Tag Archives: the LORD

Healing for the Wounded Heart

22 Tuesday May 2018

Posted by in Bible, Devotionals, Psalm 109, Psalms

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Reading: Psalm 109  
(Verses 21-31)
But you, Sovereign LORD, help me for your name’s sake;
    out of the goodness of your love, deliver me.
For I am poor and needy, and my heart is wounded within me.
 I fade away like an evening shadow;
    I am shaken off like a locust.
My knees give way from fasting; my body is thin and gaunt.
I am an object of scorn to my accusers;
    when they see me, they shake their heads.
Help me, LORD my God; save me according to your unfailing love.
Let them know that it is your hand, that you, LORD, have done it.
While they curse, may you bless;
    may those who attack me be put to shame,
    but may your servant rejoice.
May my accusers be clothed with disgrace
    and wrapped in shame as in a cloak.
With my mouth I will greatly extol the LORD;
    in the great throng of worshipers I will praise him.
For he stands at the right hand of the needy,
to save their lives from those who would condemn them (NIV).

Reflection
Post-traumatic stress disorder—PTSD—its effects are real. Soldiers are returning from theatres of war looking fit and healthy, but in reality they are deeply wounded by what they have seen or participated in. Of course one does not need to go to the battle field to experience the devastating effects of PTSD. First responders and witnesses to horrific events here at home can also become wounded and scarred.

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The Bow River in Banff National Park — photo by David Kitz

In this concluding portion of Psalm 109, David makes this confession: I am poor and needy, and my heart is wounded within me.

Our world is full of wounded people. Keep this in mind the next time you see someone in a fit of rage or self-medicating with a bottle of booze or pills or a hypodermic needle. The wounds are real. The way back to social and emotional health is often long, difficult and fraught with pain.

David, the wounded warrior, does two things that are vital for anyone who wants to recover from PTSD or any form of spiritual wounding. He admits his need. Rather than tough it out, he confesses that he is in a desperate state. I am poor and needy, and my heart is wounded within me.

Secondly, David called out to the LORD. Help me, LORD my God; save me according to your unfailing love. The LORD’s ears are always open to that kind of prayer—the prayer of the wounded. Jesus our Savior was wounded. With his wounds, Jesus heals the wounded heart. Will you let him in? 

Response: LORD, I confess events in my life have left me wounded. Heal me on the inside. Today I turn to you. I can’t do this by myself. Help me, LORD my God; save me according to your unfailing love. Amen.

Your Turn: Are there wounded people in your life? Have you been wounded?

Your Word, LORD, Is Eternal

20 Sunday May 2018

Posted by in Bible, God's word, Psalm 119, Psalms

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I will praise Him!

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Sunset glory — photo by David Kitz

ל Lamedh

Your word, LORD, is eternal;
    it stands firm in the heavens.
Your faithfulness continues through all generations;
    you established the earth, and it endures.
Your laws endure to this day,
    for all things serve you.
If your law had not been my delight,
    I would have perished in my affliction.
I will never forget your precepts,
    for by them you have preserved my life.
Save me, for I am yours;
    I have sought out your precepts.
The wicked are waiting to destroy me,
    but I will ponder your statutes.
To all perfection I see a limit,
    but your commands are boundless.

(Psalm 119:89-96, NIV)

With God We Will Gain the Victory

16 Wednesday May 2018

Posted by in Bible, Devotionals, God's word, Psalm 108, Psalms

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Reading: Psalm 108  
(Verses 6-13)
Save us and help us with your right hand,
that those you love may be delivered.
God has spoken from his sanctuary:
“In triumph I will parcel out Shechem
and measure off the Valley of Sukkoth.
Gilead is mine, Manasseh is mine;
Ephraim is my helmet, Judah is my scepter.
Moab is my washbasin,
on Edom I toss my sandal;
over Philistia I shout in triumph.”
Who will bring me to the fortified city?
Who will lead me to Edom?
Is it not you, God, you who have rejected us
and no longer go out with our armies?
Give us aid against the enemy,
for human help is worthless.
With God we will gain the victory,
and he will trample down our enemies (NIV).

