Why should I fear when evil days come,
when wicked deceivers surround me—
those who trust in their wealth
and boast of their great riches?
No man can redeem the life of another
or give to God a ransom for him— Ps. 49:5-7 NIV
Why should we fear? I have to ask myself that question many times. Why should I fear? At first glance it looks like there is much to be afraid of. The economy continues to struggle, the politicians are becoming more corrupt and if not corrupt at least confused. It becomes very apparent that none of them, no matter how articulate they may be, can be trusted for the answer to any crisis. Not only are the politicians becoming more corrupt, but even in what are considered the most civilized of societies, the average citizen no longer has any regard for his neighbor. And, not just in this country, which has been hard set by natural disasters, but throughout the entire world there seems to be no sanctuary, no place that is immune from tornadoes, earthquakes, floods, tsunamis and every other force of nature.
But the Psalmist says 'Why should I fear...no man can redeem life.' No wonder we feel so helpless. It is not within our power to redeem life, to provide any answer. Only God has the power to redeem our life, only God will 'take me to himself.'
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Monday, June 6, 2011
Psalms 42-46: Our Refuge and Strength
God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
though its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with their surging. Ps. 46: 1-3 NIV
This has been a bad year for weather, or as the meteorologists would frame it 'mother nature'. Even with destruction all around from tornadoes, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions, I am sure of two things, it is not the work of Mother Nature, it is the hand of God, and that same hand that causes the earth to give way and mountains to fall into the sea will be our refuge and strength.
A lot of the survivors of the tornadoes in the south, in Joplin, and in Reading, Kansas, the small town close to us, are aware of that hand of God. The witness of many, as they have stared at a landscape devoid of life, has been that God is their refuge. Those of us who have been spared should contemplate God's all encompassing help and strength for our circumstances as well.
an ever-present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
though its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with their surging. Ps. 46: 1-3 NIV
This has been a bad year for weather, or as the meteorologists would frame it 'mother nature'. Even with destruction all around from tornadoes, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions, I am sure of two things, it is not the work of Mother Nature, it is the hand of God, and that same hand that causes the earth to give way and mountains to fall into the sea will be our refuge and strength.
A lot of the survivors of the tornadoes in the south, in Joplin, and in Reading, Kansas, the small town close to us, are aware of that hand of God. The witness of many, as they have stared at a landscape devoid of life, has been that God is their refuge. Those of us who have been spared should contemplate God's all encompassing help and strength for our circumstances as well.
2010 Post - Psalms 41-46: Deep Calls to Deep
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Psalms 37-41: Do Not Fret
Do not fret because of those who are evil
or be envious of those who do wrong; - Ps 37:1 NIV
do not fret when people succeed in their ways,
when they carry out their wicked schemes.
Refrain from anger and turn from wrath;
do not fret—it leads only to evil. - Ps. 37:7-8 NIV
I was young and now I am old,
yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken
or their children begging bread. - Ps. 37:25 NIV
Over and over again, David stresses the point that we are not to fret because of those who do evil . We can look around this world and see all the evil that exists and take to heart what he is saying. All of the wickedness of this world will someday cease. All the philandering, cheating, lying, suppression of the poor, all of the sins against man and sins against God will have to be accounted for. Even more chilling, David was one who had been beset by evil at the hand of Saul, one that he loved. But he knew that even that was not cause for worry.
David knew rightly, that the one thing that should concern us is our own sin. Instead of worrying about the sins of others, what they have done to us or the overall wickedness of any generation, we are to worry about our own transgressions. David knew what it meant to sin, he wallowed in the depths when his son by Bathsheba became sick unto death. That was the point in his life when he felt the most helpless. Not when he was hiding in a cave, being chased by Saul, but when he was shut in his own room hiding from the results of his own sin.
“But now, Lord, what do I look for?
My hope is in you.
Save me from all my transgressions; - Ps. 39:7-8 NIV
or be envious of those who do wrong; - Ps 37:1 NIV
do not fret when people succeed in their ways,
when they carry out their wicked schemes.
