meaningful relationships

This morning while reading, I came across Psalm 69. I jump all over the Bible when I finish books instead of going in a row, but I always find myself back in the Psalms every few books. The raw emotion throughout these poems always bring an English major like me back to its pages. We often hear Psalms quoted, but it's usually from verses of praise or a happy ending. Have you noticed that? Psalm 40, for example says

I waited patiently for the LORD;
he turned to me and heard my cry.
He lifted me out of the slimy pit,
out of the mud and mire;
he set my feet on a rock
and gave me a firm place to stand.
He put a new song in my mouth,
a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear the LORD
and put their trust in him.

Psalm 40:1-3

I love that psalm and can so relate to the truth of it. However, there are other psalms, like 69, that does not have a happy ending. David is drowning in life, and though he praises God even through his hardship and trusts God, He hasn't saved him yet. We know the history. We know David died a great king, old, happy, and with many sons to be there to take over his thrown. David, however, did not see his happy ending when he was writing this.

Save me, O God,
for the waters have come up to my neck.
I sink in the miry depths,
where there is no foothold.
I have come into the deep waters;
the floods engulf me.
I am worn out calling for help;
my throat is parched.
My eyes fail,
looking for my God.
Those who hate me without reason
outnumber the hairs of my head;
many are my enemies without cause,
those who seek to destroy me.

Psalm 69:1-4

Do those words break your heart? When I read this this morning, I felt my heart ache. Not really because I can relate, though I can, but because I wondered how often I walk past or TALK to people on a regular basis that could have written these verses just yesterday.

Our Journey group was just discussing this past week about how disconnected our culture is today. We know more about more people, but less about those people than ever. Facebook has tricked us into thinking we have tons of friends. It has made us believe that its purpose is to connect us with people we don't have time to see. The truth of the matter is that at one time, we had a few deeper relationships and more surface level ones, and we have traded those few deeper connections for 549 surface level ones. Sure, you can see pictures of their baby, but will you ever actually hold that little one? Yes, you know she got the job, but did you buy her a coffee when she was desperate for a paycheck? Better yet, did you take her to dinner?

Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? ³⁸ When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? ³⁹ When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.

Matthew 25:37-40

How many people are hurting like David and I just walk right past them? Or chat to them about something superficial and they are drowning? Am I ministering to people? Have I lost so much sensitivity to the Spirit that I can't even recognize when a child of His hurts, a person created in His image, that He knit together while in their mother's womb? I'm sad to say that the answer is yes. Just like our pastor was saying last week, it is impossible to have a meaningful relationship with absolutely everyone, but I no longer want to sacrifice those relationships that I can invest in on the altar of American culture. "for the waters have come up to my neck. I sink to the miry depths, where there is no foothold." Oh God, help us to love You and your children. "I am worn out calling for help; my throat is parched. My eyes fail, looking for my God."

If a friend is sinking and parched from calling for God, the only practical thing to do is to hold them up and call for them.