1In you, O LORD, I seek refuge;
do not let me ever be put to shame;
in your righteousness deliver me.
2Incline your ear to me;
rescue me speedily.
Be a rock of refuge for me,
a strong fortress to save me.
3You are indeed my rock and my fortress;
for your name’s sake lead me and guide me,
4take me out of the net that is hidden for me,
for you are my refuge.
5Into your hand I commit my spirit;
you have redeemed me, O LORD, faithful God.
6You hate; those who pay regard to worthless idols,
but I trust in the LORD.
7I will exult and rejoice in your steadfast love,
because you have seen my affliction;
you have taken heed of my adversities,
8and have not delivered me into the hand of the enemy;
you have set my feet in a broad place.
9Be gracious to me, O LORD, for I am in distress;
my eye wastes away from grief,
my soul and body also.
10For my life is spent with sorrow,
and my years with sighing;
my strength fails because of my misery,
and my bones waste away.
11I am the scorn of all my adversaries,
a horror; to my neighbors,
an object of dread to my acquaintances;
those who see me in the street flee from me.
12I have passed out of mind like one who is dead;
I have become like a broken vessel.
13For I hear the whispering of many—
terror all around!—
as they scheme together against me,
as they plot to take my life.
How many of us have ever been up close, in the wild, to an animal like a lion? We have seen them in the zoo, we have read about them in books, perhaps we have seen documentaries about these animals. There are several other things that you could place in the spot of “lions.” We know something about things we have never experienced first hand.
The psalmist knows what he is up against, but he also know God’s faithful. He may not be in the throws of experiencing God’s refuge and strength. However, he know what it is like through past experiences. He knows what it is like to be assailed by enemies. He knows that God has been faithful to him and to his ancestors. That faithfulness is what he prays for.
Most of the time, when we ask God for something, we don’t know what it will look like. But we do know that God has been faithful before and will be faithful again. That is what leads us into prayer.
Do you remember Jesus’ last words on the cross in Luke? Read verse five of this Psalm again.
“Into your hand I commit my spirit.”
Christ faced the ultimate unknown for all of us…death. Yet he knew of God’s faithfulness better than anyone else. What will be our prayer when we face uncertainty? Despair, or placing our trust in God?
Pray Psalm 31, verses 1-13.
Monday, November 9, 2009
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Psalm 30
{For those who receive this via Feedblitz email, I believe today is the last day. I will continue to post the devotions on the church website, found here, or on this website. If you are used to getting something in the email form, why not try this. Copy the website address and paste it into the subject line of an email. That way, when you click on it, it will automatically direct you to one of the sites. Thank you for taking the time out to pray, read the scriptures, and get involved with God. Let me know if you have any questions. God's peace.}
1I will extol you, O Lord, for you have drawn me up,
and did not let my foes rejoice over me.
2O Lord my God, I cried to you for help,
and you have healed me.
3O Lord, you brought up my soul from Sheol,
restored me to life from among those gone down to the Pit.
4Sing praises to the Lord, O you his faithful ones,
and give thanks to his holy name.
5For his anger is but for a moment;
his favour is for a lifetime.
Weeping may linger for the night,
but joy comes with the morning.
6As for me, I said in my prosperity,
‘I shall never be moved.’
7By your favour, O Lord,
you had established me as a strong mountain;
you hid your face;
I was dismayed.
8To you, O Lord, I cried,
and to the Lord I made supplication:
9‘What profit is there in my death,
if I go down to the Pit?
Will the dust praise you?
Will it tell of your faithfulness?
10Hear, O Lord, and be gracious to me!
O Lord, be my helper!’
11You have turned my mourning into dancing;
you have taken off my sackcloth
and clothed me with joy,
12so that my soul may praise you and not be silent.
O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you for ever.
For those of you who check this regularly, you may have noticed that I have not posted in a while. I apologize for that. I was talking with Jon Jones and he was saying that if the clergy expect the laity to be involved in scripture everyday, then we must model it. He speaks in a helpful way, much like what I think is meant when someone says, "Speak honesty in love." I think what has been holding me back is the desire to say something important each time. I thought to myself, "What if scripture doesn't speak to me today?"
