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Psalm 147

^2-6 God’s the one who rebuilds Jerusalem,
    who regathers Israel’s scattered exiles.
He heals the heartbroken
    and bandages their wounds.
He counts the stars
    and assigns each a name.
Our Lord is great, with limitless strength;
    we’ll never comprehend what he knows and does.
God puts the fallen on their feet again
    and pushes the wicked into the ditch.

^7-11 Sing to God a thanksgiving hymn,
    play music on your instruments to God,
Who fills the sky with clouds,
    preparing rain for the earth,
Then turning the mountains green with grass,
    feeding both cattle and crows.
He’s not impressed with horsepower;
    the size of our muscles means little to him.
Those who fear God get God’s attention;
    they can depend on his strength.

^12-18 Jerusalem, worship God!
    Zion, praise your God!
He made your city secure,
    he blessed your children among you.
He keeps the peace at your borders,
    he puts the best bread on your tables.
He launches his promises earthward—
    how swift and sure they come!
He spreads snow like a white fleece,
    he scatters frost like ashes,
He broadcasts hail like birdseed—
    who can survive his winter?
Then he gives the command and it all melts;
    he breathes on winter—suddenly it’s spring!

I can’t think of a better Psalm to finish off 2017 with than Psalm 147. One of the things that I hope, as a Christian, I always continue to grow in is a deeper understanding of the character of God. The more we draw near to Him, the more He will draw near to us (James 4:8). And I believe that this Psalm is incredibly helpful in getting to know the heart of God more.

These are a few of my favorite things about the heart of God that just Psalm 147 reveals to us:

• God is a healer & draws near to the broken. (“He heals the heartbroken and bandages their wounds.”
• God is sovereign. (“He counts the stars and assigns each a name. Our Lord is great, with limited strength; we’ll never comprehend what He knows and does.”)
• God is just. (God puts the fallen on their feet again and pushes the wicked into the ditch.”)
• God can be counted on. (“Those who fear God get God’s attention; they can depend on his strength.”)
• God’s standards are different than earthly standards. “He’s not impressed with horsepower; the size of our muscles means little to Him.”
• God is a provider who keeps the world going. “…Who fills the sky with clouds, preparing the rain for the earth, then turning the mountains green with grass, feeding both cattle and crows.”

My hope is that as we draw near to the end of 2017 and get closer each day to the beginning of 2018, you feel that this year, you have gotten to know the heart of God better. And while I’m more of a goal-setter than a resolution-maker, my hope is also that if you set one goal or make one resolution for 2018, it’s that you will finish of 2018 closer to the heart of God and with a deeper knowledge of Him than you had in 2017.

Today’s reading is Psalm 146

Like Jon wrote earlier this week, I find myself thinking back over the past year and evaluating this Bible Journal year. It has been a gift that I am grateful for. It has pushed me and challenged me to look more closely at God’s word and to determine more of what God is trying to say to me. Deb mentioned yesterday, these final Psalms are perfect Christmas gifts. I agree!  Ps 146 is a beautiful way to sum up the truths we have discussed together this year.

• Praise the Lord! No really, praise the Lord as long as I live, with every breath, to my dying day. Praise Him for who he is, what He has done, how He loves us, how He has saved us, because He loves us so much He wants to save us, because He desires to be with us, because He loves the ones I love more than I am able to, because He protects me and the ones I love, … we could make an entire journal devoted to documenting the praiseworthiness of God. We could write in it every day for years and years until we die and still not be able to list all of His worth. Yet this Being chooses us. He wants to share our lives with us. He wants to make a way for us to be with Him here on this earth and for eternity. Who are we to deserve this kind of lavish love and pursuing?
• Don’t put your confidence in powerful people, there is no help for you there, but joyful are those whose hope is in the Lord your God. vs 6 “He keeps every promise forever.” Can we really even comprehend this promise? Can we really grasp that the Creator of the universe keeps every promise forever? Maybe we should look into starting another blog where each time we come across one of His promises in the Bible we document it and leave the running list open to meditate on, search through, seek encouragement from and lean on in hard times.
• The Lord will reign forever. He will be your God throughout the generations. Praise the Lord! This my friends is hope for 2018 and every year after. With all of the “hard”, sin, and disaster swirling around us in this world right now I need to know that He will reign forever, that He will be my, and my kids, and grandkids, God throughout their lives and beyond. I need to know that He knows what is going on and that He is reigning when it feels like things are spinning out of control. God being my God throughout generations brings peace and hope in the turmoil that this world continues to hand me. Praise the Lord! “Praise the Lord” is a weak “thank you” for this kind of gift. I find myself frustrated by my lack of words to express my gratefulness for this kind of promise. I have to ask  the Holy Spirit to intercede for me, to put into words, or convey my heart to God when I can’t find the words to do it justice. When I think on this, I understand why David said over and over in the Psalms to shout for joy, praise Him with the cymbals, dance before Him. Our words are not enough to express our joy and gratefulness!

