Our Refuge and Strength

Readings for today: Revelation 17-18, Psalms 46

I lived in Princeton, New Jersey on 9/11. Many of my friends and colleagues interned in New York City. Many of the families my wife worked with in her after school program worked in New York City. On the morning when the planes hit the towers, I was turning left from Canal Pointe Boulevard onto Alexander Street to go to campus. I was listening to the radio when the news hit. Every station I checked carried it. Every person delivering the report was in shock. Like everyone, I was in disbelief. I could not wrap my mind around the events. I could not begin to imagine the scope of the tragedy.

An acquaintance of mine was serving as a pastor off Fifth Avenue at the time in the city. When the towers fell, he put on his clergy robe and ran out into the streets. He threw open the doors of his church and people streamed in seeking sanctuary. A safe place. As he watched them mill about the auditorium, he knew he needed to say something. But how does one begin to put words to the national nightmare we were experiencing? My friend turned to Psalm 46. He read the Psalm aloud over and over again. God is our refuge and strength. God is our present help in time of trouble. We do not need to fear though the earth gives way for God is with us. The God of Jacob is our fortress. Our stronghold. Be still and know that I am God. As he recited those words, a sense of peace came over the place. The people began to calm down. They began to weep. The initial shock began to wane. They provided what food and water they could. They let people stay as long as they wanted. The church stayed open 24/7 for days as people kept coming, looking for help. Looking for hope. My friend kept returning to those Psalm.

There is nothing more powerful than knowing God is with you in the midst of tragedy. Nothing more comforting than knowing we are never alone no matter what we may go through or face in life. God is the one unmovable, unshakeable, unbreakable reality in existence. Everything else is on the clock. Father Time is undefeated whether you are talking individuals or empires. The universe itself is dying every day as more and more of her energy is spent. This is why we look to God. We know we cannot count on the things of this world. We cannot depend on the people of this world. We cannot place our trust in princes or kings, prime ministers or presidents. There is only One who is faithful. Only One who is good. Only One who has the authority and power to be our refuge and strength. Be still and know God, friends.

Readings for tomorrow: Revelation 19-20, Psalms 47 (No devotionals on Sundays)

Deliverance

Readings for today: 1 Corinthians 7-8, Psalms 144

Recently, I have felt overwhelmed by the immense pain and suffering that exists all around me all the time. I have found myself in situations interacting with people who bear on their bodies the scars of their emotional distress and it brings me to tears. I have spoken to person after person who are struggling with identity issues, substance abuse issues, relational brokenness, moral failure, the list goes on and on. Add to that the growing fear, hatred, anger, and potential violence of this year’s election season and I feel like I am stretched well beyond my own emotional and physical and spiritual strength. The burdens I carry these days are heavy. While I love what I do and who I get to do it with, I am weary. Wrung out on a lot of levels. Thankfully, my condition is not abnormal. Quite the opposite. The Psalmist knows exactly how I feel and gives voice to the emotions bubbling up from the deepest recesses of my soul.

“Lord, part your heavens and come down. Touch the mountains, and they will smoke. Flash your lightning and scatter the foe; shoot your arrows and rout them. Reach down from on high; rescue me from deep water, and set me free…” ‭(Psalms‬ ‭144‬:‭5‬-‭7‬ ‭CSB‬‬) Only God can heal our broken world. Only God can heal our wounded hearts. Only God can heal our battered souls. This prayer from Psalm 144 was a balm for me today. As I sat with the Lord and laid all my burdens at His feet, I found myself crying over the state of the world. And from the depths of my heartache, came these words of hope. Part the heavens, Father, and come down. Touch the mountains that I gaze upon as I look out the windows of my office so they will smoke. Flash your lightning and put the enemy to flight. Shoot your arrows and rout the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly as well as earthly places. Reach down from on high and rescue us from deep water. Set us free. Free from the burden of sin. Free from slavery to our base desires. Free from the ungodly systems of power in this world.

As I prayed this prayer over and over again, I felt my hope renew. I felt my own heart be filled. I felt my own soul start to mend again as God’s Spirit assured me of His abiding presence. The reality is God has parted the heavens and come down. God has touched the mountains. He has flashed His lightning. He has scattered His foes. He has reached down from on high and rescued us from deep water. He has set us free. God has done all this and more in Jesus Christ and He sends the Holy Spirit to live and dwell with us to deliver us from all evil and protect us from all sin. All we have to do is submit to Him. Trust Him with those we love and live among. Trust Him with our hearts and our hopes. Trust Him with our plans and our resources. Trust Him with our choices and decisions. Trust Him with our will and our ways. If we walk with the Spirit, we will not grow weary or faint for He will lift us up like eagles and renew our strength so we might soar with Him.

Readings for tomorrow: 1 Corinthians 9-10, Psalms 145

Prayer

Readings for today: 1 Corinthians 5-6, Psalms 143

Everyone has moments where they struggle. Everyone has seasons of dismay. Everyone struggles with depression or despair on some level. Everyone is fighting a battle. I don’t care whether you are young or old, rich or poor, black, white, or brown, heterosexual or LGBTQ+, Republican or Democrat, progressive or conservative…all of us have to find a way to overcome adversity in our world. This is why I love the Psalmist so much. He captures and expresses what we all feel deep down in our hearts. He gives us permission to bring our emotions before God, even when they are at their most raw and primal.

“My spirit is weak within me; my heart is overcome with dismay. I remember the days of old; I meditate on all you have done; I reflect on the work of your hands. I spread out my hands to you; I am like parched land before you.” Weak. Overwhelmed. Dismayed. Parched. Dry. Weary. Those are good words for me right now. Words that describe my condition. Words that express how I am feeling at this moment. Life has not been easy for me this year. There have been great losses and great griefs that I am working through with the Lord. The Psalmist feels like a kindred spirit. He helps me know I am not alone in these feelings. Many men and women have trod this path before me. Their wisdom guides and directs me. Their experience comforts me. “Answer me quickly, Lord; my spirit fails. Don’t hide your face from me, or I will be like those going down to the Pit. Let me experience your faithful love in the morning, for I trust in you.” They point me to God’s faithful love. The only love that never fails. The only love powerful enough to bear all things, believe all things, hope all things, endure all things. They remind me that God never hides His face from me. He weeps when I weep. He laughs when I laugh. He is always at my side even when I am walking in valleys of deepest shadow. “Reveal to me the way I should go because I appeal to you. Rescue me from my enemies, Lord; I come to you for protection. Teach me to do your will, for you are my God. May your gracious Spirit lead me on level ground.” God not only is with me but He lights my path. He shows me the way. He teaches me how to walk. He strengthens my feet. He holds my hand. He leads me to level ground.

This is my hope today. In the midst of all I am feeling, God is with me. He is comforting me. He is strengthening me. He is filling me. He is giving me what I need for today. As I lean on Him, He answers me. He turns His face towards me and gives me peace. He abides with me and quiets my soul with His faithful love. And as I abide with Him, He reveals to me the way I should go. He leads me to level paths. He levels every mountain and raises up every valley in my path. He makes straight my crooked ways and my rough places, He makes plane. This is who my God is. This is how my God works. I never have to be afraid. Thank you, Father.