Reflection
In today’s reading from Psalm 108, we get into the meat of David’s request or petition. He makes his plea before God: Save us and help us with your right hand that those you love may be delivered.

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An evening stroll along the shore of the Ottawa River — photo by David Kitz

It’s difficult to pinpoint exactly when David penned this Psalm, but it likely came early in his reign as king over Judah or Israel. When David assumed the leadership of Judah, Israel was in dire straits. The nation had been weakened by division under King Saul. The Philistines won a major battle which resulted in the death of King Saul and his heir apparent, Prince Jonathan. The nation was divided, despondent and in disarray. Meanwhile, enemies on every side were seizing the moment to press their advantage.

In many respects Christendom and the church world finds itself in a similar position today—divided, despondent and in disarray. We need a David or a number of Davids to arise and rally God’s people against spiritual foes and machinations too numerous to mention. Where are the Davids? Are you one of them? Over a number of years through a series of battles the David of the Bible turned things around.

But we need to always keep this in mind. Though God calls various people to leadership roles, He is the One who brings victory and He is the One who deserves the credit. David clearly expressed this truth in his prayer. Give us aid against the enemy, for human help is worthless. With God we will gain the victory, and he will trample down our enemies. 

We look to the LORD for victory and deliverance. David did, and so must we. 

Response: Father God, I want to play my part in turning things around in your church. Today let your Kingdom come and your will be done through the power of your Holy Spirit. Amen.

Your Turn: Are you a present-day David? What has God called you to do?

David Awakens the Dawn

15 Tuesday May 2018

Posted by in Bible, Devotionals, God's word, Psalm 108, Psalms

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Reading: Psalm 108
A song. A psalm of David.
(Verses 1-5)
My heart, O God, is steadfast;
I will sing and make music with all my soul.
Awake, harp and lyre!
I will awaken the dawn.
I will praise you, LORD, among the nations;
I will sing of you among the peoples.
For great is your love, higher than the heavens;
your faithfulness reaches to the skies.
Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;
let your glory be over all the earth (NIV).

Reflection
This morning did you awaken the dawn or did the dawn awaken you? For those who are early risers awakening the dawn becomes much easier as the days get shorter and we approach the winter solstice. But just the opposite is true now. I confess that this morning I did not awake before sunrise.

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Manitoba sunrise, “Awake my soul” — photo by David Kitz

There is something quite magical about watching the sunrise and spread its golden rays across the eastern sky. I was treated to a magnificent sunrise display last Monday. I was driving east across the prairies and as each mile slipped by the glory along the horizon grew more and more intense. I pity the poor atheist who has no one to praise when he beholds such a display.

For believers, praise for our God springs naturally from our lips when we see God paint the sky with golden hues of splendor. In such moments David’s call to worship becomes our own: Awake, harp and lyre! I will awaken the dawn. I will praise you, LORD, among the nations; I will sing of you among the peoples. 

Can you picture David taking up his harp and breaking into song as he locks his eyes on the rising sun? David was a most remarkable character. What sets David apart from other individuals we meet in the pages of scripture? He was a man of spectacular failings. His adulterous affair with Bathsheba and the treacherous means he used to dispatch her husband stand out. But there’s nothing remarkable about spectacular failings and shortcomings. These are common to man.

What stands out about David’s character is his steadfastness to the LORD. The opening lines of Psalm 109 hold the key to understanding David’s overcoming nature. My heart, O God, is steadfast; I will sing and make music with all my soul. 

Despite his failings, David remained steadfast in his love for God. Secondly, he was wholehearted in his praise for God. When things came off the rails, he did not turn away from the LORD or stop praising Him. He repented and God forgave him. Then David gave thanks. David’s example is there for us to follow.

Response: LORD God, I always want to have a thankful heart that is quick to praise you. Help me to be steadfast in love and praise even when the way ahead is difficult. You are my help and my glory. Amen.

