I’d like to share some photographs with you as I begin my message. I recently went on a journey and I recorded what I saw:
- On my journey I saw the famous Hollywood sign:
- On my journey I saw some graffiti:
- On my journey I noticed a bulldozer:
- And on my journey I visited a toy store:
There’s nothing special about those photographs. Seems like my journey was pretty boring. But let’s take a second look. In each of these photos there is something significant we may have missed. There’s a person present. His name is Liu Bolin. He’s an Asian artist. And he’s become known for these series of photos called “Hiding.” Let’s take a second look at my journey:
Liu Bolin is hiding in plain sight. But some of us missed him on our first look. It was only when we took a second look that we finally saw him.
This morning we’re going to explore how that same thing happens on a much larger scale. Some of us miss something significant when we take a first look at our day. But if we learn to take a second look, we can see what we missed.
First, we’ll explore what some of us miss as we go through our day to day journey. Second, we’ll learn at a short practice that can help you take a second look at your daily journey to see what you may have missed. Eric and I are taking four Sundays to share brief practices that can help anyone grow spiritually. Today, I’ll be talking about a ten-minute practice that can help you take notice of very important things that are hiding in plain sight.
This morning we’re going to hear from a man named David. If you are not familiar with the Bible, you may still be familiar with David. Ever hear of David and Goliath? Ever hear of King David? Or, have you ever heard someone quote Psalm 23 (David wrote it), perhaps at a funeral—The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want …? That’s the David we’re going to listen to this morning. We’re spending time in a song David wrote called Psalm 139. That’s in the Old Testament, just after Job, just before Proverbs.
Before we listen, I want to point out one thing. David uses the word “way” near the beginning of his song-in vs. 3. And he uses the word “way” at the end of the song-in vs. 24. That word “way” refers to a path or a journey. David is picturing his life as a journey. And he’s going to tell us what he’s seen along that journey. David is able to see some things that we sometimes miss.
Let’s listen to the first part of David’s testimony:
1 O Lord, you have searched me and known me!
2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
you discern my thoughts from afar.
3 You search out my path and my lying down
and are acquainted with all my ways.
4 Even before a word is on my tongue,
behold, O Lord, you know it altogether.
5 You hem me in, behind and before,
and lay your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
it is high; I cannot attain it.
7 Where shall I go from your Spirit?
Or where shall I flee from your presence?
8 If I ascend to heaven, you are there!
If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!
9 If I take the wings of the morning
and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
10 even there your hand shall lead me,
and your right hand shall hold me.
11 If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me,
and the light about me be night,”
12 even the darkness is not dark to you;
the night is bright as the day,
for darkness is as light with you. (Psalm 139:1-12 ESV)
What did David see along his journey, that we sometimes miss? David saw God’s presence along his way. David took a photograph of himself sitting down (v. 2). And guess who’s in that picture with David? God is. Hiding in plain sight. David took another photograph of himself getting up (v. 2). And guess who’s in that picture with David? God is. When David was thinking a private thought, God was present (v3). When he was about to say something, God was present (v4). David has picture of himself in a heavenly and sacred place (v. 8). And guess who’s there with David? God is. He has another picture of himself in a dark and lonely place (v. 9). But guess who’s there with David? God is. Hiding in plain sight. No matter where David was, God was present. Every photograph had God in it. David saw that God was with him on his journey.
There’s another author, from more modern times, who’s written a very similar poem. His name is Francis Thompson. His poem is called “The Hound of Heaven.”[1] Thompson was born the son of a doctor in northern England. As he grew, he wanted to join the priesthood. But his health was too frail. His father wanted him to enter medical school, which he did. For six years he tried to make a go of it. But he failed the medical exam three times. He moved to London and started selling books. But he was unsuccessful. For a short time Thompson worked at a shoemaker’s store. Then he ended up homeless on the streets of London. For three years, he sold matches and begged. He fell into drugs and became addicted. He found shelter in public libraries, but was eventually banned because of his appearance. At one point, he attempted suicide. But he failed even at that.
Then in 1887 he sent some poems to an editor. The manuscript was soiled and dirty, reflecting the state of his life and soul. Surprisingly, some of the poems got published. The editor took Thompson under his wing and helped him kick the drugs and get back on his feet. Though Thompson never fully recovered physically, he went on to write and publish some highly regarded poems. His most famous poem was called “The Hound of Heaven.” The poem was Thompson’s way of looking back over his life, especially over the dark places-the failed medical school, the homelessness, the drugs, the frail heath, and all the despair. But as he took a second look at those dark times, he saw someone in the photographs with him. He saw God. He realized that God had been present through all of that journey. God had hounded him, pursued him, walked with him every step of the way.