Readings for tomorrow: 1 Corinthians 7-8, Psalms 144

Trust in the Lord

Readings for today: Acts 13-14, Psalms 125

What does it mean to trust in the Lord? This phrase appears all over the Scriptures and especially throughout the Book of Psalms. It is a critical aspect of the life of faith. Properly understood, it shapes one’s thoughts, actions, and even affections. When we trust in the Lord, we are placing our entire lives in His hands. We are allowing His will and His way and most of all, His love to guide and direct our steps. We do not trust in our own understanding. We do not rely on our own strength. We do not try to love others in the transactional way the world seems to promote. No, we follow the example of Jesus who models what it means to trust in God. He loved unconditionally. He served sacrificially. He humbled Himself and emptied Himself of all His power and glory, privilege and position. He did not consider His equality with God something to be held onto or to take pride in but instead offered Himself to die in the worst and most shameful way imaginable.

Lately, it seems like I’m having lots of conversations with different people from different walks of life about what it means for each of them to trust the Lord. Trusting the Lord through grief. Trusting the Lord in conflict. Trusting the Lord in the fight against addiction. Trusting the Lord when things don’t go your way. Trusting the Lord when life seems to pile on. Trusting the Lord for direction for the future. Trusting the Lord in relationships. Trusting the Lord with money. Trusting the Lord in the process of forgiveness and reconciliation and restoration. It’s not easy. It cuts against the grain of our own experience. It often forces us to go against our own desires, attitudes, thoughts, and ideas. It even sometimes requires us to give up all we hold dear so we might privilege that which God holds dear. But the reward is worth it. When we trust in the Lord, He becomes the stronghold of our life. He becomes a sanctuary for all our hopes and dreams. He becomes a safe place of refuge where we can run when we are anxious and afraid.

“Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion. It cannot be shaken; it remains forever. The mountains surround Jerusalem and the Lord surrounds his people, both now and forever.” (Psalms‬ ‭125‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭CSB‬‬)

Readings for tomorrow: Acts 15-16, Psalms 126

The Most Beautiful Psalm

Readings for today: Luke 17-18, Psalms 119:33-64

“If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” (John‬ ‭14:15‬) Jesus’ words. Simple. Plain. True. Not if you want to earn my love, keep my commandments. Not if you want to be good enough for my love, keep my commandments. Not if you want to be worthy of my love, keep my commandments. Simply, “if you love me, keep me commandments.” The reality is we cannot love Jesus and reject His commandments. We cannot love Jesus and reject His ways. We cannot love Jesus and reject the Law of God in our lives. 

We don’t know for sure who penned the words of Psalm 119 but there is a tradition that tells us David wrote this Psalm in order to teach Solomon the “ABC’s” of the spiritual life. (The Psalm is arranged in stanzas according to each letter of the Hebrew alphabet.) David, as we know, was a “man after God’s own heart.” Why? Certainly, it had nothing to do with his behavior. Over and over again, David proved himself to be the chief of sinners. Just like you. Just like me. No, what set David apart was his great love for God’s Law. Despite his crimes. Despite his mistakes. Despite his failures. David never stopped loving God’s commands. Never stopped aspiring to them. Never stopped seeking to follow them all the days of his life. David’s love for the statutes, testimonies, and rules is expressed over and over again in this particular Psalm. 

“Teach me, Lord, the meaning of your statutes, and I will always keep them.”

“Turn my eyes from looking at what is worthless; give me life in your ways.”

“I will walk freely in an open place because I study your precepts.”

“I delight in your commands, which I love. I will lift up my hands to your commands, which I love, and will meditate on your statutes.”

“Your statutes are the theme of my song during my earthly life.”

“The Lord is my portion; I have promised to keep your words. I have sought your favor with all my heart; be gracious to me according to your promise.”

“Lord, the earth is filled with your faithful love; teach me your statutes.”

‭‭(Psalms‬ ‭119‬:‭33‬, ‭37‬, ‭45‬, ‭47‬-‭48‬, ‭54‬, ‭57‬-‭58‬, ‭64‬ ‭CSB‬‬)

Many Christians today claim to love Jesus but they don’t know His commands, much less seek to follow them. They remain ignorant of God’s desire and design for their lives and yet they are shocked when things fail to go their way. They are surprised when God doesn’t bless their sinful, selfish ways. Honestly, it’s a bit baffling to me. I’ve heard Christian after Christian argue God’s laws are biased, privileged, or misogynistic. I’ve heard Christian after Christian argue God’s laws reinforce patriarchy, hierarchy, and tyranny. I’ve heard Christian after Christian argue God’s laws are culturally bound therefore useless as a guide in today’s world. My challenge to them in every single one of these conversations is why follow Jesus? Jesus believed in God’s law. In fact, Jesus said not on “jot or tittle” would change under His reign and rule. So how can you say you love Jesus and not love the very law Jesus came to fulfill? It’s pure hypocrisy and self-serving. The reality is one cannot love God and NOT love His commands. Jesus doesn’t leave us that option. “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.”  

Now I can already hear the protests. What about the prohibitions on eating shellfish, mixing clothing with two fibers, or slavery? This is where wisdom comes in. There are laws in the Old Testament that are ceremonial, meaning they govern the worshipping life of ancient Israel. Jesus fulfilled these laws by offering Himself as the perfect sacrifice. (See the Book of Hebrews) There are laws in the Old Testament that are civil, meaning they governed the national life of ancient Israel. Since we don’t live under the authority of the theocracy of ancient Israel, these laws are no longer binding. Finally, there are the moral laws which are timeless and eternal. We see them repeated and paraphrased throughout both the Old and New Testaments. These laws remain in force and guide us to a life well-lived before God. David is addressing the moral law in Psalm 119 as was Jesus in John 14:15.

So that leaves pondering an important question today…do we love God’s law? Do we seek to follow it? Do we seek to honor Jesus by obeying all He commanded us and teaching others to do the same? This is what it means to build your life on the rock and not on sand.

Readings for tomorrow: Luke 19-20, Psalms 119:65-96

A Life of Praise

Readings for today: 2 Chronicles 1-4, Psalms 71

God wants us to live a life of praise. A life of continual thanksgiving for all He has done for us. A life of faith with our eyes continually focused on our Savior. God wants us to understand all of life is in His hands. All our days are numbered according to His sovereign will. All our resources counted out in advance by His plan. All our experiences - good, bad, and otherwise - are sovereignty used by God to shape us into the image of His Son. When we see life from this perspective, we cannot help but praise the Lord. We cannot help but fall to our knees in awe and wonder. We are humbled and honored and blessed and life takes on a glory we could never create for ourselves.

I find myself sitting in a cafe in Uganda reflecting on God’s goodness to me. Who could have known He would send me to the ends of the earth over and over again to proclaim his gospel to the nations? Who could have planned for my life to work out the way that it has? Since the day God delivered me on the campus of the University of Colorado in Boulder, He has used me to advance His Kingdom on the earth. Who am I that God would choose me? Who am I that God would use me in such a way? Who am I that God would honor me? I am nothing. My life is but a breath. My days pass so quickly. And yet God has favored me. Perhaps this is why the Psalm we read this morning hits so differently today.

“Lord, I seek refuge in you; let me never be disgraced. In your justice, rescue and deliver me; listen closely to me and save me. Be a rock of refuge for me, where I can always go. Give the command to save me, for you are my rock and fortress. Deliver me, my God, from the power of the wicked, from the grasp of the unjust and oppressive.” I can look back and see where God has answered this prayer in my life. He has been a refuge for me in times of trouble. He has never let me be disgraced. He has rescued and delivered me in so many situations. He has remained close to me and protected me. He has not allowed the wicked to triumph over me. My life is a testimony to His goodness and grace.

“For you are my hope, Lord God, my confidence from my youth. I have leaned on you from birth; you took me from my mother’s womb. My praise is always about you. I am like a miraculous sign to many, and you are my strong refuge. My mouth is full of praise and honor to you all day long.” From the day I said “yes” to Jesus, God has been my confidence. He has been my stronghold. He has filled me with His Spirit and anointed my days. He has made my life a miraculous sign to many. What can I do in response to all He has done for me? I can praise God. I can praise Him with my lips. I can praise Him with my heart. I can praise Him from the depths of my soul.

