Bret Hammond

My ears perked up yesterday as I heard the unfamiliar phrase "Post-Traumatic Growth."

"That's not right," I thought. "They mean 'Post-Traumatic STRESS,' right?" Our painful and traumatic experiences leave us overwhelmed and weakened, living with the stresses we'll carry for the rest of our lives. That's all I've ever heard about, anyway.

But no—there is the possibility for greater blessings ahead! While we often focus on the pain and stress from trauma, the growth potential is even more significant than the potential for stress. Trauma specialist and counselor Kobe Campbell has found that on the other side of healing from trauma, one can find a life of personal strength, closer relationships, a greater appreciation for life, new possibilities, and spiritual development.

Psalm 13 is a testimony to the possibility of post-traumatic growth. It begins as a lament, crying out to God over the disappointment and unfairness of life. But it ends in a place of love, salvation, and grace. In the middle, David decided to trust God, the same choice we can make.

You've probably heard the old joke before. "How do you know when a politician is lying?" The answer is, "His lips are moving."

Psalm 12 seems to be written to point fingers at political figures. Verse 3 speaks of "flattering lips" and "tongues that make great boasts." In verse 4, they stand defiant to God's judgment, saying, "With our tongue we will prevail, our lips are with us; who is master over us?" Lips are definitely moving here!

But, a closer look at verse 2 reveals the psalm is not addressing your least favorite politician. That verse declares, "EVERYONE utters lies to his neighbor." The key word is "everyone." Psalm 12 is our own indictment; our character has been compromised, and our neighbors—the ones we're commanded to love as we love ourselves—suffer. Is there any hope for them? For us?

Paradise is burning. The news and images of the wildfires on Maui have been heartbreaking. This morning's news brought the death toll up to 93. A place renowned for its peace and beauty is experiencing loss and fear that I cannot begin to comprehend. Let's all pray for Maui.

It was startling to read how, as the fires overtook the community of Lahaina, around one hundred people sought refuge in the ocean to escape the fires and smoke, requiring their rescue by the Coast Guard. Refuge is often found in the most desperate places.

In Psalm 11:1, David declares, "In the Lord I take refuge." He found peace and safety in the presence of God while his world was burning. But even from his place of refuge, voices were taunting him to abandon the safety he found in God. Those same voices still taunt us to abandon our faith and return to the chaos of the fire and flood around us.

In Psalm 11, we'll find our refuge in the strength of God's presence, just as David did. In this message, Brenda Buell will share a story about a friend who found refuge in the Lord during a moment of fear. After worship, stick around for food, fellowship, and a visit with Brenda.

My son Connor loves music, and he's got some great taste in the songs he plays on his iPad. The only problem is he stops songs before they're over. "Click!" They're done when he's done! Sometimes he moves on to the next one; other times, he starts the song over again, never letting it finish.

This drives Daddy nuts (no worries, it's a short trip). I need a song to resolve, come to its conclusion, and wrap up as the artist intended. DJ Connor has no such need, though. He could listen to the scales on a piano, "Doe, Ray, Me, Fa, So, La, Tea ..." and be perfectly happy leaving it hanging.

"DOE, Connor! It has to end with DOE!!!!"

Connor would love Psalm 9. It's notorious for not having an ending. It just stops! Even worse, the questions that inspired David to write this song just hang there. "Why is there no justice in the world?" "Why does evil seem to thrive?" "Where is God while his people are hurting?" David asks his questions, but no answer comes back in return. Well, at least not in Psalm 9, anyway.

In this message, we'll go to Psalm 9 and hear the questions we've all asked of God. We'll let David lead us to the one who doesn't always offer answers but always offers himself.

The image on the thumbnail of this message is the result of focusing a telescope for over twelve hours on an area of space no bigger than a grain of sand held at arm’s length. This “deep field image” revealed that even the blackness of space is filled with creation. Those stars aren’t stars—they’re galaxies! The warps and swirls are caused by intense gravitational forces so strong they are actually bending light. The whole image is a peek into the distant past. The light you’re seeing is an astonishing 4.6 BILLION years old!

That image is from the James Webb Space Telescope, which allows us to peer deeper into those heavens than ever before. I find myself humbled and overwhelmed with the thought that, though these beautiful images have been present in the skies since long before recorded history, you and I are privileged to be the first generation to see them. I can’t help but find my soul drawn to Psalm 8:1, “Oh LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens.”

And, because I’m from Kansas, Illinois, when I see the James Webb Space Telescope images, I can’t help but think of our dear friend of the same name—better known to us as Jim Webb. While the mirrors of the space telescope reflect the lights of the sky, Jim had a beautiful way of reflecting the light of Jesus. In his humility and compassionate spirit, Jim demonstrated the love of God for everyone he encountered. I think about his character, and I cannot help but find my soul drawn to Psalm 8:3-4, “When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?”

