You're Looking A Little Tired Over There...

Rest.
Stop.
Be still.
The sons of Korah, speaking through the inspiration of the Spirit, write in Psalm 46:10,
"Be still and know that I am God. I will be exalted. I will be exalted in Israel."
How well do we know God?
And the God that we claim to know, do we know that He is God?
What does this mean? Are you moved in your soul by your thoughts of who and what God is? Do you find yourself shrinking as the shadow He casts engulfs you more each moment, as you come to know just how massive and AWE-ful He is? It is no small deed that He at the very least CREATED YOU, is it?!
In another translation of the verse, the word "Stop" is used in place of "Be still." Literally God is telling His creation to "STOP!" "HALT!" "DON'T TAKE ANOTHER STEP UNTIL YOU CAN UNDERSTAND WHO I AM!" This is so counter to our American "Go-Fast" lives. Do we even know how to stop? Half the time we can't even obey the stop signs (have you ever pulled off the infamous "rolling stop?") while driving. Stopping is simply a waste of time.
Jesus modeled this verse many times to his onlookers. He would steal away for time alone with his Father. He would ditch the crowds and his disciples and hang out in the desert or in a grove of trees and simply be...
with his Maker.
The God who made His dwelling among us, modeled time spent with Himself to show us how important it is to "get away" from the pressures and cares and live a life knowing... well... Him. This can only happen when we pull away for a time. When we are still. When we stop. Jesus was showing us that it was not a waste of time, if the time is spent focusing on the One who made all of this for us.

And honestly, in my opinion, you could use the break.

You're looking a little tired over there.

I know I'm tired.

You must be exhausted!

Why not take a little time and just be still.

It truly can happen anywhere. I'm finding a few moments of rest while I stand next to a conveyor belt and box bottles of salad dressing. Good thing ear plugs were invented! I have begun to use moments while working to think hard about Papa, God. To get lost in thoughts of who and what He is. As it has happened, my world is drastically changed.
Throughout the Word, God wants to be known. He is making Himself known in many different ways and at different stages along the way, so as to allow no man excuse not to know Him. He was very personal with Adam and Eve -- walking and talking with them in the Garden. He made Himself very clearly known to Abraham and Sarah. He showed His power over and over to the Israelites, even going before them as a pillar of fire. He walked before Moses, allowing Him to see only His backside. He put literal words into the mouths of His prophets, so as to make His people know Him more and believe in Him.

Then...

Something happened which had not happened perhaps since the beginning of time...

He walked the earth as a man.

He wanted man to see who He was and what He was about. They had gotten so distracted and lost in the world He made for them that they forget to know Him. They forgot to revere Him. So He came. And walked. And talked. And ate. And drank. And peed. And breathed. And slept. And grew weary. He even felt pain. Intense pain. Searing pain. Pain so great that He asked His Father to take away the cup meant only for Him (meaning the business of being hung on two wooden logs, in place of our failings). He did all this that we might look to His Father, to Himself, and know that He is God alone. To rest in Him. To be still and know that He is God alone. To exalt His name above all other jumbles of words. To know. And to know in stopping. To know in being still with Him.
I am about to kill two birds with one stone, as the cliche says. I am going to send out a challenge. This challenge will be for you. And this challenge will be for me as well. I challenge us to stop. To slow down. To be still today! To step outside your current life for a moment, with all the hustle and bustle, and seek Him in the quiet. Close your eyes maybe. Keep them open if you're worried about falling asleep. Stare at the wall. Read your Bible. Look over creation all around you. But whatever you do, whatever I do, let us think on Him. For no better time spent than to spend it on the one who created time. See what happens. Do this over the course of many days, weeks, months. It will take time to reteach yourself how to stop. To not think about work. To not think about the kids or your spouse. To not think about the bills piling up on the kitchen table. Stop those thoughts for a little while. And dwell... solely... on... HIM! I'll say it once more -- see what happens.
Be still.
Stop.
Rest.