“Don’t discard me in my old age. As my strength fails, do not abandon me. For my enemies talk about me, and those who spy on me plot together, saying, “God has abandoned him; chase him and catch him, for there is no one to rescue him.” God, do not be far from me; my God, hurry to help me. May my adversaries be disgraced and destroyed; may those who intend to harm me be covered with disgrace and humiliation. But I will hope continually and will praise you more and more. My mouth will tell about your righteousness and your salvation all day long, though I cannot sum them up. I come because of the mighty acts of the Lord God; I will proclaim your righteousness, yours alone.” Now I am growing older. And as I age, I fully expect my outer body to waste away even as my inner body is renewed day by day. The days will fly by more quickly. My strength and energy will diminish over time. My wisdom and knowledge will eventually fail. But God will remain my hope and I will praise Him more and more. I will use every breath to tell the world of your righteousness and your mighty works.

“God, you have taught me from my youth, and I still proclaim your wondrous works. Even while I am old and gray, God, do not abandon me, while I proclaim your power to another generation, your strength to all who are to come. Your righteousness reaches the heights, God, you who have done great things; God, who is like you? You caused me to experience many troubles and misfortunes, but you will revive me again. You will bring me up again, even from the depths of the earth. You will increase my honor and comfort me once again. Therefore, I will praise you with a harp for your faithfulness, my God; I will sing to you with a lyre, Holy One of Israel. My lips will shout for joy when I sing praise to you because you have redeemed me. Therefore, my tongue will proclaim your righteousness all day long, for those who intend to harm me will be disgraced and confounded.” (Psalms‬ ‭71‬:‭1‬-‭24‬ ‭CSB‬‬) What an incredible privilege it is to proclaim God’s power and works to yet another generation. To remind everyone yet again of the glory and honor and power and splendor and majesty of God. To teach everyone to number the days they’ve been given and count the hours God has blessed them with and use all the time they have to tell others about Christ. God has taught us from our youth…so we proclaim His good works. God has blessed us in our old age…so we proclaim His power to another generation. God has caused us to go through trials and temptations, good times and bad…so we tell of His deliverance and salvation. God has brought us up over and over again from the depths of the earth to increase us in honor and comfort…so we praise Him yet again. Praise Him with all that we are and all that we have and all the energy we have left. We proclaim His praise all the day long!

Readings for tomorrow: 2 Chronicles 5-8, Psalms 72

Quiet Time with God

Readings for today: Ezekiel 19-21, Psalms 36

One of the first “spiritual disciplines” I learned as a Christian was how to have a “quiet time” with the Lord. I was in college. I had just come to saving faith in Jesus Christ. I was just learning what it meant to follow Jesus and some older, wiser believers taught me the importance of spending time with God every single day. When I started, I could only muster about 10-15 minutes but gradually over time that number grew to an hour or so a day. I’ve been doing it for almost thirty years at this point. Sometimes I miss a day but it’s rare. It’s become a part of my natural, daily rhythm to life much like eating, drinking, working out, etc.

Why spend time every day with God? I think the Psalmist says it best, “How priceless your faithful love is, God! People take refuge in the shadow of your wings. They are filled from the abundance of your house. You let them drink from your refreshing stream. For the wellspring of life is with you. By means of your light we see light. Spread your faithful love over those who know you, and your righteousness over the upright in heart.” (Psalms‬ ‭36‬:‭7‬-‭10‬ ‭CSB‬‬) We spend time with God to take refuge under His wings. When we are anxious and afraid and worried about life, God is there for us. He spreads His wings over us. He spreads His faithful love over us and we are encouraged. We spend time with God to break free of the “scarcity mindset” that has so many of us enslaved. We are reminded and actually experience His abundance. We are given an eternal perspective that helps us be grateful for all we have been given rather than focus on what we may think we lack. We spend time with God to be refreshed. To be renewed. To be restored. We drink from the refreshing stream of His Spirit. We drink from the wellspring of His life. We bask in His light.

I recently returned from vacation in Puerta Vallarta. As much as I love the mountains, I love the beach as well. Whenever my wife and I can get away, we try to go somewhere close to an ocean where it is warm and sunny. We vacation well together. We pretty much shut it down. We spend our days sleeping in, reading books, being quiet, and being outside as much as possible. The sun was out almost the whole time we were in Mexico. Every day we got to spend hours basking in its rays and I was reminded once again what it’s like to be in the light of God’s presence. We got to swim in the ocean and I was reminded once again what it’s like to be immersed in God’s love. We ate and drank in abundance and I was reminded again of God’s faithfulness to us. It is endless. It is boundless. It is matchless. Perhaps most of all, I was reminded that not very many people get to do what I do and that gives me perspective. We talked to our taxi driver on the way back to the airport as we left and he told us he only gets about three to four days of vacation a year and he tries his best to spend it with family. He feels so blessed to have that time. He doesn’t feel any lack at all and his joy was contagious.

Friends, this is what it means to live your life in the presence of the Lord and a quiet time every day helps us get back in touch with this deep truth on a regular basis. If you don’t already, let me encourage you to make the time every day to just “be” with the Lord. No agenda. No checklist. No tasks. Just sitting quietly in His presence. Reading His Word. Praying. Listening. Letting yourself sit under the shadow of His wings and enjoy the fullness of His love.

Readings for tomorrow: Ezekiel 22-24, Psalms 37

Learning to Pray

Readings for today: Lamentations 1-2, Psalms 28

Most of the Christians I know struggle to some extent with their prayer life. Some feel deeply inadequate. Some feel like they just go through the motions. Some feel like their prayers bounce off the ceiling. Some feel like they don’t have the right words. Some feel they are unworthy. There may be any number of feelings we associate with prayer, sadly too many of them are negative. There may be any number of reasons we give as to why our prayer life suffers, sadly too many of them are just not true. Here’s the reality, friends…God loves to hear His people pray. God loves it when we babble like infants before His throne. God loves it when we tell him all the good, bad, and ugly of our day. God loves it when we come to Him like a teenager, excited about something new in our lives. God loves it when we come to Him in the midst of suffering when all our hopes and dreams have been shattered and the life we’ve spent so much time and energy building has come crashing down around us. God loves it when we celebrate and thank Him for the blessings He pours out on our lives. God loves it when we bring Him impossible problems and insurmountable obstacles. Most of all, God loves it when we express to Him the deepest desires and deepest sorrows of our hearts. God loves it all.

