This contains entries to Take up Your Cross, Space Blog, Blog City PF and BC of Friends |
"Prompt: Psalms 52:8 But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God: I trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever. What does it mean to be like a green olive tree?" Green is often viewed as the color of life, fertility, and vitality. By using the metaphor of a green olive tree the psalter was saying that he was growing and vibrant, despite the fact that he was surrounded by enemies. David was hunted when writing many of the Psalms. He wasn't hunted by just anybody but by the king of Israel. It would be the equivalent of being on America's Most Wanted during the prime of that show and broadcasted on every major network. His chance of escape was nil. Yet he did escape, often times close enough to the king that the king could breathe on him. At one point David cut the hymn off of the king's robe while the king was in a cave defecating. David could have killed the king, but instead cut the robe as proof that he could have killed him. Then he felt badly for even doing that! Yet the king was hunting him like an outlaw for no reason. He was wanted dead or alive but he claimed "I am a green olive tree in the house of God." Not only was David's attitude a positive one in spite of a horrible circumstance, but his faith and righteousness was beyond human. Prompt: "Today we passed through the neutral zone and found a star. Read Shards of Glass
I had to read this to understand but the poet is saying that a shard of glass is a part of a larger whole. Often we miss the tapestry because we are so focused on the threads. A shard of glass can cut us if we squeeze it tightly, yet when it is part of the whole it makes sense. Pain and anger are like this. They can hurt us if we hang onto them. They often do not make sense. Then when we look back we can see where the pain and anger made us better people. |