Refrain from anger and turn from wrath;
do not fret—it leads only to evil. - Ps. 37:7-8 NIV
I was young and now I am old,
yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken
or their children begging bread. - Ps. 37:25 NIV
Over and over again, David stresses the point that we are not to fret because of those who do evil . We can look around this world and see all the evil that exists and take to heart what he is saying. All of the wickedness of this world will someday cease. All the philandering, cheating, lying, suppression of the poor, all of the sins against man and sins against God will have to be accounted for. Even more chilling, David was one who had been beset by evil at the hand of Saul, one that he loved. But he knew that even that was not cause for worry.
David knew rightly, that the one thing that should concern us is our own sin. Instead of worrying about the sins of others, what they have done to us or the overall wickedness of any generation, we are to worry about our own transgressions. David knew what it meant to sin, he wallowed in the depths when his son by Bathsheba became sick unto death. That was the point in his life when he felt the most helpless. Not when he was hiding in a cave, being chased by Saul, but when he was shut in his own room hiding from the results of his own sin.
“But now, Lord, what do I look for?
My hope is in you.
Save me from all my transgressions; - Ps. 39:7-8 NIV
2010 Post - Psalms 37-41: Trust in the Lord
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Psalms 32-36: The Blessed Life
Blessed is he
whose transgressions are forgiven,
whose sins are covered.
Blessed is the man
whose sin the LORD does not count against him
and in whose spirit is no deceit.
When I kept silent,
my bones wasted away
through my groaning all day long.
For day and night
your hand was heavy upon me;
my strength was sapped
as in the heat of summer.
Then I acknowledged my sin to you
and did not cover up my iniquity.
I said, “I will confess
my transgressions to the LORD”—
and you forgave
the guilt of my sin. - Ps. 32:1-5 NIV
David knew something that we often forget. It's not our circumstances that determine whether or not we are blessed, but our if our transgressions have been forgiven. Those of us who have found forgiveness, often forget what we are capable of and as David experienced, when we try to cover up those sins, to pretend that they don't exist, we become consumed by the very sin that we try to ignore. And even worse, the 'hound of heaven' will not let us rest in peace until we acknowledge that sin and refuse to cover it up any longer. In order to have our sins forgiven, we have to acknowledge them. God is always aware of the state of our heart, we're the ones that don't want to see it. It's only by confessing and asking forgiveness that we enter into the blessed life.
whose transgressions are forgiven,
whose sins are covered.
Blessed is the man
whose sin the LORD does not count against him
and in whose spirit is no deceit.
When I kept silent,
my bones wasted away
through my groaning all day long.
For day and night
your hand was heavy upon me;
my strength was sapped
as in the heat of summer.
Then I acknowledged my sin to you
and did not cover up my iniquity.
I said, “I will confess
my transgressions to the LORD”—
and you forgave
the guilt of my sin. - Ps. 32:1-5 NIV
David knew something that we often forget. It's not our circumstances that determine whether or not we are blessed, but our if our transgressions have been forgiven. Those of us who have found forgiveness, often forget what we are capable of and as David experienced, when we try to cover up those sins, to pretend that they don't exist, we become consumed by the very sin that we try to ignore. And even worse, the 'hound of heaven' will not let us rest in peace until we acknowledge that sin and refuse to cover it up any longer. In order to have our sins forgiven, we have to acknowledge them. God is always aware of the state of our heart, we're the ones that don't want to see it. It's only by confessing and asking forgiveness that we enter into the blessed life.
Friday, June 3, 2011
Psalms 28-31: Out of the Depths
Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness;
To the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever. - Ps. 30:11-12 KJV
Years ago, we sang an old chorus with these words. Just as I no longer recall those old choruses, I often forget all that God has done for me. There have been times in my life when I was clothed in sackcloth and ashes, when I was surrounded by depths of darkness so deep I saw no hope for survival. But God did turning my mourning into dancing and has blessed me so richly that I seldom remember those days. Unfortunately, I also forget the dancing days, the celebration, the gladness I experienced when God brought me out. In that sense, I guess I'm just like the Children of Israel who forgot all about their deliverance from Egypt.