As we come to the end of another year and  take a few minutes to reflect on 2017, can we take the time, and maybe find a different way to “praise the Lord” this year to express our gratefulness for how He has loved us?   

Psalm 144

In small group last week, we went around the circle recalling our favorite Christmas songs. Many had the traditional “Silent Night”, “ O’ Little Town of Bethlehem”, “ O’ Holy Night”, and “Last Christmas I Gave You My Heart”, but my favorite tune is “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel”. This has become one of my favorite tunes because of the style of the Gregorian chant and melody. But the refrain is the best part for me “ Rejoice, Rejoice, Emmanuel” translated to mean “Take abundant joy at the coming of God in flesh”

In studying for the blog today on Psalms 144, I found in my bible that the theme for this psalm is: Rejoicing in God’s Care. Whether in times of prosperity or adversity, blessed is those that are in care.

This Advent season, I made a commitment to study and prepare my mind, body, and spirit for the coming of the Christ-child. At the beginning of the study, my friends and I were made aware of a small, yet significant rate-limiting variable. During this season of joy and excitement, the enemy will attempt to derail your purpose and joy. It has been a wonderful journey, but there have been many times in the last 25 days that have shaken many of my closest people in my life to the point of shattering. There have been journeys transitioned to heaven, journeys derailed, and financial instabilities for many of my closest friends and family. I have taken refuge in the words of this psalm:

Blessed be the Lord, my rock,
who trains my hands for war,
and my fingers for battle;
² he is my steadfast love and my fortress,
my stronghold and my deliverer,
my shield and he in whom I take refuge,
who subdues peoples^[a] under me.

³ O Lord, what is man that you regard him,
or the son of man that you think of him?
⁴ Man is like a breath;
his days are like a passing shadow.

No matter what is happening in my life or our lives, God is ultimately in control. Rejoice.  Even though we are like a passing shadow, a vapor, or a breath, God’s provision for us is never compromised. Rejoice. He’s love for us does not change and is always there for us. Rejoice.  It is evident by the gift that we celebrate today. Rejoice. He loves us. Rejoice. Merry Christmas.

Psalm 143:8
Remind me each morning of your constant love, for I put my trust in you. My prayers go up to you; show me the way I should go.

What is the first thing you do when you wake up in the morning? Do you grab your phone to look at the latest news or what you might have missed on social media during your sleep? Do you rush to the kitchen for that cup of hot coffee? How about grabbing the remote control to turn on your favorite morning TV show??

In Psalm 143:8, David wrote, “Remind me each morning of your constant love, for I put my trust in you. My prayers go up to you; show me the way I should go. David saw the necessity of seeking God to direct his steps. He looked to God for guidance for the needs of each day. A sign of spiritual growth is longing to be with the Lord in a time of Bible study and prayer each day. Whether it be in the morning or at night, is there a time in your day in which you spend time with Jesus? Is it a time that you hold each and every day?

This Christmas Eve is a great time to open your Bible and read what the Lord has for you. Start by reading the Christmas Story.  Maybe we could practice this idea of opening our Bibles before our feet hit the floor for the next few days and SEE what the Lord has planned.

Henry Ward Beecher said, “The first hour of the morning is the rudder of the day.”

Nothing, not even coffee, will begin your day like time alone with God. Seek Him so that you may grow closer to Him. When you make plans to meet God, He will place an intimate joy within your heart. Then you will learn to desire His Word every single morning.

Today’s reading:  Psalm 142

Psalm 142 was written by David in a cave where he was hiding from Saul.  Scared, confined and alone, David was nearing rock bottom.

Have you ever felt no one really cared what happened to you?  I have felt this way more times in my life than I’d like to admit.  As I’ve grown older, I’d also like to say that turning to God has become instinctual in these types of situations.  But alas, my natural, sinful reaction begins with self-reliance nearly every time – I withdraw from others, get inside my own head and begin to churn the issue.  I evaluate the factors I can control versus the factors I can’t control, then come out with a game plan.  It isn’t uncommon that my plan, at least initially, is built on my own views and opinions, as I have kept to myself and failed to seek God’s guidance or even the wise counsel of others.  This self-reliant attitude is not from God.  While it may give me temporary hope by helping me define what I’m going to do next, it seldom results in a God-honoring, happy ending.

Today’s text in Psalm 142 gives us insight into David’s reaction to this type of a situation. Rather than relying on himself, David declares God as his refuge, his safety and shelter.  Let’s take a look.

I cry aloud to the Lord;
I lift up my voice to the Lord for mercy.
I pour out before him my complaint;
before him I tell my trouble (Psalm 142:1-2).

David began by seeking God’s help – he didn’t withdraw or silently churn the issue inside his own head.  Hebrews 4 tells us that this is right where God wants us. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need (Hebrews 4:16).

When my spirit grows faint within me,
it is you who watch over my way.
In the path where I walk
people have hidden a snare for me.
Look and see, there is no one at my right hand;
no one is concerned for me.
I have no refuge;
no one cares for my life (Psalm 142:3-4).

