Tag Archives: the LORD

You Are my Son

29 Sunday Jul 2018

Posted by in Bible, God's word, Psalm 2, Psalms

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I will praise Him!

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Green’s Creek Point on the Ottawa River — photo by David Kitz

I will proclaim the LORD’s decree:

He said to me, “You are my son;
    today I have become your father.
Ask me,
    and I will make the nations your inheritance,
    the ends of the earth your possession.
You will break them with a rod of iron;
    you will dash them to pieces like pottery.”

Therefore, you kings, be wise;
    be warned, you rulers of the earth.
Serve the LORD with fear
    and celebrate his rule with trembling.
Kiss his son, or he will be angry
    and your way will lead to your destruction,
for his wrath can flare up in a moment.
    Blessed are all who take refuge in him.

(Psalm 2:7-12, NIV)

Meditating on His Law

28 Saturday Jul 2018

Posted by in Bible, God's word, Psalm 1, Psalms

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I will praise Him!

2018-05-20a

A tree planted by streams of water — photo by David Kitz

Blessed is the one
    who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
    or sit in the company of mockers,
but whose delight is in the law of the LORD,
    and who meditates on his law day and night.
That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
    which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither—
    whatever they do prospers.

(Psalm 1:1-3, NIV)

A Heritage from the LORD

22 Sunday Jul 2018

Posted by in Bible, God's word, Psalm 127, Psalms

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I will praise Him!

spring family 1955

1955 — Children are a heritage from the Lord — photo by Wanda Kitz

A song of ascents. Of Solomon

Unless the LORD builds the house,
    the builders labor in vain.
Unless the LORD watches over the city,
    the guards stand watch in vain.
In vain you rise early
    and stay up late,
toiling for food to eat—
    for he grants sleep to those he loves.

Children are a heritage from the LORD,
    offspring a reward from him.
Like arrows in the hands of a warrior
    are children born in one’s youth.
Blessed is the man
    whose quiver is full of them.
They will not be put to shame
    when they contend with their opponents in court.

(Psalm 127:1-5, NIV)

Restore our Fortunes, LORD

21 Saturday Jul 2018

Posted by in Bible, God's word, Psalm 126, Psalms

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I will praise Him!

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Like streams in the Negev — photo by David Kitz

A song of ascents.

When the LORD restored the fortunes of Zion,
    we were like those who dreamed.
Our mouths were filled with laughter,
    our tongues with songs of joy.
Then it was said among the nations,
    “The LORD has done great things for them.”
The LORD has done great things for us,
    and we are filled with joy.

Restore our fortunes, LORD,
    like streams in the Negev.
Those who sow with tears
    will reap with songs of joy.
Those who go out weeping,
    carrying seed to sow,
will return with songs of joy,
    carrying sheaves with them.

(Psalm 126:1-6, NIV)

Making Eye Contact with God

19 Thursday Jul 2018

Posted by in Devotionals, God's word, Psalm 123, Psalms

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Reading: Psalm 123
A song of ascents.
I lift up my eyes to you,
to you who sit enthroned in heaven.
As the eyes of slaves look to the hand of their master,
as the eyes of a female slave look to the hand of her mistress,
so our eyes look to the LORD our God,
till he shows us his mercy.
Have mercy on us, LORD, have mercy on us,
for we have endured no end of contempt.
We have endured no end
of ridicule from the arrogant,
of contempt from the proud (NIV).

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Petrie Island morning — photo by David Kitz

Reflection
Like every parent, I have had moments when I have needed to correct my children. In my professional life as a teacher, correcting a child’s behavior was a daily, sometimes minute-to-minute occurrence. In such situations eye contact is crucial. If the child does not make eye contact with you, you are wasting your breath. Your advice—your admonition—your warning—is going nowhere. You might as well speak to the wind. But in such situations, it is essential that you speak to the heart of the child.

The eyes are the window of the heart. When someone is avoiding eye contact, in reality they are hiding their heart. They are closing their heart to you.

Of course the same principle is true when we consider our relationship with God. We need to make eye contact with the LORD. That’s why there is something truly intimate about this psalm. It’s all about making eye contact with God. It’s about opening your heart to the LORD and exposing what is deep inside you. You are showing when you lift your eyes to Him that you are ready to receive instruction. Yes, and correction too, if that is needed.

So the psalmist speaks these words: I lift up my eyes to you, to you who sit enthroned in heaven. He takes the position and the posture of a slave—a humble servant. He is looking for mercy—hoping for grace and blessing from the hand of His master.

This is perhaps the most intimate of the Songs of Ascent. Having come a great distance, the pilgrim is now in the LORD’s house. He has drawn nigh in the fullest sense. The pilgrim lifts his eyes—not to an idol, but to the LORD—the One who fills all, formed all, and transcends all. With eyes wide open he exposes his heart to God. He waits expectantly for the LORD’s instruction.

Prayer at its best is modelled for us in this psalm. It’s prayer with our eyes wide open to God. We are looking to Him for mercy, comfort, strength and direction. 

Response: Father God, I come before you now. I lift up my eyes to you, to you who sit enthroned in heaven. Be merciful to me. Speak to me. Correct me, if I need correction. Give me direction. I am ready to receive instruction from you. I am your servant. Amen.