There is no way I can ever repay the Lord for what he has done, for all the blessings he has bestowed, but, I can give thanks forever as David said: I will exalt you, O LORD, for you lifted me out of the depths . - PS 30:1 NIV
To the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever. - Ps. 30:11-12 KJV
Years ago, we sang an old chorus with these words. Just as I no longer recall those old choruses, I often forget all that God has done for me. There have been times in my life when I was clothed in sackcloth and ashes, when I was surrounded by depths of darkness so deep I saw no hope for survival. But God did turning my mourning into dancing and has blessed me so richly that I seldom remember those days. Unfortunately, I also forget the dancing days, the celebration, the gladness I experienced when God brought me out. In that sense, I guess I'm just like the Children of Israel who forgot all about their deliverance from Egypt.
There is no way I can ever repay the Lord for what he has done, for all the blessings he has bestowed, but, I can give thanks forever as David said: I will exalt you, O LORD, for you lifted me out of the depths . - PS 30:1 NIV
2010 Post - Psalms 28-31: Ascribe to the Lord
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Psalms 23-27: Whom Shall I Fear
Psalms 27 has been providing hope and strength to millions. There have been many songs written to proclaim the words:
The Lord is my light and my salvation,
Whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the strength of my life
Of whom shall I be afraid.
This is my favorite musical intrepretation of these verses and two more different versions follow:
&
What more need be said...The Lord is my strength and my salvation.
The Lord is my light and my salvation,
Whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the strength of my life
Of whom shall I be afraid.
This is my favorite musical intrepretation of these verses and two more different versions follow:
&
What more need be said...The Lord is my strength and my salvation.
2010 Post - Psalms 23-27: Timeless Praise
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Psalms 20-22: “Eloi, Eloi,lama sabachthani?
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? - Ps. 22:1 NIV
As so often happens in Old Testament writing and prophecy, there is a forth telling and a foretelling. There is a depiction of the situation in the present, in the near future, and in the future to come. David penned these words from his own circumstances and yet they are a preview of the death of Jesus. 'They have pierced my hands and feet,' David says, 'They divide my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing.' “Eloi, Eloi,lama sabachthani? Centuries later, Jesus would echo David's words:
About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi,lama sabachthani?”—which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" - Matt. 27:46 NIV
Down through the years, many of God's chosen, pilgrims and martyrs, all those afflicted with pain and suffering, have cried the same words. 'My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? And the answer remains the same.
You who fear the LORD, praise him!
All you descendants of Jacob, honor him!
Revere him, all you descendants of Israel!
For he has not despised or disdained
the suffering of the afflicted one;
he has not hidden his face from him
but has listened to his cry for help. - Ps. 22:23-24 NIV
God has not hidden his face from those he loves. Never. He never has, he never will.
As so often happens in Old Testament writing and prophecy, there is a forth telling and a foretelling. There is a depiction of the situation in the present, in the near future, and in the future to come. David penned these words from his own circumstances and yet they are a preview of the death of Jesus. 'They have pierced my hands and feet,' David says, 'They divide my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing.' “Eloi, Eloi,lama sabachthani? Centuries later, Jesus would echo David's words:
About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi,lama sabachthani?”—which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" - Matt. 27:46 NIV
Down through the years, many of God's chosen, pilgrims and martyrs, all those afflicted with pain and suffering, have cried the same words. 'My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? And the answer remains the same.
You who fear the LORD, praise him!
All you descendants of Jacob, honor him!
Revere him, all you descendants of Israel!
For he has not despised or disdained
the suffering of the afflicted one;
he has not hidden his face from him
but has listened to his cry for help. - Ps. 22:23-24 NIV
God has not hidden his face from those he loves. Never. He never has, he never will.
2010 Post -Psalms 20-22: Some May Trust in Chariots
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)