1 Beside the rivers of Babylon, we sat and wept as we thought of Jerusalem.
2 We put away our harps, hanging them on the branches of poplar trees.
3 For our captors demanded a song from us. Our tormentors insisted on a joyful hymn:
“Sing us one of those songs of Jerusalem!”
4 But how can we sing the songs of the Lord while in a pagan land?
5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget how to play the harp.
6 May my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth if I fail to remember you,
if I don’t make Jerusalem my greatest joy.
7 O Lord, remember what the Edomites did on the day the armies of Babylon captured Jerusalem. “Destroy it!” they yelled. “Level it to the ground!”
8 O Babylon, you will be destroyed. Happy is the one who pays you back for what you have done to us.
9 Happy is the one who takes your babies and smashes them against the rocks!
Make no mistake, this is a difficult Psalm...
We are witnessing a psalmist who is ruminating over the history of his nation and it is not a happy history. Quite a contrast with yesterday's Psalm. But then...emotional highs and lows are common to man...even those who pen sacred scripture.
The memory of sitting beside the rivers of Babylon were not pleasant. Jerusalem was destroyed and the Children of Israel were carted off to be slaves. Memories of their beloved land and city reduced them to tears.
Furthermore, we see an unseemly fit of rage when we read "O Babylon, you will be destroyed. Happy is the one who pays you back for what you have done to us. Happy is the one who takes your babies and smashes them against the rocks!" Shouldn't we be just a bit uncomfortable with this?
All the while the citizens of Babylon are chortling "Come on...life is not so bad here. Enjoy yourselves. Sing a happy song!"
In many ways America has become a "foreign land" for Christians. The liberties we grew up with...to profess our faith freely and confidently are gone. We now have to ensure that the professions of joy at the birth of our Savior do not offend those around us. Many innocent acts of faith can result in spending a day in front of a judge. And, I read in the Wall Street Journal yesterday how our Christian Cross is not unlike the Nazi swastika. We are on the threshold of becoming a vanquished people...like Israel.
Isn't this outrageous?
And yet, we are supposed feel privileged that we live in this country. I believe that if our Psalmist were here today he would weep at the memories of an America that truly had been a safe haven for people of faith...but is no more.
The day may soon come when Christ has been completely removed from the celebrations we hold on His birthday...at least from a national perspective. Curious. It's like tomato soup...with no tomatoes.
As for me, "may my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth if I fail to remember my Savior!"
Live boldly out there today...
December 18, 2010
December 17, 2010
Psalm 136
1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever.
2 Give thanks to the God of gods. His faithful love endures forever.
3 Give thanks to the Lord of lords. His faithful love endures forever.
4 Give thanks to him who alone does mighty miracles. His faithful love endures forever.
5 Give thanks to him who made the heavens so skillfully. His faithful love endures forever.
6 Give thanks to him who placed the earth among the waters. His faithful love endures forever.
7 Give thanks to him who made the heavenly lights—His faithful love endures forever.
8 the sun to rule the day, His faithful love endures forever.
9 and the moon and stars to rule the night. His faithful love endures forever.
10 Give thanks to him who killed the firstborn of Egypt. His faithful love endures forever.
11 He brought Israel out of Egypt. His faithful love endures forever.
12 He acted with a strong hand and powerful arm. His faithful love endures forever.
13 Give thanks to him who parted the Red Sea. His faithful love endures forever.
14 He led Israel safely through, His faithful love endures forever.
15 but he hurled Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea. His faithful love endures forever.
16 Give thanks to him who led his people through the wilderness. His faithful love endures forever.
17 Give thanks to him who struck down mighty kings. His faithful love endures forever.
18 He killed powerful kings—His faithful love endures forever.
19 Sihon king of the Amorites, His faithful love endures forever.
20 and Og king of Bashan. His faithful love endures forever.
21 God gave the land of these kings as an inheritance—His faithful love endures forever.
22 a special possession to his servant Israel. His faithful love endures forever.
23 He remembered us in our weakness. His faithful love endures forever.
24 He saved us from our enemies. His faithful love endures forever.
25 He gives food to every living thing. His faithful love endures forever.
26 Give thanks to the God of heaven. His faithful love endures forever.
How long is forever...actually?
