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Chapter 5: Awake Trivia

“Awake my soul.” (Psalm 57:8)

The inscription at the beginning of Psalm 57 reads, “Of David. A miktam. When he had fled from Saul into the cave.”

The meaning of the term miktam is disputed. Some definitions suggest that it is a musical notation or a title for a psalm connected with expiation of sin.

You may remember reading about that since we discussed that term in the book. Here’s something interesting--check this out--according to the inscription, David wrote this while he was in a cave!  A cave?  Which cave?  Why a cave?   When was he in a cave fleeing from Saul?  Scholars believe this psalm likely refers to the story found in I Samuel 24.   

In that story, King Saul went into a cave to relieve himself, not knowing that David and his men were hiding deep within the dark cavern.   While both men were in the cave, David snuck up behind the unsuspecting Saul and cut off a piece of his robe! When Saul finished his business and left the cave, David (who had already secretly left the cave) called to him and showed him the piece of cloth. David used the bit of fabric to remind a startled and surprised King Saul that David was a man of good character.  After all, if David was close enough to cut off the king’s hemline, he was close enough to cut off the king’s head! 

Fabric in hand, David pled his case.  He longed to show King Saul that the king misunderstood David’s intentions.  David also vowed not to bring harm to Saul. David asked of Saul, "Against whom has the king of Israel come out? Whom are you pursuing? A dead dog? A flea? May the LORD be our judge and decide between us. May He consider my cause and uphold it; may He vindicate me by delivering me from your hand." (I Sam. 24:14, 15) Saul temporarily relented from his pursuit of David and went so far as to acknowledge that David would one day be established as king. Hmmm…interesting.   

Just for your information, I Samuel 22:1; II Samuel 23:13; and I Chronicles 11:15 all refer to David taking refuge in the cave of Adullam. This seems to be a sort of “base of operations” for David, even after he was crowned king.

So, here’s some take-away—if you ever find yourself in a cave, don’t become a “victim,” offer up a “miktam!”  Okay, I know that was corny!

Just a little” awake” trivia!

Chapter 5: How to Keep A Clean Soul

Part of the way you tell your soul to “tune in” is by becoming spiritually alert. When your soul is truly “awake,” you become aware of the grit and grime that can accumulate in your soul.

So in order to keep a clean soul, engage in the discipline of confession. Confession is a liberating and loving experience you can have with God. Follow the four C’s to begin:

1. Be candid: Tell God the truth about yourself, your struggles, and your sin. He already knows, but verbalizing the truth helps you to know yourself and your need for God.

2.  Be concise: Don’t just throw vague platitudes to God like ”forgive me where I’ve fallen short.” Instead, name your sin. Be concise. Is it lust?  Then say so. Is it anger? Say so. Is it pride? Tell God. This will help you claim your sin rather than decorate it and dismiss it with some spiritual sound bites.

3. Be complete: There have been many times when I’ve entered into confession with God, and I have not acknowledged the whole truth. To me, partial truth is not very different from a lie. Be complete when you confess your sin to God. You can’t surprise Him, and you can trust Him. Confess the struggle, confess the temptation, confess the fear you feel about repeating the sin. To confess means to agree with God. Don’t call something “gray” that God calls “black.” He knows the difference, and when you genuinely and completely confess, you acknowledge that you know, also.

4. Be contrite: That means be sorry, apologetic, repentant, and regretful. When we truly glimpse the ugliness of our sin, we can’t help but be regretful. It hurts us, it hurts others, and it hurts God. It’s healthy to feel regret over your sin, because your contrition is attractive to God--it leads to release from the bonds of guilt.

The 3C’s to Avoid:

1. Casual:   A flippant attitude about sin is offensive to God. Sin is so serious that Jesus died to save you from it. Don’t take lightly what cost Jesus His Life.

2. Cocky: The opposite of contrition is pridefulness. Always remember, you don’t deserve forgiveness. There is no place for pride in the heart of one who humbly recognizes their need for God.

3. Condemning: It is not healthy to live in daily, constant, condemning regret over your past sin. When you have confessed your sin, God is faithful to forgive you of your sin. (1 John 1:9) That means He does not condemn you. Don’t condemn yourself. Since God removes your sin as far as the east is from the west and remembers it no more, you don’t need to hold on to it, either!

