Category Archives: Psalms

Naked, Mockery, Thorns, Spit and A Stick

18 Friday Apr 2014

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This reblog of a “Morning Meds” post hits home on a Good Friday morning. Christ’s suffering should change how we live and respond to others.

wally12662013's avatarMorning Meds (Take 1 each Morning with all the Prayer You Need)

God is waiting to show you the way. God is waiting to show you the way. 27 Some of the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into their headquarters and called out the entire regiment. 28 They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him. 29 They wove thorn branches into a crown and put it on his head, and they placed a reed stick in his right hand as a scepter. Then they knelt before him in mockery and taunted, “Hail! King of the Jews!”30 And they spit on him and grabbed the stick and struck him on the head with it. 31 When they were finally tired of mocking him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him again. Then they led him away to be crucified.–Matt. 27:27-31 (NLT)
God’s heart must have been broken to see His Son treated with such disrespect and cruelty. As we read these verses, our hearts break…

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My Times Are in Your Hands

10 Thursday Apr 2014

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Reading:                                     Psalm 31

(Verses 14-18)

But I trust in you, LORD;     

I say, “You are my God.”

My times are in your hands;     

deliver me from the hands of my enemies,    

 from those who pursue me. Let your face shine on your servant;    

 save me in your unfailing love.  Let me not be put to shame, LORD,     

for I have cried out to you; but let the wicked be put to shame     

and be silent in the realm of the dead. Let their lying lips be silenced,     

for with pride and contempt     

they speak arrogantly against the righteous. (NIV)

Reflection

Yesterday I made a trip to the hospital to visit a neighbour from down my street who is dying due to a brain tumor. Today, I just returned from visiting another neighbour who is dying due to heart failure. About ten years ago she had a heart transplant. Now that heart is being rejected, and she has less than a year to live. To complicate matters she has a thirteen-year-old son and a ten-year-old daughter.

David spoke the truth when he declared, “My times are in your hands.” We have no idea—no certainty about what tomorrow will bring. Will it bring life or death, joy or sorrow, pain or ecstasy, excitement or boredom? Our times are in His hands. We devise our plans, but ultimately the LORD determines the outcome. Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails (Proverbs 19:21).

As if to prove my point, as I went on line to search for the Proverbs passage quoted above, I discovered that Canada’s former finance minister, Jim Flaherty, had suddenly died of a heart attack. While to non-Canadian readers the name Jim Flaherty may mean nothing, to those who live in the true north strong and free Mr. Flaherty was a well-known and well-respected leader who piloted Canada through the Great Recession with consummate skill. He retired just one month ago. His times were in His—that is God’s hands.

But we can easily forget that our times are in God’s hands. It is God who judges: He brings one down, he exalts another (Psalm 75:7). He determines the length of our days. That’s why the opening words of this psalm portion are so important. David asserts, “But I trust in you, LORD; I say, ‘You are my God.'”

In life and in death He is LORD. Put your trust in Him for today, for tomorrow and for all eternity.

Response: Lord God, I do not know what the future holds for me, but like David, I put my trust in You. Guide me in your ways. My life is in your hands. Amen.

Your Turn: How long do you think you have on this earth? Are you ready for eternity?

From the Bottom of the Dry Well

08 Tuesday Apr 2014

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Reading:                                     Psalm 31

(Verses 9-13)

Be merciful to me, LORD, for I am in distress;     

my eyes grow weak with sorrow,     

my soul and body with grief.

My life is consumed by anguish     

and my years by groaning;

my strength fails because of my affliction,    

 and my bones grow weak. Because of all my enemies,     

I am the utter contempt of my neighbors and an object of dread to my closest friends—     

those who see me on the street flee from me.

I am forgotten as though I were dead;     

I have become like broken pottery.

 For I hear many whispering,     

“Terror on every side!” They conspire against me     

and plot to take my life. (NIV)

Reflection

How often do you find yourself crying out for mercy as David does at the start of this psalm portion? I confess daily I need God’s mercy. Be merciful to me, LORD, for I am in distress; my eyes grow weak with sorrow, my soul and body with grief.

The desperate cry for help is a recurring theme throughout the psalms. While there is plenty of rejoicing and we find ample helpings of praise for the LORD throughout the Book of Psalms, we also find time after time David and the other writers of the psalms calling out for God for mercy. It is as though David has stumbled into a dry well and has no one to rescue him. Only God can help. Only God will listen.

