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Good morning Frontier Church. 
I personal experience, I think 

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is shared. 
I think that the Midwest we 

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experience a fairly noticeable 
and common thing. 

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I think, in fact, that it seems 
so normalized that it has become

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a stereotype in this area. 
I'm not talking about that 

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Midwest kindness or that it's 
not the heat that'll get you. 

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It's the neither of those, none 
of those jokes, none of the none

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of that Midwest kindness. 
What I'm really talking about is

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some sort of kind of like 
bastardized or shunted stoicism 

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where we will often go out of 
our way to quote, maintain the 

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peace, bottling up problems, 
thoughts, issues, fears and 

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concerns and often letting them 
consume us. 

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I know it seems crazy because 
I'm like unequivocally the most 

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profound over share in this 
room. 

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I cook all of you any day of the
week on my worst day, Hall of 

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Fame over sharer. 
And most of you, as you know, 

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have borne the brunt of that. 
So I'm sorry, but I hope you can

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believe me when I say that this 
was not always how I was. 

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And let me show you what I mean.
When I was a young teen, I was 

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in the midst of crisis. 
Things were changing in me and 

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and most noticeably, something, 
something bad was happening. 

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Something was wrong. 
I certainly acted out in like 

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small or weird ways, but I was 
never really explosive until the

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winter of 22,000 and four. 
It was February when when it 

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kind of all came to head my 8th 
grade year. 

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It is like when it became really
dire. 

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I escaped to a video game. 
And when I say I escaped, I'm 

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not talking like, you know, if 
you're a kid and your mom says 

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you play too many video games in
a day, it's like 2 hours. 

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And that is a lot. 
But for me, I was like, skipping

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school and playing the game for 
like 16 hours a day, sometimes 

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more. 
Sometimes I wouldn't sleep. 

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I retreated from social 
interactions, like sports. 

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I started having panic attacks 
in public unprovoked, even 

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collapsing and hyperventilating 
during basketball tryouts. 

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Everyone around me knew 
something was wrong. 

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I was going to doctors for it, 
but no one and and especially me

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at the time could put a word to 
it. 

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And this all came to head 
unfortunately in a series of 

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suicide attempts where my mother
finally caught me and I was 

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shortly thereafter admitted to a
psych ward. 

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I was hospitalized and looking 
back on it now, the reason I say

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this is because with many years 
of experience in coping and 

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becoming better at dealing with 
my problems, I want to be 

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critical of my younger self. 
I don't, I don't. 

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I don't want to be unfair, I 
don't want to bully that kid, 

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but I want to be a little more 
honest. 

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In retrospect. 
I knew what was wrong. 

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I did. 
I understood it not perfectly 

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like I do now. 
Not professional or clinical or 

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in that precise wording that I 
use where I over share to 

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explain things. 
But even still back then I had 

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enough to say about what was 
going on inside and around me 

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outside and how I was 
experiencing it. 

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The deeper issue had nothing to 
do with a lack of ability to 

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communicate. 
But as I look back more I see 

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that I had a fear of rejection 
from the choice few people who 

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are around me. 
My mom, my dad, a few of my 

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friends and family. 
A part of me came to despise 

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them because I blame them for my
inability to communicate. 

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But really church, I was just 
scared of what they would think.

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I don't say this to alarm anyone
and I want you all to know that 

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I guys, I'm OK. 
I'm super well loved. 

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Friends from other churches have
come out to even support me 

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today. 
I'm well loved by you here and 

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by my friends and by my family. 
But a part of me has recently 

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felt that same fear of 
communication. 

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Work has been eating me alive, 
and so instead of trying to put 

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words to real concerns, it 
becomes easy to just say, look 

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at my work. 
Don't you see why I'm tired or 

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exhausted? 
However, church family, this is 

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not the way. 
I think that the problem with 

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Midwest Nice is sometimes to 
preserve an image or the peace 

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we neglect or short communicate 
what is really going on. 

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So today with the last Psalm of 
this miniseries, I want to look 

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at a true emotional 
vulnerability. 

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I want to invite you to consider
a psalmist words and shape of 

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their thought as a template for 
difficulties, whether self 

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caused or by an outsider. 
More importantly, I want to 

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invite you church, into the 
freedom of emotional and 

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complete vulnerability with God 
your Father. 

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I want to help you see the 
safety you have in Him despite 

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bad words, misplaced 
frustrations, anger or vile 

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thoughts that we can all 
experience. 

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I want you all and myself, 
church, as much for you as it is

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for me today to know that 
whatever the circumstance, 

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whatever our darkest thoughts, 
God has not rejected you and He 

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is listening. 
And now, in order to do this, I 

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actually have to ask you guys a 
favor. 

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You see, the Psalm I will be 
covering is likely and 

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exceedingly familiar Psalm with 
most of you in this room. 

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It is quoted in the New 
Testament 17 times and has 

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prophetic and theological 
foresight into the life of 

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Jesus. 
But before I read it, I want to 

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make a contract with you. 
I don't want to neglect that 

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part of the Psalm, but first I 
want to invite you all to 

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examine the Psalm. 
It's words, emotions, and 

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structure as the please of a man
who is deeply emotionally 

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exhausted. 
And I want you to hold that in 

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tandem with the knowledge that 
God did not forsake David the 

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author. 
In fact, through his lineage, 

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the world Savior came as we 
know. 

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So even when David's language 
seems so emotionally charged and

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even violent towards God, God 
did not look away. 

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Today we're going to be looking 
at Psalm 69, Frontier. 

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But before I read it, I want to 
give you an overview and some 

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quick context. 
There is a divide in thinking 

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about when the Psalm is penned 
or written. 

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And for my purposes here, I kind
of actually like that. 

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I'm, I have an opinion. 
I'm just going to state where 

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the scholarly, scholarly 
theologians throughout history 

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have kind of landed. 
I'm not going to give you a 

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concise answer. 
I want you to wrestle with it 

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could be either. 
And the truth is, what I have to

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say will kind of tell you that 
it doesn't matter even if we 

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have the answer, that the the 
response wouldn't wouldn't 

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change. 
Some scholars think the Psalm 

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was penned during Absalom's 
rebellion. 

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Many of you will remember when 
David's own son attempted to 

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usurp David and rule the 
Kingdom. 

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The other side of the divide is 
that David may have penned it 

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during his sinful time with or 
shortly after the events with 

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Bathsheba where he ultimately 
had one of his friends and 

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commanders killed so that he 
could be with her. 

