Soul Food

I have had so much enjoyment recently, reading leisurely through the Psalms. One of the many things that I appreciate about the Psalms is that they always seem to “meet me where I live”. No matter what situation I am experiencing or facing, no matter where my emotional dial seems to be set, the Psalms have the ability to speak directly to me and bring me great comfort and direction and…joy! I believe that this is because the Word of God speaks directly to my soul – “For the Word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12)

I always smile whenever the psalmist speaks to his own soul, I guess I can just relate - I mean sometimes we just need to give our soul a real good talking to - but here’s the thing…we need to allow God to fill our hearts and minds with His Words before we ever undertake to use our mouths to give our souls counsel! The alternative is downright dangerous.

The danger comes when we counsel our own soul apart from the counsel of God. Such was the case of the man who, like the psalmist, counseled his own soul, saying, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry.” This counsel was dangerous, because that night his very soul was required of him! (Luke 12:16-20)

When the psalmist questioned and spoke to his own soul, he questioned and spoke from what He knew to be true about his God and pointed his soul in the right direction… “Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise Him, my salvation and my God.” (Psalm 42:11)

God has a soul. (Isaiah 42:1) Jesus has a soul. (John 12:27) Mary, the mother of Jesus, had a soul. (Luke 1:46) The psalmist had a soul. (Psalm 42:5) There are lost souls and there are saved souls. (Luke 19:9-10)

Our souls are the deepest part of us, the real you, the real me. It takes a Living and Active Word to penetrate that deep and reveal the real you...the thoughts and intentions of the heart. Without the Word of God, we will be speaking dangerous counsel to our souls.

Listen, more than ever before, our souls are in desperate need of a Living Word being spoken to them - and it has always been God’s intent that He speak to our souls. It was our souls that died back in the garden of Eden and it was for our souls that Jesus died - to buy our souls back from death and breathe His Life into them. It is the soul that experiences eternity with... or eternity separate from God. It is to the soul that the beauty of creation speaks (Romans 1), that we may see past creation to the One that creation points to.

Beginning in June, I hope that you will join me here for "A Summer in the Psalms". Along with the psalmist, we will pour our hearts out to God and enjoy Him as He ministers to and counsels the very deepest place within us...our souls.