Wired for Worship--Psalm 61

Psalm 61

 

There's this song that I hear on the radio every so often that I really like.  The lyrics are below if you want to read them.  It tells this story about two families named "Jones".  These "two sets of Jones's", as the song calls them, have very little in common other than their last name.  The first family is wealthy and successful...they have everything in the world that they could ever want.  The second family is poor...the song says the have "nothing but Jesus."  So the two families went about their business, building their life around the things they had decided were important...for the first set of Jones', money and success, for the second set of Jones', Jesus.  And then came the rain.  And the wind.  At this point we can see another difference between these families - one has a shelter to go to in this fierce storm...and the other does not.  The second set of Joneses had built their life on the rock of Christ Jesus, the same Rock that David talks about in Psalm 61 when he asks God to "lead me to the rock that is higher than I." 

 

As I read Psalm 61, I see God as my protector, my refuge, my shelter.  He is all of these things...as long as I let Him be.  It's hard, I think, to build my life on Jesus Christ when everyone around me seems to think that things like money, power, popularity, and success are more important.  But the rain is going to come...there's no doubt about that.  And although it's difficult when it comes, it's also when I find out where my strength comes from.  What I'm made of?

 

I often have to ask myself - what, exactly, does it mean for me to build my life on Christ Jesus?  What does that look like in my everyday life?  I think it looks a little different for everyone, but here's what I've come up with for my life, so far: 

First, I have to make Jesus a priority.  Even if I've got a million other things to do, I have to take time for Him....I have to listen to Him, talk to Him, tell Him thank you, and ask Him to help me with my struggles.  If He's really, truly, important to me, I'll make time for Him, because we all manage to make time for the things that are truly important to us.  Second, as I go about the business of living each day, I need to figure out how to do all of these things as though I'm doing them for Jesus.  Maybe it's going to work and do my job cheerfully, whole-heartedly, and as though I'm working for the Lord Himself.  Even if it's 8:00 AM on a Monday morning and I'd much rather be in bed.  Maybe it's giving kind and encouraging words to those around me instead of negative and hurtful ones.  Or trying to remember it's not about me, and looking for ways to serve others.  I'm still working on all this stuff.  It's a lot easier said than done.  But it's worth it, especially when the rain comes and you realize you're ok, because you have this Shelter, this Rock, who is Christ Jesus.

 

...by Katie Spencer

 

 

Lyrics for "Two Sets of Jones' "

(Big Tent Revival)

 This here's a song about two sets of Jones's
Rothchild - Evelyn, Reuben and Sue
Just for discussion, through random selection
We've chosen two couples who haven't a clue

Rothchild was lucky to marry so wealthy
Evelyn bought him a house on the beach

Reuben and Sue had nothing but Jesus
And each night they would pray that He'd care for them each

And the rain came down
It blew the four walls down
And the clouds, they rolled away
One set of Jones's was standing that day

Evelyn's daddy was proud of young Rothchild
He worked the late hours to be number one
But just newlyweds and their marriage got rocky
He's flying to Dallas, She's having a son

Reuben was holding a Gideon's Bible
He screamed it's a boy so that everyone heard
The guys at the factory took a collection
Again, God provided for bills he'd incurred

And the rain came down
It blew the four walls down
And the clouds, they rolled away
One set of Jones's was standing that day

So, what is the point of this story
What am I trying to say
Is your life based on the rock of Christ Jesus
Or a sandy foundation you've managed to lay

Needless to say, Evelyn left her husband
And sued him for every penny he had
I truly wish those two would find Jesus
Before things get worse than they already have.