Moody blues

Ever experienced mood swings, the kind that can give loved ones whiplash?

I certainly have, and I suspect I'm not alone.

The Psalmist certainly did. Read with me portions of the 22nd Psalm in the Message.

1-2 God, God...my God! Why did you dump me
miles from nowhere?
Doubled up with pain, I call to God
all the day long. No answer. Nothing.
I keep at it all night, tossing and turning.

Ever felt that depth of despair? Ever felt you had no hope? Ever felt that pain of rejection?

Then a few sentences later, the same writer says:

25-26 Here in this great gathering for worship
I have discovered this praise-life.
And I'll do what I promised right here
in front of the God-worshipers.
Down-and-outers sit at God's table
and eat their fill.
Everyone on the hunt for God
is here, praising him.
"Live it up, from head to toe.
Don't ever quit!"

27-28 From the four corners of the earth
people are coming to their senses,
are running back to God.
Long-lost families
are falling on their faces before him.
God has taken charge;
from now on he has the last word.

29 All the power-mongers are before him
—worshiping!
All the poor and powerless, too
—worshiping!
Along with those who never got it together
—worshiping!

In a nutshell, there is life. Moments of deep despair and moments of sheer exhilaration. That's where life is lived, out there by one self with God our only companion.

I get that way. I look too hard into what is and forget too easily what could be. I take what I see at face value and forget that's not the eyes with which God sees. I look at my shrinking bank account and feel deserted and then I remember that God gave me that money in the first place. And over and over I go.

The answer, of course, is found in the 25th verse of this Psalm (the first of which Jesus quoted on the cross itself), "Here in this great gathering for worship I have discovered this praise-life."

When down, praise Him. When up, praise Him. Perhaps it is in the praising of the Other in our lives that we find balance. It is balance, the living of a five on a scale of one to ten, in which we find our souls desire.

Worship Him with praise this morning. Worship him with praise this evening. Ask someone who this God is that loves you enough to accept your mood swings.