Little One

Dear Little One,

Let me begin by welcoming you to a whole new world. The one you just left was warm, safe, small, and all about you. All of that is about to change. You will be cold. You don't just get food anytime you need it anymore. You'll have to get someone's attention if you want any of that now. Same if you get thirsty. Don't expect a quick drink anytime you want one. You'll have to let someone know you're feeling parched. Don't worry. You'll quickly learn how to get their attention. And hopefully, if they are any good at their role, they will learn for what you're asking. Breathing will be a little different. There will be times when you must fight for your air. Keep your chin up, little one. Things are definitely changing. It's ok. You'll be glad things changed soon. Life would have gotten a little cramped for you otherwise. This is all part of a greater plan for you. And no matter what kind of parents I have given you, know that I love you very very much. You are special to me. If you look to me, I will take care of you. It is I, who created you and wanted you to live. Many mommy's and daddy's will not know I had a role in your creation. They will not understand what I have given to you. But here is our little secret: You are even more than the body and mind you are about to explore.

I chose this very moment for you. Someday you might have the opportunity to learn about history and see just how I've been at work over the last few thousand years. I looked out throughout time, little one, and wanted you to be born right when you did. There was nothing anyone could have done to stop it. You are my plan. My purpose. My most beautiful creation. Everything about you is incredible. And even though it will get harder every day, do not forget these things! They will not change when you're older like your mommy or your mommy's mommy. Do not forget! There is much beneath your skin that I have made work even without your knowledge. Don't worry about these things; they will continue to function as long as I desire them to. It's another wonderful way that I have given you a purpose. You are alive for however long I have chosen for you. Your life is in my hands. You are so special. I am excited about you to be here with me.

Open your little eyes. This world is much bigger. So many new things to see and touch and smell. Only my hand could have done over the last 9-months what just took place. You. Use these next couple years to enjoy learning about this whole new world. I have given you five senses. Taste. Touch. Smell. Sight. Hearing. I think you will take great delight in them. Soak up the experiences. You will enjoy a vast bounty of tastes. Juicy, sweet fruits will make your tongue feel as if it was dancing in the rain (and you will learn the joy of this someday too). Fresh, warm bread melting in your mouth. Cheeses. Meats. Nuts. Oh, and I cannot wait till the day you first try ice cream! You will learn very quickly that your entire body is covered with something called "feeling." Explore. You will appreciate this sense very much. Carpet. Grass. Hard. Soft. Rough. Smooth. Warm. Cold. I created it that your "feeling" is most stirred by the skin of another person. This was one of my greatest creations. You will need it the rest of your life. You will find that I have given almost everything its own unique smell. Enjoy them. Flowers are one of my favorites. I hope you like them too. Someday, you might be sitting in a room, typing on a computer, and you will smell the most pleasant smell coming from another room altogether: A cake baking! Oh the excitement! Little one, I have given you two eyes. With these, you will soon learn just how big the world really is. Everything has its own shape. I love variety. You will soon see. You will see that I am quite the painter. I absolutely adore color and have used it everywhere. This I have done simply for your enjoyment. Just wait till you see your first sunset. Breathtaking! Reds. Blues. Yellows. Greens. Oranges. Purples. Pinks. Blacks. Browns. Whites. Color will play a very big role in the world I am bringing you into. Just remember this, little one, all colors come from me and none is better than the next. Take in everything that you see. And remember who made it. I am about beauty. You will see. Oh the beauty of everything. Haha! Get's me excited. Just understand however, some things you see you will not like. This is where it gets hard. You must be very careful what you see. If you're not, you will only be letting more pain into your life. I will help you with this one, if you ask. Last but not least, little one, I am about to show you the full sense of hearing. You have been hearing things for awhile now. Muffled sounds. People talking to you. Maybe you heard a song or two. It gets sweeter. Various things in the world you're entering give off all kinds of sounds. Some sounds you will enjoy. Some you will not. Oh, I do hope you enjoy music. Anything can be used to make music. Music has a very special place in this world. Oh, I do enjoy when people use music for me! If you get to make music, little one, will you make it for me? Oh please do! It makes me smile to hear my little ones making music. But just like sight, this one can be used for bad too. So be careful what you hear. Unfortunately, you will find that it is through hearing that people hurt each other the most. Just be careful, little one. I created these five senses for your enjoyment and to help you learn about me and about how I made you. Be careful with all of it. And do not forget where it came from. Through these five senses, many people who do not know me have hurt the world and continue to hurt the world. It is not an easy thing, growing up in this world. You will need me every step of the way.