There is no one way to pray. There is no language of prayer per se. You can use whatever words you like. God is far more interested in you being real than He is in you offering up empty platitudes or cliches. Perhaps that’s why I love the Psalms so much. Recently, I’ve taken to reading the daily Psalm out loud as a prayer. I’ve tried offer it almost as a closing prayer to my devotional time each day. It’s been rich and fruitful to say the words out loud. To take my time and reflect on each and every phrase. To allow the Holy Spirit to direct my attention to particular words or phrases or ideas in the text. If you haven’t tried it before, I invite you to take up this spiritual practice. Consider the Psalm we read yesterday…Psalm 27…

“The Lord is my light and my salvation — whom should I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life — whom should I dread? When evildoers came against me to devour my flesh, my foes and my enemies stumbled and fell. Though an army deploys against me, my heart will not be afraid; though a war breaks out against me, I will still be confident. I have asked one thing from the Lord; it is what I desire: to dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, gazing on the beauty of the Lord and seeking him in his temple. For he will conceal me in his shelter in the day of adversity; he will hide me under the cover of his tent; he will set me high on a rock. Then my head will be high above my enemies around me; I will offer sacrifices in his tent with shouts of joy. I will sing and make music to the Lord. Lord, hear my voice when I call; be gracious to me and answer me. My heart says this about you: “Seek his face.” Lord, I will seek your face. Do not hide your face from me; do not turn your servant away in anger. You have been my helper; do not leave me or abandon me, God of my salvation. Even if my father and mother abandon me, the Lord cares for me. Because of my adversaries, show me your way, Lord, and lead me on a level path. Do not give me over to the will of my foes, for false witnesses rise up against me, breathing violence. I am certain that I will see the Lord’s goodness in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart be courageous. Wait for the Lord.” (Psalms‬ ‭27‬:‭1‬-‭14‬ ‭CSB‬‬)

What stands out to you as you read it out loud? What words jump out at you? What phrases bring you comfort and peace? How is God speaking to you through the text? For me, I love the opening lines. Always have and always will. They remind me of God’s protection when I am afraid. God’s provision in the midst of difficult times. They remind me God is setting a table for me even as I dwell in the midst of my enemies, a table full of abundance where my cup overflows. Most of all, they remind me with God on my side, there is nothing I cannot do, no obstacle I cannot overcome, no problem I cannot solve, no issue I cannot talk out, no person I cannot forgive, no enemy I cannot serve. Or consider the Psalm for today…Psalm 28…

“Lord, I call to you; my rock, do not be deaf to me. If you remain silent to me, I will be like those going down to the Pit. Listen to the sound of my pleading when I cry to you for help, when I lift up my hands toward your holy sanctuary. Do not drag me away with the wicked, with the evildoers, who speak in friendly ways with their neighbors while malice is in their hearts. Repay them according to what they have done — according to the evil of their deeds. Repay them according to the work of their hands; give them back what they deserve. Because they do not consider what the Lord has done or the work of his hands, he will tear them down and not rebuild them. Blessed be the Lord, for he has heard the sound of my pleading. The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. Therefore my heart celebrates, and I give thanks to him with my song. The Lord is the strength of his people; he is a stronghold of salvation for his anointed. Save your people, bless your possession, shepherd them, and carry them forever.” (Psalms‬ ‭28‬:‭1‬-‭9‬ ‭CSB‬‬)

Do you ever feel like God isn’t listening? Do you ever feel like God is deaf to your cries? Does God seem silent at times? Let God know! Pray like David! He too felt those same feelings at times and he pleaded with God to answer his cries. He lifted his hands before the holy sanctuary. He reaffirmed his trust in God’s eternal nature and character. And as he prayed, God’s comfort eventually came. Bless the Lord for He has heard the sound of my pleading! I don’t know about you but I often find myself in this position and I have to remind myself continually to wait for God’s response. It will come if I am willing to wait on Him.

Friends, prayer isn’t magic. It’s not about getting the words right or the inflections down or speaking in some kind of pious language that no one really can understand. It’s simply about you bringing your most authentic, sinful, broken self before the Lord and letting the grace and peace that flows from His presence comfort and heal you.

Readings for tomorrow: Lamentations 3, Psalms 29

The Pursuit of Happiness

Readings for today: Psalms 1-2, Psalms 147

Everyone wants to be happy. Everyone wants to live a life full of joy. Everyone spends a lot of time and energy and resources chasing what we think will make us happy. It could be relationships. It could be success. It could be wealth. It could be health. It could be any number of hobbies and activities. Sadly, happiness seems to be in short supply these days. General happiness in the United States has been in decline since the early 2000’s across different age groups. In addition, numerous indicators of poor psychological health such as anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation, and self-harm have been on the rise. It seems strange when one considers all the built-in advantages in our society like the relatively high standard of living, social safety nets, low rates of violent crime, low rates of unemployment, etc. However, declines in social support and social capital, loneliness, isolation, obesity, substance abuse, social media, etc. all contribute to the general feelings of unhappiness that pervade society. So what’s to be done? Where can we go for help?

Thankfully, God’s Word provides an answer. It is clear. It is unambiguous. It is simple and straightforward. “How happy is the one who does not walk in the advice of the wicked or stand in the pathway with sinners or sit in the company of mockers! Instead, his delight is in the Lord’s instruction, and he meditates on it day and night. He is like a tree planted beside flowing streams that bears its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.” (Psalms‬ ‭1‬:‭1‬-‭3‬ ‭CSB) So much of our problem comes from the company we keep. We have a tendency to listen to the advice of the wicked and walk in the path of the sinners and sit in the company of the mockers. If we’re honest, these monikers describe us as well! We think we can have it both ways. We can stand with a foot in this world and a foot in the world to come. We can chase all the things the world values - money, sex, and power - and still follow Christ. But God makes it clear that the only way to find true happiness is to reject the ways of this world, reject the ways of death, reject the ways of sin and evil and embrace the way of Jesus. God makes it clear that our delight must be in Him alone. He alone is worthy of our love and devotion. As we meditate on His Word day and night, the Spirit of God begins to bear supernatural fruit in our lives. Fruit like love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness, goodness, and self-control. As we bear this fruit in its season, our happiness does not wither and we become a blessing to those around us which leads to prosperity. Prosperity not just in wealth but in relationships. The very thing all social scientists identify as the key to human happiness!

So here’s the bottom line…does this Psalm describe you? When you step back and honestly evaluate your life, where do you find yourself? Are you walking in the advice of the wicked? Are you standing in the path of the sinner? Are you sitting in the company of mockers? Or are you delighting yourself in the Lord? Do you spend time with Him every day? Do you gather with His people for worship every week? Do you have deep, spiritual friendships with those who encourage you to follow Christ? Is your life fruitful and prosperous?

Readings for tomorrow: Proverbs 1-3, Psalms 148

Praise

Readings for today: Job 38-39, Psalms 145

When God reveals Himself to us, there is only one response…worship. Praise. Thanksgiving. Falling on our faces before Him as we realize how infinitely wide the gulf is between us. Today’s reading is a great pairing of some of the most awe-inspiring chapters of the Bible - where God answers Job from the whirlwind - and some of the most beautiful words of praise from the Psalmist. As I read them, I found myself on my knees before God offering up the words of the Psalm as a prayer.

“Then the Lord answered Job from the whirlwind. He said: Who is this who obscures my counsel with ignorant words? Get ready to answer me like a man; when I question you, you will inform me.” (Job‬ ‭38‬:‭1‬-‭3‬ ‭CSB‬‬) How often do I obscure God’s counsel with my ignorant words? How often do I try to remake God after my own image? How often do I lean on my own futile and finite understanding? For all my theological training, I have barely come to scratch the surface of my understanding of God. For all my years of ministry, I have barely begun to see the edges of His ways. For all the time and energy I put into my daily devotional time and weekly worship of God, I have barely dipped my toes into the depths of His love and grace. How can I then respond to Him? What words can I offer that won’t obscure His counsel or expose my ignorance? I can only offer words of praise. The words of the Psalmist. The Spirit-inspired words of David.