If I read this Psalm correctly, that is how long God's love endures.
At the very least, I'd say "forever" is as long as I need it to be...and more.
And, on what basis do we say "His love endures forever"? Well, it's simply based on what God has done so far.
1. God has altered the course of natural history for our benefit.
He does mighty miracles.
He made the heavens so skillfully.
He placed the earth among the waters.
He made the heavenly lights—the sun to rule the day,and the moon and stars to rule the night.
2. God has altered the course of human history for our benefit.
He killed the firstborn of Egypt.
He brought Israel out of Egypt.
He acted with a strong hand and powerful arm.
He parted the Red Sea.
He led Israel safely through,
He hurled Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea.
He led his people through the wilderness.
3. God has altered the course of personal history for our benefit.
He killed powerful kings—
He gave the land of these kings as an inheritance—
He remembered us in our weakness.
He saved us from our enemies.
He gives food to every living thing.
We have only a few possible responses to God's activity through history.
1. I don't believe any of that stuff
2. None of that has anything to do with me.
3. The past is no indicator of the future.
4. OK, I'm convinced. I will be more thankful.
And...three of the choices aren't so great. I'm regularly amazed that since the only logical answer is #4, people still take positionis #1-#3 regularly. It seems as though when it comes to acknowledging God, we want to make decisions that truly are NOT in our best interests. After all...how are we better off when we deny God's role in our lives?
Except for our insistance on marginalizing God...we can be counted on to make pretty solid decisions. We eat, we sleep, we pay our bills, we raise our children (or, at least agree we should) in the best way we know how...to benefit ourselves and our families.
Now really...what more could God do to get our attention? Maybe come down and confront us face to face? Oh, yeah...He did that too.
God is very very good. He's proven it again and again. Is He good enough so you can give thanks?
Live boldly out there today...
2 Give thanks to the God of gods. His faithful love endures forever.
3 Give thanks to the Lord of lords. His faithful love endures forever.
4 Give thanks to him who alone does mighty miracles. His faithful love endures forever.
5 Give thanks to him who made the heavens so skillfully. His faithful love endures forever.
6 Give thanks to him who placed the earth among the waters. His faithful love endures forever.
7 Give thanks to him who made the heavenly lights—His faithful love endures forever.
8 the sun to rule the day, His faithful love endures forever.
9 and the moon and stars to rule the night. His faithful love endures forever.
10 Give thanks to him who killed the firstborn of Egypt. His faithful love endures forever.
11 He brought Israel out of Egypt. His faithful love endures forever.
12 He acted with a strong hand and powerful arm. His faithful love endures forever.
13 Give thanks to him who parted the Red Sea. His faithful love endures forever.
14 He led Israel safely through, His faithful love endures forever.
15 but he hurled Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea. His faithful love endures forever.
16 Give thanks to him who led his people through the wilderness. His faithful love endures forever.
17 Give thanks to him who struck down mighty kings. His faithful love endures forever.
18 He killed powerful kings—His faithful love endures forever.
19 Sihon king of the Amorites, His faithful love endures forever.
20 and Og king of Bashan. His faithful love endures forever.
21 God gave the land of these kings as an inheritance—His faithful love endures forever.
22 a special possession to his servant Israel. His faithful love endures forever.
23 He remembered us in our weakness. His faithful love endures forever.
24 He saved us from our enemies. His faithful love endures forever.
25 He gives food to every living thing. His faithful love endures forever.
26 Give thanks to the God of heaven. His faithful love endures forever.
How long is forever...actually?
If I read this Psalm correctly, that is how long God's love endures.
At the very least, I'd say "forever" is as long as I need it to be...and more.
And, on what basis do we say "His love endures forever"? Well, it's simply based on what God has done so far.
1. God has altered the course of natural history for our benefit.
He does mighty miracles.
He made the heavens so skillfully.
He placed the earth among the waters.
He made the heavenly lights—the sun to rule the day,and the moon and stars to rule the night.
2. God has altered the course of human history for our benefit.
He killed the firstborn of Egypt.
He brought Israel out of Egypt.
He acted with a strong hand and powerful arm.
He parted the Red Sea.
He led Israel safely through,
He hurled Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea.