And now I have called you out. Out of safety. Out of warmth. And into my plan for you. Listen very closely, little one, for I am about to speak something into your precious little ears: The world I am calling you out into will not be a safe place. You will feel hurt. You will scrap your knee many times. You will feel heat and burn your skin. Bugs will bite you. You will be afraid of them. Bees will sting. You'll cringe at the sound of their little bodies in flight. There will be one which moves slowly around on eight legs. The sight of these will make your body freeze in fear. But remember this quick tip: shoes work great! Oh, you'll learn about shoes soon enough, little one. There are bigger things than just bugs that you'll fear too. Things of all shapes and sizes. Animals with many sharp teeth. Big things that move fast. Scary noises. And as you grow, even thoughts in your mind will send terror through your little body. Do not be afraid. There are many things that you could be afraid of, but pay them no attention. Because I am going to be there right beside you. Do not forget, you will need me every step of the way.

I do believe it is time for me to introduce myself. I go by many names. I have found it difficult to express all that I am with just one name. To many people, I am simply God. I am he, yet many do not understand the meaning behind what they say. It is used too often; understood too little. You'll hear some of my names used by people for other means. Be careful how you use my names. All I want, my dear little one, is for you to understand who I am. I want you to desire me. That you may best understand me in your young, wonder-filled mind, you may call me: Cord. You understand this well. Not too long ago a cord connected your body to your mother's. This cord brought food and nutrients into your little body. It was your connection with your mother. It sustained your life. This is who I am. I am your sustaining life. I give everything you need to grow and live. I give you food, drink, breath, I gave your heart the little spark it needed to begin. I am the everlasting cord. When a person forgets who sustains their life, they die. Just as you would have died without the cord connected to your mother's body. Remember my name for the rest of your life, even after the scare has healed from the last cord being severed. I will never be severed from you. That is why I called myself the everlasting cord. I will not be cut off. The life sustaining that I offer is always yours to have, so long as you seek me for it. But remember again, little one, a life apart from their source of life is no longer a life. You will die apart from me. I am Cord. Oh little one, I am so excited to share with you all about myself.

I am your Maker. Your Crafter. I dreamed you up and put my hands to work, selecting from only the best of ingredients. I sat down in my workshop and pieced you together. I did this with all of creation. Because the story is bigger than just you. It began long ago. In a garden. The most beautiful garden ever made. Oh little one, I do hope you enjoy this story. It is my favorite.

It was long ago. In the beginning. The beginning of all things. Except for me. I was before the beginning. The earth was not yet formed. I stepped into the picture. Sitting down at my design table, I thought up every nook and cranny that I wanted created. I wrote down all the words I wanted to speak.

I opened my mouth. Words came flying out. My words became light where no light had existed. Flame ate up the darkness, forcing a distinctive line between where light and dark would now live. I stopped what I was doing and looked, staring at what I had just done and liked it very much. This was the first day I recorded. The first day of days. Time began right here.

The next day, speaking again, the words became sky shooting from every corner of my mouth. I had this perfect design for water above and water below and needed to separate them. My words went out and pushed a space between the two waters – waters above and waters below. I liked my design. This was the second day I recorded.

The third day, speaking again, my words went out from my mouth in power and became land. The water below I knew should be nicely complemented by dry ground. And so my words did as I instructed them. I now had water and land below. It was perfect. But I wasn't finished. I had more planned for this day. My words continued to come out from my mouth and now on this dry ground came green plants of many kinds, each with the capability of producing more of their own very kinds. It was wonderful. Live plants that would keep producing and growing. Trees, bushes, flowers, shrubs – all beautiful and perfect. I very much liked what I had just created. This was the third day I recorded.

The fourth day, I opened my mouth and out came sources for the light from the first day. I wanted to separate the light from the darkness into timeframes – a light for the day and a light for the night. By this day and night, all time would be measured – hours, days, weeks, months, and years – and also four seasons would have rules to instruct them. A large ball of fire came shooting from my mouth. I called this ball of fire the sun and gave it strict instructions to give off light during what would be the day. Also, the moon, not as bright as the sun, came shooting from my mouth and would be my light for the night. I set these, sun and moon and also stars, in the sky from the second day. Oh, how I liked how it was all coming along so perfectly. This was the fourth day I recorded.