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To be honest, I like that that 
the the scholarly community is 

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split on this throughout time 
because on one side it is David 

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being afflicted by the outside 
that is an experience we all 

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know, while on the other side it
is David dealing with the 

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ramifications of his own sin. 
And either way, like I said, I I

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want to show you, no matter how 
which historical context you 

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read it in, what I have to say 
does not change. 

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The song can be separated neatly
church into two different and 

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equal parts. 
The first part will be verses 

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one through 18, and the latter 
part would then obviously be 

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verses 19 through 36. 
The first part we will call the 

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plea for aid and then the second
that latter half will call 

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imprecations. 
Can you say imprecations? 

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Do any of you know what that 
means? 

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I, to be honest, didn't at at at
the time. 

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It means spoken curses. 
Yeah, violence. 

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Literally cursing somebody to 
like doom to death. 

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So again, call for aid. 
I'm going to ask God to kill 

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people for me. 
The latter half does conclude, 

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however, with an exaltation to 
God. 

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So David will actually pivot at 
the very end from those 

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imprecations to to worshipping 
God. 

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And now with a little bit of 
context, if you would please 

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stand, whether in body or 
spirit, for the reading of God's

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Word, we'll be reading Psalm 69 
in its entirety together. 

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It's a long 136 verses. 
Bear with me. 

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To the choirmaster, according to
lilies of David, Save me, O God,

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for the waters have come up to 
my neck. 

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I sink in deep mire where there 
is no foothold. 

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I have come into deep waters and
the flood sweeps over me. 

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I am weary with my crying out. 
My throat is parched. 

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My eyes grow dim with waiting 
for my God. 

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More in number than the hairs of
my head are those who hate me 

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without cause. 
Mighty are those who would 

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destroy me, those who attack me 
with lies. 

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What I did not steal must I 
restore. 

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Oh God, you know my folly. 
The wrongs I have done are not 

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hidden from you. 
Let not those who hope and you 

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be put to shame through me, Oh 
Lord God of hosts, but not those

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who seek you to be brought 
dishonor through me, O God of 

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Israel, For it is for your sake 
that I have borne reproach. 

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That dishonor has covered my 
face. 

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I have become a stranger to my 
brothers and alien to my 

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mother's sons. 
For zeal for your house has 

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consumed me, and the reproaches 
of those who approach you have 

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fallen on me. 
When I wept and humbled my soul 

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with fasting, it became my 
reproach. 

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When I made sackcloth my 
clothing, I became a byword to 

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them. 
I am the talk of those who sit 

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in the gate, and the drunkards 
make songs about me. 

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But As for me, my prayers to 
You, O Lord, at an acceptable 

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time, O God, and the abundance 
of Your steadfast love, answer 

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me in Your saving faithfulness. 
Deliver me from sinking in the 

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mire. 
Let me be delivered from my 

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enemies and from the deep 
waters. 

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Let not the flood sweep over me,
or the deep swallow me up, or 

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the pit close its mouth over me.
Answer me, O Lord, for Your 

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steadfast love is good according
to Your abundant mercy. 

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Turn to me. 
Hide not your face from Your 

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servant, for I am in distress. 
Make haste to answer me. 

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Draw near to my soul. 
Redeem me, ransom me. 

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Because of my enemies, You know 
my reproach and my shame and my 

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dishonor. 
My foes are all known to you. 

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Reproaches have broken my heart 
so that I'm in despair. 

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I looked for pity, but there was
none. 

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And for comforters, but I found 
none. 

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They gave me poison for food and
for my thirst. 

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They gave me sour wine to drink.
Let their own table before them 

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become a snare, and when they 
are at peace, let it become a 

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trap. 
Let their eyes be darkened so 

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that they cannot see, and make 
their loins tremble. 

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Continually pour out your 
indignation upon them, and let 

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your burning anger overtake 
them. 

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May there camp be a desolation? 
Let no one dwell in their tents,

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for they persecute him who you 
have struck down, and they 

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recount the pain of those you 
have wounded. 

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Add to them punishment upon 
punishment. 

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May they have no acquittal from 
you. 

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Let them be blotted out of the 
book of the living. 

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Let them not be enrolled among 
the righteous. 

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But I am afflicted and in pain. 
Let your salvation, O God, set 

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me on high. 
I will praise the name of God 

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with a song. 
I will magnify him with 

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Thanksgiving. 
This will please the Lord more 

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than an ox or a bull with horns 
and hooves. 

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When the humble see it, they 
will be glad. 

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You who seek God, let your 
hearts revive. 

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For the Lord hears the needy, 
and does not, despite it, 

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despise His own people who are 
prisoners. 

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Let heaven and earth praise Him 
the season everything that moves

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in them. 
For God will save Zion and build

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up the cities of Judah, and 
people shall dwell there and 

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possess it. 
The offspring of His servants 

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shall inherit it, and those who 
love His name shall dwell in it.

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Church, His word is good. 
You may be seated like I alluded

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to. 
I am not going to break down 

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each individual verse word by 
word, but we will be covering 

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the flows and thoughts. 
And I really want to ask you 

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guys kind of like that contract 
we made in the beginning to be 

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sensitive with how David speaks 
to God. 

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Right in the beginning. 
David does not mince words. 

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Save me. 
Oh God. 

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There's nothing more 
straightforward than just crying

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out for help. 
Why does he need saving? 

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Well, depending on the context, 
there's a few answers, but David

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actually describes it more. 
He says that he's in deep water,

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and it actually gets worse than 
that. 

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Not only is the water up to his 
neck, but he's sinking in a deep

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mire. 
Church in a deep mire is like a 

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bog. 
It's not just water, it's mud. 

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It's the thing you can't move 
in. 

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You don't have the mobility. 
You can't even like, grab at a 

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limb or a branch to pull 
yourself out. 

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It is pulling you in. 
You're not just drowning. 

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You're being consumed. 
He can't move his feet. 

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He is trapped and he is growing 
tired. 

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He says his vision is blurring. 
His voice is broken. 

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And then what? 
What is that final clause for? 

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Why his eyes grow dim with 
waiting for my God? 

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Let's stop right there to me in 
my prayer life. 

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If I'm being honest with you, 
Church, that sounds 

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transgressive. 
What do you mean that you're 

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tired of waiting for God? 
David, God is God and you are 

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man regardless of circumstance. 
God is gracious and perfect and 

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it is your duty to wait and 
receive what God gives. 

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You can't express exhaustion in 
God for waiting. 

