“Sovereign Lord, my strong deliverer, you shield my head in the day of battle. Do not grant the wicked their desires, Lord; do not let their plans succeed.”
Psalm 140: 7-8 Psalm 140 Observe
Interpret As a young man, king to be, and King, David faced many challenges, perils and indeed enemies. He dealt with the lion and bear in protecting his father’s sheep, he faced Goliath on behalf of his people and as King he faced many enemies from within and without. It is probable though, that this Psalm was written at a time when he was persecuted and hunted by King Saul when he was in exile and peril. A Psalm that was then often utilized when in the office of King. David prays for protection from verbal, bitter assaults that malign him and his name. At the time it was thought that the poison of a snake came through its tongue hence the vivid description in verse 3. This depiction brings to mind the damaging power of words that James warns about in his letter (3: 1-12). David also prays against actual violence and plans of entrapment. It is worth noticing that his pray intensifies as the Psalm progresses and moves from prayers of defense (protection) to prayers of offense (attack). The turning point comes when he focuses on God Himself (6-8). Faith enables David to be more positive and assertive in prayer. All results in a confident conclusion of praise in God’s justice and the inevitable victory through Him. David, in His prayers, is often very dramatic, even harsh; this the passion of prayer wrapped up within righteous anger. Praying in this way enabled him to turn situations to God so that while hot in prayer he was cool in action, trusting all to God’s will and sovereignty. Application In life, as God’s children, we will face those who dislike us, speak against us and even threaten violence towards us. We live in a secular society that, at present, tolerates our faith with unease. The Gospel does offend and if we live according to God’s truth there will be times when there is a negative reaction to us. This Psalm encourages us to go to God in prayer, in total honesty, and in the passion of faith. As we ‘offload’ our hurt and fear, we turn our eyes to God, and can be encouraged by His reality, strength, justice, grace and love. We are reminded that our enemies are principalities and powers (Ephesians 6: 12) and that vengeance belongs to the Lord alone (Jeremiah 46: 10a). Praying like this keeps us from bitterness, heals our hurts and empowers us to love, even our enemies (Matthew 5: 44). In prayers like this we can move from a defensive stance to one where we go on the attack in the spiritual realm, breaking down the strongholds that govern the situation we are facing. God then goes before us when we step out again in faith. The Question of Application Are you facing hurt, fear and challenges? Pray with honesty, turn your eyes to the Lord and witness His deliverance. Prayer Save us, Lord, from all terror and oppression; strengthen us in prayer and faith that your justice may roll down like waters and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ the Lord. Amen Praise My Lighthouse by Rend Collective A Mighty Fortress is our God sung by Matt Boswell “Let the modern wits, after this, look upon the honest shepherds of Palestine as a company of rude and unpolished clowns; let them, if they can, produce from profane authors thoughts that are more sublime, more delicate, or better turned; not to mention the sound divinity and solid piety which are apparent under these expressions.” – Claude Fleury
Observe: Psalm 139 is, in my experience, one of the most-quoted Psalms in the Bible. This is for good reason, as I’m sure all of us, at one point or another, have turned to or been pointed to this particular Psalm when we need God’s caring words and comforting assurances. In it we find soaring praise of, and promise from, the Great and Living God, such as:
Interpret: Unlike the pagan gods of David’s time, who were often hostile or indifferent to their mortal underlings, David knew that Yahweh so deeply cared about His creation that He sought and knew each man and woman ever to walk this earth. David understood that God doesn’t just know everything, He knows me. He doesn’t just exist everywhere, but is everywhere with me. He didn’t just create everything, but He created me! “Any small thoughts that we may have of God are magnificently transcended by this psalm; yet for all its height and depth it remains intensely personal from first to last.” (Kidner) David used the proverbial phrase “You know my sitting down and my rising up,” to say that God knew everything about him, even the most everyday things. As Jesus would later say, God knows the number of hairs on our head (Matthew 10:30). David also knew the sovereignty of his God who saw all things and controlled all things, as seen in verse 5: “The normal sense of a hedge in the Bible is of a protective barrier. God hedged David on every side, so that nothing could come to David unless it first passed through God’s permission. What was true for David is true for all who trust in the LORD.” He goes on to write of God’s omnipresence, a comforting and powerful character trait of his mighty Lord, “The psalmist is not trying to evade God, but he further amplifies that God’s knowledge is