The fifth day, I opened my mouth and from it came fish and birds of all kinds. Wonderful, colorful fish of all kinds came shooting from my mouth and into the water below, filling it. Also, perfect, graceful flying creatures called birds came shooting from my mouth to fill the sky with their image. I told all these fish and birds, continue to make more of yourself – lots and lots more! Never stop. And they won't. They are always making more. It's beautiful. I am so excited about what I have made today. This was the fifth day I recorded.

The sixth day, oh how I love telling about the sixth day, I opened my mouth and the words became animals of all kinds on the ground. So many animals everywhere! And so many different kinds. Big animals, small animals, furry animals, smooth-skinned animals, blue animals, red animals, black animals, white animals, animals with 2-legs, 4-legs, and even no legs. Oh, how I love variety. Then I opened my mouth again and the words became a man. This creation was special to me. There was something extraordinary I had planned for this one. I put pieces of myself into the man – hardwired it into his craftsmanship so that he could not rid himself of its existence. After some time passed, I made the man fall asleep – it wasn't hard since he'd been busy giving names to all my other creation – and then I took a bone from his chest to make a very special helper, a beautiful woman to walk beside the man and to compliment who I had made him to be. I finished by telling the man and woman to have more of their kinds. Lots more. And then we walked. I walked with the man and woman and placed them in the most beautiful part of my creation, a garden called Eden. I looked out over everything I created and it was very good. I like it all, but especially the man and the woman. This was the sixth day I recorded.

The seventh day, I planned that no more words would come from my mouth. I laid down on my couch to rest from all my work in creating the world and everything my words went out to do. This was a special day and would be forever more. The day when I rested.

You understand rest, don't you little one? You love sleep. I designed your body to need lots of sleep right now. It has been a long day. I will let you rest now. But tomorrow, I will tell you more about myself and how much I love you. And I do. I do love you, little one. Do not forget. I made you – spoke you into existence just like man and woman when I created the world. You are special just like them too. And I love you. Your Cord loves you and wants you to rest now. Goodnight, little one.

Goodnight.

I Saw God Today. Observations From My Walk.

Not sure what time it is.
Judging by position of sun in the sky, somewhere close to 4pm.
Sitting on a green bench down by the pier out to Lake Superior. Sitting in the shadow of the Canal Park lift bridge, to my right 100 yards. This is where man belongs. Outside. Seagulls fly around my head. This is their home. On my walk from Rose Garden to Canal Park, I observed many a beautiful thing. Not too long ago, I would have seen these things. And kept going about my merry little life.
This time I noticed them.
My observations:

God Takes Care of Seagulls.
Walking towards the pier, a young girl of maybe 8-years old, still so much in innocence and in awe of everything simple, stood in a field of grass throwing bread crumbs to the seagulls who surrounded her in numbers not easily counted. She giggled and looked excitedly at her mom -- who was preoccupied with something in their car. The seagulls swooned about and spoke to her. In their own way thanking her for the food. As I sit here thinking of the girl with the seagulls, my mind wanders to Your Word where You spoke about even the sparrows having their needs met. The young girl was meeting a need of the seagulls while also feeding her own wonder. You take care of us just like the girl and the seagulls -- standing in the midst of us with a bag of bread crumbs enough for all of us, food which does more than satisfy hunger. You take care of us. In simple ways. In ways not under our control. And you take joy in doing so. You stand there in amazement of Your creation. And (I have to believe) You even let out a little harmonious laugh as You wonder over the simple pleasure of the food which you offer. Well, I say thank You! It's yummy.

Water-Locked Rocks.
I also observed on my walk some rocks just off shore. Probably 20 of them. Large. Separated from the shoreline. Sticking up just enough to be above the water line when waters are calm. But the waters were not calm today. As I watched, waves were crashing against the little patch of rocks. CRASH CRASH CRASH!!! The rocks found themselves surrounded and alone. The water would roll in fast and smack the rocks, shooting upward and falling all over the rocks. If rocks needed oxygen they would barely have enough time to catch their next breath before the subsequent wave arrived. As I thought through this scene, I let my mind wander to those times in my life when I was one of those rocks, with waves crashing against me, making it hard to breathe and stay above the suffocating waters. The waters of life and events which seem to pick up from nowhere like a westward wind off the lake. Things out of our control. All we can do is sit there and take it. CRASH CRASH CRASH!!! Sitting separated from my shoreline. Exposed. We get pounded sometimes. But You showed in Your Word that You have power even over the wind and waves. The rocks that I observed never budged. They never moved from their place. They stood their ground. This is what You can help us do when we're one of those rocks. How refreshing even the nastiest wave can be.