Is that where you find yourself? In this psalm portion we can see that David is experiencing a deep sense of abandonment. He feels he is alone with none to help. He laments, “I am forgotten as though I were dead.”

Is that where you find yourself? But David’s sense of abandonment plums even greater depths. Not only does David feel the sting of rejection, he also feels totally worthless. In his despair he cries, “I have become like broken pottery.” It appears as though he has lost all sense of meaning and purpose to his life. He is abandoned, useless and worthless.

Is that where you find yourself? Then do as David did. Pour out your complaint to God. Call out to Him. He is listening. He cares and He answers. The LORD has not changed.

Response: Lord God, have mercy on me. Come to my aid. When I stumble and fall into the dry well of despair, please come to my rescue. Help me see Jesus peering down at me. Loving Jesus, extend your hand of help. Amen.

Your Turn: Reflect on how God has helped you in the past. Has he pulled you out of a pit?

Calling All Apostles

04 Friday Apr 2014

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I’m heading off this morning for a busy weekend of ministry. Sometimes following the Lord does not lead to a life of comfort and ease. There are costs involved. Consider the thoughts found in this “Morning Meds” post:

wally12662013's avatarMorning Meds (Take 1 each Morning with all the Prayer You Need)

God is waiting to show you the way. God is waiting to show you the way. 1. Jesus called the twelve apostles together and gave them power and authority over every demon and power and authority to cure diseases. 2 He sent them to spread the message about the kingdom of God and to cure the sick. 3 He told them, “Don’t take anything along on the trip. Don’t take a walking stick, traveling bag, any food, money, or a change of clothes. 4 When you go into a home, stay there until you’re ready to leave. 5 If people don’t welcome you, leave that city, and shake its dust off your feet as a warning to them.” 6 The apostles went from village to village, told the Good News, and cured the sick everywhere.–Luke 9:1-6 (God’s Word Translation)

​The apostles spent somewhere between 2 and 3 years walking with Jesus. They learned about the Kingdom of God…

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You Have Set my Feet in a Spacious Place

02 Wednesday Apr 2014

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Reading:                                     Psalm 31

(Verses 6-8)

I hate those who cling to worthless idols;     

as for me, I trust in the LORD.

I will be glad and rejoice in your love,    

 for you saw my affliction     

and knew the anguish of my soul.

You have not given me into the hands of the enemy     

but have set my feet in a spacious place. (NIV)

 Reflection

David clearly lacked a sense of political correctness. The opening line of this psalm portion makes me want to cringe. I hate those who cling to worthless idols. What an inflammatory remark! Hate has no place in our expression of Christian faith. Didn’t David know that we are to hate the sin, but love the sinner? Perhaps we should send David off to a course in sensitivity training.

Somehow biblical David got away with making such a statement, and here we have it recorded in the pages of Holy Scripture for all to read. Hate is a less than desirable emotion. But is it warranted in certain instances? My Christian love for murdering rapists grows mighty thin at times, and I speak from a distance. If my life was directly impacted by an idolatrous, murdering rapist, I am not sure how I would respond. Christ-centred forgiveness is the right response, but gut-wrenching hate might well spring to life. My capacity for forgiveness in severe circumstances remains untested. I dare not boast in my theoretical ability to forgive.

The second part of David’s opening remark is of crucial importance. I hate those who cling to worthless idols; as for me, I trust in the LORD.

Only trust in the LORD can break the crippling bondage of sin and hate. Vengeance belongs to the LORD, not to the seething heart tortured and taunted by anger. Secular author Malcolm Gladwell explores the extraordinary power of forgiveness in his most recent book, David and Goliath. Gladwell’s thoughts and research on the topic make for an insightful read. He concludes that forgiveness has the power to turn the world upside down. That’s the power we find in the gospel. Rather than be caught in the trap of ruinous hate, through the power of Christ we have the ability to step into the liberty of forgiveness.

By the gracious Holy Spirit we have the ability to choose love over hate. David’s confession becomes our own, “I will be glad and rejoice in your love, for you saw my affliction and knew the anguish of my soul.”