beyond the ability of humans to grasp. The knowledge or discernment of God can never be limited to any particular place, because God’s sovereignty extends to the whole created universe.” (VanGemeren) Indeed, heaven is not high enough nor is hell low enough to escape the loving presence of God. The Apostle Paul would write in Romans 8:38-39, “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” The very essence of us as human beings, made in the image of God, is under His watchful eye even while in the womb! The Psalmist takes time to show the care with which we all were made, “For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb.” From the very beginning, you were known by God. David turns abruptly from wonder to a prayer against the wicked, so filled with love for his Lord and that which the Lord loves to a deep desire to do away with doers of evil and lovers of unrighteousness. “David went against a spirit also evident in our day – against the idea that we can love God without hating evil. It is entirely possible for a person to be too loving, and it corrupts his claimed love for God … We are neither to hate the men, on account of the vices they practice; nor to love the vices, for the sake of the men who practice them.” (Horne) Finally, there is a fervent prayer for God to know and reveal each and every anxiety and wicked tendency within the author. When prayed sincerely, this is something of a dangerous prayer – worthy, yet dangerous. “It is a serious thing to pray because it invites painful exposures and surgery, if we truly mean it. Still, it is what every wise believer should desire.” (Boice) Application: Normally I’d have an equally-long paragraph on application of the subject written above, but since this is the Psalm 139, I’d simply ask that you take the time today, right now, to read this Psalm aloud nice and slowly, verse by verse. Take time to notice the depths of David’s words. Think about what is being said and what is not being said. Read and absorb these words with the overarching knowledge that your life exists at the behest of God; we are meant to serve and please Him above all else. We are called to lay ourselves aside and know Him deeply. We are meant to hold nothing back – no secrets, no sins, no shame, no pride, nothing – when we come to Him in prayer. Remember these things as you read and allow the Lord to make more room in your heart! Prayer: Father God, we thank you that we cannot escape you or be taken from you. Thank you for being a personal God, a God who loves and understands and blesses far beyond all measure. Thank you for thinking of us, for we are unworthy of the means by which you lavish us with love. Be with us this day, and for evermore. Amen! Song: Psalm 139 (Shane & Shane) TEXT: Psalm 138
OBSERVE: Verses 1-3: The psalmist expresses his intention to praise the Lord, and by doing so he does praise him with full sincerity and enthusiasm (with all his heart). He will praise God’s name, since his name represents his character and his actions. Verses 4-5: The psalmist then expresses the hope that his praise/thanksgiving for God will extend beyond himself, and indeed, beyond the borders of Israel. God is the God of the entire world and thus deserves the praise of all the kings of the earth. Verses 6-8: The psalmist stands amazed that such a great and powerful God cares for the vulnerable (the lowly). He counts himself among their number since he is in the midst of trouble. But God takes care of him and fights off his foes. The psalmist ends with an appeal to God to not abandon him while in the midst of trouble. INTERPRET: This psalm is the first of eight Davidic psalms. He thanks God for answering his prayers and calls on the kings of the earth to join in the praise. He praises God for his great name and his wonderful promises. He loves the Lord for taking care of the vulnerable. During the Old Testament period, the kings of the earth did not praise God; if anything, they resisted and challenged him. However, when Christ came, the gospel began to spread throughout the earth. Revelation 21:24 pictures the end of time when the kings of the earth will bring their splendour into the New Jerusalem. APPLICATION: This psalm provides clarity on how to worship God. Simply, that there is only one way to worship God—with your whole heart. Half-hearted praise will never do. This whole-hearted praise will only come from a life devoted to God and souls that have been radically saved from power of the enemy. To worship God in Spirit and in truth, we must comprehend two realities: We must clearly understand who we are, and we must understand who God is. Therefore, two questions remain for every believer regarding our worship. Are we humble? And is God glorified? This is what matters above everything else. Jesus must be the purpose and source of our worship in every way. That is the heart of worship. PRAYER: Holy Lord, we come before you with gratitude and praise, offering you the worship of our hearts and lives. Open our eyes to see you; open our ears to recognize your voice; and open our mouths to praise you. Send us out from here, to live and work in the world as your faithful disciples. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Lord. Amen. SONG: The Heart of Worship Psalm 137 Lynne McCarthy 11/30/22
