March 12: Search Me, O God
♫ Music:
Day 11 - Saturday, March 12
Title: SEARCH ME, O GOD
Scripture: Psalm 139
O Lord, You have searched me and known me.
You know my sitting down and my rising up;
You understand my thoughts afar off.
You comprehend my path and my lying down,
And are acquainted with all my ways.
For there is not a word on my tongue,
But behold, O Lord, You know it altogether.
You have hedged me behind and before,
And laid Your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
It is high, I cannot attain it.
Where can I go from Your Spirit?
Or where can I flee from Your presence?
If I ascend into heaven, You are there;
If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there.
If I take the wings of the morning,
And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
Even there Your hand shall lead me,
And Your right hand shall hold me.
If I say, “Surely the darkness shall fall on me,”
Even the night shall be light about me;
Indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You,
But the night shines as the day;
The darkness and the light are both alike to You.
For You formed my inward parts;
You covered me in my mother’s womb.
I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Marvelous are Your works,
And that my soul knows very well.
My frame was not hidden from You,
When I was made in secret,
And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.
And in Your book they all were written,
The days fashioned for me,
When as yet there were none of them.
How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God!
How great is the sum of them!
If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand;
When I awake, I am still with You.
Oh, that You would slay the wicked, O God!
Depart from me, therefore, you bloodthirsty men.
For they speak against You wickedly;
Your enemies take Your name in vain.
Do I not hate them, O Lord, who hate You?
And do I not loathe those who rise up against You?
I hate them with perfect hatred;
I count them my enemies.
Search me, O God, and know my heart;
Try me, and know my anxieties;
And see if there is any wicked way in me,
And lead me in the way everlasting.
Poetry:
Thirst
by Mary Oliver
Another morning and I wake with thirst
for the goodness I do not have. I walk
out to the pond and all the way God has
given us such beautiful lessons. Oh Lord,
I was never a quick scholar but sulked
and hunched over my books past the
hour and the bell; grant me, in your
mercy, a little more time. Love for the
earth and love for you are having such a
long conversation in my heart. Who
knows what will finally happen or
where I will be sent, yet already I have
given a great many things away, expecting
to be told to pack nothing, except the
prayers which, with this thirst, I am
slowly learning.
GOD’S REASSURING PRESENCE
We are ending this week’s focus on the Penitential Psalms with a reflection on Psalm 139. The devotionals for this week have focused on repentance, forgiveness, and reconciliation. In today’s devotional, I shift the focus to God’s reassuring presence, a term I borrow from Eugene Peterson’s Message translation which says: “I look behind me and you’re there, then up ahead and you’re there, too--your reassuring presence, coming and going.” Indeed, God’s reassuring presence is threaded throughout this psalm.
The psalmist begins with a confident declaration of God’s intimate knowledge of him; the same intimate knowledge God demonstrates to people across the world today. To accentuate God’s presence, the psalmist asks “Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? (v. 7, NIV).” God is with us everywhere. Take a moment to read the entire psalm and note when, where, and how God is present.
On the far side of the sea
The truth of God’s reassuring presence was woven into my life as an expat living abroad. Just after college, I moved to China; a two-year turned nearly ten-year season of life. Most of my days in China were challenging yet exhilarating. But there were also many days that were defeating and lonely. Life as an expat meant I was constantly navigating the complexities of cross-cultural life; something that is hard to do even on the best days. It was during those years, when I would often reflect on this verse: “if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, there your right hand will hold me fast.” (vv. 9-10, NIV) China was about as “far side of the sea” from my home in New Mexico as one could get. And the same God that “held me fast” then is the same God that holds each of us today.
Even if I say….
The events of the last few years have been choking. Covid, personal losses, inflation, threats of war, genocides, and on and on. Just as the psalmist did, we may wonder “surely, we are surrounded by dark” (v. 11). But, nothing, including all that rages on in our world, can conceal us from God’s presence.
