Smart Glasses - Pastor Johnnie Simpson Jr

Separation Anxiety - Pastor Johnnie Simpson Jr.

¹ My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from my cries of anguish? ² My God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, by night, but I find no rest.

³ Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One; you are the one Israel praises. ⁴ In you our ancestors put their trust; they trusted and you delivered them. ⁵ To you they cried out and were saved; in you they trusted and were not put to shame.

⁶ But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by everyone, despised by the people. ⁷ All who see me mock me; they hurl insults, shaking their heads. ⁸ “He trusts in the Lord,” they say, “let the Lord rescue him. Let him deliver him, since he delights in him.”

⁹ Yet you brought me out of the womb; you made me trust in you, even at my mother’s breast. ¹⁰ From birth I was cast on you; from my mother’s womb you have been my God.

¹¹ Do not be far from me, for trouble is near and there is no one to help.

¹² Many bulls surround me; strong bulls of Bashan encircle me. ¹³ Roaring lions that tear their prey open their mouths wide against me. ¹⁴ I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint. My heart has turned to wax; it has melted within me. ¹⁵ My mouth is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth; you lay me in the dust of death.

 

It can be a terrible thing to be separated from someone or something you are used to for a long time. Feelings of abandonment and blame can come next. I wish we didn't have to feel these kinds of emotions. The trouble I see with separation anxiety is that you cannot avoid being alone no matter what you do. Eventually, you will have to face it. We see the Psalmist David give us some ways to handle it in scripture.

 

People quote Psalm 22 often. Scholars try to classify the psalm as either one of lament, petition, or thanksgiving. The answer is yes. Scholars say the psalm is about someone facing sickness possibly close to dying. The writer is facing a big problem, not something you can sweep under the rug, ignore, put on a solid face, and pretend everything is fine.

 

The Psalmist feels abandoned by God, and sometimes it is shameful to feel abandoned. The problem with the writer is not so much the sickness but the silence. Imagine getting into a disagreement with a loved one, and they don't yell and scream, they don't argue, they are completely silent. I know those who watch kids feel the same way; as long as you hear laughing, playing, screaming even, everything is alright, but once it gets quiet, it's time to go in the other room and see what they are up to, make sure the room is still intact. There is danger in the silence sometimes.

 

The Psalmist is:

Abandoned in verses 1-5

Abused in verses 6-8

Attacked in verses 12-13

Poured out in verse 14

 

The Psalmist says the bulls of Bashan surround them. Bashan was a region of ancient Israel northeast of the Sea of Galilee, now known as Syria. Bashan was known for the cattle raised there. During certain times of the year, the cattle were allowed to forage in free-range fashion. In the more populated areas, a herder might be around to make sure the animals did not hurt anyone, but out in the countryside, the herds were left unsupervised. While grazing, unsupervised, the animals start acting like wild animals. So, someone minding their own business in Bashan might suddenly find himself surrounded by bulls, and the chance to get hurt was real.

The bulls of Bashan were an actual situation for those folks. They are a metaphor for us, but one that we easily understand. The bulls represent demands we cannot ignore, obligations we cannot get out of, duties we cannot shirk, responsibilities we cannot evade. Not only are the bulls attacking David, but the largest and wildest bulls they have.

 

Sometimes we can overcome the pain with a little bit of an attitude adjustment. We may not be able to change the moment, but we can always change our minds.

 

The Psalmist calls to God in prayer. The Psalmist also remembers their upbringing, so they know that God loves them. Hold on to what you had until you get what else you need. Know that God loves you and call on him for deliverance.

 

It's ok to question, and it's ok to cry out to the lord. Not all prayers are going to be pretty.

 

It's ok to cry out, even Jesus did, quoting Psalm 22:1 in Matthew 27:46. Mark 15:34. But the crying out will give way to thanksgiving later in the psalm, just like Jesus crying out will give us all a reason to be thankful going on.