“I exalt you, my God the King, and bless your name forever and ever. I will bless you every day; I will praise your name forever and ever. The Lord is great and is highly praised; his greatness is unsearchable. One generation will declare your works to the next and will proclaim your mighty acts. I will speak of your splendor and glorious majesty and your wondrous works. They will proclaim the power of your awe-inspiring acts, and I will declare your greatness. They will give a testimony of your great goodness and will joyfully sing of your righteousness. The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and great in faithful love. The Lord is good to everyone; his compassion rests on all he has made. All you have made will thank you, Lord; the faithful will bless you. They will speak of the glory of your kingdom and will declare your might, informing all people of your mighty acts and of the glorious splendor of your kingdom. Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom; your rule is for all generations. The Lord is faithful in all his words and gracious in all his actions. The Lord helps all who fall; he raises up all who are oppressed. All eyes look to you, and you give them their food at the proper time. You open your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing. The Lord is righteous in all his ways and faithful in all his acts. The Lord is near all who call out to him, all who call out to him with integrity. He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry for help and saves them. The Lord guards all those who love him, but he destroys all the wicked. My mouth will declare the Lord’s praise; let every living thing bless his holy name forever and ever.” (Psalms‬ ‭145‬:‭1‬-‭21‬ ‭CSB)

These words are worth meditating on. They are worth reading over and over again. Let them sink into your heart. Let them settle into your soul. Let your mind be shaped by them. Let your actions be inspired by them. Take up the challenge and declare God’s works to the next generation. Speak of His splendor and majesty to everyone you meet. Share His greatness. Offer your testimony. Tell others how good and gracious and loving our God is and how He has compassion on all He has made. Let the hurting know He is near. Let those who have fallen know the Lord is there to help. Let those who seek Him know He will be found. Bless His name day after day after day. This is our call.

Readings for tomorrow: Job 40-42, Psalms 146

Praise the Lord!

Readings for today: Psalms 146-150

I love these final Psalms. My heart leaps every year when we get to this point in our Bible reading. Probably because I love to sing. I was taught to sing by my mother from the moment I came into this world. She was a gifted musician and teacher who instilled in me a deep love for music. It didn’t matter the style. The instrumentation wasn’t important. We sang in the home around her piano. We sang in church at her side. We sang as we did our chores. In fact, I still sing while I do the dishes to this day! Making up words to silly songs to simply pass the time. My family looks at me like I’m crazy. Ha!

The Psalms are songs. I know it sounds so basic and yet it’s so easy to forget. Reading the words in English just doesn’t do the Hebrew poetry justice. We lose something important in translation. We aren’t familiar with the tunes and so we reduce the Psalms to just words on a page rather than songs in hearts. But the Psalms represent the hymnal for ancient Israel. These were the songs they sang when they came to worship. Over and over again, they would repeat them. They knew each of them by heart. They sang them with all their might in the congregation, especially when it was time to gather for festivals in Jerusalem. These songs focus their attention on God. His greatness. His faithfulness. His goodness. His grace. Very little attention is paid to us or our feelings or our experiences. The Psalms send our thoughts soaring as we contemplate the immensity of the Lord. Can you imagine worshipping with God’s people at the Temple? Can you imagine joining all of Israel at the Temple and singing them at the top of your lungs.? Wave after wave of sound ascending to the heavens? Hearts on fire? Passion for God enflamed? Love for Him crescendoing? The worship of God overwhelming the senses? It must have been so powerful to witness and experience

I have worshipped with Christians around the world. I have worshipped with Christians in cathedrals and stick huts, in beautiful auditoriums and living rooms in homes, in prisons and in stadiums. I have worshipped in formal and informal settings. I have worshipped in churches with elaborate ritual and liturgy and churches that were free-flowing and extemporaneous. I have worshipped with Roman Catholics, Anglicans, Presbyterians, Methodists, Lutherans, Baptists, charismatics, and Pentecostals. I have worshipped in African-American churches, Asian-American churches, Latino-American churches, ethnic/immigrant churches, and suburban white churches. Again, the style doesn’t matter. The format doesn’t matter. The instrumentation doesn’t matter. What matters is the heart. Worshipping without any self-conscious pride or ego or insecurities or worries or anxieties. Worshipping without any sense of judgment or personal preference. In such places, the joy is palpable. The sense of love is extraordinary. The fellowship is rich. And the worship is powerful.

How do we get from here to there? We worship like Israel. We praise the God “who executes justice for the oppressed, who gives food to the hungry. The Lord sets the prisoners free; the Lord opens the eyes of the blind. The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down; the Lord loves the righteous. The Lord watches over the sojourners; he upholds the widow and the fatherless, but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin.” (Psalms‬ ‭146:7-9‬) We recount God’s goodness. We praise God’s greatness. We sing about God’s provision. God’s protection. God’s miraculous healing. God’s deliverance from evil. 

Like Israel, we praise the God who “determines the number of the stars; he gives to all of them their names. Great is our Lord, and abundant in power; his understanding is beyond measure...He covers the heavens with clouds; he prepares rain for the earth; he makes grass grow on the hills. He gives to the beasts their food, and to the young ravens that cry...He gives snow like wool; he scatters frost like ashes...He sends out his word, and melts them; he makes his wind blow and the waters flow.” (Psalms‬ ‭147:4-5, 8-9, 16, 18‬) We thank God for the rain that brings life to our dry land. We praise God for the flowers as they bloom, the crops as they rise, the herds as they flourish, the grass on the hillsides as it grows rich and full and green.  

Like Israel, we acknowledge that when we praise our God, we are joining our voices with the heavens and the earth. The heavenly host and the saints who have gone before us. We join the great cloud of witnesses around the throne of God to give Him the worship due His Holy Name. “Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord from the heavens; praise him in the heights! Praise him, all his angels; praise him, all his hosts! Praise him, sun and moon, praise him, all you shining stars! Praise him, you highest heavens, and you waters above the heavens!” (‭Psalms‬ ‭148:1-4‬) 

Oh, how I hope and pray for the day when we can abandon ourselves to worship in the way Israel once did! Oh, how I hope and pray for the day when we can put aside all pretense and pride and self-consciousness and insecurity and consumeristic thoughts and attitudes and worship God like so many of our brothers and sisters throughout history and around the world! Oh, how I long for the day when we would come face to face with our God! See Him for who He is! Worship Him in Spirit and in Truth! Give Him the praise He deserves! The worship He demands! Fall on our faces before His throne, casting all our crowns before Him! Let everything that has breath praise the Lord!

Readings for tomorrow: 1 Kings 9, 2 Chronicles 8, Proverbs 25-26

Wisdom vs. Foolishness

Readings for today: Psalm 119:89-176

A few years ago I read a book that helped me parse the difference between wisdom and foolishness. Wisdom, according to the author, is when we see the truth and adjust our lives accordingly. Foolishness, on the other hand, is when we demand the truth adjust to our reality. To put it another way, wise people will meet the demands of life while foolish people will demand that life meet their demands. Wise people receive feedback when given, own their own performance, mistakes, and issues and take responsibility without externalizing blame or giving excuses. Foolish people become defensive very quickly when confronted, refuse to own their own shortcomings, and often externalize by blaming those around them. Wise people listen. Fools dismiss or ignore. 

Are you a wise or a foolish person? How would you know? Well, how do you feel as you read the words from Psalm 119? What happens internally when you consider the demands of God’s Law? Are you the kind of person who embraces God’s commandments, however imperfectly? Are they your delight? Do you find yourself seeking to bend your life in submission to what God has revealed in His Word? Or are you the kind of person who resists God’s laws? Dismisses them? Ignores them? Rationalizes away your sin? Are you a wise person or a fool? 

The Psalmist is clearly wise...

“I will never forget your precepts, for by them you have given me life...”

“Oh how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day...”

“How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!”

“Through your precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way.”

”Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”

“Your testimonies are my heritage forever, for they are the joy of my heart.”

“The sum of your word is truth, and every one of your righteous rules endures forever.”

