Word for Word

by Rev. Tom Buresh

My family and/or I have had many exciting things happen recently and I would like to mention two of them. My wife, Connie, and I recently returned from a two-week trip to Norway with “The Luren Singers” as we sang in five concerts across Norway. Of course trying to sleep at night with a seven-hour time change, not to mention it never really gets dark at night, is a challenge. The second exciting thing that has happened recently is that I now have in my hand my “Medicare Card!” It is hard to believe that I am that age but I guess I am officially “old.”
What both of those events have in common is sleep – or lack of it. Many people as they get older have trouble getting a good night’s sleep. If so, what choices do they have? They can lay there and think about what happened that day or plan what they are going to do tomorrow. They can get up and have a warm glass of milk and maybe read a book for awhile until they get tired. Or, they can do what the author of Psalm 145 does: count the wonderful works of God.
Psalm 145 starts with these words, “I will extol you, my God and King, and bless your name forever and ever.” The verses then continue as an acrostic poem. That is, each line begins with the next letter of the Hebrew alphabet. For us this means the biblical writer finds some reason to glorify God from A to Z. We read in some of the verses about creation’s splendor, awesome deeds, and God being gracious and merciful.  
In a way, this is making a statement of faith, a proclamation that God is worth praising and worth following. We may think about this psalm being sung at worship but how about silently reciting in the dead of night when you can’t sleep? Or better yet, how about making up your own list of God’s wonderful works? And just maybe in so doing you will feel such a sense of calm your tension will be relaxed.  And, better yet, you hopefully will drift off to sleep knowing that God will provide another day for you to enjoy the life you have been given.
Yep, from A to Z - I can hear the wheels already turning.  
Enjoy the rest of your summer and God Bless!