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Straighten up man, is what a 
part of me wants to scream when 

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I read this. 
Why is David talking to God like

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this? 
So let's keep going. 

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And the next segment, David's 
going to lay out that those 

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against him are in numerous and 
they build a narrative of lies 

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and hatred without cause, so 
much so that even like drunkards

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are writing song about David's 
reproaches. 

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So like even like the lowest of 
the low, just like Tavern 

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dwellers are are singing about 
David's fallen. 

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And what does David ask? 
God, what I did not steal? 

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Must I now restore the 
entitlement, the indignation, 

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like asking a parent when they 
ask you to do a chore or to do 

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something? 
I didn't even make that mess. 

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Why are you having me clean it 
up? 

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Dad? 
This is another instance for me 

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where a part of my Midwest brain
sees David as the transgressor 

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00:16:07,120 --> 00:16:09,440
against God. 
And I hope you do too if you 

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00:16:09,440 --> 00:16:12,320
read it in a certain tone. 
Imagine you were pleading with 

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God. 
You just got telling, got done 

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00:16:14,840 --> 00:16:17,440
telling him you are tired of 
waiting for him. 

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And now you move on to 
acknowledge the actual situation

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and immediately ask God. 
OK, so all this that I didn't 

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do, am I the one who is supposed
to fix it doesn't sound so good.

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00:16:31,400 --> 00:16:34,920
That makes my that makes me 
nervous if I think about talking

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to God. 
But let's move along once you've

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00:16:38,280 --> 00:16:41,840
got another instance here in 
verse 7 and 8 where I'll find 

277
00:16:41,840 --> 00:16:44,480
another instance. 
Depending on how you emphasize 

278
00:16:44,480 --> 00:16:47,480
the words or play with them, or 
even without emphasis, you can 

279
00:16:47,480 --> 00:16:52,520
certainly hear now for sure a 
child blaming a parent for it is

280
00:16:52,520 --> 00:16:59,080
for your sake. 
I have borne reproach, God, it's

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00:16:59,080 --> 00:17:03,280
because of you that this is 
happening, Dad. 

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00:17:04,720 --> 00:17:09,040
It's because of your, your 
existence that I'm getting 

283
00:17:09,040 --> 00:17:13,359
yelled at, Dad. 
You're mad at me because of who 

284
00:17:13,359 --> 00:17:17,440
you are. 
There's a few ways to read that 

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00:17:17,960 --> 00:17:21,040
truthfully, I don't know and and
some of the scholars actually do

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00:17:21,040 --> 00:17:26,319
interpret it differently. 
But in my first read of it, it 

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00:17:26,319 --> 00:17:30,920
certainly makes me itchy as a as
a reader, as somebody who prays 

288
00:17:30,920 --> 00:17:34,600
and talks to God, that there are
multiple ways to read that that 

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00:17:34,600 --> 00:17:39,640
would sound indignant. 
David is saying, God, it is in 

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the interest of you that I have 
borne reproach. 

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00:17:42,280 --> 00:17:44,680
It is because of you that this 
is happening. 

292
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Because of you that my family no
longer recognizes me. 

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00:17:48,640 --> 00:17:51,680
My mother's sons, my brothers no
longer know my name. 

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00:17:54,040 --> 00:17:56,800
David, brother, we need to get 
back on track. 

295
00:17:57,320 --> 00:18:00,440
We are in the weeds and it is 
not a good look to blame and 

296
00:18:00,440 --> 00:18:03,280
point the finger at God, man. 
Not at least here in the 

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00:18:03,280 --> 00:18:04,880
Midwest. 
No, no, no. 

298
00:18:05,520 --> 00:18:08,560
And thankfully church for my 
social peace minded self. 

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00:18:09,520 --> 00:18:12,000
David does get back on track. 
You heard it. 

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00:18:12,080 --> 00:18:13,960
He returns in this segment to 
worshiping God. 

301
00:18:14,400 --> 00:18:17,200
Your steadfast love is good. 
That's what we sing about. 

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00:18:17,200 --> 00:18:18,640
That's what we're shouting at 
church. 

303
00:18:18,640 --> 00:18:21,520
That makes sense. 
Bam, right back in tow. 

304
00:18:21,720 --> 00:18:24,360
Good job David, hide not your 
face from me. 

305
00:18:24,560 --> 00:18:27,120
You're so back on track. 
We're worshipping God. 

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00:18:27,360 --> 00:18:30,840
Wait, wait, wait. 
What's going on here in the 

307
00:18:30,840 --> 00:18:35,280
second section? 
I read it, you heard it, you've 

308
00:18:35,280 --> 00:18:38,120
probably read it as well. 
Look what David calls for with 

309
00:18:38,120 --> 00:18:41,560
regard is regarding his enemies.
I said this is the imprecations 

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00:18:41,560 --> 00:18:44,480
part and it makes me very 
uncomfortable. 

311
00:18:44,920 --> 00:18:48,520
Verses 22 to 28, the segment I 
referenced earlier as 

312
00:18:48,520 --> 00:18:52,680
imprecations, David just 
unleashes A plea with God for 

313
00:18:52,680 --> 00:18:56,560
the entire annihilation of those
who persecute and reproach him. 

314
00:18:56,840 --> 00:19:00,680
Those who deny Him and who hate 
Him, he says, trap them in their

315
00:19:00,680 --> 00:19:05,560
peace, blind them as David is 
feeling blinded, his vision 

316
00:19:05,560 --> 00:19:09,920
dulling, blind them. 
Pour out your anger on them as 

317
00:19:09,920 --> 00:19:12,120
they poured out their anger on 
me. 

318
00:19:12,400 --> 00:19:16,200
Destroy their abode so it is a 
barren and desolate place. 

319
00:19:16,560 --> 00:19:18,120
And this isn't even enough for 
David. 

320
00:19:18,120 --> 00:19:23,080
That's that's like a that's like
abominable in this church to to 

321
00:19:23,200 --> 00:19:26,440
like ask for that on somebody. 
But for David, he actually 

322
00:19:26,440 --> 00:19:29,720
doesn't stop with that. 
He says he punishment after 

323
00:19:29,720 --> 00:19:33,960
punishment on them, give them no
acquittal and wipe their name 

324
00:19:34,000 --> 00:19:38,960
from the book of life entirely. 
And then to make matters worse, 

325
00:19:38,960 --> 00:19:43,280
church right after he just like 
lays out these requests of doom 

326
00:19:43,280 --> 00:19:45,680
and destruction against his 
adversaries. 