David was honest with God – he confessed that he was overwhelmed and helpless.  Again, this is right where God wants us.  My body and my heart fail, but God is my heart’s rock and my share forever (Psalm 73:26). He said to me, “My grace is enough for you, because power is made perfect in weakness” (1 Corinthians 1:9).

I cry to you, Lord;
I say, “You are my refuge,
my portion in the land of the living.”

Listen to my cry,
for I am in desperate need;
rescue me from those who pursue me,
for they are too strong for me (Psalm 142:5-6).

David declared God as his refuge – his only hope. Did you notice his words at the end of verse 5 – “my portion in the land of the living”?  Following Jesus is not just to secure our place in eternity.  Rather, he is our source of help and hope every day.  Like a shepherd, he is constantly watching over and caring for us.  Jesus said, “I came so that they could have life—indeed, so that they could live life to the fullest. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” (John 10:10-11 Common English Bible translation).

Set me free from my prison,
that I may praise your name.
Then the righteous will gather about me
because of your goodness to me (Psalm 142:7).

David anticipated God’s answer to prayer and turned his focus from himself to God – he knew God’s deliverance wasn’t just to make his life easier, it was for God’s glory.  David affirmed God’s goodness and prepared to praise his name.

I’ll be honest, when I started this post, I began by approaching it somewhat academically.  But as you know, God has a way of speaking to us when we least expect it.  The more I worked on the message of Psalm 142, the more personal it became.  Over the last few years of my life, I’ll admit I have felt more useless, helpless and unfulfilled than I can remember feeling at any other time in my life.  David’s model in the seven verses of Psalm 142 is just the reminder I needed – Get out of my own head.  Turn my focus from myself to God.  Patiently rely on him for direction and deliverance.  Praise his name.

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us (Ephesians 3:20).

Today’s Reading: Mark 13 and Psalm 137

Today’s reading in Mark is noted in several commentaries as one of the most difficult chapters in the New Testament for the modern reader to understand. Throughout the chapter Jesus is using language, context and historical reference that is quite significant for the Jews. This history isn’t as familiar to us as Christians and so some of the language is confusing. In the first section of Mark 13, Jesus foretells the fall of Jerusalem:

“…And Jesus said unto him, Seest thou these great buildings? There shall not be left here one stone upon another, which shall not be thrown down.” Mark 13:2

 Peter, James, John and Andrew take Jesus aside and ask him when the destruction will begin. They ask for a sign that the devastation is near. Jesus responds with another warning:

“Many shall come in my name, saying, I am he; and shall lead many astray. And when ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars, be not troubled: these things must needs come to pass; but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there shall be earthquakes in places; there shall be famines: these things are the beginning of travail.” Mark 13:6-8

 Sounds pretty terrifying, doesn’t it? On one hand, as Christian’s we are all anxiously awaiting the day when Christ will come again but on the other hand it seems as if we must endure great suffering before that day comes. In fact, after studying Mark 13 I got to thinking that I’m really pretty much ok in my little house in Central Illinois. I’m not ready to flee to the mountains or stand on my roof while the world burns around me. The idea of this apocalyptic end seems like something we should only see in the movie theater. So, what can we draw from today’s message from Mark? How do we reconcile our modern life with this ancient prophesy that we believe will one day come to pass? As I read the passage above I’m keenly aware that nations are already rising against other nations, that there are indeed earthquakes happening around the globe, that famine is absolutely happening in far off places today. Perhaps more importantly, I’m also aware that there are many coming in His name claiming to be him. So how do we go to work, bring the kids to school and plan dinner with the knowledge and awareness of what’s to come? Jesus says:

“Watch, therefore: for ye know not when the lord of the house cometh, whether at evening or at midnight, or at cock crowing or in the morning, lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.” Mark 13:35-37

 Jesus tells us in Mark 13 that even he does not know the day or the hour when he will come again. Only our Heavenly Father knows the timetable. Jesus draws the very practical conclusion in verses 35-37 that we are like men that know our master will return, but who do not know when. Study Light Commentary says, “We live in the shadow of eternity. That is no reason for fearful and hysterical expectation. But it means that day by day our work must be completed. It means that we must live so that it doesn’t not matter when He comes. It gives us the great task of making every day fit for Him to see and being ready to meet Him face to face.”

 In the next week we’ll get to meet our Savior on the day of His birth. Although we may not see His face or touch his tiny hand, we’ll meet Him in smaller ways. We’ll see His majesty through giving to the poor, feel His presence in the Christmas songs we sing. We’ll have the opportunity to look for signs of His coming. We know that in this life there will be suffering, there will be sadness and tears but at the end there will be Jesus. If your heart is heavy this Christmas season, watch for Him. If you are afraid, watch for Him. If you feel the ground shaking beneath you, watch for Him.

Lynden and I wish you a blessed Christmas. We pray that your heart and home will be filled with the love of Christ.