Your Turn: Are you drawing nigh to God? How do you make eye contact with God?

As the Mountains Surround Jerusalem

15 Sunday Jul 2018

Posted by in Bible, God's word, Psalm 125, Psalms

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I will praise Him!

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Policeman Creek, Canmore, Alberta, Canada — photo by David Kitz

A song of ascents.

Those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion,
    which cannot be shaken but endures forever.
As the mountains surround Jerusalem,
    so the LORD surrounds his people
    both now and forevermore.

The scepter of the wicked will not remain
    over the land allotted to the righteous,
for then the righteous might use
    their hands to do evil.

LORD, do good to those who are good,
    to those who are upright in heart.
But those who turn to crooked ways
    the LORD will banish with the evildoers.

Peace be on Israel.

(Psalm 125:1-5, NIV)

We Have Escaped Like a Bird

14 Saturday Jul 2018

Posted by in Devotionals, God's word, Psalm 124, Psalms

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I will praise Him!

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Mother duck, Nagoya, Japan — photo by David Kitz

A song of ascents. Of David.

If the LORD had not been on our side—
    let Israel say—
if the LORD had not been on our side
    when people attacked us,
they would have swallowed us alive
    when their anger flared against us;
the flood would have engulfed us,
    the torrent would have swept over us,
the raging waters
    would have swept us away.

Praise be to the LORD,
    who has not let us be torn by their teeth.
We have escaped like a bird
    from the fowler’s snare;
the snare has been broken,
    and we have escaped.
Our help is in the name of the LORD,
    the Maker of heaven and earth.

 

(Psalm 124:1-8, NIV)

Our Eyes Look to the LORD

08 Sunday Jul 2018

Posted by in Bible, God's word, Psalm 123, Psalms

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I will praise Him!

L Kranz Swan
Trumpeter Swan — photo courtesy of Liz Kranz

A song of ascents.

I lift up my eyes to you,
    to you who sit enthroned in heaven.
As the eyes of slaves look to the hand of their master,
    as the eyes of a female slave look to the hand of her mistress,
so our eyes look to the LORD our God,
    till he shows us his mercy.
Have mercy on us, LORD, have mercy on us,
for we have endured no end of contempt.
We have endured no end of ridicule from the arrogant,
of contempt from the proud.

(Psalm 123:1-4, NIV)

Peace Be Within You

07 Saturday Jul 2018

Posted by in Bible, God's word, Psalm 122, Psalms

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I will praise Him!

Path

Walking the path of peace — photo by David Kitz

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:
    “May those who love you be secure.
May there be peace within your walls
    and security within your citadels.”
For the sake of my family and friends,
    I will say, “Peace be within you.”
For the sake of the house of the LORD our God,
    I will seek your prosperity.

(Psalm 122:6-9, NIV)

It’s Time for the Judge to Act

05 Thursday Jul 2018

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

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Reading: Psalm 119
ע Ayin
(Verses 121-128)
I have done what is righteous and just;
do not leave me to my oppressors.
Ensure your servant’s well-being;
do not let the arrogant oppress me.
My eyes fail, looking for your salvation,
looking for your righteous promise.
Deal with your servant according to your love
and teach me your decrees.
I am your servant; give me discernment
that I may understand your statutes.
Because I love your commands
more than gold, more than pure gold,
and because I consider all your precepts right,
I hate every wrong path (NIV).

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Deal with your servant according to your love — photo by David Kitz

Reflection
Do you have a negative view of judgment—God’s judgment? Do you cringe at the thought? If you are guilty of wrongdoing, you should cringe. But if you have been harmed by wrongdoers you have solid grounds to welcome God’s judgment. Our sense of justice calls for the intervention of a righteous judge.

There is none more righteous than the LORD—none more worthy to sit as judge. For this reason the psalmist calls for God to act. It is time for you to act, LORD; your law is being broken. 

As we look about our world, as we listen to newscasts, it becomes increasingly apparent that it’s time for God to act. Lawlessness, hate, and violence abound. Sexual perversion is promoted—gets top billing—is openly applauded. Plutocrats with their extravagant wealth rule the roost, while the poor struggle to feed their families. On the international stage dictators and warmongers parade about freely, while oppressing their own people. Those who would dare to oppose them are imprisoned or slaughtered.

This injustice was brought into sharp focus last week through a series of interviews I had  in Athens with Turkish refugees fleeing from the Erdogan government.

Where is the justice? Where is truth and right judgment in all this? Where is the LORD? Daily, the prayer on our lips should be this: It is time for you to act, LORD; your law is being broken.

It’s time for evil and crooked dealings to be exposed. It’s time for the light of day to reveal what has been done in secret. It’s time for the righteous Judge—the Judge of all the earth—to act.

On a personal level, like the psalmist, let this be the cry of our hearts: Deal with your servant according to your love and teach me your decrees. The prophet Hosea also has a fitting word for us. But you must return to your God; maintain love and justice, and wait for your God always (Hosea 12:6). 

Response: LORD God, I see the corruption that is in the world. Keep me from it. It is time for you to act, LORD; your law is being broken. Please show mercy and grace to those who call out to you. Amen.

Your Turn: Are you troubled by the lawlessness and injustice in society? Where do you turn?