Personal care

I'm reading through the Psalms as we go through this thing the Christian world calls Lent. Two per day is my little, measly goal.

But I get caught up in some of them, and my modest pace slows.

Words like these strike me.

"Know this: the Lord takes personal care of the faithful. The Lord will hear me when I cry out to him. So be afraid, and don't sin! Think hard about it in your bed and weep over it!"

I've had many persons I've come in contact with over the years tell me they don't believe God gets involved in the everyday lives of His people.

Uh, the Psalmist certainly seems to disagree, huh?

The Lord takes personal care of the faithful.

Now, one could take that many ways. First, there's the personal care portion of this. Seems that's almost a looking-over-the-shoulder kind of thing. That's a two-way street. He's always looking to help us, is one wonderful way to see this. But there's also the he's looking over my shoulder at everything I do kind of thing as well. Wonderful, but eventually scary.

Then there's the idea found in the sentence that He only does this type of thing for the faithful. Wonderful, but eventually scary. What if I stumble, what if I fall? Doesn't grace continue to fall like morning rain?

The Psalmist almost seems to anticipate my questions by finishing the Psalm this way: "Many people say, 'We can't find goodness anywhere.' The light of your face has left us, Lord. But you have filled by heart with more joy than when their wheat and wine are everywhere! I will lie down and fall asleep in peace because you alone, Lord, let me live in safety."

The fact the Lord is looking over us, watching us, gently guiding us when we allow, must be seen as the most wonderful thing ever, or the peace He promises ceases to exist.

When we can lie down and fall asleep in peace because we acknowledge He's got this, whatever this is, then, then, then we can truly live. We can take risks. We can extend ourselves. We can be all we're supposed to be. We really, really can.

Personal care begins with talking with Him, sharing our fears with Him, being with Him in silence, and most especially simply loving Him as best we can in return for the best love of all -- the love He gives us, first.