From wherever you are reading this devotional, God is with you. He is with each of you, university students, staff, administrators, and faculty, as you navigate the complexities of higher education. And He is with you, friends in Ukraine. He is with each of you who mourn the loss of your loved one(s). Be reassured by God’s presence with each of you.
Reflection
Take a moment meditate on Psalm 139:13-16 together with Dubian Monsalve’s hillside artwork. God’s reassuring presence has been with us from the very beginning of our lives.
Next, read Mary Oliver’s poem Thirst––a reflection of her spiritual journey prompted by some dark days of grief. Reflect on Psalm 139:23-24 in your own journey with God.
Prayer
In your presence, O God, I cannot think only of myself, but also of others:
Of my friends;
Of those with whom I work;
Of those who are in sorrow;
Of those who are bearing the burdens of others;
Of those who are working in lonely outposts of your kingdom.
You are the one God and Father of us all; be near us.
Amen
––Adapted from a Diary of Private Prayer by John Baillie
Dr. Jamie N. Sanchez
Associate Professor of Intercultural Studies
Chair of the Graduate Department and
Program Director for the Ph.D. in the Intercultural Studies Program
Cook School of Intercultural Studies
Biola University
For more information about the artwork, music, and poetry selected for this day, we have provided resources under the “About” tab located next to the “Devotional” tab.
About the Artwork:
Pregnant Mountain (two views)
Dubian Monsalve
2012
Carved into a mountainside
Santo Domingo, Colombia
Photo credit: Madeleine Emerald
Pregnant Mountain is a giant sculpture of a baby in a womb, carved into the side of a hill located near the town of Santo Domingo, Colombia. It was created in 2012 by South American artist Dubian Monsalve. The artist, who used rudimentary tools to complete his work, explained that "soil has been very important to me as a sculptor. It contains many elements and I used it to talk about life, because Earth itself gives life." He also said that the sculpture of the baby in the womb represents his conviction as a Christian that "life has value from conception to its end." He also stated that for him this sculpture was all about “strength, being brave and taking a chance on standing by your thoughts, your ideas, and being a Christian artist.”
https://www.neatorama.com/2018/10/08/The-Pregnant-Mountain/
About the Artist:
Dubian Monsalve is a plastics artist from Santo Domingo, Antioquia, and is part of the Urban Oasis Collective based in Medellín, Colombia, and Berlin, Germany. Following the principles of co-production, they develop and organize intercultural and multidisciplinary “Urban Labs” to jointly learn, discuss, design, and build to facilitate transformation processes in informal neighborhoods.
https://www.nbl.berlin/circles/urban-lab-medellin-berlin/
https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/stunning-sculpture-of-pregnant-mountain-goes-viral/
https://everydayforlifecanada.blogspot.com/2015/10/art-to-protect-and-save-life.html
About the Music:
“Psalm 139” - single
Lyrics:
Search me, O God, and know my heart;
Test me and know my anxious thoughts.
See if there be any evil way in me,
And lead me in the way everlasting.
You knit me together in my mother's womb;
You saw my frame.
Lord, where can I run from your presence?
If I fly to the heavens, or run to the sea;
Your right hand, your right hand, your right hand will hold me fast.
Search me, O God, and know my heart;
Test me and know my anxious thoughts.
See if there be any evil way in me,
And lead me in the way everlasting.
About the Composers:
Renee Patitucci Redmond and John Patitucci
Renee Patitucci Redmond studied classical voice as an undergraduate student, and earned an M.A. in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) from The New School University in New York City. Redmond was an original member of Opera Pacific’s Overture Company, bringing opera and musical theater into California schools. She created and taught a music curriculum for preschool children at Universal Studios Child Care Center in Burbank, California. Renee is a cofounder of MRS Records, a trio of performers and songwriters who have released their family music CD Hush. In 2021, MRS created a podcast called “MRS Musings: Finding Magic Amidst the Mundane” (https://linktr.ee/mrsmusings). Renee’s passions for music and language converge in her teaching of English to international music conservatory students and professionals. She believes that every musician is a storyteller, and that the ability to invite an audience into the music through language profoundly serves both audience and artist. Renee lives in New York and enjoys cooking, walking, and spending time with husband John, son J.P., family, and friends. She is grateful, most of all, for the saving grace and love of the Lord Jesus Christ.
