Live As Aliens

Today's theme has to do with the way we orient ourselves in this world. The New Revised Standard Version of today's psalm 119 translates verse 19: "Live as aliens in this land."  And if we are to set our minds on making space for God in this world by shifting our priorities to consume and spend less, then we must indeed prepare ourselves to live as aliens in our culture.

This practice of minding our margin, of setting limits and boundaries on the ways in which we spend our time, and care for our bodies and relationships, and honor our resources will most certainly put us at odds with what is expected of us in our daily travels. We live in a world that is measured by our ability to consume: time, space, retail goods, food, alcohol, energy, books, movies, etc., etc., etc.; the more we can bear, the more prestige we seem to acquire.

But the more we acquire, the more we spend, the more load we take on, the less time and space and energy we have to live into our finest selves, which is God's hope and dream for this world: that we each live into our finest selves. And so today I invite us to live like aliens in this land:

Put one burden down. Today, put down just one thing that is not worth the time, or the energy, or the space that it is consuming in your life. It might be one task, or one errand, or one chore that keeps you from one more hour with your loved ones, or your meditation, or your sleep. It might be one expense that keeps you from the peace of having your bills paid. It might be choosing to take a walk over answering those last 15 emails. It might be calling a friend rather than cleaning your mudroom. 

On this glorious Wednesday, trade just one thing for some space to encounter the living God.

Psalm 119: 1-24

א  אַשְׁרֵי תְמִימֵי-דָרֶךְ--    הַהֹלְכִים, בְּתוֹרַת יְהוָה.	1 ALEPH. Happy are they who's way is upright, who walk in the law of the LORD.
ב  אַשְׁרֵי, נֹצְרֵי עֵדֹתָיו;    בְּכָל-לֵב יִדְרְשׁוּהוּ.	2 Happy are they who keep His testimonies, that seek Him with their whole heart.
ג  אַף, לֹא-פָעֲלוּ עַוְלָה;    בִּדְרָכָיו הָלָכוּ.	3 They do no unrighteousness; they walk in His ways.
ד  אַתָּה, צִוִּיתָה פִקֻּדֶיךָ--    לִשְׁמֹר מְאֹד.	4 You have commanded Your precepts, that we should observe them diligently.
ה  אַחֲלַי, יִכֹּנוּ דְרָכָי--    לִשְׁמֹר חֻקֶּיךָ.	5 Oh that my ways were directed to observe Your statutes!
ו  אָז לֹא-אֵבוֹשׁ--    בְּהַבִּיטִי, אֶל-כָּל-מִצְו‍ֹתֶיךָ.	6 Then should I not be ashamed, when I have regard for all Your commandments.
ז  אוֹדְךָ, בְּיֹשֶׁר לֵבָב--    בְּלָמְדִי, מִשְׁפְּטֵי צִדְקֶךָ.	7 I will give thanks to You with an upright heart, when I learn Your righteous ordinances.
ח  אֶת-חֻקֶּיךָ אֶשְׁמֹר;    אַל-תַּעַזְבֵנִי עַד-מְאֹד.	8 I will observe Your statutes; O forsake me not utterly.
ט  בַּמֶּה יְזַכֶּה-נַּעַר, אֶת-אָרְחוֹ--    לִשְׁמֹר, כִּדְבָרֶךָ.	9 How can the young ones keep their ways pure? By taking heed according to Your word.
י  בְּכָל-לִבִּי דְרַשְׁתִּיךָ;    אַל-תַּשְׁגֵּנִי, מִמִּצְו‍ֹתֶיךָ.	10 With my whole heart have I sought You; O let me not err from Your commandments.
יא  בְּלִבִּי, צָפַנְתִּי אִמְרָתֶךָ--    לְמַעַן, לֹא אֶחֱטָא-לָךְ.	11 Your word have I laid up in my heart, that I might not sin against You.
יב  בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהוָה--    לַמְּדֵנִי חֻקֶּיךָ.	12 Blessed art You, O LORD; teach me Your statutes.
יג  בִּשְׂפָתַי סִפַּרְתִּי--    כֹּל, מִשְׁפְּטֵי-פִיךָ.	13 With my lips have I told all the ordinances of Your mouth.
יד  בְּדֶרֶךְ עֵדְו‍ֹתֶיךָ שַׂשְׂתִּי--    כְּעַל כָּל-הוֹן.	14 I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies, as much as in all riches.
טו  בְּפִקּוּדֶיךָ אָשִׂיחָה;    וְאַבִּיטָה, אֹרְחֹתֶיךָ.	15 I will meditate in Your precepts, and have respect unto Your ways.
טז  בְּחֻקֹּתֶיךָ אֶשְׁתַּעֲשָׁע;    לֹא אֶשְׁכַּח דְּבָרֶךָ.	16 I will delight myself in Your statutes; I will not forget Your word.
יז  גְּמֹל עַל-עַבְדְּךָ אֶחְיֶה;    וְאֶשְׁמְרָה דְבָרֶךָ.	17 Deal bountifully with Your servant that I may live, and I will observe Your word.
יח  גַּל-עֵינַי וְאַבִּיטָה--    נִפְלָאוֹת, מִתּוֹרָתֶךָ.	18 You open mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of Your law.
יט  גֵּר אָנֹכִי בָאָרֶץ;    אַל-תַּסְתֵּר מִמֶּנִּי, מִצְו‍ֹתֶיךָ.	19 I am a sojourner in the earth; hide not Your commandments from me.
כ  גָּרְסָה נַפְשִׁי לְתַאֲבָה--    אֶל-מִשְׁפָּטֶיךָ בְכָל-עֵת.	20 My soul breaks for the longing that it has for Your ordinances all of the time.
כא  גָּעַרְתָּ, זֵדִים אֲרוּרִים--    הַשֹּׁגִים, מִמִּצְו‍ֹתֶיךָ.	21 You have rebuked the proud that are cursed, that do err from Your commandments.
כב  גַּל מֵעָלַי, חֶרְפָּה וָבוּז:    כִּי עֵדֹתֶיךָ נָצָרְתִּי.	22 Take away from me reproach and contempt; for I have kept Your testimonies.
כג  גַּם יָשְׁבוּ שָׂרִים, בִּי נִדְבָּרוּ--    עַבְדְּךָ, יָשִׂיחַ בְּחֻקֶּיךָ.	23 Even though princes sit and talk against me, Your servant meditates in Your statutes.
כד  גַּם-עֵדֹתֶיךָ, שַׁעֲשֻׁעָי--    אַנְשֵׁי עֲצָתִי.	24 O Your testimonies are my delight, they are my counsellors.