A Bee Resting on a Wall.
I also observed, while walking back from the pier to this bench that I now sit on, a bee sitting on the cement pier wall. It was strange. Bees don't just sit there. They fly. They always seem to be moving. And if you see them sitting on anything, it's a flower. But a cement wall? Good luck trying to pollinate that, buddy! Moments before I had seen the little bee, a Vista Star Fleet tour boat crossed our path, having just passed under a risen lift bridge and heading out into the depths of Lake Superior. I don't know what the bee was thinking, but he sure seemed to be watching the ship pass. And why not? The bee was tired, having fought a day of Northern Minnesota wind. He needed a resting place. To breathe. He seemed completely unfazed by my presence. Think about how small he is compared with us and the world-mindset we live in. It is humbling to note that in comparison we are not so much bigger in the world that we live. We just tend to think we are.
Sometimes we get tired. We need a resting place. And something to delight our two eyes (imagine having 5 eyes like the bee). God, You are like that scene. A wall to rest upon when the trials of moving about in the wind gets to be too much. And You want to delight our eyes every moment. With something way bigger than we are. Maybe a tour boat. Maybe a budding tree. Maybe a flower garden. Or a mountain range in a foggy distance. Or maybe some rocks getting hammered by waves. Or a little girl throwing bread crumbs to the birds. To remind us -- just how small we really are. And show us how flippin HUGE You are.

(Journal entry today while taking a walk along the lakewalk. The observations made. The little things noted. Trying to see things through different eyes. Trying to never get complacent with things even as small as a bee sitting on a pier cement wall.)

Jesus Sitting In The Third Pew

Have you ever had a difficult time starting something? Maybe a sentence while talking to a friend or a paper you needed to write for that psychology class last semester? I know what I want to talk about but I am having "starters block."

What do you think about in the shower? Ok… I admit that is an awkward question to ask. This morning in the shower I was thinking about Jesus. I am reading Donald Miller's book Searching for God Knows What. I had just finished a long chapter titled: Jesus. In it, Mr. Miller sets out to describe who Jesus is. Although Miller is the anti-list, anti-formula writer, he gave a list of eight personality traits or facts he saw in Jesus after reading through all four gospels 10-times each. He wanted/needed to know who Jesus was for himself. The things Miller found were beautiful. Here they are: He believed all people were equal, He was ugly, He liked to be with people, He had no fear of intimacy, He was patient, He was kind, He was God, He is I AM. I know there are many more things to Jesus than just these eight items. Having spent the morning reading Miller's chapter on Jesus, I jumped into the shower with many thoughts rumbling around in my head.

I had this scene flash before my eyes: I enter the building where my church meets and walked toward the entrance to the Sanctuary. I scan the seats as I round the corner. A man is sitting in the third row from the front on the right side about 4 or 5 chairs in from the center aisle. He has dark hair. I see the man's head turning slowly from left to right, scanning the room in front of him. Every so often I see him put his head down and look at the ground. Something seems heavy on this person. I go to take a step toward the man when a bone in my body loudly creaks. I pause. The man hears the noise and turns his head to me, staring. I catch a glimpse of his eyes. I cannot describe them beyond the sadness that I saw. I knew almost immediately who it was I was looking at. It was Jesus. Jesus was sitting in the third pew from the front on the right side. I did not notice any color to his eyes (although I admit that my mind wanted so badly to give him blue eyes… I know Jesus did not have blue eyes). What I did see though was the sadness. He seemed to be speaking to me through his eyes. Saying to me that he was hurting here in this room. I said nothing to him. I partly knew why he looked so sad.

Why did Jesus come to die? Was it so we would have the freedom to spend half a million dollars a year on "running" the church? Was it so that we could have a stage with sound equipment and lighting and a candle burning and a pulpit and a table with plastic bread and a dusty wine goblet? Was it so we could have pews and chairs all lined up perfectly? Was it so that we could have budget meetings and be "good stewards of what God has given?" Was it so that we could join others who doctrinally and politically believed the same things we did? Was it so that we could come together for an hour once-a-week to hear some preacher dude bring down the house with his incredibly Spirit-inspired words that he wrote three days before? Maybe this is why Jesus came to die. Seems like such a small thing to come and die for.

