“I cry aloud to the Lord; I lift up my voice to the Lord for mercy. I pour out before Him my complaint; before Him I tell my trouble.” (Psalm 142:1-2 NIV)
Rob’s preaching on rejection today, and I can’t help but wish we weren’t so practiced. A few weeks ago, I realized how the past five years have included rejection after rejection. Most everyone hates rejection, but as an enneagram type 2; it’s a core fear for me. And yet, the Lord has lovingly led me through each and every exclusion. While people continue to be fickle, God is faithful.
This morning’s psalm actually has a qualifier: A maskil of David. When he was in the cave. A prayer. I remember this story. David had battled Goliath on King Saul’s behalf. Like literally, it was Saul’s job to protect his nation but he sent a kid to do it. David defeated the giant and his popularity exploded. He married Saul’s daughter as a prize. He had been welcomed into the palace, had even sang songs for his king to soothe his headaches. He was accepted as part of the family until one day, he wasn’t. King Saul suffered some sort of breakdown, and suddenly, this dear boy became public enemy number one in the king’s mind. Saul became consumed with jealousy and paranoia, he began hunting David as one would hunt a wild animal. His madness drove David from his family and friends and even his wife. When we read of David in a cave writing a psalm it’s because he was hiding from his raging King who had vowed to kill him.
And yet, look at David’s words of hope. Even in the angst of ugliest rejection, he acknowledged the nearness and supremacy of God. He claimed God to be his portion, and that to be enough.
Remarkably, my daily reading in Numbers 16 featured rejection, also. Dear old Moses was dealing with an uprising. Korah believed he would be a better leader for God’s people, so he staged a coup. Moses’ reaction to such deep rejection is prescriptive for very leader facing insurrection: he fell on his face before the Lord. And when he rises, he sets up a scenario for God to sort the whole thing out.
Jesus, too, experienced rejection. My nine-month journey through Mark made that abundantly clear. Jesus was doing things exactly according to His Father’s will, but still, the religious authorities, His immediate family and even one of His closest companions all rejected Him at some point in His story.
It seems that following God’s will fully will inevitably yield consequences with others. Living for God puts us at odds with people living for themselves. David and Moses and Jesus made it abundantly clear: the approval of God is of far greater importance then the approval of man. We must spend ourselves on Him. We live and speak and act in obedience to His Word and His leading and we trust Him as our refuge when our absolute allegiance triggers rejection from others.
Additionally, what we do with rejection matters. Will we compromise and placate? Or will we run to God with our sorrow? Each of these men ran to the Father with their wounding. They found solace in the power and presence of a compassionate God. And He carried them through. The same will be true for you and I when we experience the laceration of rejection. We can run to the refuge of God and find all that we require in Him.
“So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it.” (2 Corinthians 5:9 NIV)
Lord, we dislike rejection. It always feels personal and it’s often devastating. Today we realize it is inevitable as we learn to live fully for You. Help us respond rightly when we experience an excommunication. Call us into Your refuge. Meet us with more of Yourself. Help us to refuse to hold a grudge, forgiving quickly and completely that we might continue to live rightly with You and clear he pat for restoration of relationship with others. Thank You for receiving us in all circumstances: loving us whole again. May we cooperate with Your Spirit and so fulfill Your perfect will. Amen.