www.eslformusicians.com
Acoustic and electric bassist John Patitucci has been at the forefront of the jazz world for the last thirty-plus years and active in all styles of music. He is a four-time Grammy award winner, has been nominated over twenty times, and has played on many other Grammy award–winning recordings. He has performed and/or recorded with jazz giants such as Dizzy Gillespie, Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, Stan Getz, Freddie Hubbard, Roy Haynes, Wynton Marsalis, Michael Brecker, Kenny Garrett, Victor Feldman, Nancy Wilson, and countless others. Patitucci has also performed and/or recorded with pop artists such as Natalie Cole, John Mayer, Alicia Keys, Joni Mitchell, Bono, Sting, Norah Jones, James Taylor, Carole King, and Paul Simon. He has been active as a composer with sixteen solo recordings of his own, and has been commissioned to write for various chamber music groups. John has performed as a soloist with the Swedish Chamber Orchestra, the Estonian National Symphony, the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, the Trondheim Symphony of Norway, the St. Louis Symphony, and the London Symphony Orchestra. In early 2020, John’s composition, a protest piece entitled Hypocrisy, was premiered in Toronto and performed by the Royal Conservatory Orchestra. After touring with the award-winning Wayne Shorter Quartet for over twenty years, John continues to tour with his own projects, including the John Patitucci Electric Guitar Quartet; his Brazilian Trio, Children of the Light Trio; and a special collaboration with the Harlem String Quartet as a composer and a performer. John’s sixteenth recording, a solo bass album entitled Soul of the Bass, was released in 2019, and a remixed and remastered version of his Brazilian trio record, “Irmaos de Fé,” was released in 2020. Mr. Patitucci recently completed composing his first film score for a documentary entitled Chicago America’s Hidden War, which was released in 2021.
https://www.johnpatitucci.com/
About the Performers:
Jon Cowherd (piano), Mindy Sax (vocals), Sachi Patitucci (cello), John Patitucci (bass), and Rogerio Boccato (percussion)
Kentucky-raised, New Orleans–schooled, New York–based Jon Cowherd is best known for his long-running partnership with drummer/bandleader Brian Blade, with whom he co-founded Brian Blade and the Fellowship Band, whose acclaimed, influential albums showcase Cowherd's stellar keyboard work and singular compositional skills. When not recording and touring with the Fellowship, Cowherd has worked extensively with a broad array of players and singers from the jazz, pop, and rock worlds, including Brandi Carlile, Norah Jones, Glen Hansard, Cassandra Wilson, Meshell N’dgeocello, k.d. lang, Iggy Pop, Lizz Wright, Terri Lyne Carrington, John Patitucci, and many others. In 2018, Cowherd and Blade were co-music directors for the Joni Mitchell 75th Birthday Concert. Cowherd has released two albums of his work, Mercy and Gateway, which feature Bill Frisell, John Papitucci, Brian Blade, Steve Cardenas, and Tony Scherr.
http://joncowherd.com
Mindy Sax, a mezzo soprano, has brightened the stage since her first solo performance for her kindergarten graduation. She began her career in opera, performing with Opera Pacific in Southern California for several years. Noted roles include Cenerentola in La Cenerentola and Hansel in Hansel and Gretel. Ms. Sax branched out into the world of musical theater and has appeared off-Broadway in Living Proof and Hot Coffee! and in numerous regional theaters, singing to her heart’s delight. As a freelance artist she has been seen and heard in numerous New York City venues, including cabarets, industrials, recordings, and concert series. Ms. Sax can be heard on recordings including New York Hymns, Christmas of Peace, Jazz Sunday Collective, and a collaborative lullaby album, Hush, which she co-produced on the MRS Record Label with Renee Redmond and Sachi Patitucci. Along with Ms. Redmond and Ms. Patitucci, Mindy Sax can be heard on the podcast “MRS Musings: Finding Music Amidst the Mundane.”