What David wants you to know is that this Hound of Heaven is with you. This tireless God is in pursuit of you. What was true for Thompson is true for you. And what was true for David is true for you. Everywhere you go on your journey, God is present. Even when times are rough and days are dark, God is present. David wants you to know that you can see God’s presence on your way, if you’ll just take a second look. You can take a photograph of any moment in your life, last year, today, ten years from now. And if you look close enough you will find God.
When you brush your teeth, God is with you. When you change that diaper, God is with you. When you drop that college freshman off, God is with you. When you start your first class, God is with you. When you get that bad news from the doctor, God is with you. When you run onto that field or that court, God is with you. When you’re afraid and feel alone, God is with you. David wants you to know that it is possible to see and experience God’s presence in every moment of your life.
Let’s continue to listen to David’s testimony:
13 For you formed my inward parts;
you knitted me together in my mother’s womb.
14 I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
Wonderful are your works;
my soul knows it very well.
15 My frame was not hidden from you,
when I was being made in secret,
intricately woven in the depths of the earth.
16 Your eyes saw my unformed substance;
in your book were written, every one of them,
the days that were formed for me,
when as yet there was none of them.
17 How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!
How vast is the sum of them!
18 If I would count them, they are more than the sand.
I awake, and I am still with you. (Ps. 139:13-18 ESV)
What did David see along his journey? David saw God’s purpose on his way. David looked back and not only saw God’s presence. He saw God’s purpose unfolding in his life. David uses two images to make this point: art and literature.
First art…David reflects on how he came into existence. And he’s impressed by this stunning realization: he was no accident. David was not just the natural consequence of the birds and the bees. Instead, David sees that he was fearfully and wonderfully made (v. 14), knitted together, woven by God himself. David sees that he’s a wonderful creation of a wonderful creator. There was divine intention behind David coming into existence. David was made on purpose. David was made for a purpose. He was fearfully and wonderfully made, like a piece of art.
And what is true for David is true for you. You are not an accident. You are woven. Knit. Fearfully and wonderfully created. You are the artwork of the greatest artisan in the universe. And like any great masterpiece-Michelangelo’s “Pieta”; Da Vinci’s “Mona Lisa,” Van Gogh’s “Starry Night”-you were made on purpose. And you were made for a purpose. A master painter doesn’t just splash paint on a canvas or unthinkingly lop off a piece of marble. There is intention and design behind his work. The same is true for you. You were made on purpose. You were made for a purpose.
David uses a second image. He moves from art to literature. As he looks back on his journey, he sees that God wrote a book about him. That book told the story of his life. David sees that he is a character in a novel, and the author of that novel is God.
What is true for David is true for you. You are a character in the novel that God’s written about you. And just like any great novel-Bunyan’s “Pilgrim’s Progress”; Defoe’s “Robinson Crusoe”; Shelley’s “Frankenstein”; or Bronte’s “Wuthering Heights”-you were written into that novel on purpose. And you were written for a purpose. A master author doesn’t just throw a character into a story with no intent. Each character in a story has an important work to do and makes an important contribution to the plot. The same is true for you.
Just imagine it: God has the largest library in the world. Each book is the story of one person. And in that library, there is a book with your name on it. God has written something better than the best-selling book today, and you are the main character in that book. And in that book he’s written everything he’s dreaming for you. He’s written his hopes and aspirations for you. You can see God’s purpose on your way if you’ll just look. You can see God’s plans for you unfolding every day if you’ll just look.
Let’s finish David’s observations:
19 Oh that you would slay the wicked, O God!
O men of blood, depart from me!
20 They speak against you with malicious intent;
your enemies take your name in vain.
21 Do I not hate those who hate you, O Lord?
And do I not loathe those who rise up against you?
22 I hate them with complete hatred;
I count them my enemies.
23 Search me, O God, and know my heart!
Try me and know my thoughts!
24 And see if there be any grievous way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting! (Ps. 139:19-24 ESV)
If you haven’t read much of the Bible, you may be surprised to find language like this in the Bible. David’s asking God to slay the wicked! What’s up with that?