The most important C I want you to remember is Cleansing! Yes, if you confess your sin, God is faithful and just to forgive you of your sin and to CLEANSE you of all…ALL…not just some…ALL unrighteousness.  So, tell God your sin, agree with Him that it is ugly, ask Him to forgive you, trust Him to help you walk from the sin, and then thank Him for the cleansing! Whoo!  Hoo! He whom the Son sets free is free indeed! (John 8:36)

Chapter 5: Adventures in Oven Cleaning

In Chapter Five, I tell the story about my oven-cleaning habits. After moving into my new home with its spotless oven, I ended every cooking excursion by lifting the coils to wipe them clean. I removed the pans and cleaned beneath them every time! I was just so happy that it was clean, and I wanted to keep it that way forever! I didn’t ever want that vintage, pristine stovetop to end up like the burnt and encrusted stoves of my past.

Well, there’s a moral to this story, and hopefully you’ve realized that the reason I’m ranting and raving about cook tops has little to do with kitchen grime. The point is that it’s easier to keep something clean when you tend to it daily.  So far, I've given you some tips on keeping your thought closet tidy. Now, for fun, here is an article about cleaning your oven!

Adventures in Oven Cleaning
By Becky Williams

We humans sometimes have odd relationships with our ovens. On one hand, we love the ROI (return on investment) that we receive. Lumpy batter becomes yummy cake, raw meat becomes tender roast beef, and soupy mixtures become sumptuous casseroles. However, on the other hand, we hate to accept the task of maintaining our hard-working ovens. So we open the door quickly, shove the pan inside, and slam the door so that we don’t have to see the gunk and grime of last year’s sweet potato casserole crusted into crisp carcinogens on the lining of our oven.

Don’t let that crusty interior haunt your cooking!  If you decide to join the ranks of those who refuse to tolerate the chunky, crunchy interior of their oven or the gunky goo that lies just an inch beneath their top burners, then break out the cleaning supplies. It’s time to bring those yellow rubber gloves back into style.

As always, read your owner’s manual first to find out the best mode of cleaning. If you have a self-cleaning oven or a continuous cleaning oven, then follow each one’s respective cleaning process. For regular oven types, here are three simple steps to cleaning:

Step One: Remove the racks from the oven and soak them in hot, soapy water for about twenty minutes. (If the racks are crusted into place by Aunt Fern’s baked beans, then have your husband help pull them out.) The grime should scrub away easily after this, but if some of the scum is stubborn, continue to soak.

Step Two: While the racks are soaking, spray down the inside of the oven with your oven cleaner, and then heat for thirty minutes at 200 degrees Fahrenheit. During your wait, allow yourself to dance like David did before the Lord, singing songs of praise as you say goodbye to grease-splattered growths on your oven burners. (Have more time? Get a good night’s sleep while your oven cleaner soaks inside the oven and then wipe down in the morning.)

Step Three: Attack! After allowing your oven to cool, snap on those yellow gloves and use a sponge soaked in warm, soapy water to clean out the inside. Although the cleaning should be fairly easy, you may have to put your elbow into some scrubbing if the sweet potato pie refuses to give up without a fight.

Be sure to wipe down carefully. Don’t skimp on the finishing touches simply because your arms feel tired. You’ll feel even worse if your next green bean casserole taste strongly like the industrial oven cleaner you left behind.

At for the top of the oven, use hot, soapy water to soak the food around the burners. Sponges and scrub brushes work well, but an old toothbrush get to the cracks that not even nimble fingers can reach.

Did you remember to clean:
The crooks and crannies?
The oven door?
The seal around the oven door?

To prevent messy ovens in the future, try these easy tips:
- Line your oven’s base with foil, but don’t allow it to touch the burners. (Foil will catch on fire.)
- Place your casseroles and pies on foil-lined cookie sheets that will catch any leaks and overflows.

After you clean your oven, no matter how messy it was this time, rejoice in the fact that from now on maintaining its cleanliness will be much easier … Now, go bake your rhubarb pie in confidence!