He led his people through the wilderness.
3. God has altered the course of personal history for our benefit.
He killed powerful kings—
He gave the land of these kings as an inheritance—
He remembered us in our weakness.
He saved us from our enemies.
He gives food to every living thing.
We have only a few possible responses to God's activity through history.
1. I don't believe any of that stuff
2. None of that has anything to do with me.
3. The past is no indicator of the future.
4. OK, I'm convinced. I will be more thankful.
And...three of the choices aren't so great. I'm regularly amazed that since the only logical answer is #4, people still take positionis #1-#3 regularly. It seems as though when it comes to acknowledging God, we want to make decisions that truly are NOT in our best interests. After all...how are we better off when we deny God's role in our lives?
Except for our insistance on marginalizing God...we can be counted on to make pretty solid decisions. We eat, we sleep, we pay our bills, we raise our children (or, at least agree we should) in the best way we know how...to benefit ourselves and our families.
Now really...what more could God do to get our attention? Maybe come down and confront us face to face? Oh, yeah...He did that too.
God is very very good. He's proven it again and again. Is He good enough so you can give thanks?
Live boldly out there today...
December 16, 2010
Psalm 135
1 Praise the Lord! Praise the name of the Lord! Praise him, you who serve the Lord,
2 you who serve in the house of the Lord, in the courts of the house of our God.
3 Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good; celebrate his lovely name with music.
4 For the Lord has chosen Jacob for himself, Israel for his own special treasure.
5 I know the greatness of the Lord—that our Lord is greater than any other god.
6 The Lord does whatever pleases him throughout all heaven and earth, and on the seas and in their depths.
7 He causes the clouds to rise over the whole earth. He sends the lightning with the rain and releases the wind from his storehouses.
8 He destroyed the firstborn in each Egyptian home,both people and animals.
9 He performed miraculous signs and wonders in Egypt against Pharaoh and all his people.
10 He struck down great nations and slaughtered mighty kings—
11 Sihon king of the Amorites,Og king of Bashan,and all the kings of Canaan.
12 He gave their land as an inheritance,a special possession to his people Israel.
13 Your name, O Lord, endures forever; your fame, O Lord, is known to every generation.
14 For the Lord will give justice to his people and have compassion on his servants.
15 The idols of the nations are merely things of silver and gold, shaped by human hands.
16 They have mouths but cannot speak, and eyes but cannot see.
17 They have ears but cannot hear, and noses but cannot smell.
18 And those who make idols are just like them, as are all who trust in them.
19 O Israel, praise the Lord! O priests—descendants of Aaron—praise the Lord!
20 O Levites, praise the Lord! All you who fear the Lord, praise the Lord!
21 The Lord be praised from Zion,for he lives here in Jerusalem.Praise the Lord!
So, now we are being told...by the high priests of the church of climatology... that the earth would be better off without people. Really?
And how would the earth know? And would the earth really care? It would if you were an animist and believed the earth had a soul.
Make no mistake...the radical climatologists truly are practioners of a religion. Actually, a very ancient religion...Pantheism. They have their dogma, their creeds and their rituals just like we Christians do. We see roots of their theology in Native American religious practice that espouses the sacred nature of creation. the sun god...the moon god...and of course, the mother earth god. All creation is sacred. Man serves creation rather than the other way around.
So...is this necessarily a bad thing? After all, as Bob Dylan said "You've got to serve somebody". Well, of course it's a bad thing...because it denies the symbiotic relationship that we are meant to have with God's creation...by God's design. We are not interlopers on this planet. The planet was created by God and given to us. In fact, the relationship we have with God's creation is similar, in ways, to a marriage relationship. And...as is the case in any good marriage, the partners ought to take good care of one another. So we need to be good stewards.
"Till death we do part"...the planet and I are stuck with each other until one of us dies! Pretty much like a marriage. But...to say the planet would be better off without mankind is like saying "my marriage would be much better without my spouse." We call this an oxymoron.
Now, to the central point of today's Psalm. The writer says we should "Praise the Lord" because "I know the greatness of the Lord—that our Lord is greater than any other god. The Lord does whatever pleases him throughout all heaven and earth, and on the seas and in their depths. He causes the clouds to rise over the whole earth. He sends the lightning with the rain and releases the wind from his storehouses.