Your Turn: What does being steadfast look like for you?

Is your relationship with God steadfast or cyclical?

14 Monday May 2018

Posted by in Bible, Devotionals, God's word, Psalm 107, Psalms

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Reading: Psalm 107  
(Verses 33-43)
He turned rivers into a desert,
flowing springs into thirsty ground,
and fruitful land into a salt waste,
because of the wickedness of those who lived there.
He turned the desert into pools of water
and the parched ground into flowing springs;
there he brought the hungry to live,
and they founded a city where they could settle.
They sowed fields and planted vineyards that yielded a fruitful harvest;
he blessed them, and their numbers greatly increased,
and he did not let their herds diminish.
Then their numbers decreased, and they were humbled
by oppression, calamity and sorrow;
he who pours contempt on nobles
made them wander in a trackless waste.
But he lifted the needy out of their affliction
and increased their families like flocks.
The upright see and rejoice, but all the wicked shut their mouths.
Let the one who is wise heed these things
and ponder the loving deeds of the LORD (NIV).

Reflection
I wish I could say that I was always steadfast in my love for the LORD and steadfast in the pursuit of His will and purpose for my life. But in reality my walk with God has been cyclical. There have been times when I have sensed God’s great love and intimacy, and other times when I have followed the Lord from a distance.

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The forest floor and the green of spring — photo by David Kitz

In this concluding portion of Psalm 107, we see the cyclical nature of our love for God on full display. As people cry out to the LORD in their distress, He hears and answers their prayers. The LORD blesses them abundantly. He turned the desert into pools of water and the parched ground into flowing springs; there he brought the hungry to live, and they founded a city where they could settle.

But with increased prosperity, people often forget God who brought the blessing. They assume that wealth and good times have arrived simply because of their own effort. Yes, God expects us to exert some effort. But we can put in effort and get no increase. Ultimately, God is the source of every blessing. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows (James 1:17).

When we forget to be thankful, we set ourselves on a downward spiral where again we will soon need to repent and call out to God for mercy. We need national and personal steadfastness to the LORD. 

Response: Father God, thank you for my personal story of redemption. Help me to always remain thankful. I don’t want to be trapped in a cycle. Help me to be steadfast in pursuing your will. Amen.

Your Turn: Are you steadfast or cyclical in your pursuit of God?

He Still Stills Storms

11 Friday May 2018

Posted by in Bible, Devotionals, God's word, Psalm 107, Psalms

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Reading: Psalm 107   
(Verses 23-32)
Some went out on the sea in ships;
they were merchants on the mighty waters.
They saw the works of the LORD,
his wonderful deeds in the deep.
For he spoke and stirred up a tempest
that lifted high the waves.
They mounted up to the heavens and went down to the depths;
in their peril their courage melted away.
They reeled and staggered like drunkards;
they were at their wits’ end.
Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble,
and he brought them out of their distress.
He stilled the storm to a whisper;
the waves of the sea were hushed.
They were glad when it grew calm,
and he guided them to their desired haven.
Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love
and his wonderful deeds for mankind.
Let them exalt him in the assembly of the people
and praise him in the council of the elders (NIV).

Reflection
There is something very primal or basic about our understanding of God and storms. We know that we cannot control the weather. Storms and floods are acts of God well beyond our limited power. All we can do is call out for God’s mercy just as the men in this vignette from Psalm 107 did. Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and he brought them out of their distress.

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Flooded path to the Ottawa River — photo by David Kitz

 Jesus’ disciples found themselves in an identical situation one day. Fear of drowning is one of those fears that haunts all of us.

A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” 

He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm (Mark 4:37-39).

For the disciples this was one of those experiences that confirmed the deity of Jesus. They were not following an ordinary man, but rather God clothed in human flesh.

Response: LORD God, I want to see Jesus and experience him in my life. Open my eyes to who you really are. Jesus, please still the storms that roil the seas on which I sail. I need to hear your calming voice. Amen.

