Psalm 16:5 - "The LORD is the portion of mine inheritance (the obvious) and of my cup (the Owl) : Thou maintainest my lot (choices) ."
Distanced- Yes, they were outcasts, but they had gifts and dreams just like every other pilgrim to hit the planet... Somewhere along the journey they missed the warning signs or just thought the signs were there for anyone else but them; and then it happened - their choice was wrong, now they were marked, scarred, tarnished and deemed unworthy, not necessarily on the outside, but they truly felt that everyone could see their indelible past indiscretions.
She needed someone to come beside her and help her through this. Every gathering of sojourners that she would try to join up with for encouragement, and possible recovery, seemed to distance themselves from her. "They all just seemed to know I was there but did their best not to make eye contact." Isn't this a lot like all of us at some point in time and to some extent?
He was distanced but could not see that distance was a two way street. Too soon, the same addictions that wreaked havoc in his life in the first place were once again adding even more distance from Love's true rescue. Any personal choice, especially the embarrassingly wrong ones, carries with it a monstrous pride and a paranoid prejudice that already sets the stage for isolation and depression.
A wind of hope began to blow their way: Excitement filled their hearts when they heard of a gathering of pilgrims who were former outcasts, who welcomed all and anyone into their family of "believers" ... including searchers and recovering outcasts ... Hallelujah, finally a safe haven, or so it seemed.
They had their doubts ...but ... they forced their selves through the doors of this assembly, but not without many warm hands extending their way and friendly sincere welcomes. So they opened their eyes wide while passing into this scene; and they thought to themselves ...What a great place, and such an awesome welcome ... Fabulous atmosphere, wonderful smiles, clean and bright surroundings, and now there was a high anticipation in their hearts for real encouragement. Every thing about the moment rang true to heart ... A flicker of hope was now alive.
Fatefully the "service" drew to a close as the lights came on and the crowd raced out the door. With moving chit-chat and not a concerned eye glancing toward them, their heart once again turned downward, and painfully fell under their self inflicted defects. They were able to disappear ... they slipped out unnoticed and away back in to the darkness of the distanced life.
She found herself lurking in the shadows of a street light in a painful emotional quaking. She wanted so badly to be seen for what she was becoming, not what she was. The LORD had become the prepared portion of the sum total of her life. And her cup was lifted up and waiting for all the LORD would pour into her life, knowing that LORD had attained her full attention and was now grasping and supporting all of her decisions.
In times past ... Surely his chalice had been lifted unknowingly to be filled with the dregs of sorrow though in the beginning the supply of the world was so attractive and enticing. His desires in times past were concealed in the nocturnal branches of his predatory thinking, and these unbridled would wait in a wide eyed fashion for the right moment to stealthily swoop in to capture the target of his lust. This was no longer where his heart's desire resided...
BUT people, good people still saw them as flawed and possibly contagious.
O their ache was like so many, how to fit into the awkward culture of the assemblies who were more worried about keeping the rescuers safe than "risking all" to rescue the fallen. These assemblies though "called out" into the deep, had traded their rescue devices for comfortable leisure pool floatation devises that carried superficial printed warnings like ...."not to be used for first aid or rescue purposes."... What?
Her heart was now pleading ...
His heart was now screaming ...
"SEE ME! ... LOOK ME IN THE HEART!"
"The LORD ...is the appointed value of my life in the presence of men, and the measure of my heart's desire ... that He is filling; He is holding me securely in all of my decisions!"
Although it momentarily felt as though only the streetlight had been listening, all of eternity bowed in admiration. And the LORD spoke deeply into the pilgrim's soul ... "My beloved".
HLFA,
Jeff
PS - Hebrew word for Cup also means "Owl" --- think about it.