How silly is that fear to think that God does not have something to say. It will not always be something great and marvelous that solves all our problems, but it will be God's faithful message passed down through people who love God. Then I read verse six of this Psalm: "As for me, I said in my prosperity, 'I shall never be moved.'" But the psalmist goes on, "But [God] hid [God's] face; I was dismayed."
That is honesty. We all feel that God hides his face, that we will be left alone, or that maybe this followers of Christ thing won't pan out. Yet even in the midst of this psalm we read "You turned my mourning into dancing...and clothed me with joy." Perspective always helps in any situation when we find ourselves down and out. Think of the times when you feel that you were "brought out of Sheol." What difference has God made before? What difference will trusting in God now make?
Pray Psalm 30.
1I will extol you, O Lord, for you have drawn me up,
and did not let my foes rejoice over me.
2O Lord my God, I cried to you for help,
and you have healed me.
3O Lord, you brought up my soul from Sheol,
restored me to life from among those gone down to the Pit.
4Sing praises to the Lord, O you his faithful ones,
and give thanks to his holy name.
5For his anger is but for a moment;
his favour is for a lifetime.
Weeping may linger for the night,
but joy comes with the morning.
6As for me, I said in my prosperity,
‘I shall never be moved.’
7By your favour, O Lord,
you had established me as a strong mountain;
you hid your face;
I was dismayed.
8To you, O Lord, I cried,
and to the Lord I made supplication:
9‘What profit is there in my death,
if I go down to the Pit?
Will the dust praise you?
Will it tell of your faithfulness?
10Hear, O Lord, and be gracious to me!
O Lord, be my helper!’
11You have turned my mourning into dancing;
you have taken off my sackcloth
and clothed me with joy,
12so that my soul may praise you and not be silent.
O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you for ever.
For those of you who check this regularly, you may have noticed that I have not posted in a while. I apologize for that. I was talking with Jon Jones and he was saying that if the clergy expect the laity to be involved in scripture everyday, then we must model it. He speaks in a helpful way, much like what I think is meant when someone says, "Speak honesty in love." I think what has been holding me back is the desire to say something important each time. I thought to myself, "What if scripture doesn't speak to me today?"
How silly is that fear to think that God does not have something to say. It will not always be something great and marvelous that solves all our problems, but it will be God's faithful message passed down through people who love God. Then I read verse six of this Psalm: "As for me, I said in my prosperity, 'I shall never be moved.'" But the psalmist goes on, "But [God] hid [God's] face; I was dismayed."
That is honesty. We all feel that God hides his face, that we will be left alone, or that maybe this followers of Christ thing won't pan out. Yet even in the midst of this psalm we read "You turned my mourning into dancing...and clothed me with joy." Perspective always helps in any situation when we find ourselves down and out. Think of the times when you feel that you were "brought out of Sheol." What difference has God made before? What difference will trusting in God now make?
Pray Psalm 30.
Friday, October 30, 2009
Psalm 28
1To you, O Lord, I call;
my rock, do not refuse to hear me,
for if you are silent to me,
I shall be like those who go down to the Pit.
2Hear the voice of my supplication,
as I cry to you for help,
as I lift up my hands
towards your most holy sanctuary.
3Do not drag me away with the wicked,
with those who are workers of evil,
who speak peace with their neighbours,
while mischief is in their hearts.
4Repay them according to their work,
and according to the evil of their deeds;
repay them according to the work of their hands;
render them their due reward.
5Because they do not regard the works of the Lord,
or the work of his hands,
he will break them down and build them up no more.
6Blessed be the Lord,
for he has heard the sound of my pleadings.
7The Lord is my strength and my shield;
in him my heart trusts;
so I am helped, and my heart exults,
and with my song I give thanks to him.
8The Lord is the strength of his people;
he is the saving refuge of his anointed.
9O save your people, and bless your heritage;
be their shepherd, and carry them for ever.
How do we prove God's faithfulness? It is something that we have been reading about and praying about in the psalms thus far. I have come to this conclusion from reading: God is faithful. The question remains, "How do we prove it?"