Here’s probably what’s happening…As David considers the road of his life, he looks outward. And he sees people who don’t seem to care about the two things he’s seen: the presence of God and the purpose of God. David finds people who don’t seem to want God’s presence and who seem to live their own purpose. And as he ponders this, he wants God to know that he wants something different. David wants God’s presence. David wants God’s purpose. And he uses strong language to talk about those who don’t.
No doubt the language is troubling. But it would be even more troubling David stopped there. But he doesn’t. David doesn’t just look out there. He starts looking in here-in his own life. And he realizes that there may be some elements of his journey that are out of step with God. So he asks God to help him see even that. He asks God to identify things in his journey that hurt God. And he asks God to lead him in the way everlasting. That’s not David saying, “Lead me to heaven.” He’s saying, “Lead me so that I continue to see your presence and fulfill your purpose.”
Deep down, I think that’s what most people want. They may not be in church. They may say the don’t really care. But I think deep down, most of us here this morning want those same two things. We want to be able to sense and see God’s presence with us. And we want to be able to live every day with a higher purpose.
But the question is “How?” Because we often miss what David was able to see. How can we take a second look at our lives so that we begin to see and appreciate God’s presence in our lives? How can we take second look so that we begin to fulfill the dreams and plans God has for our lives?
I want to share one practice that can help you do that. It’s called The Examen. It’s a 500 year old practice that people have used to see what David saw. The Examen makes us more aware of God’s presence and purpose on our way.
And the beautiful thing about the Examen is that it can be done, at least initially in about ten minutes. During the next four Sundays Eric and I want to share with you some spiritual practices that can be done in ten minutes. We know that people are busy. So we want to give you some practices that you can do in about ten minutes which can make a major difference in your life. The Examen is one of those.
And while there are varied ways of practicing the Examen, I want to point you to one way that’s been helpful to me. Each night before I go to sleep, I pray and think through the Examen as it’s been written out by a contemporary author named David Fleming.[1] It’s an exercise that’s divided into five little sections. Let me walk through them. We’ve printed this on the Link for you this morning.
God, thank you. I thank you, God, for always being with me, but especially I am grateful that you are with me right now. Just quietly pray those words. Then spend a few seconds in silence. Believe that God is with you in that very moment.
God, send your Holy Spirit upon me. God, let the Holy Spirit enlighten my mind and warm my heart that I may know where and how we have been together this day. Quietly pray these words and then spend a few more seconds in silence.
God, let me look at my day. God, where have I felt your presence, seen your face, heard your word this day? God, where have I ignored you, run from you, perhaps even rejected you this day? Quietly pray these words. Then, think back through the day, from the time you got up until now, with that first question in mind. Take a second look at your entire day, and see if you can identify times when you felt God’s presence, or saw God’s face, or heard a word from God—even if you missed it at that moment. But now, with a second look, you begin to see that face or hear that word. Then, think back through your day, from the time you got up until now, with that second question in mind. Take a second look at your entire day, and see if you can identify times when you seemed to stray from God’s purposes-ignoring God, or running from God, or even rejecting God. Sweeping back through your day with these two questions in mind lets you see more of God’s presence and become aware of more of God’s purposes for you.
God, let me be grateful and ask forgiveness. God, I thank you for the times this day we have been together and worked together. God, I am sorry for the ways that I have offended you by what I have done or what I did not do. Quietly pray these words and express gratitude for moments when God was present, even though at the moment you may have missed it. Express remorse for moments when you deviated from God’s purposes, even though at the moment you weren’t necessarily conscious of doing that.
God, stay close. God, I ask that you draw me ever closer to you this day and tomorrow. God, you are the God of my life—thank you. Quietly pray these words.
If you’ll practice this in about ten minutes each night, you’ll become more and more aware of God’s presence and purposes along your way.
The Examen (Ignatius/ Modern Paraphrase by David Fleming)
1) God, thank you. I thank you, God, for always being with me, but especially I am grateful that you are with me right now.
2) God, send your Holy Spirit upon me. God, let the Holy Spirit enlighten my mind and warm my heart that I may know where and how we have been together this day.
3) God, let me look at my day. God, where have I felt your presence, seen your face, heard your word this day? God, where have I ignored you, run from you, perhaps even rejected you this day?
4) God, let me be grateful and ask forgiveness. God, I thank you for the times this day we have been together and worked together. God, I am sorry for the ways that I have offended you by what I have done or what I did not do.
5) God, stay close. God, I ask that you draw me ever closer to you this day and tomorrow. God, you are the God of my life—thank you.