‭‭(Psalms‬ ‭119:93, 97, 103-105, 111, 160‬)

The Psalmist loves God with all His heart which, by extension, means he loves God’s Law. Loves God’s commands. He seeks to do all he can to adjust his life to God’s will. His greatest desire is to live his life under God’s sovereign rule and authority. He makes no excuses for his sin. He doesn’t hide his shortcomings. He faces his failures honestly and transparently.

Sadly, so many in our culture today are fools. Rather than submit their lives to reality, they seek to bend reality to fit their lives. Sadly, this seems just as true for Christians as it is for those who do not yet know Christ. As the Apostle Paul says in Romans 10:2, they have a “zeal for God but not according to knowledge.” They say they love God but not in the way He deserves or demands. Instead, they “do what is right in their own eyes.” They bend God’s truth to their reality. They seek to make God’s Word null and void either through outright rejection, rationalization, or simple ignorance. They refuse to submit certain areas of their lives to His will and as a result, they live lives of quiet desperation. They are not evil people. They do not have bad intentions. They simply are misguided. As Paul says in Romans 1, “Although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools...” (Romans‬ ‭1:21-22‬)

Let me be the first to say that this, at times, describes me. I am not immune. On some level and in certain seasons and in particular sets of circumstances throughout the course of my life, I have tried to bend God’s will to my own. I have tried to rationalize away my sin. I have tried to twist and turn God’s Law to make it fit my life. All to no avail. I have thrown myself against the will of God so many times and every time I broke. I surrendered. And with each surrender came greater wisdom. Not perfection. Wisdom. Self-knowledge. Self-understanding. Seeing myself for who I truly am, warts and all, and learning to trust God’s ways above my ways. God’s thoughts are more than my thoughts. God’s will is more than my feelings. This is what it means to be wise, friends. The fear of the Lord truly is the beginning of wisdom!

Readings for tomorrow: Song of Solomon 1:1-5:1

Doing vs. Being

Readings for today: Psalm 119:1-88

I remember the first time I read Psalm 119. I had just become a Christian and I was making the attempt to read through the Bible in a year. My first impressions of this Psalm were not positive. It was long. It felt repetitive. The challenge it presented was overwhelming. The way of life it described seemed very foreign to me at the time and definitely unattainable. Not that I didn’t try. I did! With all my might! I worked as hard as I could to live up to the standard this Psalm sets. I turned the different verses into prescriptions for living.

For example, being in college and struggling with pornography, I memorized verse nine - “How can a young person stay pure? By obeying your word.” I not only memorized that text, I meditated on it day and night as I fought against sexual sin in my life. I exhausted myself trying to stay pure. I worked so hard and all too often failed. I thought purity was the goal. I was wrong. Here’s a second example. I grew up in an alcoholic home and learned to cope with the shame of my father’s addiction through high achievement. I projected a great deal of self-confidence and pride but it was all a cover for my deep insecurities and pain. So I memorized verse twenty-nine - “Keep me from lying to myself; give me the privilege of knowing your instructions.” I not only memorized that text, I meditated on it day and night as I wrestled with my self-esteem. I worked so hard to prove to myself that I was accepted and okay and loved. That I had nothing to be ashamed over. I thought self-confidence was the goal. I was wrong.

As the years passed and I continued to come across this Psalm in my annual Bible reading, something shifted in my heart. I can’t pinpoint a day or a time. I don’t remember when it happened. All I know is that there came a moment when I realized this Psalm is not a PRESCRIPTION for what to do but a DESCRIPTION of who to be. The beauty and brilliance of this Psalm is that it points beyond itself to the love of God from which our love of His commands flows. One cannot love God’s law without first knowing they are loved by God, the great Law-Giver. One cannot embrace God’s commands unless they first believe they are embraced by God Himself. One cannot walk in God’s ways unless one trusts God knows the way to the most joy-filled, peace-filled life. As soon as this realization hit me, I ceased my striving. I stopped trying to white-knuckle my purity. I stopped trying so hard to prove myself to myself and to God. Instead, I simply began resting in His Presence. I began trusting His Spirit to do His sanctifying work in my heart. I read not to “get something out of it” or “to learn how to be a better Christian” but read just to get to know God, the great lover of my soul, more deeply.

This is the heart of Psalm 119. It describes the life of a believer who is fully confident in the unconditional love of God. A believer who’s heart and mind and life has been utterly changed by the grace of God. For such a believer, God’s commands become a delight and a joy for it flows from a heart fully devoted to God. How does this happen? It happens as we open ourselves up to the Holy Spirit’s work. It happens as we continue to spend time with Him day after day. It happens as we read His Word and let it shape who we are and how we live. Simply present yourself to God, friends. Let Him do for you what He has promised - more than you can ever ask or imagine!

Readings for tomorrow: 1 Kings 3-4, 2 Chronicles 1, Psalm 72

Resisting Evil

Readings for today: 1 Kings 1-2, Psalms 37, 71, 94

It is easy to “fret yourself because of evildoers.” It’s easy to watch the news or scroll through social media and focus on all that is negative. All that is wrong with the world. It is easy to focus on the unrighteous and their manipulation, oppression, and greed. It is easy to give in to anger and hate. To lash out at those who perpetrate abuse and violence. There’s something deep inside all of us that longs for revenge. Longs to see those who do evil get what’s coming to them. We get frustrated when they seem to prosper. We lose heart when they get ahead. We question the justice of God when the wicked seemingly get away with all their plots and schemes.

Once again, the Psalmist gives voice to how we feel. He speaks directly to our hearts and points us to God. He helps us reframe our understanding and teaches us God’s eternal perspective. Do not be envious of those who do wrong. They will fade like the grass. Do not fret over the one who carries out evil. They will be cut off. In the grand scheme of things, the evil only prosper for a moment but it is the righteous and the meek and the godly who will inherit the earth. Our job is not to seek revenge but to trust in the Lord and do good. Delight ourselves in God and commit ourselves to walk in His ways. If we will remain faithful, God promises to make our light shine. He promises us an eternal inheritance and the blessing of peace. He promises to uphold the righteous and never let us be put to shame. He promises to establish our steps and provide for our needs and give us a future.

This isn’t easy. Our world is growing more chaotic by the day. Evil is rising up all around us. Evil people are taking advantage of the instability to hoard power and wealth and influence. They plot against the righteous. They draw the sword. They bend the bow. Their goal is the destruction of the godly. The oppression of the poor and needy. They are a curse. They sow fear. They spread anxiety. They will stop at nothing until they achieve their sinful, selfish, unrighteous ends. But God sees them and laughs. He knows their day is coming. He will execute judgment on them and cut them off forever. So place your trust in the Lord. Make Him your stronghold in times of trouble. Seek His help. Deliverance and salvation come from His hand. Take refuge in Him.

Readings for tomorrow: Psalm 119:1-88

Personal God

Readings for today: Psalms 111-118

Christians believe in a personal God. Not a private god. Not a cosmic butler. Not a divine ATM machine. But a God who is personal, present, and who fulfills His promises. Today’s reading is a good one. In so many of the Psalms, God reveals His heart to us. He is a God who is with us. He is a God who is for us. He is a God who is at work in us. He will never leave our side. He will never let us go. He will never give up on us. 

“This God of Grace, this God of Love. He gave food to those who fear him, He remembered to keep his ancient promise…He paid the ransom for his people, He ordered his Covenant kept forever. He’s so personal and holy, worthy of our respect.” (Psalms‬ ‭111‬:‭4-5, 9‬ ‭MSG‬‬) God’s covenant with us in no way depends on us! What a glorious truth! It is completely and utterly dependent on the steadfast, faithful, fiercely loyal love of God!