I think the proof is in the reading. This is a psalm of David. A person who cried to God in despair, who asked for help, and using only the grace and strength of God was able to defeat the giant. We prove it because there are people who have seen the good and bad, who struggle with sin and sadness, who have dealt with death and loss, and yet they choose to bless their God. I think that is what is meant when we sing, "Faith of our Fathers." It means remembering the faithfulness of those women and men who have lived lives of faith before us. Because of their witness, we are able to embrace the love of God.
Pray Psalm 28.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Psalm 27
1The Lord is my light and my salvation;
whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life;
of whom shall I be afraid?
2When evildoers assail me
to devour my flesh—
my adversaries and foes—
they shall stumble and fall.
3Though an army encamp against me,
my heart shall not fear;
though war rise up against me,
yet I will be confident.
4One thing I asked of the Lord,
that will I seek after:
to live in the house of the Lord
all the days of my life,
to behold the beauty of the Lord,
and to inquire in his temple.
5For he will hide me in his shelter
in the day of trouble;
he will conceal me under the cover of his tent;
he will set me high on a rock.
6Now my head is lifted up
above my enemies all around me,
and I will offer in his tent
sacrifices with shouts of joy;
I will sing and make melody to the Lord.
7Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud,
be gracious to me and answer me!
8'Come,' my heart says, 'seek his face!'
Your face, Lord, do I seek.
9 Do not hide your face from me.
Do not turn your servant away in anger,
you who have been my help.
Do not cast me off, do not forsake me,
O God of my salvation!
10If my father and mother forsake me,
the Lord will take me up.
11Teach me your way, O Lord,
and lead me on a level path
because of my enemies.
12Do not give me up to the will of my adversaries,
for false witnesses have risen against me,
and they are breathing out violence.
13I believe that I shall see the goodness of the Lord
in the land of the living.
14Wait for the Lord;
be strong, and let your heart take courage;
wait for the Lord!
Honestly, I forget that these were read and have been read through the centuries, if not millenniums, in places of worship. What then, does that say about the God we take comfort in? What does it say about the God in whom we trust? What does it say that we can expect as we wait for the Lord?
"If my father and my mother forsake me, the LORD will take me up." That could work for our children, our extended family. It sounds good sung in an anthem, but it it is harder to live out in the everyday chorus of life.
There is much to fear. Every night, on the news there are stories to incite fear. We read in the paper stories that paralyze us and make us wonder how can good people get by in this world. Where is our hope. It is at those times our prayer is that of the psalmist: "Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!"
Pray Psalm 27.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Psalm 26
Psalm 26
1Vindicate me, O Lord,
for I have walked in my integrity,
and I have trusted in the Lord without wavering.
2Prove me, O Lord, and try me;
test my heart and mind.
3For your steadfast love is before my eyes,
and I walk in faithfulness to you.
4I do not sit with the worthless,
nor do I consort with hypocrites;
5I hate the company of evildoers,
and will not sit with the wicked.
6I wash my hands in innocence,
and go around your altar, O Lord,
7singing aloud a song of thanksgiving,
and telling all your wondrous deeds.
8O Lord, I love the house in which you dwell,
and the place where your glory abides.
9Do not sweep me away with sinners,
nor my life with the bloodthirsty,
10those in whose hands are evil devices,
and whose right hands are full of bribes.
11But as for me, I walk in my integrity;
redeem me, and be gracious to me.
12My foot stands on level ground;
in the great congregation I will bless the Lord.
For some reason, I have been thinking about attitudes lately. Let me be clear, I don't think that having a good attitude is the solution to solving all of your problems. If it was, we wouldn't need God's grace. However, the phrase, "You need an attitude adjustment" learned in my childhood has been forefront in my mind as of late.
It takes something outside of ourselves to change. For a child, it may be skinning a knee and learning to be more careful on a bike. For a student, it may be receiving a bad grade on a test where we though we knew all the answers. For people in a relationship, the change might come from a misspoken word out of anger brought upon by tension from outside of the relationship. The question then becomes, on what will you stand?
When we submit to God, we stand upon God's promises. Fortunately and unfortunately, we submit ourselves for God's judgment. When we make claims that we have lived righteous lives, we better be ready to back up those claims. Yet here is the good news. David, who was a low life adulterer was called a man after God's own heart. Why? Because he sought forgiveness. For all of his short-comings, he continually pursued the Lord after he was convicted.