We don't have to be particularly smart to recognize where the earth fits into the big picture here. The earth is not a co-deity with God. The earth is a canvas upon which God paints His masterpieces. We, on the other hand, would be ill advised to take our crayons and color over God's masterpiece.
So, be environmentally responsible. Not for the earth's sake, but for God's sake...because that is His design.
So why am I laboring over this this point?
It's this simple. The religion of climatology is a perfect example of how far astray we can roam if we take our eyes off of God. We invent new religions...with new catechisms. Buying and selling carbon credits become the new sacraments.
We also fashion new gods to worship. None of which will do us a bit of good if the planet really does give up the ghost. Our writer says " The idols of the nations are merely things of silver and gold, shaped by human hands. They have mouths but cannot speak, and eyes but cannot see. They have ears but cannot hear, and noses but cannot smell. And those who make idols are just like them, as are all who trust in them."
So we "praise the Lord, for the Lord is good". And which Lord do we praise? "the Lord who has chose Israel for His own treasure." Don't let the gods of this world confuse you...
Live boldly out there today...
2 you who serve in the house of the Lord, in the courts of the house of our God.
3 Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good; celebrate his lovely name with music.
4 For the Lord has chosen Jacob for himself, Israel for his own special treasure.
5 I know the greatness of the Lord—that our Lord is greater than any other god.
6 The Lord does whatever pleases him throughout all heaven and earth, and on the seas and in their depths.
7 He causes the clouds to rise over the whole earth. He sends the lightning with the rain and releases the wind from his storehouses.
8 He destroyed the firstborn in each Egyptian home,both people and animals.
9 He performed miraculous signs and wonders in Egypt against Pharaoh and all his people.
10 He struck down great nations and slaughtered mighty kings—
11 Sihon king of the Amorites,Og king of Bashan,and all the kings of Canaan.
12 He gave their land as an inheritance,a special possession to his people Israel.
13 Your name, O Lord, endures forever; your fame, O Lord, is known to every generation.
14 For the Lord will give justice to his people and have compassion on his servants.
15 The idols of the nations are merely things of silver and gold, shaped by human hands.
16 They have mouths but cannot speak, and eyes but cannot see.
17 They have ears but cannot hear, and noses but cannot smell.
18 And those who make idols are just like them, as are all who trust in them.
19 O Israel, praise the Lord! O priests—descendants of Aaron—praise the Lord!
20 O Levites, praise the Lord! All you who fear the Lord, praise the Lord!
21 The Lord be praised from Zion,for he lives here in Jerusalem.Praise the Lord!
So, now we are being told...by the high priests of the church of climatology... that the earth would be better off without people. Really?
And how would the earth know? And would the earth really care? It would if you were an animist and believed the earth had a soul.
Make no mistake...the radical climatologists truly are practioners of a religion. Actually, a very ancient religion...Pantheism. They have their dogma, their creeds and their rituals just like we Christians do. We see roots of their theology in Native American religious practice that espouses the sacred nature of creation. the sun god...the moon god...and of course, the mother earth god. All creation is sacred. Man serves creation rather than the other way around.
So...is this necessarily a bad thing? After all, as Bob Dylan said "You've got to serve somebody". Well, of course it's a bad thing...because it denies the symbiotic relationship that we are meant to have with God's creation...by God's design. We are not interlopers on this planet. The planet was created by God and given to us. In fact, the relationship we have with God's creation is similar, in ways, to a marriage relationship. And...as is the case in any good marriage, the partners ought to take good care of one another. So we need to be good stewards.
"Till death we do part"...the planet and I are stuck with each other until one of us dies! Pretty much like a marriage. But...to say the planet would be better off without mankind is like saying "my marriage would be much better without my spouse." We call this an oxymoron.
Now, to the central point of today's Psalm. The writer says we should "Praise the Lord" because "I know the greatness of the Lord—that our Lord is greater than any other god. The Lord does whatever pleases him throughout all heaven and earth, and on the seas and in their depths. He causes the clouds to rise over the whole earth. He sends the lightning with the rain and releases the wind from his storehouses.
