Prayer - Tent of Smoke

 

My eyes fail due to wear and tear of age.  After sixty years of use, I suppose that is bound to happen; what say you?

The acrostic psalmist writes that his "eyes fail" (Psalm 119:82 NIV).  Setting aside age, which may or may not have been his problem, he said the reason was due to,

"...looking for Your promise,"

Father.  He was looking for some unspecified, unnamed, promised comfort.

He'd watched and watched til his eyes ached and his soul fainted with longing for Your salvation (v.81) to intervene.  

Yet his impetus for perseverance in the wait and watch was his...

"...hope in Your word,"

Father God.

This makes me think of the prodigal son's father.  It came to mind this morning that maybe he began his vigil out on the dusty road, searching the distant horizons for the return of a repentant, wiser son, right from Day 1.  No doubt his eyes ached and failed many a day as the wind whipped sand and dirt into watering, smarting eyes.  Yet he determinedly, faithfully, watched all those days, months, and perhaps, even years.

When would he have his comfort of such an emotionally, pivotal moment; his hope rewarded?

There's another story of endurance others may have heard of a mother who left her front door, always open, and a light on; I assume on the front porch.  She awaited the return of a "prodigal" daughter.  This did have a happy ending many long years later.  How that Mother-heart must have fainted at times; the travail of her soul unbearable at her "loss", never knowing if her beloved offspring would return to the fold; imagining all the things the daughter could have gotten into; buckets of tears shed and smotherings of prayers blanketing her dear girl.

Some of you may relate.

The psalmist likened deep distress, longing and waiting to a "wineskin in the smoke" (v 33).

From what I can gather from checking it out online, the ancients hung their wine up in skins, in their tents.  Smoke from the cooking fires would 'cook' more than their food, and the wine skins were not exempt.

There was good and bad to this scenario.  Some smoke had a mellowing and flavoring effect upon the wine inside the skins which enhanced the taste; so it said.  On the other hand, too much smoke, over time, would blacken and stiffen the skins rendering them of little worth for capturing wine.

You likely can see the psalmist's connection.  His fainting soul and failing eyes, his anguished endurance through the arrogance of persecutors' torment and that "torment" without cause (v 86), is the "smoke of affliction" upon the person, "the wineskin".

All our tears and sorrows, and our hearts may rebel to hear this, are "smoking" us to refine our attitudes, character towards greater Christ-likeness and relationships with our Heavenly Father.  Too much "smoke" and we may become bitter, and unforgiving and decide to forget God.

Heavenly Father, You are good and You know that we are feeble human beings and can only take so much "smoke".  LORD, as David often cried out to You, be merciful to us in our times of trial and tribulation.  I know You are and You do bring comfort along the way.  Thank-You.

May our "tent of smoke" time ever turn us towards You, our Heavenly Father, with Your unfailing love, trustworthy commands, and the comfort of Your salvation; never forgetting Your decrees, and to be obedient  "to the statutes of Your mouth: (v 88); as was the psalmist acrostic reflection.

Father, You are faithful and Your words are true.  Thank-You.

May the 'wine' of our life be as excellent as that wine at the wedding in Cana of Galilee that Jesus made.  Continue to turn our water into wine, Father, even if we need to go through the smoking process and test of time spent in your tent of smoke.

                                                        ~ERC  August 2020~

Based on Psalm 119:81-89 (Kaph)

Sing, "Our Times are in Your Hands" Metropolitan Tabernacle, London