We will stumble. We will fall. And we choose to get back up. When we do, where and upon what will you stand?
Pray Psalm 26.
Psalm 26
1Vindicate me, O Lord,
for I have walked in my integrity,
and I have trusted in the Lord without wavering.
2Prove me, O Lord, and try me;
test my heart and mind.
3For your steadfast love is before my eyes,
and I walk in faithfulness to you.
4I do not sit with the worthless,
nor do I consort with hypocrites;
5I hate the company of evildoers,
and will not sit with the wicked.
6I wash my hands in innocence,
and go around your altar, O Lord,
7singing aloud a song of thanksgiving,
and telling all your wondrous deeds.
8O Lord, I love the house in which you dwell,
and the place where your glory abides.
9Do not sweep me away with sinners,
nor my life with the bloodthirsty,
10those in whose hands are evil devices,
and whose right hands are full of bribes.
11But as for me, I walk in my integrity;
redeem me, and be gracious to me.
12My foot stands on level ground;
in the great congregation I will bless the Lord.
For some reason, I have been thinking about attitudes lately. Let me be clear, I don't think that having a good attitude is the solution to solving all of your problems. If it was, we wouldn't need God's grace. However, the phrase, "You need an attitude adjustment" learned in my childhood has been forefront in my mind as of late.
It takes something outside of ourselves to change. For a child, it may be skinning a knee and learning to be more careful on a bike. For a student, it may be receiving a bad grade on a test where we though we knew all the answers. For people in a relationship, the change might come from a misspoken word out of anger brought upon by tension from outside of the relationship. The question then becomes, on what will you stand?
When we submit to God, we stand upon God's promises. Fortunately and unfortunately, we submit ourselves for God's judgment. When we make claims that we have lived righteous lives, we better be ready to back up those claims. Yet here is the good news. David, who was a low life adulterer was called a man after God's own heart. Why? Because he sought forgiveness. For all of his short-comings, he continually pursued the Lord after he was convicted.
We will stumble. We will fall. And we choose to get back up. When we do, where and upon what will you stand?
Pray Psalm 26.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Psalm 25
Psalm 25
1To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
2O my God, in you I trust;
do not let me be put to shame;
do not let my enemies exult over me.
3Do not let those who wait for you be put to shame;
let them be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous.
4Make me to know your ways, O Lord;
teach me your paths.
5Lead me in your truth, and teach me,
for you are the God of my salvation;
for you I wait all day long.
6Be mindful of your mercy, O Lord, and of your steadfast love,
for they have been from of old.
7Do not remember the sins of my youth or my transgressions;
according to your steadfast love remember me,
for your goodness' sake, O Lord!
8Good and upright is the Lord;
therefore he instructs sinners in the way.
9He leads the humble in what is right,
and teaches the humble his way.
10All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness,
for those who keep his covenant and his decrees.
11For your name's sake, O Lord,
pardon my guilt, for it is great.
12Who are they that fear the Lord?
He will teach them the way that they should choose.
13They will abide in prosperity,
and their children shall possess the land.
14The friendship of the Lord is for those who fear him,
and he makes his covenant known to them.
15My eyes are ever towards the Lord,
for he will pluck my feet out of the net.
16Turn to me and be gracious to me,
for I am lonely and afflicted.
17Relieve the troubles of my heart,
and bring me out of my distress.
18Consider my affliction and my trouble,
and forgive all my sins.
19Consider how many are my foes,
and with what violent hatred they hate me.
20O guard my life, and deliver me;
do not let me be put to shame, for I take refuge in you.
21May integrity and uprightness preserve me,
for I wait for you.
22Redeem Israel, O God,
out of all its troubles.
I was listening to talks last week on mission statements, motto's, and branding. The point was to make the most impact in as few words as possible; usually in a clever way. I have been considering what the theme of the Psalms would be. I don't think it is necessary to take such a complex set of verses and emotions and try to reduce them to a "bumper sticker" slogan--easily digested and memorable. However, the first verse struck me as consistent with emotions that we have come across. "To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul."
There is much to take in when reading the Psalms. However, for all the joy, for all the pain, for all the loss, for all the gain, that phrase, "To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul" speaks to us all.