“God is higher than anything and anyone, outshining everything you can see in the skies. Who can compare with God, our God, so majestically enthroned, Surveying his magnificent heavens and earth? He picks up the poor from out of the dirt, rescues the forgotten who’ve been thrown out with the trash, Seats them among the honored guests, a place of honor among the brightest and best. He gives childless couples a family, gives them joy as the parents of children. Hallelujah!” (Psalms‬ ‭113‬:‭4‬-‭9‬ ‭MSG‬‬) The Lord is especially tender towards those in great need. The poor. The needy. The barren. The hurting. The struggling. The depressed. The anxious. The lonely. God sees you! God looks down on your broken condition and He is at work to raise you up! There is nothing hidden from God. No secret pain or heartache. No injustice. No unrighteousness. The Lord sees it all and He will set all things right!

“I love God because he listened to me, listened as I begged for mercy. He listened so intently as I laid out my case before him.” (Psalms‬ ‭116‬:‭1‬-‭2 MSG‬‬) God hears every cry. God sees every tear. God knows every anxious thought. God feels all our pain. And He inclines His ear towards us. He doesn’t force us to come to His level. Doesn’t require us to ascend the heavens to gain an audience with Him. He inclines. He descends. He listens closely. Intently. He gathers His beloved into His arms and leans in to make sure He hears every word. Every thought. Every prayer. 

By the time you get to Psalm 118, it’s like the Psalmist can’t help himself. The words tumble over each other. Promise after promise. Declaration after declaration. So much to praise God for! So much to thank God for! One of the best ways to read the Psalms is back to back to back and let the words wash over you. Let them fill you. Let them give you confidence today. Let them give you strength. 

The Lord is on my side. 

The Lord is my helper.  

The Lord is my strength.

The Lord is my song. 

The Lord is my salvation.

Claim these promises as your own today. Let them guide you through each and every challenge. Each and every crisis. Each and every circumstance of your life.  

Readings for tomorrow: 1 Kings 1-2, Psalms 37, 71, 94

God is Limitless

Readings for today: Psalms 131, 138-139, 143-145

Reading through the Psalms this morning was refreshing. Especially the final reading from Psalm 145. One cannot meditate on these words enough. One cannot hear these words enough. "God is magnificent; He can never be praised enough. There are no boundaries to His greatness.” (Psalm 145:3 MSG) God is truly great. Greater than we can imagine. Greater than we think we know. Limitless in his power and knowledge. Limitless in his love and grace. Limitless in his righteousness and justice. His greatness is simply so great it is unsearchable. It is mysterious. Unfathomable. His will is inscrutable. We will never truly understand the mind of God because we are finite. We see through a glass darkly. We only can see part of the picture. We have such a limited view. But God's greatness knows no end! God's greatness knows no boundaries! 

"God is all mercy and grace - not quick to anger, is rich in love. God is good to one and all; everything He does is soaked through with grace." (Psalm 145:8-9 MSG) Echoes of Exodus where God showed Himself to Moses. The true nature and character of God revealed in all its fullness and glory. God is gracious. His love is unconditional. His mercy is everlasting. There is nothing that can separate us from God's love. Nothing that can condemn those who are in Christ Jesus. No conditions. No circumstances. No sinful behavior. No addiction. No crisis. No tragedy. No doubt. No fear. No failure. Nothing in all of creation can separate those who are in Christ Jesus from the gracious, merciful, steadfast love of God. This is why "creation and creatures applaud You, O God!” (Psalm 145:10 MSG)

"Everything God does is right - the trademark on all His works is love." (Psalm 145:17 MSG) His Law is beautiful. Precious. It is like water to the soul. His commands are designed for human flourishing. His statutes are for our protection. All his ways are good and kind.

"God’s there, listening for all who pray, for all who pray and mean it. He does what’s best for those who fear Him - hears them call out, and saves them. God sticks by all who love him…" (Psalm 145:18-20a MSG) O the wonderful promises of God! They are true! They are secure! They are more real to me than my thoughts. My feelings. My experience. They are the foundation of my life in Christ. Truly God fulfills His promises. Always in His way and in His time and according to His good plan. 

I love the Psalms so much sometimes I just sit and let the words wash over me like waves at the seashore. Wave after wave of God's goodness. Wave after wave of God's promises. Wave after wave of God's glory. As I am drenched in the love and grace of God, I find myself quite naturally falling to my knees in praise. Falling to my knees in humble submission. Falling to my knees is thanksgiving for all He has done for me. 

Readings for tomorrow: 1 Chronicles 27-29, Psalm 68

Honest Prayers

Readings for today: Psalms 108-109

Psalm 109 is nothing if not honest. David is expressing his anger and frustration towards his enemies. He is being attacked. His reputation is under assault. His character is being assassinated. He tries to repay evil with good. Tries to respond to the hate with love. He prays for them but nothing seems to change. If anything, their hatred for him burns even hotter. So David lets loose. He unleashes all his outrage to God. He calls for their destruction. He curses them every which way but sideways. He basically asks God to consign them to hell. It’s a brutally honest prayer and one I will admit I have prayed myself at certain times over the years.

Many years ago, I somehow got crossways with a person who served on a board overseeing my work. To this day, I do not know what I did to them. Despite the fact that I went to them over and over again to ask for forgiveness and make things right, they never did tell me what happened or why they hated me so much. They made their singular aim to destroy my career. They talked behind my back at board meetings. They sabotaged the work I was doing in the church. They contacted people in our small group to impugn my character. It was brutal. It was costly. I lost relationships as a result. And I almost left the ministry. After resigning my position, I spent months in prayer as I looked for work. It was one of the scariest seasons of my life. I didn’t know how I was going to feed my kids. Provide for my family. I had never been in this position before. Like David, I felt like I was “at the end of my rope, my life in ruins. I was fading away to nothing, passing away, my youth gone, old before my time. I was weak from hunger and could hardly stand up, my body a rack of skin and bones. I was a joke in poor taste to those who saw me; they took one look and shook their heads.” (Psalms‬ ‭109‬:‭23‬-‭25‬ ‭MSG‬‬) In the midst of my despair and anguish, I asked God to curse the person who attacked me. I asked God bring judgment down on them. I asked God to return to them what they had done to me. I was angry. I was bitter. I was beyond frustrated at the injustice of it all.

Here’s what I learned from that season. God’s a big boy. He can handle our most honest, gut-wrenching prayers. In fact, He invites us to share our deepest fears and anxieties with Him. He encourages us to hold nothing back. He wants us to feel safe and free to express all our emotions. Turn everything over to Him. And here’s what happens when we do…as we empty ourselves before Him. Expressing all our anger, bitterness, frustration, and pain; God begins to fill us with His grace. He turns our sorrows to joy. He turns our fears to faith. He turns our bitterness sweet. He heals our pain. He wipes away our tears. He holds us close. And even our deepest frustrations turn to praise. Listen to David as he ends Psalm 109, “My mouth’s full of great praise for God, I’m singing his hallelujahs surrounded by crowds, For he’s always at hand to take the side of the needy, to rescue a life from the unjust judge.” (Psalms‬ ‭109‬:‭30‬-‭31‬ ‭MSG‬‬)

Here’s the thing I discovered in the depths of my own despair…God is faithful. God can be trusted. God is at work. God never leaves us or forsakes us. God holds us in the palm of His hand. God draws near the broken-hearted and crushed in spirit. God is safe. We can literally share anything and everything with Him and trust Him for the result.