I share King David’s awe as I realize we don’t find the culmination of God’s creation in the wonders of the heavens but in the wonder of humanity that bears his image. I need a James Webb Space Telescope to show me the expanse of God’s creation. I need a Jim Webb to show me the expanse of His love.

"Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never harm me." We learned that one on the playground, and we learned it isn't true. Even the Bible declares it false! Proverbs 12:18 warns, "Thoughtless words can wound as deeply as any sword." Ephesians 4:31 instructs, "Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice." Words hurt.

We've all been on the receiving end of careless words that have cut us, and for too many of us, the words weren't careless; they were carefully calculated to wound us deeply.

Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can break my heart.

David wrote Psalm 7 in response to wounding words. In verse 2, he laments that these words have torn his soul apart, "rending it in pieces, with none to deliver." Rather than stew about them or wonder how he could say something back equally as cutting, David turns it over to God and pours out his hurt in the Psalm. I don't think we can hear Psalm 7 without hearing something of the wounds we've received, perhaps even the wounds we've inflicted on each other. But we also hear the promise of the righteous God who knows our wounds as deeply as we do.

Did you celebrate the great American holiday last week? I'm speaking of Prime Day, of course. I managed to snag a few deals through Amazon; a gift for my daughter's birthday, some shirts for Connor, and a replacement for a recently broken kitchen gadget (that I promise I won't break again). The deals were too good to pass up. Then I went to my order page to see how soon they would ship and found myself asking, "How Long?!?!"

Apologies to Erik, our awesome UPS guy, but what's the holdup, buddy?!?! 😉

My impatience can get the best of me at times. It's alright when I'm waiting on a delivery. It's much worse when I'm waiting on deliverance—that is, God's rescue from difficult circumstances or heartbreak. In those moments, the question, "How long?" takes on a much different tone.

How long until I'm healed?

How long until I come out of this funk of depression?

How long will it take for life to feel normal again?

Maybe you've found yourself asking that kind of "How long?" question. That's where David finds himself in Psalm 6. In verse 3, he cries out with his question. "My soul also is greatly troubled. But you, O Lord—how long?"

I wish I could tell you Psalm 6 provides an answer to the question, but it doesn't. What we do find in the Psalm is company; you're not the only one who has asked that question while scraping and trying to hold on. You're not alone. That realization itself can be the start of the answer we cry out for.

I've heard there are two kinds of people in the world. Some wake up and say, "Good morning, Lord!" And then some wake up and say, "Good Lord, it's morning!"

I know which kind I am. Which kind are you?

It might surprise you that King David appears to have occasionally been with us in the latter option. Psalm 5, a morning prayer penned by David, begins with the words, "Give ear to my words, O Lord; consider my groanings." If you begin your day with groanings, you're in good company with at least one man after God's own heart!

But David knew he had a choice. He could give in to his groaning and fill his day with bitterness or align his heart with the Lord and find blessings. Of course, we're faced with the same choices this morning and every morning.

In this message, we join David in his morning prayer and find the source of blessings that he found.

Did you say your prayers before bed last night? In "A Light in the Attic," Shel Silverstein offers his own skewed view on bedtime prayers, offering one that is honest, hilarious, and a little demented (as only Silverstein can do):

Now I lay me down to sleep,

I pray the Lord my soul to keep,

And if I die before I wake,

I pray the Lord my toys will break.

So none of the other kids can use 'em….Amen.

I'm amused at the candid selfishness in Silverstein's prayer. It feels a little too familiar. "If I can't have fun, no one should have fun!" In Psalm 4, David offers a more redemptive approach to bedtime prayers, calling us to ponder our anger, place our trust in God, and find the peace for sleep that only God can supply.

Psalm 4 offers solace and strength as the evening sun dips below the horizon. "Now I lay me down to sleep" becomes "In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety" (verse 8). God neither breaks our toys nor our hearts. He meets our anxiety with his presence.

I attended a small concert Thursday evening to hear my favorite band, Dawes. Just about everyone there was a longtime fan, like myself. We all knew their songs well and anticipated that they would play our favorites.

Three songs into their set, a very familiar guitar riff started. The entire audience was instantly on their feet. I, for one, let out a "WOOOOO!" (I confess, I'm one of those people who yells "WOOOOO!" at concerts). When the band hit the chorus, every last one of us sang along, fists pumping in the air.

It was our fight song.

This was a diverse crowd—young and old (I'm pleased to say I was NOT the oldest person at this concert), different races, identities, challenges, and sensitivities (one man was practically in tears when I told him how much Connor loves the band). To an outsider, we appeared to be a random collection of strangers. Still, when our song played, we were one, shouting out the chorus together.

That's what the Psalms do for us; they unite us in songs that speak to our joys, sorrows, hurts, and hopes. Sometimes they even give us a fight song.

Today we turn to Psalm 3, the first psalm with a complaint (but not the last). David's foes have him running, and their number seems to be growing. Where can he turn for the deliverance he needs from his enemies?

David needs a fight song. Thankfully he finds one and shares it with us!