It’s twelve past two in the morning. I have spent the last two hours listening to the rain tap out its tune on the roof of our cottage; sleep has eluded me so far.  Being the impatient guy that I am I’ve decided to change my strategy.  Instead of trying to catch shuteye, I’m playing hard to get while reading at my coffee table.  I reckon eventually sleep will come to find me; meanwhile the candlelight mixed with the hum from my refrigerator makes for some good cozy time with the Lord.

My reading time has been really good, I’m just visiting with Psalm 16 as I wait for my pillow to call me away for the night.

As I spend more time with 16 I find it really warming.  I just realized it’s called “A Michtam of David.”  I decided to look up what Michtam means in the Hebrew and found out its translated, “hidden” and/or “golden”.  Seems like a funny intro when you think about it, “The Hidden Golden of David”… it makes me consider my Michtam moments where I feel a bit hidden, where my present state doesn’t at all seem golden.  I wonder if God perhaps designs a Michtam or two in my life just to preserve and produce in me the “Golden” bits of His character.  Everybody knows when the daylight is here so too is the business and hustle, yet it seems when the “night seasons” overtake us we are forced to be still, to listen to His instruction a bit keener, to feel around for something solid.

Upon some more study it looks like the content of this chapter is applied to someone more than just David himself.  Both Peter and Paul quoted this Psalm when speaking of Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection (Acts 2:25-28, Acts 13:35).  I imagine Jesus left the upper room just after finishing the meal with His disciples.  Stealing away in the night He makes His way through town and out towards Gethsemane.  Yet because it was in fact the night on which He’d be betrayed and several hours later He would be tortured for our sins the Michtam moment was obviously heavy and lonely.  That very same night through sweat and blood we’re told that Jesus prayed, “Father, if it be possible, take this cup of suffering which is about to be poured out on me.  Nevertheless, not my will but Thine be done.”

The anguish of that moment ushered in a precious reward for all of us.  This puts my Michtam in perspective; my seemingly long and heavy nights often will produce a golden result proving God’s glory and benefiting many people.  May we be encouraged to be still and trust that all things will work together for good even when it seems God has us hidden.

Well, I hear my pillow calling for me, seems like sleep has finally come around.

God bless you all!

-Dan