327
00:19:47,320 --> 00:19:51,880
He gives us from a literary and 
a poetic sense, what I can only 

328
00:19:51,880 --> 00:19:55,280
describe as one of the biggest 
whiplashes that I have ever read

329
00:19:55,280 --> 00:20:00,360
in any genre. 
The pivots from verses 28 to 29 

330
00:20:00,600 --> 00:20:03,920
to 30 is a wild emotional riot. 
And if you have your Bible in 

331
00:20:03,920 --> 00:20:05,800
front of you, just read them 
really quick. 

332
00:20:06,120 --> 00:20:09,000
If you don't remember, I'm going
to summarize it for you. 3 

333
00:20:09,000 --> 00:20:11,280
verses, 51 words. 
Here we go. 

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00:20:11,560 --> 00:20:13,240
Kill them. 
Save me. 

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00:20:13,240 --> 00:20:16,600
You are worthy of praise. 
That is just. 

336
00:20:18,840 --> 00:20:26,160
That is so big and it seems so 
dark and sure, he pivots to what

337
00:20:26,160 --> 00:20:29,160
I'm comfortable with. 
You know, in my own personal 

338
00:20:29,160 --> 00:20:31,960
worship that you are worthy of 
praise part, maybe a little bit 

339
00:20:31,960 --> 00:20:34,360
of the save me. 
I'm a bit of a masochist, so 

340
00:20:34,360 --> 00:20:36,200
sometimes I don't even like 
asking for help. 

341
00:20:36,600 --> 00:20:38,840
But definitely the the first 
part, the kill them. 

342
00:20:38,840 --> 00:20:42,600
That kind of book ends those 
imprecations where he starts 

343
00:20:43,120 --> 00:20:45,040
kill them. 
Save me. 

344
00:20:45,160 --> 00:20:49,000
You are worthy of praise in 51 
words. 

345
00:20:49,000 --> 00:20:52,040
David cruises through those 
three things and ends the Psalm 

346
00:20:52,040 --> 00:20:54,680
where we are most comfortable, 
as I said, worshipping God. 

347
00:20:55,280 --> 00:20:58,360
However, to get that comfortable
familiarity, we have to 

348
00:20:58,360 --> 00:21:01,960
reconcile the fact that David 
has told God he is tired of 

349
00:21:01,960 --> 00:21:04,600
waiting for him and even maybe 
has blamed him. 

350
00:21:04,840 --> 00:21:08,360
He then pivots to asking God for
his enemies to just be 

351
00:21:08,360 --> 00:21:12,560
obliterated and then jukes back 
to worshipping God. 

352
00:21:13,040 --> 00:21:16,480
It's hard for me, and I wonder 
if it's hard for you guys to 

353
00:21:16,480 --> 00:21:20,600
reconcile all these thoughts and
emotions as they are portrayed 

354
00:21:20,600 --> 00:21:24,400
in the Psalm, as they are for 
me, especially when I operate or

355
00:21:24,400 --> 00:21:27,760
exist in that fear that governed
me when I was younger. 

356
00:21:27,760 --> 00:21:31,680
Maybe that is a shared fear, the
fear of rejection, that fear 

357
00:21:31,680 --> 00:21:34,240
that lurks behind the stereotype
of the Midwest. 

358
00:21:34,240 --> 00:21:36,960
Nice. 
Not that we don't know what to 

359
00:21:36,960 --> 00:21:41,960
say when things are hard or 
emotions are high, but that we 

360
00:21:41,960 --> 00:21:45,720
fear we are going to be 
rejected, that those who love us

361
00:21:46,120 --> 00:21:50,320
will turn their faces from us. 
I have a suspicion that many of 

362
00:21:50,320 --> 00:21:53,680
you carry that weight, carry 
that fear into your prayer life.

363
00:21:54,440 --> 00:21:57,040
But real quick, church, just 
take a pause. 

364
00:21:57,360 --> 00:21:59,400
Before I get into that, I want 
to make a distinction. 

365
00:21:59,840 --> 00:22:03,400
I'm not saying all prayer or 
corporate prayer should model 

366
00:22:03,400 --> 00:22:06,440
something like what we find here
that could be read as 

367
00:22:06,440 --> 00:22:09,200
antagonistic, especially in the 
beginning, towards God. 

368
00:22:09,760 --> 00:22:13,280
What I'm talking about is your 
personal prayer, that quiet 

369
00:22:13,280 --> 00:22:15,120
place. 
Many of you, and definitely 

370
00:22:15,120 --> 00:22:19,320
myself, approach God with such a
fear of rejection that when 

371
00:22:19,320 --> 00:22:23,280
things are difficult or we are 
mad with Him, we default back to

372
00:22:23,280 --> 00:22:26,560
the safety of universal truths 
and recognitions and prayers. 

373
00:22:26,880 --> 00:22:30,440
We plea on the behalf of others,
but never plea or argue or be 

374
00:22:30,440 --> 00:22:33,240
honest about ourselves with God 
because we are afraid. 

375
00:22:34,880 --> 00:22:37,560
If David's striking words in the
Psalm are contained in the 

376
00:22:37,560 --> 00:22:41,960
Bible, the very word of God 
itself, then we actually have to

377
00:22:41,960 --> 00:22:45,560
evaluate our trepidation at the 
language in question. 

378
00:22:45,560 --> 00:22:48,800
Why am I afraid to approach God 
like this? 

379
00:22:50,240 --> 00:22:53,080
It's not the other way around. 
So real quick, let's take 

380
00:22:53,080 --> 00:22:57,120
another look and I'm not going 
to turn to it, but just give you

381
00:22:57,280 --> 00:23:01,160
a quick narrative of another 
place in the Bible and I can't 

382
00:23:01,160 --> 00:23:04,240
even read it all to you because 
it's literally 12 chapters what 

383
00:23:04,240 --> 00:23:07,720
I'll be referencing. 
But if you just remember with me

384
00:23:08,120 --> 00:23:14,600
the the story of Job and I know 
I'm clicking so I'm sorry, the 

385
00:23:14,680 --> 00:23:20,720
end of Job 12 chapters, chapter 
29 or 30. 

386
00:23:20,720 --> 00:23:25,120
It starts with Job, with Ali, 
who there, who's like Job's like

387
00:23:25,120 --> 00:23:32,280
one actual like resolute good 
homie who honors God and doesn't

388
00:23:32,560 --> 00:23:38,320
just leave Job the wrong way. 
Job airs his frustrations with 

389
00:23:38,320 --> 00:23:43,640
God at his situation and he does
not mince words. 

