Psalm 86:1-10 (NIV)
Today’s reading is a passionate plea to the Lord to answer prayer in time of need, to guard life and save God’s servant – not just because the servant is devoted and trusting, but because the Lord alone is a forgiving and good God, abounding in love. Reading these verses, I thought of Billy Graham.
The late Billy Graham was regarded by many as a devoted servant of God. He lifted up his soul as did David long ago with a passion expressed in this psalm, because there were times when Dr. Graham, counselor to Presidents and whose influence is still felt, felt himself to be “poor and needy”. In his own words, he confessed: Ruth and our children used to kid me about worrying too much. They called me Puddleglum, after one of C.S. Lewis’ characters in The Chronicles of Narnia who tended to be a pessimist. They were reminding me that I wasn’t trusting God the way I should.
Puddleglum is a “cheerful pessimist”, a Marsh-wiggle in Lewis’ Narnia. A cheerful Marsh-wiggle is still as glum as a wet blanket. Puddleglum would voice the worst possible scenario and then put a bold spin on it. For instance, when trapped in an underworld, he told his companions to remember that dying underground would save funeral expenses! In another instance, he said, “Life isn’t all fricasseed frogs and eel pie!” Yum!
If Dr. Graham could be a Puddleglum, then I think it safe to say any of us can feel like a Puddleglum, too, when we worry too much and are not trusting God the way we should, especially in stressful times as these. Consider these…
- If you find yourself a “regular old humbug” and enjoying it, you might be a Puddleglum.
- If you think Murphy’s Law (If anything can go wrong, it will) is the rule of the day, you might be a Puddleglum…
- …And if you think Murphy was an optimist, you are definitely a Puddleglum!
But even though Dr. Graham’ family saw Puddleglum as a symbol for not trusting God enough, that is not the entire picture. There was a moment when Puddleglum sincerely declared that he would be on Aslan’s side even if there was no Aslan to lead (Aslan was the lion-king figure symbolic of Christ), and he would live like a Narnian even if there was no Narnia. In the end, Puddleglum showed himself to be devoted and trusting of his King. In the midst of his pessimism,
he showed courage and resilience in the face of evil, and found joy in stamping it out.
A young lady shared a Puddleglum perspective about the day she lost faith while in college. She wrote: “I prayed and said (to the God I didn’t believe in right then): ‘God, I love you…and even if I can’t speak for you anymore…(with my world falling apart, everything distorted) I won’t stop serving you. I’ll scrub the church on my hands and knees, sobbing out my love for you…” That’s a Puddleglum prayer not so different from Psalm 86. In our most poor and needy moments, we can find within us a sincere expression of devotion and trust, not because we are so good but because God is, ready to show mercy on those who call.
Therefore, let us pray for a little Puddleglum – Graham courage in the midst of all the negativity, doom and gloom going around. Let’s keep in mind that it is our human tendency to “go negative” under stress and worry, to see our glass half empty, to expect more bad news coming – and this plays right into the fear.
Our scripture, however, assures us that in these days of trouble, God has an answer, not based in fear, but in abounding love. A word about this love. The Hebrew uses the word hesed. It is a complex and profound word in the Old Testament, with many layers of meaning. It is used to mark a turning point from despair, negativity and pessimism to hope and new possibilities. It draws to it words such as mercy, compassion and goodness, as in Psalm 86. And we see throughout the psalms that hesed is something you sing about! It is too rich a word just for mere words in times of trouble, a most fitting word for us in this time.
I looked up a reference for Psalm 86 in our hymnbook, and it took me to I Need Thee Every Hour. Indeed! But I admit I was hoping for something brighter and more uplifting, like Blessed Assurance…Watching and waiting, looking above, Filled with His goodness, lost in his love.
Let us lose ourselves in Jesus’ love. May God’s Hesed assure us off new opportunities and new possibilities coming when we will again worship before the Lord together and lift up glory to God’s holy name! In the meantime, remember: Life isn’t all fricasseed frogs and eel pies! (Actually, I hear some of you are cooking up recipes much better than that! Keep one in mind when Sheila and I invite you to the manse when we have our Time to Come Out and Get Together Party!)
May Christ’s peace and blessing be with you!