We don't have to be particularly smart to recognize where the earth fits into the big picture here. The earth is not a co-deity with God. The earth is a canvas upon which God paints His masterpieces. We, on the other hand, would be ill advised to take our crayons and color over God's masterpiece.
So, be environmentally responsible. Not for the earth's sake, but for God's sake...because that is His design.
So why am I laboring over this this point?
It's this simple. The religion of climatology is a perfect example of how far astray we can roam if we take our eyes off of God. We invent new religions...with new catechisms. Buying and selling carbon credits become the new sacraments.
We also fashion new gods to worship. None of which will do us a bit of good if the planet really does give up the ghost. Our writer says " The idols of the nations are merely things of silver and gold, shaped by human hands. They have mouths but cannot speak, and eyes but cannot see. They have ears but cannot hear, and noses but cannot smell. And those who make idols are just like them, as are all who trust in them."
So we "praise the Lord, for the Lord is good". And which Lord do we praise? "the Lord who has chose Israel for His own treasure." Don't let the gods of this world confuse you...
Live boldly out there today...
December 15, 2010
Psalm 134
1 Oh, praise the Lord, all you servants of the Lord, you who serve at night in the house of the Lord.
2 Lift up holy hands in prayer, and praise the Lord.
3 May the Lord, who made heaven and earth, bless you from Jerusalem
Ever work the swing shift? or the midnight shift? the Temple actually had a night shift.
I worked a swing shift at a grocery store and a midnight shift at a dairy. By their very nature, these shifts seem to be less productive. At the grocery store we probably had five customers between 10:00 pm and midnight...hardly enough to pay the light bill. At the dairy, I was the only living being in the plant. My job was to make certain dairy products were either started, or finished, for the morning crew.
Lots of idle time...with very little to do...and no supervision to invent chores.
Christians have a lot of idle time in their spiritual lives. Let's see...church at 9:00 on Sunday. Yup, that's about it. The rest of the time I'm on my own with my spiritual life.
How do I spend my idle spiritual time?
"Those of you who work the midnight shift...lift up holy hands and praise the Lord!" Well, technically our Psalmist was speaking to those Levites who served in the Temple. But, we get the point. Pretty much any time in our week between two Sunday worship services could be called the "midnight shift" in our personal temple.
So...what are we doing? Does rushing home to watch the NFL constitute "praising the Lord?" I know it involves "lifting up our hands!" (holy or not).
I believe the challenge of the psalm is simply this: during our week, we may not feel we are in a position to formally study scripture, or theology, or doctrine...we lack the expertise and the resources. However, there is nothing to prevent us from praising God.
And...since our idle spiritual time is such a significant portion of our lives...it seems our whole lives ought to take on the character of praising God. Do our friends know us as God praisers? When asked if they know Lee Thompson, would my friends at work say "oh, yes...he's the guy that runs around praising God all day?"
It should be the case. And then, "may the Lord who made heaven and earth bless you..."
Live boldly out there today...
2 Lift up holy hands in prayer, and praise the Lord.
3 May the Lord, who made heaven and earth, bless you from Jerusalem
Ever work the swing shift? or the midnight shift? the Temple actually had a night shift.
I worked a swing shift at a grocery store and a midnight shift at a dairy. By their very nature, these shifts seem to be less productive. At the grocery store we probably had five customers between 10:00 pm and midnight...hardly enough to pay the light bill. At the dairy, I was the only living being in the plant. My job was to make certain dairy products were either started, or finished, for the morning crew.
Lots of idle time...with very little to do...and no supervision to invent chores.
Christians have a lot of idle time in their spiritual lives. Let's see...church at 9:00 on Sunday. Yup, that's about it. The rest of the time I'm on my own with my spiritual life.
How do I spend my idle spiritual time?
"Those of you who work the midnight shift...lift up holy hands and praise the Lord!" Well, technically our Psalmist was speaking to those Levites who served in the Temple. But, we get the point. Pretty much any time in our week between two Sunday worship services could be called the "midnight shift" in our personal temple.
So...what are we doing? Does rushing home to watch the NFL constitute "praising the Lord?" I know it involves "lifting up our hands!" (holy or not).
