Why "St. Cuthbert's Island"?

Saint Cuthbert was a Celtic monk who lived in the 7th century.
He received visitors at his monastery in Northumbria and was even appointed a bishop, but he yearned for the life of an ascetic. While living at the monastery on the island of Lindisfarne, he sought to spend time with the Lord whenever possible. Early on, he practiced solitude on a small island that was linked to Lindisfarne by a land bridge when the tide was low. This tiny island, known as Saint Cuthbert’s Island, was a training ground of sorts—a place to grow in faith and in love for God.

I chose to name my blog after this island for two reasons:
1) I hope that it will be a place where I can spend time alone with God, growing in my love for Him.
2) Perhaps, when the tide is low, others may find their way to this tiny island
and, by God’s grace, be blessed by what they find there.

Thursday, September 13, 2007

Psalm 120

Psalm 120, the first of the 15 Songs of Ascents, is a song of pilgrimage. The psalmist complains because of the wickedness of his surroundings. He bemoans the lying lips, the deceitful tongues, and the bent for war that seem to assail him from every side. His lament, "Woe to me that I dwell" (among such) is a lament of pilgrimage. The author has realized that he is out of sync with the status quo. He is a stranger on this earth. Just as Jesus came to His own and was rejected by them, so too the psalmist is maligned and persecuted for his righteous stance.

This realization is the first step on the road to heaven. The psalmist perceives the sin and turns his back on the empty way of life from which he was redeemed. He is now swimming against the stream, traveling on the narrow way. It is not an easy path to travel, but the Spirit strengthens, the Father blesses and guides, and the Son walks with us along the way.

It is impossible not to be influenced by our surroundings unless we deliberately renew our minds and abide in the will of the Father. May this psalm remind us to resist conformity with the world and to turn our face toward our eternal Home. May we cry out to the Lord, for He will answer.
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2 comments:

connie said...

Clay,
I was curious about your blog, so I took a look. I enjoyed reading what you have written, though it may be a bit too academic for me! I was interested in what you said about the psalmist being uncomfortable, a stranger on this earth. I began to come to a realization of this feeling about 2 years ago when I went to a Beth Moore conference in Lexington. She talked about how our discomfort and disappointment with many of our human experiences stem from the fact that we were made for eternity. Our true natures are made uncomfortable by the confines of our existence in the world. Somehow this helped me understand many of my own frustrations with life.
I enjoy working with you...you enrich my days. Thanks.

September 14, 2007 at 11:11 PM
T. Michael W. Halcomb said...

clay,
just wanted to check up on ya man, how you doin'? thought i might treat ya to a piss sometime! :)

September 24, 2007 at 7:00 PM

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