Sachi Patitucci, a cellist, graduated from the Eastman School of Music and has been active in Los Angeles and New York as a freelance musician by performing in concerts and recording for numerous films, television shows, commercials, and CDs, including several of her husband’s jazz releases. She was a founding member of the cello quartet CELLO, who made its debut at Carnegie Recital Hall and released a self-titled CD on InterSound Records. Sachi has toured the world with pop artists, including Belinda Carlisle and Yanni; performed as a soloist with singer Sade; and performed in concert halls around the world. She is a co-founder of the recording company MRS Records and CEO of Three Faces Records. She continues to perform, compose and arrange music, and she manages the career of her husband, bassist John Patitucci. She recently added music supervisor for films to her résumé after receiving a professional certificate from Berklee College of Music. Along with Ms. Redmond and Ms. Minday Sax, Sachi can be heard on the podcast “MRS Musings: Finding Music Amidst the Mundane.”
Brazilian percussionist and educator Rogério Boccato has played/recorded in several projects led by some of today’s leading jazz artists, among them Maria Schneider, John Patitucci, Fred Hersch, Brian Blade, Kurt Elling, Danilo Perez, Renee Rosnes, and many others. He has also collaborated with top-ranking Brazilian artists, such as Toninho Horta, Moacir Santos, Zé Renato, and Vinicius Cantuária. He is featured on three Grammy award–winning albums: Kurt Elling & Danilo Perez‘s Secrets Are The Best Stories; The Thompson Fields, with the Maria Schneider Orchestra; and Billy Childs’ Rebirth. He is also featured on multiple Grammy-nominated albums, among them Kenny Garrett’s Beyond The Wall, John Patitucci‘s Remembrance, and Alan Ferber’s Jigsaw. As a longtime member of the Orquestra Jazz Sinfônica do Estado de Sao Paulo, Boccato has played with Antonio Carlos Jobim, Hermeto Pascoal, Milton Nascimento, Egberto Gismonti, Joao Bosco, and Joe Zawinul, among many others. He has been a faculty member of the Manhattan School of Music, NYU, and of the percussion department of The Hartt School (University of Hartford), teaching Brazilian Music and Ritmica.
http://rogerioboccato.com
About the Poet:
Mary Oliver (1935–2019) is an American poet who has won both the National Book Award and the Pulitzer Prize. Oliver’s poetry is grounded in memories of Ohio and her adopted home of New England. Influenced by both Walt Whitman and Henry David Thoreau, she is known for her clear and poignant observances of the natural world. Her poems are filled with imagery from her daily walks near her home––shore birds, water snakes, the phases of the moon, and humpback whales. Oliver has been compared to poet Emily Dickinson, with whom she shares an affinity for solitude and inner monologues. “Mary Oliver’s poetry is an excellent antidote for the excesses of civilization,” wrote one reviewer for the Harvard Review, “for too much flurry and inattention, and the Baroque conventions of our social and professional lives. She is a poet of wisdom and generosity whose vision allows us to look intimately at a world not of our making.”
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/mary-oliver
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Oliver
About the Devotion Author:
Dr. Jamie N. Sanchez
Associate Professor of Intercultural Studies
Chair of the Graduate Department and
Program Director for the Ph.D. in the Intercultural Studies Program
Cook School of Intercultural Studies
Biola University
Jamie N. Sanchez, Ph.D. has been on faculty at Biola University, in La Mirada, California, since 2016. She is currently the Chair of the Graduate Department, the Program Director for the PhD in Intercultural Studies Program, and an Associate Professor, all in the Cook School of Intercultural Studies. Her research interests include China area studies and refugee studies.