Wanna get away?

 

Psalm 55:1-15

Ever had a "wanna get away" moment? In the Southwest Airlines commercials people find themselves in circumstances they'd rather not be. It's humorous for us onlookers because we can feel the tension. Being in those moments is different. And I'm not thinking of the awkward kind in the commercials. No, think of the trying times you've endured before. What valleys have you struggled to find your way through? Reflecting on my moments, I had times I would have preferred to get away. Lord, take me away--another famous line of commercials. Remove me from the situation, from the pressure and the stress of it all. Let me be anywhere in the world besides this meeting. This argument or this circumstance. The psalmist understood this feeling. His situation had something to do with betrayal and deception. You expect your enemy's opposition. But there's a certain sting when "sweet fellowship" turns against you. This was a "wanna get away" moment for him. He said it this way: "Oh, that I had the wings of a dove!  I would fly away and be at rest. I would flee far away and stay in the desert; I would hurry to my place of shelter, far from the tempest and storm.” Not only would he want to get away. He'd want to stay away. Of course, that's not how prayer or life works. Instead, we stay. We remain where we are and figure out how to maneuver through our pain and distress. Hopefully, we find healing. Do we know to seek healing or do we settle for revenge or resentment? We can't get away from everything we deal with. So, it's best to learn to find God's peace within our troubling times. Prayer doesn't remove us from every trial. It doesn't even remove every trial. But it does strengthen and renew us. And if we're not going anywhere for a while (another commercial), thank God we are made stronger. Stay blessed...john