Note:  My readings this morning were accompanied by the spirit-infused music of Stanton Lanier.  I share it here, as ‘background’ with this written  reflection  given that the Spirit had me thinking about our five senses, today.

As hard as I tried to move away from lamenting and resting in the psalm this morning – a place of refuge for me of late – it was this verse from  Psalm 25 that beckoned me back to the Psalter and where I suspect I’ll have to stay as long as God intends.

¹⁶ Turn to me and be gracious to me,
for I am lonely and afflicted.
¹⁷ Relieve the troubles of my heart,
and bring me out of my distress.

But in the meantime, I did try to move forward and the readings today offered much possibility, so rich in contrasts, if not contradictions.   And I was awed, once again, by the breath of imagery the Spirit uses to help us see, hear, taste, feel even smell God’s hands in our lives. Here’s just a quick list of how my senses were activated by the readings:

• HEAR:  Matthew 25:⁶But at midnight there was a shout, “Look! Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.”
• SEE:  Romans 11:¹⁰ let their eyes be darkened so that they cannot see,   and keep their backs for ever bent.’
• FEEL:  Joshua¹¹As soon as we heard it, our hearts failed, and there was no courage left in any of us because of you. The Lord your God is indeed God in heaven above and on earth below; or: Psalm 25 ¹⁵ My eyes are ever towards the Lord,
  for he will pluck my feet out of the net.
• SMELL:  Joshua 2:⁶She had, however, brought them up to the roof and hidden them with the stalks of flax that she had laid out on the roof
• TASTE:  Matthew¹⁰And while they went to buy it, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went with him into the wedding banquet; and the door was shut.

So, though it was back to the psalm that my heart beckoned, I trust that the Spirit will have the last word, today, and activate and animate me out of that lamenting, pity-palace, sorrowful place.  I trust that now awakened with all the senses on full throttle, the day will unfold with enthusiasm (en-theos, in God) and nothing less.

Praise Him!