Your Turn: Are you being hit by the storms of life? Have you called out to God in your time of need?

From Darkness to Light

09 Wednesday May 2018

Posted by in Bible, Devotionals, God's word, Psalm 107, Psalms

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Reading: Psalm 107  

(Verses 10-16)
Some sat in darkness, in utter darkness,
prisoners suffering in iron chains,
because they rebelled against God’s commands
and despised the plans of the Most High.
So he subjected them to bitter labor;
they stumbled, and there was no one to help.
Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble,
and he saved them from their distress.
He brought them out of darkness, the utter darkness,
and broke away their chains.
Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love
and his wonderful deeds for mankind,
for he breaks down gates of bronze
and cuts through bars of iron (NIV).

Reflection
Darkness comes in various forms. Darkness is of course an absence of natural or artificial light. A certain amount of darkness can in fact be very pleasant. Have you ever tried to sleep in a brightly lit room? On a recent trip I was driving through the wilderness of northern Ontario with a full moon—a supermoon beaming down. On such occasions you appreciate the soothing benefits of darkness.

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By the light of the moon, Landestreu Church, SK — photo courtesy of Donald Adam.

But spiritual darkness is another matter. In today’s vignette or snapshot from Psalm 107, we see a picture of prisoners sitting in utter darkness and subjected to bitter labor. This darkness, however, is self-inflicted, because they rebelled against God’s commands and despised the plans of the Most High.

There’s a lot of self-inflicted darkness and suffering in the world. One could argue that since the time of Adam and Eve, all suffering and spiritual darkness is in some respects self-inflicted. In our blindness and self-generated wisdom, we harm ourselves, rather than calling out to the LORD.

Have you harmed yourself by walking down a dark path? Have you despised the plans of the Most High? I have. In my foolish rebellion, I thought my plans were better than God’s plans, but God’s ways are higher than my ways and He knows the best way because He lights the way.

Sometimes we insist on generating our own light—artificial light. The religions and philosophies of this world are artificial light. We will see that they are pale imitations on that day when the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its rays (Malachi 4:2). Nothing and no one shines like Jesus. John testifies to this truth. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it (John 1:4-5).

Come, descendants of Jacob, let us walk in the light of the LORD (Isaiah 2:5).

Response: Father God, today I want to walk in your light. Thanks for the light of salvation that we receive in Christ our Savior. Please show me your way forward. You brighten my life. Amen.

Your Turn: Have you been guilty of generating your own light rather than calling out to the LORD?

Stories of Redemption

08 Tuesday May 2018

Posted by in Bible, Devotionals, God's word, Psalm 107, Psalms

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Reading: Psalm 107
(Verses 1-9)
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;
his love endures forever.
Let the redeemed of the LORD tell their story—
those he redeemed from the hand of the foe,
those he gathered from the lands,
from east and west, from north and south.
Some wandered in desert wastelands,
finding no way to a city where they could settle.
They were hungry and thirsty,
and their lives ebbed away.
Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble,
and he delivered them from their distress.
He led them by a straight way
to a city where they could settle.
Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love
and his wonderful deeds for mankind,
for he satisfies the thirsty
and fills the hungry with good things (NIV).

Reflection
This psalm is different. It’s unique among the 150 psalms in the Bible because it presents us with various vignettes of redemption—brief stories or scenes where the LORD rains down his mercy and rescues the wayward and downtrodden.

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Babbling creek in a deep ravine, Orleans, ON — photo by David Kitz

In verse two the psalmist declares, “Let the redeemed of the LORD tell their story.” Then as the psalm progresses, he goes on to describe five scenes or stories of redemption. The desert-stranded traveler is rescued; the prisoner is set free, the rebellious are brought healing and encouragement, those lost in a storm-tossed sea find a safe harbor, and prosperity returns to the inhabitants of a parched wasteland. In every situation, the great God of heaven hears the cries of His people and shows them His plenteous mercy.