Readings for tomorrow: 1 Chronicles 23-26

Praise the Lord

Readings for today: Psalms 97-99

Today’s Psalms are songs of praise. They declare the truth that God is king over all the earth. He is the sovereign ruler of the universe. As such, He deserves our praise. He deserves our thanksgiving. He is worthy of all honor and glory. His name is above every name. Because He is good and just and righteous, we can trust Him. We can submit to Him. We can gladly give our hearts to Him.

It’s impossible to overstate the utter uniqueness of the Jewish - and later, Christian - view of God. Human beings have always worshipped gods. The earliest records of Homo Sapiens found deep in caverns across the globe depict humans engaged in worship. We worship animals. We worship the weather. We worship nature. We worship each other. We make up names for these gods. We create elaborate rituals to appease these gods. They are capricious and arbitrary. Often cruel and malicious. They are selfish and greedy for their own gain. In short, we make gods in our own image. Gods that reflect what we know of human behavior. It’s all we can understand.

The great 20th century rabbi, Abraham Heschel, once described the Scriptures not as man’s search for God but God’s search for man. This is what sets Judaism and Christianity apart. We didn’t create God, He created us. We didn’t make God in our image, He made us in His own image. We didn’t seek God or find God or discover God, He revealed Himself to us. He has come to us over and over again throughout history starting all the way back with a guy named Abraham and then culminating in the Person of Jesus Christ. The Word made flesh and blood. Over the course of thousands of years, as God interacted with humanity, He revealed His nature and character. He showed Himself to be good and just and righteous and trustworthy. He is the source of all wisdom and power. He reigns sovereign over all He has made. He sits on His throne as judge and king over all the earth. And this is why we praise Him. This is why we compose new songs to sing to Him. This is why we rejoice in the Lord and all He has done for us. This is why we love Him.

One of the most important things we can do as we seek to cultivate a deep, intimate prayer life is learn to praise God. Praise God for who He is and all He has done. Praise God for the ways He has impacted our lives and blessed us with every spiritual blessing. As we learn to praise God, giving Him the honor and glory due His name, we find our hearts lifted up. Our souls find rest. Our minds are at peace. For we know God is still sitting on His throne. There is never a moment He is not in charge. And because He is a good and righteous and just and loving God, we can trust Him. We can trust Him with our lives. We can trust Him with our families. We can trust Him with our needs, wants, and desires. We can trust Him with our future. This is why we praise the Lord!

Readings for tomorrow: 2 Samuel 24, 1 Chronicles 21-22, Psalm 30

Life with God

Readings for today: Psalms 26, 40-41, 58, 61-62, 64

“Let all that I am wait quietly before God…” (Psalm 62:5a NLT) This is the secret to the abundant, Christ-centered, Spirit-filled life. Let all that I am. Everything I am. Body. Mind. Heart. Soul. All that I have and all I possess. All my hopes and dreams for the future. All my experiences from the past. All my relationships. All my achievements. All my failures. All my struggles. I take all that I am - the good, bad, and ugly - lay it before the Lord and wait quietly for Him. And what then can I expect from Him in return?

He will be my hope…I will place my hope not in the things of this world. Not in achieving some degree of success. Not in achieving the American Dream or the good life however I define it. Not in marrying the Mr. or Mrs. Right. Not in having perfect kids who earn scholarships to college and make straight A’s. Not in early retirement. No, my hope will rest in God. The One who created me and formed me and fashioned me and holds my life and my future in His hands.

He will be my rock…I will depend on Him. The only truly dependable thing in this life or the next. People may let me down or disappoint me. Expectations may go unmet. Dreams unfulfilled. Achievement may remain elusive. The stock market crash. Life not turn out how I expected. But God will always be there. He remains immovable and unshakeable and I can always trust in Him.

He will be my salvation…I am not at the mercy of my circumstances. I am not at the mercy of my addictions, compulsions, or predilections. I am not at the mercy of my genetics. I am not at the mercy of the principalities and powers of this dark world. I am not a victim. God has saved me. God has rescued me. He has set me delivered me from the power of sin and death and the devil. He has set me free from the cares and worries of this world. He has transferred me from the oppression and injustice of the kingdoms of darkness into His marvelous light. This world has nothing for me and so cannot touch me.

He will be my fortress…when I struggle. When I suffer. When I hurt. When I am wounded. When I despair. God becomes my refuge. God becomes my sanctuary. God becomes my stronghold. A place where no enemy can reach me. His door is always open to me. His tender kindness is always there for me. His mercies are new every morning. His faithfulness lasts for a lifetime. He holds my life in His hands. I shall never be moved. No enemy can assail me in God’s presence. No enemy can accuse me in God’s presence. In His presence even the hardest and most difficult parts of my life become part of the unique glory He is revealing in me as I share in the sufferings of Christ.

“O my people, trust in Him at all times. Pour out your heart to Him for God is our refuge.” (Psalm 62:8 NLT) If we believe the promises of these Psalms, it becomes easy to trust in God. Quite natural to pour out our hearts to Him. No matter what you may be going through today or in this season of your life, place yourself intentionally in God’s presence. Wait quietly for Him. Let Him be your refuge and strength and hope and joy.

Readings for tomorrow: 2 Samuel 19-21, Psalms 5, 38, 42

God Listens

Readings for today: Psalms 3-4, 13, 28, 55

Today’s Psalms contain precious promises for the believer. They are a reminder that we can always turn to God in our time of need. He is a very present help in times of trouble. He is with us always even to the end of the age. He draws near to the broken-hearted and crushed in spirit. He doesn’t stand apart from us when we grieve or mourn or cry out in pain. Listen again to just a few of the verses. Let these words sink deep into your soul today.

“But you, God, shield me on all sides; You ground my feet, you lift my head high; With all my might I shout up to God, His answers thunder from the holy mountain. I stretch myself out. I sleep. Then I’m up again—rested, tall and steady, Fearless before the enemy mobs Coming at me from all sides.” (Psalms‬ ‭3‬:‭3‬-‭6‬ ‭MSG‬‬)

“Why is everyone hungry for more? “More, more,” they say. “More, more.” I have God’s more-than-enough, More joy in one ordinary day.” (Psalms‬ ‭4‬:‭6-7a‬ ‭MSG)‬‬

“Blessed be God— he heard me praying. He proved he’s on my side; I’ve thrown my lot in with him. Now I’m jumping for joy, and shouting and singing my thanks to him. God is all strength for his people, ample refuge for his chosen leader; Save your people and bless your heritage. Care for them; carry them like a good shepherd.” (Psalms‬ ‭28‬:‭6‬-‭9‬ ‭MSG‬‬)

Recently, I was talking to some friends about how when the pace of life ramps up on the outside, we need to slow down on the inside. When the exterior life is running and gunning, we need our interior life to slow down so we can experience the strength and peace of God. My life right now is pretty crazy. I lead a large church. I have national responsibilities with my denomination. I teach seminary. I just got back from training church planters in Africa and serve on the board of the ministry. Even more importantly, I am a husband and a father. Though my children are older, they still need my help at various times. My parents are aging and my father has been in and out of the hospital recently. So life is pretty full right now. At times, I feel overwhelmed. When I feel overwhelmed, it’s a great reminder to slow my interior life down and spend even more time with the Lord in silence and solitude and quiet reflection. When I do, He fills me with His strength. He fills me with His wisdom. He energizes me for every task. He helps me be fully present in every moment.

God listens to our prayers. Such a simple and yet deeply profound statement. God hears our cries. God is engaged in our lives. God knows our needs. God is good and faithful and true. He is dependable and gives His children good gifts if they will but seek Him. Whatever is going in your life today, cry out to the Lord! Wait patiently on Him to answer your prayers and give you what you need to make it through every moment of every day.

Readings for tomorrow: 2 Samuel 16-18