390
00:23:44,000 --> 00:23:46,800
Job says to God and Alihu, look 
at my life. 

391
00:23:47,480 --> 00:23:51,080
I was wise, I was fair and just.
I was charitable to those in 

392
00:23:51,080 --> 00:23:53,000
need. 
I did not turn away the 

393
00:23:53,000 --> 00:23:55,040
stranger. 
I blessed those around me and 

394
00:23:55,040 --> 00:23:58,640
gave sacrifices to God and now 
everything is gone. 

395
00:23:59,600 --> 00:24:02,440
I'm disdained and mocked. 
I have nothing. 

396
00:24:02,800 --> 00:24:05,640
Look at my life, there are no 
transgressions. 

397
00:24:05,680 --> 00:24:09,160
I am above reproof. 
What charge is against me? 

398
00:24:09,160 --> 00:24:11,600
You can hear Job screaming 
before Ali. 

399
00:24:11,600 --> 00:24:15,960
Who And God, You can see him 
desperately trying to make sense

400
00:24:16,280 --> 00:24:19,760
of the calamity that befell him 
as a good man. 

401
00:24:20,520 --> 00:24:23,120
And a part of me wants to 
ambitiously like correct Job or 

402
00:24:23,120 --> 00:24:25,400
myself. 
When I adorn my personal prayers

403
00:24:25,400 --> 00:24:28,200
with language like that, where 
I'm challenging God or I'm 

404
00:24:28,200 --> 00:24:32,240
frustrated, I would say that 
impish part of me would say what

405
00:24:32,240 --> 00:24:34,600
charges against me? 
That's hilarious. 

406
00:24:34,600 --> 00:24:38,000
I am a fallen man, so it's like 
every charge, duh. 

407
00:24:39,160 --> 00:24:45,480
Why even say that? 
How can I tell God that I am 

408
00:24:45,480 --> 00:24:49,240
above reproof or ask him where 
the punishment comes from? 

409
00:24:49,920 --> 00:24:53,640
However, in the story Job does 
exactly that. 

410
00:24:54,400 --> 00:24:59,840
He he tries to say he's a good 
man and even God earlier says 

411
00:24:59,840 --> 00:25:11,120
he's a good man to to Satan. 
God doesn't destroy Job for the 

412
00:25:11,160 --> 00:25:16,640
outburst for being incorrect. 
Through those 12 chapters, after

413
00:25:16,640 --> 00:25:20,760
Job lays out his case and says, 
where have I gone wrong to 

414
00:25:20,760 --> 00:25:24,680
deserve this? 
Job isn't destroyed. 

415
00:25:25,120 --> 00:25:29,840
Ali who rebukes him, he does. 
And God reminds Job of his 

416
00:25:29,840 --> 00:25:34,080
place, saying that God is God 
and the place of man is as man. 

417
00:25:34,920 --> 00:25:38,520
But at the end of the story, if 
you'll remember, God restores 

418
00:25:38,840 --> 00:25:42,640
Job. 
He doesn't condemn Job for this 

419
00:25:42,640 --> 00:25:45,320
frustration that Job experiences
with God. 

420
00:25:46,720 --> 00:25:51,720
In fact, he he, he restores him.
And what I want you to see 

421
00:25:51,720 --> 00:25:55,000
church is in that both of these 
narratives there is a striking 

422
00:25:55,000 --> 00:25:58,760
similarity. 
Man in conversation with God, 

423
00:25:59,120 --> 00:26:03,600
lashing out with God, lashing 
out against others, and openly 

424
00:26:03,600 --> 00:26:07,280
airing perceived grievances with
God about circumstances of life.

425
00:26:07,680 --> 00:26:12,400
In both of these narratives, God
does not reject his child. 

426
00:26:13,560 --> 00:26:15,760
I think many of us would shrink 
at the thought of employing 

427
00:26:15,760 --> 00:26:19,240
language like that in our 
personal prayer lives. 

428
00:26:19,720 --> 00:26:21,160
Maybe some of you are awesome at
this. 

429
00:26:21,240 --> 00:26:25,120
I'm I'm not, I'm I'm not. 
And it's been really difficult 

430
00:26:25,120 --> 00:26:28,120
recently. 
But in both of those instances, 

431
00:26:28,120 --> 00:26:31,120
God does not turn his face away 
from his child. 

432
00:26:31,600 --> 00:26:35,960
In the case of David, as 
promised, God built his eternal 

433
00:26:35,960 --> 00:26:38,960
Kingdom from the line of David 
to Job. 

434
00:26:39,040 --> 00:26:42,680
God restores his land, his 
livestock, more abundantly than 

435
00:26:42,680 --> 00:26:45,040
he had before. 
He blesses him with 10 more 

436
00:26:45,040 --> 00:26:47,440
children, seven sons, three 
daughters. 

437
00:26:48,120 --> 00:26:51,840
And all of this to say, God will
not reject you if your prayers 

438
00:26:51,840 --> 00:26:54,320
in the quiet place with Him 
traverse accusations, 

439
00:26:54,400 --> 00:26:58,360
frustrations, disgust, or even 
petulant childlike finger 

440
00:26:58,360 --> 00:27:01,880
pointing church. 
God will not turn his face away 

441
00:27:01,880 --> 00:27:05,080
from you. 
But Casey, how can you know I 

442
00:27:05,080 --> 00:27:06,800
have some awful things stored 
up? 

443
00:27:06,960 --> 00:27:10,240
I'm angry at God. 
I can't tell him or anyone else 

444
00:27:10,840 --> 00:27:14,320
I know I have it mixed up, but I
can't reconcile how I feel with 

445
00:27:14,320 --> 00:27:16,640
what I know. 
So I guess I'll just reject what

446
00:27:16,640 --> 00:27:19,800
I feel and stick to what I know 
and just ignore it. 

447
00:27:20,880 --> 00:27:23,320
I got at church. 
Maybe some of you are there. 

448
00:27:24,160 --> 00:27:25,600
I'm feeling the same way right 
now. 

449
00:27:27,280 --> 00:27:32,240
So if you would whiplash with me
back to what I said about 

450
00:27:32,240 --> 00:27:34,840
neglecting the familiar of Psalm
69. 

451
00:27:35,240 --> 00:27:37,720
Let's just UN neglect it right 
now. 

452
00:27:37,720 --> 00:27:39,160
Let's hit it with the lamp 
light. 