Observe: A communal lament as the children of Israel recall their exile in Babylon. They missed their life in Zion and longed for Jerusalem, far out of their reach. Their captors mock them, demanding entertainment with their hymns praising the Lord of Zion, but the people will not, cannot do this. And the depth of the captives’ desire to have the Lord repay their hurt takes the form of a prayer in the last stanza, against Edom that utterly destroyed Jerusalem (Obadiah 11 on) and Babylon’s violence to those in Jerusalem. The last verse makes us shudder, but it is so honest. Interpret: Lex talionis, the law of punishment matching the crime (from where we get “retaliation”), is a central feature in this psalm. While the Exile was part of God’s purifying process for his people, and the prophet Jeremiah urged the exiles to live in Babylon and make the city flourish (Jer. 29:5-7), they now ask God to destroy their infants as the Babylonians had done to theirs in Jerusalem. In the ancient world, the practice of destroying infants of a conquered people was common, even recorded in the Hebrew Bible – 2 Kings8:12, Hosea 10:14 and 13:16, Nahum 3:10. The psalm is not an approval of this horror but asks that the conquerors of Babylon would carry out God’s justice. Oppression of God’s people will be met with this very justice, and not out of human desire to hurt back. It’s hard to understand when Jesus has taught us to turn the other cheek, pray for those who oppress us and love our enemies, but God is Mystery, and this we must accept. We need more to pray for the repentance of those who do harm to us and others. Apply: It’s so easy to want to strike back against someone who has hurt us, or to seethe in righteous anger at those who hurt others. We too live in a violent, Godless society, but while we aren’t part of it, we are too close for any comfort as we read, watch, and observe what’s going on around us. Seething only raises the blood pressure, griping only becomes a tape loop. We have prayer to counteract these useless reactions, and how we need to exercise that gift! It’s not for lack of means; there are small groups (find one and join it if you’re not in one!), prayer teams at the end of the service, prayer warriors in our church, and we can even pray on the phone or via email. But that’s what we do, knowing the Lord is in complete charge of all things and knows what’s going on. He’ll give us our marching orders in His time. Meanwhile, we’re in prayer boot camp as we wait for Him. Ask: Lord, will You help me to lift my eyes to You so that I constantly honour Your glory and power, and not become depressed or angry when I look at what’s happening around me? Pray: Lord, thank you that we can come to you at all times with things that disturb, hurt, or militate against what is Your righteousness and goodness. This is not mere optimism or idealism, but rather a desire that You deepen our faith, that together with brothers and sisters who experience injustice and terror, we may always turn to You as the Giver of hope, healing and justice. This psalm was hard to read, but it is what is out there. And You are not ‘out there’ but are so very close to us in our sadness and need. Thank You, our great Lord of Life and Peace. Sing: Psalm 137 - Poor Bishop Hooper youtu.be/lAiDqWeyPdM O Zion - Scottish Psalmist youtu.be/cE_mnLCSWto Rivers of Babylon - Jason Silver youtu.be/Haa3kiuQ0HY “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. His love endures forever.”
Thus begins this ode of thanksgiving to the Lord who has been in a very special relationship with Israel throughout their history. It begins with the bidding to be thankful to God, declaring the sovereignty of God from the act of creation and continues with Israel’s deliverance from slavery in Egypt and through the conquest of the Promised Land. The summing up in v. 23-25 put it into a nutshell, with reciting God’s character of love and mercy to Israel and to the whole of creation. The last verse is another bid to, “Give thanks to the God of heaven. His love endures forever.” You can’t miss the theme of this psalm, as it is a constant refrain throughout. It is most likely to have been intended as a liturgical psalm, said or sung responsively; possibly with a priest leading with the first line of each verse, and a Levitical choir or the whole congregation replying with the refrain. Just as we celebrate certain seasons throughout the liturgical year with Advent, Christmas, Lent, Easter, and so on, so this may have been used in a season of Thanksgiving (totally unrelated to turkeys and pilgrims). Such seasons in the church’s year are a reminder – that we have a good God who is worthy of all thanksgiving and worship. Sometimes we need a reminder like this so that we will see our own lives in relation to God’s commitment to his creation and his people. APPLICATION: So, looking back over your own life, take time to thank God for bringing you the tough times, blessing you with good times, and especially for revealing himself to you in his beloved Son, Jesus. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you through the retrospective, and “Give thanks to the God of heaven. His love endures forever.” SONG: Robin Mark - Forever (Give Thanks to the Lord) Psalm 135