I believe the challenge of the psalm is simply this: during our week, we may not feel we are in a position to formally study scripture, or theology, or doctrine...we lack the expertise and the resources. However, there is nothing to prevent us from praising God.
And...since our idle spiritual time is such a significant portion of our lives...it seems our whole lives ought to take on the character of praising God. Do our friends know us as God praisers? When asked if they know Lee Thompson, would my friends at work say "oh, yes...he's the guy that runs around praising God all day?"
It should be the case. And then, "may the Lord who made heaven and earth bless you..."
Live boldly out there today...
December 14, 2010
Psalm 133
1 How wonderful and pleasant it is when brothers live together in harmony!
2 For harmony is as precious as the anointing oil that was poured over Aaron’s head,
that ran down his beard and onto the border of his robe.
3 Harmony is as refreshing as the dew from Mount Hermon that falls on the mountains of Zion. And there the Lord has pronounced his blessing, even life everlasting.
People of faith often find themselves in a defensive position that can take on a very aggressive character. This is not without reason.
Many professing Christians have taken very unorthodox views of scripture and we fear that their message does not contain the power of the risen Lord. So...we attack.
After all, we're just protecting the faith.
Our Psalmist today talks about the importance of harmony in the Christian life. "Harmony is as precious as the anointing oil that was poured over Aaron’s head." This is not an insignificant statement. When Aaron was anointed for the priesthood the oil was a symbol of the Holy Spirit. Perhaps our writer this morning is suggesting that the more we listen to the Holy Spirit...the more we will identify a spirit of harmony in our lives. And, harmony among believers is important because it symbolizes the unity of the Body of Christ.
I'm not suggesting we turn a deaf ear to unorthodox doctrine. I am suggesting we follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit...who is a unifier, not a divider. If the Spirit drives us to speak out against other Christians...I suggest that would be the exception.
"And there the Lord has pronounced His blessing."
Live boldly out there today...
2 For harmony is as precious as the anointing oil that was poured over Aaron’s head,
that ran down his beard and onto the border of his robe.
3 Harmony is as refreshing as the dew from Mount Hermon that falls on the mountains of Zion. And there the Lord has pronounced his blessing, even life everlasting.
People of faith often find themselves in a defensive position that can take on a very aggressive character. This is not without reason.
Many professing Christians have taken very unorthodox views of scripture and we fear that their message does not contain the power of the risen Lord. So...we attack.
After all, we're just protecting the faith.
Our Psalmist today talks about the importance of harmony in the Christian life. "Harmony is as precious as the anointing oil that was poured over Aaron’s head." This is not an insignificant statement. When Aaron was anointed for the priesthood the oil was a symbol of the Holy Spirit. Perhaps our writer this morning is suggesting that the more we listen to the Holy Spirit...the more we will identify a spirit of harmony in our lives. And, harmony among believers is important because it symbolizes the unity of the Body of Christ.
I'm not suggesting we turn a deaf ear to unorthodox doctrine. I am suggesting we follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit...who is a unifier, not a divider. If the Spirit drives us to speak out against other Christians...I suggest that would be the exception.
"And there the Lord has pronounced His blessing."
Live boldly out there today...
December 13, 2010
Psalm 132
1 Lord, remember David and all that he suffered.
2 He made a solemn promise to the Lord. He vowed to the Mighty One of Israel,
3 “I will not go home; I will not let myself rest.
4 I will not let my eyes sleep nor close my eyelids in slumber
5 until I find a place to build a house for the Lord, a sanctuary for the Mighty One of Israel.”
6 We heard that the Ark was in Ephrathah; then we found it in the distant countryside of Jaar. 7 Let us go to the sanctuary of the Lord; let us worship at the footstool of his throne.
8 Arise, O Lord, and enter your resting place, along with the Ark, the symbol of your power.
9 May your priests be clothed in godliness; may your loyal servants sing for joy.
10 For the sake of your servant David, do not reject the king you have anointed.
11 The Lord swore an oath to David with a promise he will never take back:
“I will place one of your descendants on your throne.
12 If your descendants obey the terms of my covenant and the laws that I teach them,
then your royal line will continue forever and ever.”
13 For the Lord has chosen Jerusalem; he has desired it for his home.
14 “This is my resting place forever,” he said. “I will live here, for this is the home I desired.