The danger of living in today's world is thinking that we are possibly our own saviors and healers. It is not until we are surrounded by our foes that we realize that we cannot do anything a part from God. The lie of the world tells us that we are in control. How much easier, then, to acknowledge that the Lord of hosts is in control of our lives. When faced with uncertainty and pain, these words of the Psalmist be our prayer, "Make me to know your ways, O Lord."
Pray Psalm 25.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Psalm 24
(Please note, those of you who receive this devotion in email form, this will be the last week for the emails. I will continue to post here and on the church's website, www.prumc.org. You can find the devotions there and here. Thank you for all the feedback. Let me know of any questions (Thomas' email). Blessings.)
Psalm 24
1The earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it,
the world, and those who live in it;
2for he has founded it on the seas,
and established it on the rivers.
3Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord?
And who shall stand in his holy place?
4Those who have clean hands and pure hearts,
who do not lift up their souls to what is false,
and do not swear deceitfully.
5They will receive blessing from the Lord,
and vindication from the God of their salvation.
6Such is the company of those who seek him,
who seek the face of the God of Jacob.
Selah
7Lift up your heads, O gates!
and be lifted up, O ancient doors!
that the King of glory may come in.
8Who is the King of glory?
The Lord, strong and mighty,
the Lord, mighty in battle.
9Lift up your heads, O gates!
and be lifted up, O ancient doors!
that the King of glory may come in.
10Who is this King of glory?
The Lord of hosts,
he is the King of glory.
Selah
What is the attitude you bring to worship? The first things have a lot to say about how and who we worship. This psalm gives an example. The first thing it does is to profess faith in God, to who all the world belongs. Think about our own worship processions. We begin with a psalm from the choir, usually, after we have marked the beginning of worship with silence.
One of the first things we do, after invoking the Holy Spirit is to affirm our faith together. This brings the community together over a shared event. Notice this, however: For all the rituals of our present day and time, and for all the rituals of the ancient Israelites, it is only those who have clean hands and pure hearts that ascend to God's holy place.
Rituals, formulas, and routine are important, for they shape us. However, if we do things merely out of a sense of duty, rather than seeing these moments as what they are--opportunities to purify ourselves and draw close to God--then we miss the point. The point of worship is to glorify the God of all creation. We must be willing to submit our selfish pride and ambition to the King of Glory. So again, I ask, what is the attitude you bring to worship?
Pray Psalm 24.
Psalm 24
1The earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it,
the world, and those who live in it;
2for he has founded it on the seas,
and established it on the rivers.
3Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord?
And who shall stand in his holy place?
4Those who have clean hands and pure hearts,
who do not lift up their souls to what is false,
and do not swear deceitfully.
5They will receive blessing from the Lord,
and vindication from the God of their salvation.
6Such is the company of those who seek him,
who seek the face of the God of Jacob.
Selah
7Lift up your heads, O gates!
and be lifted up, O ancient doors!
that the King of glory may come in.
8Who is the King of glory?
The Lord, strong and mighty,
the Lord, mighty in battle.
9Lift up your heads, O gates!
and be lifted up, O ancient doors!
that the King of glory may come in.
10Who is this King of glory?
The Lord of hosts,
he is the King of glory.
Selah
What is the attitude you bring to worship? The first things have a lot to say about how and who we worship. This psalm gives an example. The first thing it does is to profess faith in God, to who all the world belongs. Think about our own worship processions. We begin with a psalm from the choir, usually, after we have marked the beginning of worship with silence.
One of the first things we do, after invoking the Holy Spirit is to affirm our faith together. This brings the community together over a shared event. Notice this, however: For all the rituals of our present day and time, and for all the rituals of the ancient Israelites, it is only those who have clean hands and pure hearts that ascend to God's holy place.
Rituals, formulas, and routine are important, for they shape us. However, if we do things merely out of a sense of duty, rather than seeing these moments as what they are--opportunities to purify ourselves and draw close to God--then we miss the point. The point of worship is to glorify the God of all creation. We must be willing to submit our selfish pride and ambition to the King of Glory. So again, I ask, what is the attitude you bring to worship?
Pray Psalm 24.
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