When we choose love over hate, forgiveness over vengeance, trust in God over reliance on our own ability, we defeat Satan, the true enemy of our soul. Then the LORD sets us at liberty in a spacious place. With David we can declare, “You have not given me into the hands of the enemy but have set my feet in a spacious place.”

Response: Lord God, thank you for forgiveness. Help me to practice it daily. Give me a forgiving spirit like your Son, Jesus. Amen.

Your Turn: Is there someone you need to forgive? Do it today.

QUOTE (Corrie ten Boom) – Feb 28

27 Thursday Mar 2014

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JD Blom's avatarA DEVOTED LIFE

Corrie ten Boom, "The Hiding Place" Corrie ten Boom, “The Hiding Place” (Photo credit: Corrie ten Boom Museum)

“Now he was in front of me, hand thrust out: ‘A fine message, Fräulein! How good it is to know that, as you say, all our sins are at the bottom of the sea!’  And I, who had spoken so glibly of forgiveness, fumbled in my pocketbook rather than take that hand. He would not remember me, of course—how could he remember one prisoner among those thousands of women?

But I remembered him and the leather crop swinging from his belt. I was face-to-face with one of my captors and my blood seemed to freeze.

‘You mentioned Ravensbruck in your talk,’ he was saying, ‘I was a guard there.’  No, he did not remember me.  ‘But since that time,’ he went on, ‘I have become a Christian. I know that God has forgiven me for the cruel things I…

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The Importance of a Place of Refuge

25 Tuesday Mar 2014

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Reading:                                    Psalm 31

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

(Verses 1-5)

In you, LORD, I have taken refuge;     

let me never be put to shame;     

deliver me in your righteousness.

Turn your ear to me,   

come quickly to my rescue; be my rock of refuge,  

   a strong fortress to save me.

Since you are my rock and my fortress,   

  for the sake of your name lead and guide me.

Keep me free from the trap that is set for me,     

for you are my refuge. Into your hands I commit my spirit;     

deliver me, LORD, my faithful God. (NIV)

Reflection

We all need a place of refuge. Here as David begins Psalm 31, he pleads with God to hear him, and become a rock of refuge for him. Turn your ear to me, come quickly to my rescue; be my rock of refuge, a strong fortress to save me.

David spent many of his early years fleeing from King Saul. At other times the Philistines were a threat. There were many occasions in which David needed a fortress—a rock of refuge from his enemies. Often he found himself calling out for the LORD to rescue him.

Are we any different? We may not have physical enemies who are seeking to kill us, but in the spiritual realm the demonic forces of hell are constantly seeking opportunities to trip us up, so that they can launch their vicious assault. Trouble and affliction comes to every human life. We are not immune simply because we have put our faith in Christ. We too need a safe place—a rock of refuge.

But the rock to which we flee is not an inanimate object, fixed and unmoving. No, we come to the living rock which is Christ. He travels with us on this earthly pilgrimage. The apostle, Paul reminds us that even the people of Israel wandering in the wilderness were not alone. They all ate the same spiritual food and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ (1 Corinthians 10:3-4).

The veins of that rock were opened wide for us. Jesus bled and died so that we could experience new life and complete forgiveness. As he hung dying, Jesus called out to his Father with the words of this psalm, “Into your hands I commit my spirit.” Now daily that living rock accompanies you. He is the fount of forgiveness and a sure refuge in a time of need.

Response: Lord God, I thank you for Jesus. You alone are my rock and my eternal fortress. Amen.

Your Turn: Is Jesus your living rock? Why is the analogy of Jesus as a rock a comfort to you?

Preaching and Teaching

14 Friday Mar 2014

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This post is a re-blog of some thoughts by Lawson Murray of Scripture Union on the importance and centrality of God’s word. Though it is written from a leader’s perspective, I believe it embodies wisdom that we can all appreciate.

Dr. Lawson Murray's avatarBible Engagement Blog: JumpIntoTheWord

I love to read, study, teach and preach the Word. But looking back on more than three decades of ministry I realize I could have done more to help others develop confidence in the Word, build community focused on the Word, and encourage conversations about the Word.