15 I will bless this city and make it prosperous; I will satisfy its poor with food.
16 I will clothe its priests with godliness; its faithful servants will sing for joy.
17 Here I will increase the power of David; my anointed one will be a light for my people.
18 I will clothe his enemies with shame, but he will be a glorious king.
When God placed his Holy Spirit into us [based on our profession of faith in Christ] he made us priests. We now have direct access to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob...without the assistance of another human. We became become royalty, with special promises and privileges. Life was good...
Then, somewhere along the way we notice the special quality of our lives slipping. We don't have the assurance and confidence we once had, so we begin to look for solutions. Mostly we look in all the wrong places.
Our Psalmist looked around at his beloved Israel and was alarmed at the state of deterioration. He took his appeal straight to God and based his appeal entirely on God's own words. The Israel Covenant [Deut. 29:1-29] [30:1-10] is a covenant between God and the Children of Israel... based in great part...upon God's love for His servant David. And the Psalmist reminds us of the promise: God says “This is my resting place forever, I will live here, for this is the home I desired. I will bless this city and make it prosperous; I will satisfy its poor with food. I will clothe its priests with godliness; its faithful servants will sing for joy. Here I will increase the power of David; my anointed one will be a light for my people. I will clothe his enemies with shame, but he will be a glorious king.”
As people of faith, we covet God's presence in our lives. We desire His blessings. We hope for prosperity. We pray for godly leaders who can guide us in righteousness. We appeal for victory over our enemies...all things that God promised to do. But, of course, there is a catch.
Just one catch...God's promise was conditional upon Israel's repentance, return to God, and obedience to the Mosaic law. "If your descendants obey the terms of my covenant and the laws that I teach them, then your royal line will continue forever and ever.”
Repentance and obedience are pesky things. They are like mosquitoes that buzz around our face and annoy us. We swat at them and try to get them to leave. It's human nature to do the same thing with God's demands. Why? Because repentance and obedience run contrary to our human nature. That is why God placed His Spirit within us...so we could take on a new nature that found great delight in repentance and obedience.
But...occasionally that newness wears off and we are back to running our own show, and the trouble begins. God promises to put our lives back in order...on His terms.
Repentance is "agreeing with God". Obedience is self-explanatory. Very uncomplicated, but entirely necessary for God's blessings.
Live boldly out there today...
2 He made a solemn promise to the Lord. He vowed to the Mighty One of Israel,
3 “I will not go home; I will not let myself rest.
4 I will not let my eyes sleep nor close my eyelids in slumber
5 until I find a place to build a house for the Lord, a sanctuary for the Mighty One of Israel.”
6 We heard that the Ark was in Ephrathah; then we found it in the distant countryside of Jaar. 7 Let us go to the sanctuary of the Lord; let us worship at the footstool of his throne.
8 Arise, O Lord, and enter your resting place, along with the Ark, the symbol of your power.
9 May your priests be clothed in godliness; may your loyal servants sing for joy.
10 For the sake of your servant David, do not reject the king you have anointed.
11 The Lord swore an oath to David with a promise he will never take back:
“I will place one of your descendants on your throne.
12 If your descendants obey the terms of my covenant and the laws that I teach them,
then your royal line will continue forever and ever.”
13 For the Lord has chosen Jerusalem; he has desired it for his home.
14 “This is my resting place forever,” he said. “I will live here, for this is the home I desired.
15 I will bless this city and make it prosperous; I will satisfy its poor with food.
16 I will clothe its priests with godliness; its faithful servants will sing for joy.
17 Here I will increase the power of David; my anointed one will be a light for my people.
18 I will clothe his enemies with shame, but he will be a glorious king.
When God placed his Holy Spirit into us [based on our profession of faith in Christ] he made us priests. We now have direct access to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob...without the assistance of another human. We became become royalty, with special promises and privileges. Life was good...
Then, somewhere along the way we notice the special quality of our lives slipping. We don't have the assurance and confidence we once had, so we begin to look for solutions. Mostly we look in all the wrong places.
