Swamped

Swamped

It’s like watching sleight of hand.  Both my sons have become virtual magicians at solving a Rubik’s cube.  Twisting, turning… fingers flying at jaw-dropping speed… unscrambling the spinning perplexity in a mere 15 seconds or so.

For a guy who grew up in the cube-crazed 80s, this is both amazing and totally annoying! Yeah, I had a Rubik’s cube when I was their age.  Everyone had one.  We twisted blisters onto our fingers.  But like most cubes in my circle of friends, mine remained in a pathetically unsolved state for its entire life.  There were no YouTube tutorials.  No online tips and tricks.  With over 43 quintillion possible combinations (true fact!), the only way we could “solve” the cube back then was to pry it apart and reassemble the matching sides.  I mean, how lame can you get?!

Facing difficult and puzzling problems is something we can all relate to, right?  Not the toy cube variety, but real problems… real life dilemmas.  Sometimes it seems like there may be no real solutions – like that perpetually unsolved cube.  We may find ways to make it appear that we have things figured out, but in reality, we often feel swamped, unresolved, and in serious need of guidance.  Wouldn’t it be great if we could solve all of life’s most difficult puzzles in 15 seconds or so?

When we look at the Psalms, it appears that even David (yes, the same guy who had more optimism and confidence than the entire Israelite army!) often felt a bit unsure of his plan and direction.  In Psalm 25:4-5 he wrote, “Show me the right path, O Lord; point out the road for me to follow. Lead me by your truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me. All day long I put my hope in you."

Just a few verses later we see a response to these thoughts: “The Lord is good and does what is right; he shows the proper path to those who go astray.  He leads the humble in doing right, teaching them his way.  The Lord leads with unfailing love and faithfulness all who keep his covenant and obey his demands.” (Psalm 25:8-10).

David didn’t have Youtube videos or online forums to give him answers.  He looked to God.  We should do the same.  He knows the answers.  He is the solution.

Psalm 143:8 - "Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love,for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life."

- Ron Reid

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