453
00:27:39,800 --> 00:27:43,560
Many of you will know that this 
Psalm is often seen as a 

454
00:27:43,560 --> 00:27:45,920
prophetic text for the life of 
Jesus. 

455
00:27:46,280 --> 00:27:49,400
Hidden in plain sight of the 
Psalm, you have sour wine, 

456
00:27:49,400 --> 00:27:53,560
poison or gall being fed to 
David, his enemies numerous and 

457
00:27:53,560 --> 00:27:58,440
mocking him, false accusations. 
It is very simple for a reader 

458
00:27:58,440 --> 00:28:02,880
who knows their Bible to overlay
David's pleas with Jesus Christ 

459
00:28:02,880 --> 00:28:05,880
life. 
The only difference is that 

460
00:28:05,880 --> 00:28:10,320
David was far from perfect, far,
far from perfect. 

461
00:28:10,680 --> 00:28:13,520
David was not forever above 
reproach. 

462
00:28:13,520 --> 00:28:17,960
David did not lead this perfect 
life despite David having to ask

463
00:28:17,960 --> 00:28:20,080
God, do not turn your face from 
me. 

464
00:28:20,240 --> 00:28:23,240
God never did. 
In fact, the interesting thing 

465
00:28:23,240 --> 00:28:28,240
about that and this is that God 
only turned his face once from a

466
00:28:28,240 --> 00:28:33,080
beloved child and in one of the 
most literary, like perfect 

467
00:28:33,080 --> 00:28:37,800
literary, most beautiful things 
in written and experience 

468
00:28:37,800 --> 00:28:47,680
history, just a a truly cosmic 
moment of subversion. 

469
00:28:50,880 --> 00:28:56,120
God only has turned his face 
away from one person and it was 

470
00:28:56,120 --> 00:29:01,360
never an unperfect person in 
this subversion of expectations.

471
00:29:01,360 --> 00:29:04,720
While God did not turn his face 
from David or Job, despite their

472
00:29:04,720 --> 00:29:09,360
outlashes and misunderstandings,
God did turn His face in one 

473
00:29:09,360 --> 00:29:13,320
moment from the only One who was
above all of that, the One who 

474
00:29:13,320 --> 00:29:18,840
this Psalm foreshadows Jesus in 
that moment of cosmic justice 

475
00:29:18,840 --> 00:29:21,880
and ultimate satisfaction in the
destruction of sin that Jesus 

476
00:29:21,880 --> 00:29:25,760
Christ took on the Father in 
heaven who crushed his only 

477
00:29:25,760 --> 00:29:28,680
begotten Son, turned his face 
and crushed him. 

478
00:29:29,600 --> 00:29:35,160
He crushed him and turned his 
face so that you, now, beloved, 

479
00:29:36,800 --> 00:29:40,280
would not have to fear the face 
of God averted from your needy 

480
00:29:40,280 --> 00:29:45,200
frame. 
Because of Jesus, you are 

481
00:29:45,200 --> 00:29:49,400
completely in shelled in the 
safety and love of God. 

482
00:29:50,920 --> 00:29:55,720
God will not turn His face away 
from you, regardless of how 

483
00:29:55,720 --> 00:30:01,920
frustrated you become with him, 
how arrogant you can be, or how 

484
00:30:01,920 --> 00:30:07,360
quick you are to blame him and 
others, He will not look away. 

485
00:30:08,240 --> 00:30:11,280
That doesn't give you a free 
pass to just be terrible and 

486
00:30:11,280 --> 00:30:14,640
word and deed. 
Just like Joe, if you say awful 

487
00:30:14,640 --> 00:30:17,640
things to God, you should 
acknowledge and repent like Job 

488
00:30:17,640 --> 00:30:20,680
does. 
At the end, however, you can 

489
00:30:20,680 --> 00:30:23,800
live in the freedom of true and 
open dialogue with God. 

490
00:30:24,160 --> 00:30:28,760
You can trust that despite your 
deepest darkest fears, sins, 

491
00:30:28,920 --> 00:30:33,480
regrets, hatreds, all of that, 
when coming before God, He will 

492
00:30:33,480 --> 00:30:35,480
not reject you because of Jesus 
Christ. 

493
00:30:35,480 --> 00:30:39,720
Work on the cross. 
You do not have to live on some 

494
00:30:39,720 --> 00:30:44,120
quasi or budget Midwest stoicism
where you are afraid to be 

495
00:30:44,120 --> 00:30:47,640
honest with God because you are 
a turd and like no, you're 

496
00:30:47,640 --> 00:30:49,400
wrong. 
So whatever. 

497
00:30:50,080 --> 00:30:52,960
No church, God has not turned 
his face. 

498
00:30:56,480 --> 00:31:00,400
He will hear your cries, you 
will receive your angers and 

499
00:31:00,400 --> 00:31:03,040
your frustrations, your horrible
words. 

500
00:31:05,520 --> 00:31:09,000
I told myself I couldn't tell my
parents or my friends all the 

501
00:31:09,000 --> 00:31:12,960
way back in 2004 what was wrong.
That isn't true. 

502
00:31:13,280 --> 00:31:17,360
My words may have been limited, 
not so precise and numerous as 

503
00:31:17,360 --> 00:31:19,440
now, but I could have said 
something. 

504
00:31:20,440 --> 00:31:22,080
It's like, it's not like I 
didn't know how to talk. 

505
00:31:22,080 --> 00:31:23,480
It's not like I couldn't 
understand. 

506
00:31:23,480 --> 00:31:28,000
I couldn't think, but it's scary
to say things to your parents or

507
00:31:28,000 --> 00:31:31,480
to your friends. 
I want Jeremy and Nick and Eric 

508
00:31:31,480 --> 00:31:33,720
and Ian and the rest of my 
bullies to die. 

509
00:31:35,160 --> 00:31:38,240
I hate how everyone talks behind
everyone's backs. 

510
00:31:39,280 --> 00:31:43,880
I hate to feel like I'm, to feel
like I matter in this world. 

511
00:31:43,880 --> 00:31:47,520
I have to be good at a sport or 
be the best in class when I'm 

512
00:31:47,520 --> 00:31:50,680
barely average at both. 
And that means that I, I, I'm 

513
00:31:50,680 --> 00:31:52,680
worth nothing. 
I guess I don't matter because 

514
00:31:52,680 --> 00:31:56,160
I'm not good at them. 
Mom and Dad, I hate you both for

515
00:31:56,160 --> 00:31:57,600
fighting. 
Please stop. 

