The Phil Files

I’m not much into game shows, but seems like there was a some kind of game show that had this weird beast that carried what was called a whammy. When you chose the wrong square, or something like that, you got the whammy — the beast came out and whammied your score and you lost all of your money.

Well, I’ve had a great month of being outdoors and enjoying all sorts of cool experiences on top of a very busy time of ministry. It finally caught up with me Sunday afternoon. Some weird beast entered my body and started giving me the whammy left and right. After coughing my head off Sunday night, I went in and got a whammy in the back side — an injection — and a couple of scripts of things to take the next week. Now I need to lay low as the weather is coming in and about to put a major whammy on us.

Funny how our bodies remind us that there are limits that we all have and when we push them, or try to ignore them, we are forced to lie down and rest. Today is my study day, and with the weather whammy and the getting sick whammy, I’m pretty sure I’m going to study and rest and hopefully hear some clear word from God as I seek Him in Scripture, prayer, and silence.

Return to your rest, my soul, for the LORD has been good to you (Psalm 116:7).

From Heartlight.org Graphics.

I awoke about 6:20 this Black Friday morning, not to get up early and go shopping or even bow hunting, but I was awakened by the smell of roast beef and garlic. Somewhere around 5:30, Donna had put in a roast we will have for Thanksgiving, Day II. My folks will come over for lunch. No turkey today, we’ll have dead cow and carrots, mashed taters and green beans, and warm apple pie and a scoop of BlueBell Homemade Vanilla ice cream for dessert. In Texas, you can’t have white meat two days in a row, it’s the national law of the state — after all, beef is what is for dinner down in these parts. So cow will be the committed course for lunch and the involved course for dessert.

We celebrated Thanksgiving, Day i, all afternoon yesterday with Donna’s folks — two rounds of food with all the traditional yummies, with cards games and board games in between. Cowboys won — that was good, but boring. Longhorns won — that was great. Colt and Jordan are very involved with the church where I used to preach in Austin for 22 years, so how can you not root for two guys like that.

Today is kinda dreary, with a light sprinkle and a little chill in the air — Gray Friday in my book. Looks like winter will really come. Our trees have more color than usual this year, although the next big norther will blow that all away. But the gray weather suits the day. Rather than join the mayhem at the malls, today will be a restful day before we launch into Christmas decorations and reminiscing about Christmas past tomorrow. Everybody needs a sleepy, slow, dreary Gray Friday to rest up after all the excitement of Thanksgiving. It’s like taking a double-Sabbath to rest and recoup before the big rush to Christmas.

I’m not sure what you have planned for today, or this weekend, but don’t turn off the Thanksgiving spirit quite yet. Extend it with a touch of rest on the edges and invite God in to calm your spirit and restore your soul with a little slow drip of rain from the roof top and a good nap to chase away the blues on this Gray Friday.

Last night, as Donna and I lay in our bed praying with a candle flickering and the sound of the fan filling the room with its gentle white noise, I remembered. It was a long ago memory of having the room across the hall from my parents and hearing them talk and pray at night. Very seldom could I hear well enough to understand their words, but the sounds were soothing and reassuring.

Now that I am older than they were when they spoke those words to each other, just knowing they were spoken brings me comfort and joy. How blessed I am to have grown up in a family where mom and dad loved each other and gave their three boys a stable place to grow and develop into men. These times were cut short by my father’s death when he was 51, but these times also still live in the flickering light of a candle, the gentle whir of the fan, the tender touch of a partner, and the final “Amen” at the end of the day.

Thank you mom and dad … and thank you Donna, for a night to slip off into gentle sleep feeling secure in your love and the sweet grace of memories and a special moment of joy.

We were flat worn out by our travel yesterday and the hard work we did to get off on our trip. So when we finally all got to bed about 3:00 a.m. Texas time, we slept … then we got up and ate and walked around a bit and read and watched a little TV (okay, I watched Tiger’s charge at the US Open), and took naps. But, we also enjoyed the cool, the sun, and the view! (Yep, that’s the view out the 7th floor balcony window at hotel.)

We rested today, because we have an all day trip to Victoria tomorrow, including “high tea” and a great boat ride. So … don’t expect much tomorrow, but there should be a lot to praise God about on Sunday!

Hear me, LORD, my plea is just;
    listen to my cry.
  Hear my prayer—
    it does not rise from deceitful lips.
  Let my vindication come from you;
    may your eyes see what is right.
  Though you probe my heart,
    though you examine me at night and test me,
  you will find that I have planned no evil;
    my mouth has not transgressed.
  Though people tried to bribe me,
    I have kept myself from the ways of the violent
    through what your lips have commanded.
  My steps have held to your paths;
    my feet have not stumbled.

  I call on you, my God, for you will answer me;
    turn your ear to me and hear my prayer.
  Show me the wonders of your great love,
    you who save by your right hand
    those who take refuge in you from their foes.
  Keep me as the apple of your eye;
    hide me in the shadow of your wings
  from the wicked who are out to destroy me,
    from my mortal enemies who surround me.

  They close up their callous hearts,
    and their mouths speak with arrogance.
  They have tracked me down, they now surround me,
    with eyes alert, to throw me to the ground.
  They are like a lion hungry for prey,
    like a fierce lion crouching in cover.

  Rise up, LORD, confront them, bring them down;
    with your sword rescue me from the wicked.
  By your hand save me from such people, LORD,
    from those of this world whose reward is in this life.
  May what you have stored up for the wicked fill their bellies;
    may their children gorge themselves on it,
    may there be leftovers for their little ones.

  As for me, I will be vindicated and will see your face;
    when I awake, I will be satisfied with seeing your likeness.

\o/ — Comments Psalm 17: When I awake!! — \o/

I am not a good sleeper — never have been and don’t know if I ever will be! However, one of the blessings of reading through the psalms has been the obvious concern for God’s work in our lives while we sleep.

I lie down and sleep;
I wake again because the LORD sustains me! (Psalm 3)

In peace I will lie down and sleep,
for you alone, LORD,
make me dwell in safety. (Psalm 4)

I will praise the LORD, who counsels me;
even at night my heart instructs me. (Psalm 16)

Though you probe my heart,
though you examine me at night and test me,
you will find …
… when I awake, I will be satisfied with seeing your likeness. (Psalm 17)

… weeping may remain for a night,
but rejoicing comes in the morning. (Psalm 30)

Several months ago I felt called to pray for the Lord to minister to me and to my family while we slept. Things were in a tough place for me and I wasn’t sleeping. Sometimes, when I finally go to sleep, I would have nightmares that would awaken me. I knew I needed the Lord’s help.

I had already noticed that when it came to preaching and teaching, I would often awaken with a clear message to share with God’s people after going to sleep wrestling with Scripture, but not knowing quite how to present it. If the Father graced me with this blessing, then I wondered what else He might do to bless me and shape me while I slept?

As I read through the Bible with this in mind, I suddenly began to see the “night shift work” that the Lord did in the lives of His people. Why not pray for Him to be active in my heart and soul while I sleep? Why not ask for His comfort, healing, wisdom, discernment, clarification, leading, and conviction to come from His work in me while my body slept?

I discovered that the collection of the Psalms goes over this theme of the Lord’s presence, protection, and blessing during our sleep several times. Far more than the words of children’s lullabies or rote bedtime prayers, the LORD’s protection while we sleep is just part of His watchful care and consistent molding of our character as we pray ourselves to sleep and into His presence each night.