The Best Devotions of Patsy Clairmont (Paperback)

Chapter One

O Lord, come quickly to help me. Psalm 70:1

Do you ever just want to throw back your head and bellow, "Gimme a break"? Life has a way of mounting up until we are slumping down. Soon our joyful noises turn into grumpy groans.

Well, we are not alone. For I hear whimperings of men, women, the rich, the poor, the young, and the old echo throughout the pages of Scripture. You may not find them using the phrase, "Gimme a break," but some of their verbiage vibrates with attitude. That attitude proclaims, "I've had enough, I've gone far enough, I've given way too much, and I'm not doing this anymore."

I noticed the Israelites wanted a break from their monotonous manna menu.

Sautéed or flambéed, the historical Tony-the-Tiger-like flakes were making the weary wayfarers hysterical. Day in, day out, the manna fell from heaven, and Mom served the same old sweet-tasting food. Why, the Israelites finally became so disgruntled they even wanted to backtrack to Egypt to chow down on smelly leeks and stinky onions. I guess they thought halitosis was better than one more helping of Mama's manna.

Then there was Sarah, wife of Abraham. Seems she was fed up with her servant girl Hagar and Hagar's son, Ishmael. This was the second blowup between Sarah and the hired help; only this time Sarah wanted a permanent break from the pair. (Ever felt that way about someone?) She wanted Hagar and Ishmael out of her face, her family, and her fortune. So Abraham complied with Sarah's wishes and sent the pair packing with only the barest of essentials: bread and water.

Speaking of water, I wonder during Noah's boat-building days if his wife ever needed a break from his constant ark involvement? Scripture doesn't tell us her reaction to those years, but I can imagine, if she was anything like us, that she too must have thought, "C'mon, enough is enough! Gimme a break." The desire for an intermission must have multiplied when they were actually bobbing atop mountain peaks with their rowdy cargo.

I watch young moms board airplanes (arks) toting babies and all the endless, yet necessary, paraphernalia (cargo), and I wonder how they do it. I do catch glimpses of their frayed nerves and exhaustion, and I sometimes see in their eyes neon signs that flash, "Gimme a break ... please!"

I'm not sure David said "please," but I do hear him plead frequently in the Psalms for a reprieve from his enemies. Check out Psalm 70:1, 5: "Hasten, O God, to save me; O Lord, come quickly to help me.... You are my help and my deliverer; O Lord, do not delay."

David needed a break now. He was pleading with the Lord of the universe to drop everything else he was doing and rescue him. Now is usually when I need my help as well. That's because I tend to let things - activities, demands, mail, dishes, bills, laundry, telephone messages, people's expectations - pile up until I'm howling for help and blubbering the blues.

Jonah was a fellow who sure understood blubbering. In fact, he was taking a sea sabbatical when he found himself encased in blubber. Jonah took a self-appointed break, and it almost broke him. Once on land again it wasn't long before he was back in blubber; this time it was his own, as he wailed and whined that life and people were so difficult he wanted a permanent break. As a matter of fact, he just wanted to die.

It's obvious that, as long as we can find a reflection in the mirror, we will long for a break. And that's not wrong. Many times it's imperative if we're to avoid breaking. But other times, when we reach the end of our strength, wisdom, and personal resources, we enter into the beginning of his glorious provisions. And that's a wondrous place to be.

* * *

Dear Lord, like a child with her mom, when I say now, I mean right now! Thank you for not always dropping everything in the universe and rushing to my rescue. Instead, you have allowed me to feel my neediness and experience my limitations so I will understand that it is you who will (eventually) save me. I don't want to refuse your perfect plan; I want to find refuge in you. Then I will have the stamina to make it to the end. Amen.

(Continues...)