So what can teachers and preachers do to promote confidence in, community around, and conversations about the Word? Consider the following:

  • Read the Scriptures every time you teach or preach the Word. Don’t cut out or truncate the reading of the Word to make more time for what you want to say. The Word of God should always be the main point, not the footnote of the lesson or sermon.
  • Public reading of the Scriptures should be done with conviction, enthusiasm, passion, fluency and expression. Worship teams/choirs practice their singing – Scripture readers should likewise practice their reading.
  • God’s Word is holy. Read it…

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The God of Sudden Turn-a-Rounds

13 Thursday Mar 2014

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Reading: Psalm 30
(Verses 6-12)
When I felt secure, I said,
“I will never be shaken.”
LORD, when you favored me,
you made my royal mountain stand firm;
but when you hid your face, I was dismayed.
To you, LORD, I called;
to the LORD I cried for mercy:
“What is gained if I am silenced,
if I go down to the pit?
Will the dust praise you?
Will it proclaim your faithfulness?
Hear, LORD, and be merciful to me;
LORD, be my help.”
You turned my wailing into dancing;
you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,
that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent.
LORD my God, I will praise you forever. (NIV)

Reflection
Every psalm in the Book of Psalms reveals to us an aspect or characteristic of God. Here in Psalm 30, we see the LORD God of mercy, redemption and sudden turn-a-rounds.

We all go through times of triumph as well as times of deep discouragement. My emotional life often swings between these two extremes. Some days my glass is half full; on other days it is half empty. My faith level soars and plummets, often quite abruptly depending on circumstances. David also experienced these swings between optimism and pessimism. They are a trademark of his psalms. Perhaps that’s why I love them. They reflect my own life experience.

In the opening lines of today’s reading, David swings between a position of utter confidence and security to a position of shaken dismay. When trouble or disaster strikes we may well ask, “Where is God in all this?” Like David we may call out, “What is gained if I am silenced, if I go down to the pit? Will the dust praise you? Will it proclaim your faithfulness? Hear, LORD, and be merciful to me; LORD, be my help.”

God is always on His throne. He is not caught by surprise when you lose your job, a relationship breaks down or you suffer a great loss. He remains secure, but more than that He is a God of great mercy and sudden turn-a-rounds. He is the LORD God of resurrection. He turned the disciples mourning into dancing when He raised Jesus from the dead. Always, always, always remember He can do the same for you. In the course of this psalm He turned David around. Jesus is the resurrection artist. And remember this: Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever (Hebrews 13:8).

Response: You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent. LORD my God, I will praise you forever. Amen.

Your Turn: Has God turned around a seemingly impossible situation for you?

Why should I praise God?

11 Tuesday Mar 2014

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Reading:                                         Psalm 30

A psalm. A song. For the dedication of the temple. Of David.

(Verses 1-5)

I will exalt you, LORD,
for you lifted me out of the depths
and did not let my enemies gloat over me.
LORD my God, I called to you for help,
and you healed me.
You, LORD, brought me up from the realm of the dead;
you spared me from going down to the pit.

Sing the praises of the LORD, you his faithful people;
praise his holy name.
For his anger lasts only a moment,
but his favor lasts a lifetime;
weeping may stay for the night,
but rejoicing comes in the morning. (NIV)

 Reflection

If you ever want an excuse to break out in praise, just read the opening lines of Psalm 30. There are plenty of excellent reasons to praise God, and David gives us several of them right here. I will exalt you, LORD, for you lifted me out of the depths and did not let my enemies gloat over me.

The LORD has lifted me out of the depths of sin and the Slough of Despond on more than one occasion. Furthermore, the LORD provides more than just forgiveness. He also gives victory over the sin and the discouragement that entraps us. He has defeated the minions of hell. Praise the LORD!

LORD my God, I called to you for help, and you healed me. If you enjoy good health, praise the LORD. He is your healer. Whether through miraculous means or natural process God is our healer, and we can thank Him for the strength, energy and rejuvenation He brings into our lives. Praise the LORD!

You, LORD, brought me up from the realm of the dead; you spared me from going down to the pit. In Ephesians, chapter two, Paul tells us that we were dead in trespasses and sins. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2:4-7). Praise the LORD!

We serve a God of mercy, redemption and turn-a-rounds. He turns our mourning into dancing. See Psalm 30:11. For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning. Praise the LORD!

Response: Lord God, I thank you for your mercy and grace. You are good to me. Amen.

Your Turn: What can you praise God for today?