Observe The first four verses are a call to the community (and the Levitical attendants – the servants of the Lord (1)) -- to praise God, and the singer gives the reasons for doing so. The next verses briefly rehearse their history, God’s mighty deeds, and mock the ludicrous gods whose ‘worshippers’ become like them, so do all who trust in them (18). The last stanza (19-21) calls on the houses of Israel to extol the Lord from Zion, he who dwells in Jerusalem! (21). The splendid God of majestic power displays His deeds on behalf of His covenant people. Praise is their very best response, simply because He is great, because He loves them, protects them, gives to them, and has no parallel among the gods of other nations. What’s not to love such a wonderful God? Why not praise Him? Interpret Following the Songs of Ascent, Psalm 135 is a ‘community’ or historical hymn that recalls the deeds of the Lord in the life of His covenant people. There’s no mention of their faithlessness, because this is a hymn to their Lord, to praise His glorious name. The significance of His name is reflected in this Psalm (1,13), demonstrating His sovereignty over earth, sea and sky (6-8), all at His good pleasure. His power and enduring love are Israel’s history – His protection from their enemies and His generous legacy of the land express His covenant love. The singer borrows Psalm 115:4-8 to mock the worthlessness of dumb pagan idols – they can’t do what He has done -- or anything else. Why not praise such a wonderful God? Apply There’s value in thinking back over events in our lives, whether via Grandpa’s ancient 8-mm movies cranked out on an equally ancient projector, Grandma’s overflowing photo albums of every event in children’s and grandchildren’s (and maybe great grands!) lives, Great-Aunt’s old diaries and letters, or flipping thru our phones for that buried picture (wait a sec, it’s here somewhere!) of some event so very important at the time. We want to share these markers in our lives, these pixels of our history. We need to remember. Even more, we need to remember often and everywhere our need for our Lord as we learn dependence on Him. Name is still a powerful thing. God knows our names, calls us by name, loves us, so He gave us His Son and we bear His name. He remembers us! To develop our memories, let’s ask His Spirit to help us recall the blessings, the joys, the rescues, the mercies, the grace without measure He has given us. Then – come and praise the Lord! Why not? Ask What haven’t You done in my life, Lord? When I think about You how can I not praise You? Pray Lord, as I recall my so-brief history, how You saved me, how You cared for and carried me, how You adopted me into this dear church family, bring me by Your Spirit to praise and thank You, often and everywhere. You know my name; let me call on Your Name in thanksgiving for all You are. Sing Ps 135 The Gathering Sound Collective - Come Praise the Lord U of Arkansas Choirs - Slavite Gospoda (Praise the Lord) Serbian Orthodox hymn Psalm 134: by Trish Reimer
Observe: This is the last of the series of fifteen psalms with the title A Song of Ascents. It is the shortest of these psalms and the second shortest chapter in the Bible (Psalm 117 being the shortest). If we were to sum this psalm up in two thoughts it would be: “May you bless the Lord and may the Lord bless you!” Interpretation and Application: The Lord blesses us by reaching down to take care of us and our needs, but how do we bless the Lord? He can’t receive anything from us that He needs or He doesn’t already have. A translation of the word bless in this case would be to adore, praise, or give heartfelt thanks to the Lord. It is thought that the servants mentioned in this psalm were the Levites, the temple priest and the captain of the guard whose duty it was to keep watch from sunset to sunrise in the temple. (I Chronicles 9:33 Those who were musicians, heads of Levite families, stayed in the rooms of the temple and were exempt from other duties because they were responsible for the work day and night.) They were to lift their hands and praise the Lord. This means that they wouldn’t be spending their time only in watching, but also singing and pouring out their hearts in praise to the Lord. No time to sleep here! But…raising one’s hands in the sanctuary? What does that mean? Perhaps we can think of raising our hands as a symbol of surrender as well as offering up our lives to the Lord. It’s also a sign of welcoming fellowship and communion with the Father. We end the series of the Songs of Ascents with an answer of blessing back to the people. We began the series in Psalm 120 with a theme of “this world is not my home” and end with Psalm 134 declaring that we are safe at home with God and His people. It’s rather like climbing a mountain. When we finally reach the peak or the end destination of the climb, what do we do? We tend to look back and see how far we’ve come and the terrain that we’ve traversed. So in reading through the Songs of Ascents, how far have you come? May you bless the Lord and may He bless you! Prayer: Father, we bless You and praise You for what you have done and are continuing to do in our lives. May we keep our eyes on You as we go through life, surrender to You, and look forward to our heavenly home. Amen. Song: Bless the Lord: by Andre Crouch youtu.be/_z2JOZ9h8MU Psalm 133
