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Cause Me to Hear Thy Lovingkindness in the Morning
Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee.
Psalm 143:8
The phrase “Cause me to hear Thy lovingkindness in the morning” reminded me of strawberry fields. The summer before I entered high school, my siblings and I worked, along with many other kids, picking strawberries in the strawberry fields in Washington State. Every morning before daybreak, a bus came by our house to pick us up and returned us in the afternoon. It was hard work bending over and filling those flats full of strawberries. After the kids and migrants had picked all the strawberries, we moved on to the raspberry fields.
I was thirteen years old, and other than babysitting, it was my first job. Boy, was it hard work. I made $242.00 that year picking fruit and spent every bit of it on new clothes for school. Even today, I can remember the outfits I bought that summer, and I can remember the clothes they replaced. I can remember it so well because I had been wearing my brother’s hand-me-downs. I came away with a great appreciation for how much clothes cost and the pride that comes from working hard for something.
But I came away with a greater appreciation for those who work in such an environment as strawberry fields. And especially the migrant workers that arrived each year and worked in the adjacent fields. They worked much longer hours and were housed together in meager temporary shelters while all of us children returned to our more comfortable homes.
After that summer, I despised the smell and taste of strawberries. But then, one day, about 30 years later – I suddenly wanted a strawberry again.
Teach Me to Do Thy Will
Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness.
Psalm 143:10
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The Man of God is Come Hither
And Elisha came to Damascus; and Ben-hadad the king of Syria was sick; and it was told him, saying, The man of God is come hither. And the king said unto Hazael, Take a present in thine hand, and go, meet the man of God, and inquire of the LORD by him, saying, Shall I recover of this disease?
So Hazael went to meet him, and took a present with him, even of every good thing of Damascus, forty camels’ burden, and came and stood before him, and said, Thy son Ben-hadad king of Syria hath sent me to thee, saying, Shall I recover of this disease?
And Elisha said unto him, Go, say unto him, Thou mayest certainly recover: howbeit the LORD hath shewed me that he shall surely die. And he settled his countenance stedfastly, until he was ashamed: and the man of God wept. And Hazael said, Why weepeth my lord? And he answered, Because I know the evil that thou wilt do unto the children of Israel: their strong holds wilt thou set on fire, and their young men wilt thou slay with the sword, and wilt dash their children, and rip up their women with child.
And Hazael said, But what, is thy servant a dog, that he should do this great thing? And Elisha answered, The LORD hath shewed me that thou shalt be king over Syria.
So he departed from Elisha, and came to his master; who said to him, What said Elisha to thee? And he answered, He told me that thou shouldest surely recover. And it came to pass on the morrow, that he took a thick cloth, and dipped it in water, and spread it on his face, so that he died: and Hazael reigned in his stead.
2 Kings 8:7-15
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A Certain Damsel Possess with a Spirit of Divination
And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying: The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation. And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour.
Acts 16:16-18
The Multitude Rose Up Against Paul and Silas
And when her masters saw that the hope of their gains was gone, they caught Paul and Silas, and drew them into the marketplace unto the rulers, and brought them to the magistrates, saying, These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city, and teach customs, which are not lawful for us to receive, neither to observe, being Romans. And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat them. And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely: who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks.
Acts 16:19-24
At Midnight Paul and Silas Prayed and Sang Praises
And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed. And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled. But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here. Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, and brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway. And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house.
Acts 16:25-34
Let Them Come Themselves and Fetch Us Out
And when it was day, the magistrates sent the serjeants, saying, Let those men go. And the keeper of the prison told this saying to Paul, The magistrates have sent to let you go: now therefore depart, and go in peace. But Paul said unto them, They have beaten us openly uncondemned, being Romans, and have cast us into prison; and now do they thrust us out privily? nay verily; but let them come themselves and fetch us out. And the serjeants told these words unto the magistrates: and they feared, when they heard that they were Romans. And they came and besought them, and brought them out, and desired them to depart out of the city. And they went out of the prison, and entered into the house of Lydia: and when they had seen the brethren, they comforted them, and departed.
Acts 16:35-40
Because Paul and Silas were beaten and thrown in prison openly, having done no crime, when the magistrates told the keeper to set them free, Paul and Silas refused to go. They said no, let them release us themselves.
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To Punish the Just is Not Good
Also to punish the just is not good, nor to strike princes for equity. Proverbs 17:26
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My Prayer
Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee.
Psalm 143:8
