#Devotional by Pastor John Parish 04-01-2020

The author of this post is Pastor John Parish, who was one of my pasters in the past and is now at 

Gardendale Chruch of the Nazarene in Gardendale, Alabama. 

It is spot on for this time in our lives.

Good morning!  It’s Wednesday, so I wanted to bring you a video devotional. This passage might seem a little odd for a devotional amid a pandemic.  However, I hope you will see the hope and beauty of Psalm 137.  This is a passage, that we steer clear of many times.  You get to verse 9 and think, “Did the psalmist just say ‘smash the babies’ heads against the rocks’?”  Yes, he did. I’m sure it wasn’t one of the writer’s prouder moments, but it comes from a time of deep frustration and anger.  The people had been in exile and were being mistreated by the Babylonians. I was recently watching a video on YouTube with the Christian band, For KING & COUNTRY.  They recorded a performance with their band members in their homes around the world.  Between songs, one brother told a story about praying with his wife. After he finished praying he said, “Amen” and his wife said, “Huh....”  “What do you mean, huh?”, he asked.  She said, “Why don’t you pray real prayers?  I mean, why don’t you open up and allow yourself to pray with real words?  Why do you filter yourself before God?” This is what I love about Psalm 137- it’s raw and open.  It makes us uncomfortable.  I hope it will challenge you to pray with openness and real words.  Whatever frustrations you are facing our God can handle them! Psalm 137 1 Beside the rivers of Babylon, we sat and wept as we thought of Jerusalem. 2 We put away our harps, hanging them on the branches of poplar trees. 3 For our captors demanded a song from us. Our tormentors insisted on a joyful hymn: "Sing us one of those songs of Jerusalem!" 4 But how can we sing the songs of the Lord while in a pagan land? 5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget how to play the harp. 6 May my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth if I fail to remember you if I don't make Jerusalem my greatest joy. 7 O Lord, remember what the Edomites did on the day the armies of Babylon captured Jerusalem. "Destroy it!" they yelled. "Level it to the ground!" 8 O Babylon, you will be destroyed. Happy is the one who pays you back for what you have done to us. 9 Happy is the one who takes your babies and smashes them against the rocks! You can either click the graphic above or the link below to watch the devotional. Grace and peace to you. Pastor John You can subscribe for his newsletter at gdalenaz.org

Watch the Devotional