516
00:31:59,400 --> 00:32:02,760
There's so much inside of me 
going on that feels like a dark 

517
00:32:02,760 --> 00:32:08,000
mess of disorganized hatreds. 
Mom, Dad, I hate myself. 

518
00:32:08,160 --> 00:32:12,040
I want to die. 
What if they reject me? 

519
00:32:14,840 --> 00:32:16,920
What if I say that to them and 
they reject me? 

520
00:32:19,640 --> 00:32:23,800
Beloved people may reject you 
just like David. 

521
00:32:23,800 --> 00:32:26,480
Your family may reject you for 
some of those dark things. 

522
00:32:27,480 --> 00:32:29,520
Your friends may turn away from 
you. 

523
00:32:29,520 --> 00:32:33,000
I don't know. 
It happens to David. 

524
00:32:34,000 --> 00:32:38,600
However, what I do know is that 
because of Jesus, God will not 

525
00:32:38,600 --> 00:32:40,880
reject you for those dark 
things. 

526
00:32:41,680 --> 00:32:45,960
He will not. 
The only non dark thing to walk 

527
00:32:45,960 --> 00:32:49,920
the planet took on all of 
darkness and was crushed so that

528
00:32:49,920 --> 00:32:53,800
you may speak to God, yes in 
fear and trembling, but with 

529
00:32:53,800 --> 00:32:57,120
great trust that He will not 
turn his face away from you. 

530
00:32:57,720 --> 00:33:00,840
So Church, my plea with you and 
even with myself as I wrestle 

531
00:33:00,840 --> 00:33:05,280
with this for the last few 
months is don't hamstring your 

532
00:33:05,280 --> 00:33:09,440
prayer life, especially in 
difficult times because you are 

533
00:33:09,440 --> 00:33:13,640
afraid to be honest and 
vulnerable with God just like 

534
00:33:13,640 --> 00:33:16,520
David is. 
I want to share another story 

535
00:33:16,520 --> 00:33:19,040
with you from when I was even 
younger. 

536
00:33:19,560 --> 00:33:22,120
It's when I was in first grade, 
I started karate. 

537
00:33:22,960 --> 00:33:26,320
My first grade teacher actually 
lived a few houses down and she 

538
00:33:26,320 --> 00:33:28,920
had a son who is my age. 
Obviously, we were in different 

539
00:33:28,920 --> 00:33:30,040
classes because she was my 
teacher. 

540
00:33:30,040 --> 00:33:32,880
You can't be in your mom's class
at that time at least. 

541
00:33:33,280 --> 00:33:36,800
Anyway, he came over, we were 
goofing around in the yard while

542
00:33:36,800 --> 00:33:40,240
my dad was doing yard work, and 
I wanted to show my friend all 

543
00:33:40,240 --> 00:33:43,680
the sick karate moves that I 
learned. 

544
00:33:44,240 --> 00:33:47,480
Remember, I've been doing karate
for like one session. 

545
00:33:47,560 --> 00:33:50,080
This was like 3 days after 
session 1. 

546
00:33:50,320 --> 00:33:53,680
I don't even think I had a key 
at that point if I remember 

547
00:33:53,680 --> 00:33:57,840
correctly. 
So we're out in the yard, I'm 

548
00:33:57,840 --> 00:34:02,200
showing my buddy all the sickest
karate moves you can think of, 

549
00:34:02,200 --> 00:34:05,720
and I have my dad come over. 
I call for him because I wanted 

550
00:34:05,720 --> 00:34:09,080
to demonstrate for my friend the
Super 6 stuff that I was taught,

551
00:34:09,400 --> 00:34:12,639
obviously. 
So my dad obliged and got down 

552
00:34:12,639 --> 00:34:15,920
on his knees and I began to just
like wail on him with abandoned 

553
00:34:15,920 --> 00:34:18,480
and we're talking overhead 
chops, you know, the most 

554
00:34:18,480 --> 00:34:21,120
effective attack in like human 
history. 

555
00:34:21,320 --> 00:34:24,520
The auto killer, the thing that 
David needed when he was praying

556
00:34:24,520 --> 00:34:27,120
for the destruction of his 
friends, that kind of thing. 

557
00:34:27,280 --> 00:34:30,520
Spamming him, Bam bam. 
He had his arm up just chopping 

558
00:34:30,520 --> 00:34:33,360
the mess out of him. 
It's incredibly powerful stuff. 

559
00:34:33,360 --> 00:34:38,080
I'm surprised I didn't kill him.
But as you all know how I am, I 

560
00:34:38,080 --> 00:34:40,679
kind of, because I wasn't 
killing him, picked up in 

561
00:34:40,679 --> 00:34:43,719
intensity. 
So he employed another overhead 

562
00:34:43,719 --> 00:34:46,520
block. 
So it was like 2 arms and just 

563
00:34:46,520 --> 00:34:49,199
allowed for me to just spam 
these chops, hundreds of chops. 

564
00:34:49,199 --> 00:34:51,560
You couldn't even see my hands 
moving, they were moving so 

565
00:34:51,560 --> 00:34:53,639
fast. 
It was dangerous. 

566
00:34:53,639 --> 00:34:55,480
We were worried for my friend 
Michael. 

567
00:34:55,480 --> 00:34:58,640
He was too close. 
But my dad was just smiling and 

568
00:34:58,640 --> 00:35:01,440
encouraging me, telling me I was
doing a good job, which as you 

569
00:35:01,440 --> 00:35:04,040
know, for a lot of kids, propels
them to like become more 

570
00:35:04,040 --> 00:35:06,960
violent. 
I became upset. 

571
00:35:07,480 --> 00:35:11,840
I became distressed because I 
wasn't killing my father. 

572
00:35:12,360 --> 00:35:15,120
So finally I tried to switch it 
up from the certified lethal 

573
00:35:15,120 --> 00:35:17,760
overhead chop to a jab in the 
face. 

574
00:35:18,440 --> 00:35:20,000
I tried to hit my dad in the 
face. 

575
00:35:20,360 --> 00:35:23,200
Mind you, I'm just like 7. 
I'm like a true child. 

576
00:35:23,200 --> 00:35:26,280
He's down on his knees chopping 
at him and I'm in my brain. 

577
00:35:26,280 --> 00:35:29,680
I'm like, we'll switch it up. 
I'll punch him in the face but 

578
00:35:29,680 --> 00:35:33,520
my dad being an adult who's been
in fights and me being 7 and 

579
00:35:33,520 --> 00:35:36,680
while using the most, you know, 
lethal known attack on the 

580
00:35:36,680 --> 00:35:41,000
planet didn't kill him. 
I tried to switch it up. 

