I Just Ain't Got The Words

Scripture:
Psalm 36:5 — Your love, O LORD, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies. (NIV)
 
Observation:
I love this scripture because I love the song that Third Day sings based on Psalm 36.  The first time I remember hearing this song, though, it was not Third Day singing the song, but Pinelake’s own Jason Elam. This was long before either of us had moved to Pinelake.  In fact, I think Jason was still in school at Mississippi State.  I had asked Jason to come and lead worship for a retreat that my church and another church were doing for our student ministries.  Early one morning, right before we were to start a large group worship time, one of my adult leaders came in and got me and said, “Darren, you’ve got to come and see this.”  I went outside and down on the pier by the lake was Jason.  There was still a mist rising from the lake, it was early, and Jason was singing this song. He had his guitar and he was worshipping. Just Jason and God. Jason had absolutely no idea that anybody else was anywhere around.  We just stood there and watched and listened to Jason play and sing, eavesdropping on a child of God telling God how amazing His love is.  I was blown away. Not because I had never seen Jason worship before, and not because of the words of the song, but because it just seemed so natural…so right.
 
Application:
Now the truth of the matter is this: No worshipper will ever be able to say anything that will even begin to describe how awesome and amazing God is.  We just do not have the capacity to comprehend or describe God.  Yet as we attempt to do the impossible God will many times intervene.  This is what I watched and experienced that day while Jason was singing.  As we turned our attention to the indescribable nature of God, God met us there.  By “there” I mean that the Holy Spirit of God began to make up for what we lacked.  He met us there in something that could only be described as Holy.  Now, I don’t know if Jason remembers this event the same way I do.  I can’t remember if I ever even told him that we were watching him, but I remember being touched by God there.  The ancient Celtic Christian used to refer to “thin places,” places where heaven and earth just seemed closer than others.  I know that that morning the distance between us and God felt very thin indeed.  I love the Psalms because in them we see the writers attempt to understand and connect with God.  I love Psalm 36 because it reminds of one of the many times when God reached down and connected with me.
 
Prayer:
Your love, O Lord, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness stretches to the sky.
Your righteousness is like a mighty mountain, and your justice flows like the oceans tides. And I will lift my voice to worship you my King, and I will find my strength in the shadow of your wings. O God my all the places we find myself be “thin places” so that in all things we see you.  May your name be forever high and lifted up for you alone O God are worthy of our praise. Amen.

— Darren Miley, student pastor