Observe: Psalm 133 is the last of four Psalms attributed to David in the 15 Psalms of Ascents. While the exact timing and reason for it’s composition is unknown, it could likely be attributed to David’s reception as king over all of Israel which marked the end of a long season of division and discord. In it we see 3 verses, the first of which declares a blessing, “Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity!” Followed by verses 2 and 3 which describe the blessing, “It is like the precious oil on the head, running down on the beard, on the beard of Aaron … It is like the dew of Hermon, which falls on the mountains of Zion! …” Interpret: Such a short and simple Psalm can easily be overlooked in favour of those who are more lengthy and detailed, however we cannot afford to miss the exhortation here; God is pleased and honoured when His people dwell together in unity! We are, of course, called to be in union and communion with the Lord, which is our highest duty, but this supreme function must overflow into union and charity with one another. If we belong to the Lord then we are a part of His body, and a body cannot function properly if it is warring with itself. See the words of Paul in 1 Corinthians 12, “For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body – Jews or Greeks, slaves or free – and all were made to drink of one Spirit. For the body does not consist of one member but of many.” Obviously, the presence of many parts needing to work together is an opportunity either for great discord or great humility. The more parts a thing has the more segmented it is, the more chance these differentiating lines between one part and another can become lines of division. We, as Christians especially, are in constant danger of puffing ourselves up and thinking ‘our way is the best way, the right way,’ and we can look upon those who are simply different as lesser or inferior. Our tempers grow short with those who have caused us grief and we arrogantly isolate ourselves from others in the name of pride. David reminds us of what is truly and simply good; We are called together as one body, as living sacrifices, as living stones to make up a greater whole (that is, the body and temple of Christ) and that means fitting in right alongside those who might genuinely rub us the wrong way or have caused us anger or annoyance. True unity doesn’t come when there are no causes for division, for as long as we are on this earth, we can always find reasons to push one person or another away. True unity comes from seeing ourselves and others for what and who we are yet loving one another anyway, warts and all. True unity starts with the humble admission that none of us are perfect; we’ve all rocked the boat and exasperated and hurt others. We have all grieved the Holy Spirit, offended our Heavenly Father, and piled our sin on His crucified Son. Yet even while we were His enemies, He poured out grace upon grace. We ought to extend that limitless grace to one another and not hold back! I challenge you, my wonderful reader, to hear the words of the Lord Jesus in Matthew 18:21-35. True unity grows into love and forgiveness through loving understanding. It doesn’t mean brushing everything under the rug, but graciously dealing with hurts, accepting responsibility, holding our temper, forgiving quickly, and just letting the little things go. True unity grows into love covering a multitude of sins, forgiving as we have been forgiven, and seeing those in the pews next to us as our God-given family who are walking that narrow path alongside you. True unity results in us having the mind of Christ which has compassion on those who grieve us, and in a well-functioning body of believers that cast aside bitterness and gossip in favour of humble service towards one another. This unity is good and pleasant, a city on a hill, and our light in the world, that all may see our good works and give glory to God. Prayer: Lord, as I write these blogs and exhort others to live as you have taught, let me not be a hypocrite. Convict me of what disunity I may have caused and teach me to love others as you have loved them. Show me ways in which to lift up my fellow brothers and sisters, so that by demonstrating your love to others, I may do my part in edifying your great and glorious Church. Help us all to remove the root of bitterness and self-righteousness from our hearts and seek to serve you and one another with cheerfulness and thanksgiving. Amen! Song: Hello Heaven - Strahan Text: Psalm 132