What a good God we serve! With the psalmist we exclaim, “His love endures forever!”

If you are a follower of Jesus, you too have a story of redemption to tell. He rescued you from a downward hellish spiral just as real as those described in this psalm. Some rescues come in the nick of time; others come early on, before we sink neck-deep into trouble. We might call them preemptive rescues. Whatever your personal story, it’s a testimony worth telling. God intervened in your life, and the good news is He stands ready to intervene again at the very moment you cry out to Him.

He loves to redeem His people. It’s in His nature. Spiritually, are you in a desert place? Call out to Him.

Response: Father God, I am thankful that I have a story of redemption. You intervened in my life. Today I thank you for satisfying my thirst and filling my life with good things. Amen.

Your Turn: Do you have a story of redemption to tell? Was it pre-emptive or in the nick of time?

Bent Nails and Bent Hearts

07 Monday May 2018

Posted by in Bible, Devotionals, God's word, Psalm 106, Psalms

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Reading:                                   Psalm 106                                                                 

(Verses 40-48)
Therefore the LORD was angry with his people
and abhorred his inheritance.
He gave them into the hands of the nations,
and their foes ruled over them.
Their enemies oppressed them
and subjected them to their power.
Many times he delivered them,
but they were bent on rebellion
and they wasted away in their sin.
Yet he took note of their distress when he heard their cry;
for their sake he remembered his covenant
and out of his great love he relented.
He caused all who held them captive to show them mercy.
Save us, LORD our God, and gather us from the nations,
that we may give thanks to your holy name and glory in your praise.
Praise be to the LORD, the God of Israel,
from everlasting to everlasting.
Let all the people say, “Amen!”
Praise the LORD (NIV).

Reflection
Have you ever tried to drive in a crooked nail? You are asking for trouble if you make the attempt. If the nail has even a slight bend in it, it will either buckle or be misdirected as it enters the wood. Over the years I have hammered home a lot of nails. And only straight nails stay true.

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Bending over the river — photo by David Kitz

Today’s final reading from Psalm 106 reminds me of bent nails. The psalmist laments the corrupt ways of the nation of Israel despite the LORD’s mercy and patience. Many times he delivered them, but they were bent on rebellion and they wasted away in their sin.

Many people are like bent nails. Despite many blows—many hard knocks—they refuse to run true. They are bent on rebellion and they waste away in their sin. Their troubles are self-inflicted, but rather than acknowledge their errors, they blame God or others for their circumstances. Repentance or self-correction never enters their mind.

But… But God remains merciful. Yet he took note of their distress when he heard their cry; for their sake he remembered his covenant and out of his great love he relented.

Why would God have mercy on bent nails? Maybe it has something to do with the bent nails that held Jesus, His son, in place on a wooden cross. That’s where mercy flowed down over this bent nail—this flawed human. Oh, what love He showed!

Response: Father God, I give up on understanding your mercy and grace. It’s beyond comprehension. Thank you for loving me despite my sinful bent. Your love is amazing. Thank you, Jesus. Amen.

Your Turn: Is rebellion part of your nature? Can we self-correct or do we need God’s help?

Your Law is my Delight

06 Sunday May 2018

Posted by in Bible, God's word, Psalm 119, Psalms

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I will praise Him!

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Hardy pine grows amid rock and snow — photo courtesy of Liz Kranz

י Yodh

Your hands made me and formed me;
    give me understanding to learn your commands.
May those who fear you rejoice when they see me,
    for I have put my hope in your word.
I know, LORD, that your laws are righteous,
    and that in faithfulness you have afflicted me.
May your unfailing love be my comfort,
    according to your promise to your servant.
Let your compassion come to me that I may live,
    for your law is my delight.
May the arrogant be put to shame for wronging me without cause;
    but I will meditate on your precepts.
May those who fear you turn to me,
    those who understand your statutes.
May I wholeheartedly follow your decrees,
    that I may not be put to shame.

(Psalm 119:73-80, NIV)