty psalmist.

Barbarians have ransacked the temple. They’ve thrown human bones to “wild animals to gnaw on.” Everywhere in Jerusalem, Jewish bodies are unburied and rotting. Nations are laughing, Ps 79:1-4 MSG.

Asaph calls on God to step up.  He even calls God out, it sounds like. If we’re so special to you, do something!  We’re desperate! Ps 79:5.  

He doesn’t beg God to save them because they deserve it. He doesn’t promise they’ll turn over a new leaf and try harder next time. Aspah focuses on God’s mercy–this is what his plea for help depends on, Ps 79:8.

Asaph has the courage to talk to God like this because of who God is—the One who’s famous for saving, the One who’s concerned for his reputation, the One who handles payback, the One who forgives sinners and criminals, Ps 79:6-12.

When you’re up to your eyeballs, talk to God like he’s the only Savior in town, not like you’re gonna help him out. Because he is the only Savior, and you’re in a tight spot and help-less. It’s God’s mercy alone that we stand on–this is what emboldens a fiery prayer like Asaph’s, Ps 79:8.

Taking time out to talk to God like this will make you full of feisty, fiery faith, too.

Prayer

God, listening to your words, bearing fruit, talking to you like you’re the only Savior around… I can’t count how often I bump into this same three-step for living: Bible reading, obedience, prayer. Help me take time out with you and do it.

In Jesus’ name.

Proverbs 12:25

Worry burdens us, but kindness lifts us.

*Endnote: other stories where we see-behind-the-curtain are when Elijah and his servant see the angel armies, 2 Ki 6:17; when God and Satan discuss Job, Job 1:6-12; when satan-as-dragon tries to kill Jesus at birth, Re 12; when Jesus returns on a white horse, Re 19:11-16.

Passages from Deuteronomy, Luke, Psalms, and Proverbs are selected for today in The Yearly Bible.