581
00:35:41,320 --> 00:35:45,680
He snatches my wrist before I 
can connect with his face, which

582
00:35:45,680 --> 00:35:47,880
is good because I would have 
bought them good. 

583
00:35:48,880 --> 00:35:53,320
But like a kid who is angry when
they are grabbed, I wrenched 

584
00:35:53,320 --> 00:35:58,640
free and my dad didn't want me 
to hurt myself with the force of

585
00:35:58,640 --> 00:36:02,880
his grip, so he casually let go 
and I punched the mess out of 

586
00:36:02,880 --> 00:36:04,400
myself. 
Bad. 

587
00:36:05,000 --> 00:36:08,760
Big bloody nose, both, both 
nostrils, blood everywhere, face

588
00:36:08,760 --> 00:36:12,240
shirt covered in blood bad. 
I was mortified. 

589
00:36:12,920 --> 00:36:16,560
I immediately started crying as 
kids are want to do, and I ran 

590
00:36:16,560 --> 00:36:19,520
off to my room in the house. 
I'd completely forgotten about 

591
00:36:19,520 --> 00:36:22,000
Michael in the yard who was 
there watching me try to kill my

592
00:36:22,000 --> 00:36:24,720
father and I was just like 
screaming and wailing in my 

593
00:36:24,720 --> 00:36:26,560
room. 
And the truth is it actually 

594
00:36:26,560 --> 00:36:30,160
didn't really hurt. 
I was more scared because there 

595
00:36:30,160 --> 00:36:34,160
was blood everywhere. 
And I was, to be honest, ashamed

596
00:36:34,200 --> 00:36:39,000
because once I got up to my 
room, I realized, Oh no, Michael

597
00:36:39,000 --> 00:36:44,840
saw me just be a freak. 
So I'm just crying in my room 

598
00:36:45,040 --> 00:36:48,760
and my father appears with seems
like in seconds. 

599
00:36:48,760 --> 00:36:51,840
I didn't hear him come in. 
He just like appears. 

600
00:36:53,440 --> 00:36:59,880
He wrapped me up in a tight hug 
just so hard. 

601
00:36:59,880 --> 00:37:01,720
It didn't hurt, but he just 
squeezed me. 

602
00:37:02,000 --> 00:37:05,320
And my kids do when they're 
upset and they're misplacing 

603
00:37:05,320 --> 00:37:07,680
their frustration. 
You can imagine what I did. 

604
00:37:08,160 --> 00:37:10,520
I bit at him. 
I head butted him. 

605
00:37:10,520 --> 00:37:12,480
I kicked at him. 
The only thing I couldn't do was

606
00:37:12,480 --> 00:37:15,680
overhead chops because he had my
arms pinned to my side. 

607
00:37:16,280 --> 00:37:21,480
But I attacked him finally as I 
was starting to exhaust myself 

608
00:37:21,480 --> 00:37:23,800
and I'm still bleeding by the 
way all over him. 

609
00:37:24,360 --> 00:37:29,640
I screamed out as a 7 year old 
that I hated him and as I cried 

610
00:37:29,640 --> 00:37:34,720
I remember him saying I am so 
sorry Casey I'm not mad at you. 

611
00:37:35,160 --> 00:37:38,840
I love you and it took me 
forever to calm down. 

612
00:37:39,880 --> 00:37:43,360
But I remember that because what
stuck with me was the silent and

613
00:37:43,360 --> 00:37:45,680
firm love that my father showed 
me. 

614
00:37:46,960 --> 00:37:50,200
I will never forget that Christ 
died. 

615
00:37:50,200 --> 00:37:54,800
Church, so that when you are 
hurting, God can scoop you up in

616
00:37:54,800 --> 00:38:00,200
firm love while you are gnashing
at him, kicking, screaming, even

617
00:38:00,200 --> 00:38:04,480
saying things like I hate you or
this is your fault and he will 

618
00:38:04,480 --> 00:38:08,320
reply, I am not mad at you. 
I love you my son. 

619
00:38:08,680 --> 00:38:11,440
I love you my daughter. 
Church, let us pray. 

620
00:38:16,640 --> 00:38:21,760
Heavenly Father, if I had one 
prayer the past few months is 

621
00:38:21,760 --> 00:38:27,160
that we would not be afraid to 
approach you. 

622
00:38:28,040 --> 00:38:32,920
Yes, with fear and trembling, 
but knowing and with trust that 

623
00:38:32,920 --> 00:38:37,120
because of Christ's work that 
you will not turn your face from

624
00:38:37,120 --> 00:38:39,760
us, just like you didn't turn 
your face from Job or from 

625
00:38:39,760 --> 00:38:42,000
David. 
You will see us. 

626
00:38:42,360 --> 00:38:45,600
You'll receive our anger, our 
frustrations, our misplaced 

627
00:38:45,600 --> 00:38:53,000
frustrations, our Miss Blamings 
of you, and you will tell us 

628
00:38:53,000 --> 00:38:55,760
that you love us because your 
son died on that cross. 

629
00:38:58,040 --> 00:39:02,280
You will bless us abundantly 
despite our many misgivings and 

630
00:39:02,280 --> 00:39:08,760
frustrations, despite our many 
outlaw outlashes and and bad 

631
00:39:08,760 --> 00:39:13,280
words towards you in prayer. 
What I ask that when that does 

632
00:39:13,280 --> 00:39:17,240
occur, that we would repent and 
quickly, but that we would not 

633
00:39:17,240 --> 00:39:20,240
be afraid to be honest with 
what's going on inside of us in 

634
00:39:20,240 --> 00:39:24,880
our prayer lives, Lord, because 
you're the only one who can help

635
00:39:24,880 --> 00:39:26,400
us. 
And if we're not honest with 

636
00:39:26,400 --> 00:39:30,000
you, what are we even doing? 
We're going to pray for this 

637
00:39:30,000 --> 00:39:32,280
church. 
That we would have rich prayer 

638
00:39:32,280 --> 00:39:38,960
lives where despite any age or 
time or disposition or portion 

639
00:39:38,960 --> 00:39:42,800
of life, that we trust that we 
can come to you and that you 

640
00:39:42,840 --> 00:39:46,320
will not turn your face from us.
Say, I love you, my son. 

641
00:39:46,760 --> 00:39:48,680
I love you my daughter. 
Amen. 

642
00:39:51,960 --> 00:39:52,080
Yeah.
