Crowd Control
Today is Black Friday. At this moment, I’m stretched out on the couch of our borrowed motorhome and listening to the pitter-patter of rain as it hits the roof. I’m also feeling sorry for all the people out in this weather, standing in mile-long lines at the stores, looking for the most incredible deals. I can see it in my mind’s eye—raincoats and umbrellas, raindrops tracing lines down sour faces, and crowds of people forming geometric shapes as the lines zig-zag around the buildings. Stormy weather. Short tempers. And multitudes of people all trying to occupy the same space at once. No, thank you!
I prefer to do my Christmas shopping online from the solitude of my couch. Yup, I can stay warm and dry, but more than that, I don’t have to face the multitudes. Or do I?
In my quiet time this morning, I came across a familiar verse, but instead of just smiling at it and going on my way, I decided to study it out a little more. I didn’t anticipate there would be much more meaning than what was on the surface, but boy was I wrong!
“In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul.”
The first phrase, “multitude of thoughts,” renders so many ideas in the original Hebrew. First off, the word “multitude” implies a crowd, just like you would find at the stores on Black Friday. Envision your thoughts smashed together in your mind. No room to move and no room to breathe. So crowded that the mind itself seems dark. It’s a powerful image, isn’t it? But there’s more.
The multitude of thoughts also represents a tree with long branches that blow in the wind and become entangled with one another. Desiring to be free, they strive with one another to break loose of their entanglement, but alas, their attempts are futile. They are stuck. They are one. They are confused.
The word “thoughts” doesn’t refer to just any thoughts but rather those that are anxious, worrisome, and stressful. The ones that keep you from sleeping at night and keep you on edge during the day. The ones that steal your joy and squash your peace. The ones you don’t want to have and do everything you can think of to get rid of. Are you familiar with those thoughts? I am.
Thankfully, the verse goes on to talk about how God’s comforts delight our souls. The word “comforts” indicates anything and everything about God. His character. His attributes. His promises. His past faithfulness. His future prophecies. His love. His goodness. His salvation. God offers comfort in many forms, but it is all accessed by focusing our minds and hearts on Him. Perhaps meditating on His many attributes is what it takes to pull us out of the pit of despair. Or maybe we find peace by remembering all the things God has done for us to get us where we are. We can cling to His promises for today and tomorrow. We can look forward to our bright future in Heaven with Him. So much comfort is available to us.
Then there’s the word “delight,” which has the idea of stroking or smearing (like a balm). When I read that, a memory flooded my mind and made me smile. Several years ago, we had a dog named Mitchell. Some of you probably remember him. Mitchell was a good dog, and he loved to care for his mommy. One way he cared for me was to pet me when I didn’t feel well or was emotionally distraught. I guess my pup figured it worked when I would pet him, so he returned the favor. The problem was he had the roughest paws, and his petting would leave scratches on my arms. But you know what? I didn’t care. His actions were so precious to me that my heart was eased despite the physical pain from his rugged paws. His strokes brought comfort to my soul.
If a dog can bring such comfort, think how much peace and joy can come from our Heavenly Father! He loves us. He doesn’t want us to be tangled up with the cares of this world and weighed down by a multitude of anxious thoughts. He longs for us to be free. And we can be if we’ll remember to look to Him for comfort. Rely on His faithfulness. Seek His face. And bask in His goodness.
I assure you, my friend, God’s comfort is far better than any Black Friday deal you’ll find. And the best part is, it’s available to His children all year long!