OBSERVE: Verse 1: After invoking God, the psalmist asks him to remember David. Here the psalmist calls on God not only to have a positive disposition towards the Davidic dynasty, but also to act positively on his behalf. Verses 2-5: This stanza recalls David’s intense commitment to build a place where God is to reside. He swore an oath and will deny himself sleep in the interest of constructing the holy place. Verses 6-9: This stanza recounts David’s efforts to bring the ark to Jerusalem. The endeavor began in Ephrathah, another name for Bethlehem, the ancestral home of David. The stanza ends with a call for God to confer righteousness on the priests and joy on the people as they accompany the ark back to Jerusalem. Verses 10-12: These verses are best understood as a request for help for a royal descendant of David, based on the promise of a dynasty that God made to David. Verses 13-15: The psalm now focuses on Zion; the place God chose for the construction of the temple and thus the spiritual center of the world. Verses 17-18: The psalm opened with the request for God to remember David, and now it ends with the divine commitment that he will indeed adopt a positive disposition and act accordingly towards his dynasty. INTERPRET: Psalm 132 does not fit neatly into just one genre. However, it is clearly a royal psalm, appealing to God on behalf of the Davidic dynasty and based on the Davidic covenant found in 2 Samuel 7. The psalm pre-supposes a problem that is not clearly described, but certainly explains the urgency with which the psalmist asks God to remember his self-denial (v. 1), and his appeal not to reject your anointed one (v. 10). Psalm 132 appeals for God’s help for the anointed king. It recalls David’s passion to make a house for God’s presence, as symbolized in the ark. The importance for Christian theology centers on the concern for the anointed king (or Messiah) and its connection to the Davidic Covenant. After the exile to Babylon in 586 BC, the royal psalms were read with an eschatological meaning - in the future, an anointed one, a Messiah and descendant of David, would assume the throne. Although Psalm 132 is not explicitly quoted in connection with Christ in the New Testament, other royal psalms surely are, which include Psalms 2, 45, 89 and 110. APPLICATION: Psalm 132 is a beautiful psalm filled with promises stretching all the way from Genesis to Revelation. This psalm teaches us one simple truth: All of God’s promises are ultimately fulfilled in Jesus Christ. Through Jesus, God has come to dwell in and with his people forever. We have been made priests of our God – clothed in salvation, richly provided for, to sing joyful songs of worship. Two practices that will help us live abundantly in these promises include:
PRAYER: Jesus, Son of David, remember us. Make us a priestly people; clothe us in righteousness, make us fruitful, and give us hearts to shout for joy in your salvation; we pray in the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen. SONG: Jesus, Remember Me “But I have stilled and quietened my soul, like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me.”
Psalm 131: 2 Psalm 131 Observe
Interpret This Psalm of David is simple, short, beautiful and deep. David, in verse 1, shows that he knows the enemies of his own soul: pride; haughtiness; and arrogance. These failings are found in the heart, eyes and actions of his (and our) lives. Pride is a matter of the heart where an individual believes that they know better than God; self is their king not God. Haughtiness is the focus of a person’s eyes; they can look down on others and focus on their desires rather than on their Saviour and Lord. Finally arrogance can lead people to fill their lives with action and busyness, often in matters that are actually above them, rather than in loving service to the Lord. These characteristics lead people away from God and harm their souls. The antidote for the soul is a childlike faith. A weaned child no longer suckles at their mother’s breast; they have grown. They are in a state where they remain in their mother’s presence, in a place of peace and trust. As a child of God a person can trust in God’s sovereignty as He knows the big picture and has all things in His hands. In this state of humble assurance they can fix their eyes on God and be held in a loving embrace; this heals and quietens the soul. The Psalmist encourages God’s people to adapt this attitude and to place their hope in the Lord. Application In some senses the application of this Psalm in our lives is straight forward: what is the condition of our hearts – proud or humble; where are our eyes focused – on our Saviour or our desires; and in what activities are we involved – humble service or personal ambition? The answers to and deeper aspects of these questions lie, however, in the state of our relationship with God. He calls us to grow beyond being spiritual babies (1 Corinthians 3: 1-2) and to satisfy ourselves on more that spiritual milk (Hebrews 5: 11-13). We are to mature as Christians, as His children, but remain in His presence trusting His sovereignty and being held in His loving embrace. In that place we can truly quieten our souls and place our hope in Him. We do however need a childlike faith (Luke 18: 16-17). The Question of Application Who holds your heart, where are your eyes focused and what are you busy with? Prayer Father of hearts, desires and actions may we know you, your voice and embrace in a living and loving relationship with you. Teach us the way of quiet, that we may find our peace in your presence and hope in your grace, in and through the pattern of our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen Praise Abide with me sung by Audrey Assad |
Preachers BlogIn 2024, each week's blog is a follow-up reflection written by the preceding Sunday’s preacher to dig deeper into the sermon topic and explore engaging discussion questions. Archives
June 2024
Categories |