Our Psalmist looked around at his beloved Israel and was alarmed at the state of deterioration. He took his appeal straight to God and based his appeal entirely on God's own words. The Israel Covenant [Deut. 29:1-29] [30:1-10] is a covenant between God and the Children of Israel... based in great part...upon God's love for His servant David. And the Psalmist reminds us of the promise: God says “This is my resting place forever, I will live here, for this is the home I desired. I will bless this city and make it prosperous; I will satisfy its poor with food. I will clothe its priests with godliness; its faithful servants will sing for joy. Here I will increase the power of David; my anointed one will be a light for my people. I will clothe his enemies with shame, but he will be a glorious king.”
As people of faith, we covet God's presence in our lives. We desire His blessings. We hope for prosperity. We pray for godly leaders who can guide us in righteousness. We appeal for victory over our enemies...all things that God promised to do. But, of course, there is a catch.
Just one catch...God's promise was conditional upon Israel's repentance, return to God, and obedience to the Mosaic law. "If your descendants obey the terms of my covenant and the laws that I teach them, then your royal line will continue forever and ever.”
Repentance and obedience are pesky things. They are like mosquitoes that buzz around our face and annoy us. We swat at them and try to get them to leave. It's human nature to do the same thing with God's demands. Why? Because repentance and obedience run contrary to our human nature. That is why God placed His Spirit within us...so we could take on a new nature that found great delight in repentance and obedience.
But...occasionally that newness wears off and we are back to running our own show, and the trouble begins. God promises to put our lives back in order...on His terms.
Repentance is "agreeing with God". Obedience is self-explanatory. Very uncomplicated, but entirely necessary for God's blessings.
Live boldly out there today...
December 12, 2010
Psalm 131
1. Lord, my heart is not proud; I don’t concern myself with matters too great or too awesome for me to grasp.
2 Instead, I have calmed and quieted myself like a weaned child who no longer cries for its mother’s milk. Yes, like a weaned child is my soul within me
3 O Israel, put your hope in the Lord now and always.
Is there any matter too great to grasp? As far the world would believe...no!
But then, it's interesting how foolish we look when we pontificate on issues that only God himself comprehends.
It might be "global warming". It may be "evolution". It doesn't really matter. When the "smartest folks in the room" get together the discussion invariable gravitates to forgone conclusions and inevitable consequences. Never mind that we only possess a fraction of the information necessary to draw legitimate scientific conclusions about any of it. And on...and on!
And...as science catches up to the scientists...they continually tinker with their absolute certainties.. Is is any wonder most people are sceptical of people smarter than themselves?
Of all people, people of faith ought to be carefully measured in anything we say. After all, it is imperative that we are believable people so when we share the good news of Christ it is taken seriously. Every time we appear pompous or arrogant we diminish our ability to make a difference for Christ's sake.
This is why our Psalmist says Lord, my heart is not proud; I don’t concern myself with matters too great or too awesome for me to grasp. A little bit of humility does a great deal to keep our conversation authoritative and effective. "I don't know" is often the best answer.
Live boldly out there today...
2 Instead, I have calmed and quieted myself like a weaned child who no longer cries for its mother’s milk. Yes, like a weaned child is my soul within me
3 O Israel, put your hope in the Lord now and always.
Is there any matter too great to grasp? As far the world would believe...no!
But then, it's interesting how foolish we look when we pontificate on issues that only God himself comprehends.
It might be "global warming". It may be "evolution". It doesn't really matter. When the "smartest folks in the room" get together the discussion invariable gravitates to forgone conclusions and inevitable consequences. Never mind that we only possess a fraction of the information necessary to draw legitimate scientific conclusions about any of it. And on...and on!
And...as science catches up to the scientists...they continually tinker with their absolute certainties.. Is is any wonder most people are sceptical of people smarter than themselves?
Of all people, people of faith ought to be carefully measured in anything we say. After all, it is imperative that we are believable people so when we share the good news of Christ it is taken seriously. Every time we appear pompous or arrogant we diminish our ability to make a difference for Christ's sake.
This is why our Psalmist says Lord, my heart is not proud; I don’t concern myself with matters too great or too awesome for me to grasp. A little bit of humility does a great deal to keep our conversation authoritative and effective. "I don't know" is often the best answer.
Live boldly out there today...
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