When I looked into Jesus eyes and saw that sadness, I knew that he was saying to me: "Kevin, this is not what my message of life was supposed to be about. I love my Bride. But it seems that while my Bride was trying to find me and glorify me, she found something easier and more entertaining to care about. I just wanted to give her new life. A life filled with love and the realest relationships she could ever imagine. I wanted to give her myself." Jesus and I continued to look at each other in silence. Then the image faded from my mind.

It has me asking a lot of questions. I guess the first is: "Who is Jesus? Really?" I want to read the gospels with this question firmly in thought. The next few questions I have are these: "What would Jesus have to say about what His Bride seems all about?" "If Jesus came to heal the sick, why are we all trying to pretend like we aren't sick?" "What happened to the realness of the gospel and the power of the Spirit?" "What do all of our traditions really mean?" "What happened to genuineness?" "Why does the Bride look more like a business or golf club than a Kingdom under its righteous King's reign?"

I admit, these are just questions. I know intrinsically there is more to this life with Christ than we have right now… than I have right now. I know… and I have known for many years that something wasn't right. There is this self-focus to everything we seem to be about in church. God doesn't seem to exist beyond the many words we serve up each Sunday morning. Behind each of these questions lies my heart's true intent: "God, I want more of You! I need you to be REAL! I do not need the happy-thought of you. I need You!" I feel like I have lost sight of Him, because I have been more concerned with what others think. Men. Not God. Jesus seemed to be about healing and love and sacrifice. He looked at people in the eyes. He was patient, as Miller already stated. He cared about people. People were people in His eyes. His own creation… that He desired to bring back to His own perfect intent originally designed for them. People were not objects on a chess board to be moved about in a step-by-step preplanned-out process of winning a game, as I think the church seems to think we are. I AM NOT A CHESS PIECE! I DO NOT CARE ABOUT THE GAME!

I have talked before about the hole I feel in my heart. I am realizing all the things I have tried to put in my heart to fill it. Girls… or more accurately a single relationship with a girl… have been my number one filler. Each time left me still empty and hurting. The number two thing I try to fit inside my heart is other people and everything that comes with having them acknowledge my existence. The number three thing is all the material possessions that seem to bridge a "happy-gap" from moment to moment in my life. The number four thing I have learned is I try to fill my hole with the church. I have looked for the church to answer the question: "What is the purpose for life?" I keep asking church to answer this question or that question and when it can't I get frustrated with it and call it mean names and storm off in the other direction. When all along I am just misusing it. All I really want is to feel validated. To be a part of something.

I am still figuring out why the Son of God came and sat in the third row of my church this morning in the shower. I guess I needed to see Him in there. And I suppose I needed to see the sad look on His face to know that there is more than I have been feeling. That church cannot fill my hole… only Christ can do that. But also to know that something is making Jesus sad about where His Bride is focused. Honestly, the umbrella leadership of the church looks not-so-different to that of the Pharisees. Jesus came up hard against the Pharisees. They made Him very sad and a little frustrated. He died for them too, you know. But they just wanted their law – a safety-net of right and wrongs. What they really were doing was waving their hand back and forth at God trying to draw His attention to themselves and say: "Hey, look what I can DO… look what I can DO!" They pushed God out of their everyday breathing. And we have not fallen so far from the apple tree.

Jesus. Let me see you again. I felt close to you this morning. I am sorry for the mess we've made of your Bride. I am sorry for my own involvement in that mess. I really just want to see You. Let's meet up again.

Papa > Hole.

Papa.
I am lost.
I do not know what I am doing.
I do not know who You are.
I hurt people.
I confuse people.
And all of this hurts You.
The love of the cross seems so far away right now.
I cannot see it.
I need You.
Only You.
Please, finally fill me.
I cannot go on like this.
With this hole in my heart.
An open wound is more susceptible to infection.
And that is what I have allowed in.
Infections.
Papa, I am gross.
And I need You to heal the wound.
To suck the infection out.
Because I keep making it worse.
I do not like this feeling.
I need You.
Please.
Let.
Me.
Feel.
You.

I feel so feel-less.

Please wake up.
Arise.
From this slumber.
Come quickly to my side.
Papa, come save me.
Snatch me from the thief's grip.
Rescue me from myself.