The world is going downhill fast, if you have looked at the news recently. Trouble in Egypt, Sudan, Floods in Australia .. lets face it, there's alot to get stressed over, ontop of everyday life. Times like this, I like Psalm 11 were it talks about the wicked shooting from the shadows, and "The foundations of law and order have collapsed." and the question that follows "What can the righteous do?" Beyond screaming and yelling, jumping up and down, it doesn't seem like there's alot we can do.
But then comes vs 4 "But the Lord is in his holy Temple; the Lord still rules from heaven. He watches everyone closely, examining every person on earth." It continues to say that he sees the righteous and the wicked, and that his judgement comes upon the wicked.
We are never alone, the lord sees us, and examines our actions and attitudes, and in a way, it's a warning to us that we need to be careful of what we do, but on the positive, we are not alone. Millions of dollars are spent to look for life in outer space, to see if we can find life out there.. so that we 'will not be alone in the universe' But we aren't alone are we? The Lord is with us, he sees us, and he comforts us, and he walks with us.
It's also good to know that nothing in this world is really 'out of control', that the Lord has final say, that this world isn't just spinning out of control, and there is no hope. With the Lord there is hope, there is a promise for us. There is justice for the weak.
It is comforting to know that our hope doesn't lye in this world, or it's troubles, but the hope in Christ, and that he will return. Very good thing to know, when we feel discouraged or lonely.
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Psalm 10 - Cry of the weak
We in North America live in a protected bubble, and sometimes when we read the Psalms we can easily go into the trap of "Oh, here goes David again, complaining about being chased around, and the verses are once again talking about wickedness .. talk about something else would ya?!?!" But the majority of the world get it, where we don't. The majority of the world don't complain about internet access, or have a major decision of the day being how to juggle all the kids' after school activities. One of the problems when we live in an overabundant society is that we don't understand the context of the scriptures, like some in other parts of the world do.
Take a look at an international news agency, like the BBC, and you begin to notice how blessed we are, but there are so many in the wold that are dealing with similar issues of 'wickedness' that David is singing about. In vs. 10 "Their helpless victims are crushed; they fall beneath the strength of the wicked."; vs. 8 "They lurk in ambush in the villages, waiting to murder innocent people. They are searching for helpless victims." David is wondering why the wicked seem to prospering .. and then at the end of the song we have vs. 17-18 "Lord, you know the hopes of the helpless. Surely you will hear their cries and comfort them. You will bring justice to the orphans and the oppressed, so mere people can no longer terrify them."
Some people ask "Where is God in all of this"; "Why doesn't God do something about this" ... yet that's our job isn't it? That's what God has called us to do ... look after the oppressed, seek justice (Isaiah 58). We can count our blessing and when we do, we need to realize that there is cost to the blessing, and that's to bless others ... pray for others. Again the whole idea of Loving others as God loved us, and seeing the world as God sees it.
Take a look at an international news agency, like the BBC, and you begin to notice how blessed we are, but there are so many in the wold that are dealing with similar issues of 'wickedness' that David is singing about. In vs. 10 "Their helpless victims are crushed; they fall beneath the strength of the wicked."; vs. 8 "They lurk in ambush in the villages, waiting to murder innocent people. They are searching for helpless victims." David is wondering why the wicked seem to prospering .. and then at the end of the song we have vs. 17-18 "Lord, you know the hopes of the helpless. Surely you will hear their cries and comfort them. You will bring justice to the orphans and the oppressed, so mere people can no longer terrify them."
Some people ask "Where is God in all of this"; "Why doesn't God do something about this" ... yet that's our job isn't it? That's what God has called us to do ... look after the oppressed, seek justice (Isaiah 58). We can count our blessing and when we do, we need to realize that there is cost to the blessing, and that's to bless others ... pray for others. Again the whole idea of Loving others as God loved us, and seeing the world as God sees it.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Psalm 9 - A Warning for the Nations, A shelter for the Poor.
As I was reading Psalm 9 I'm again reminded God's heart for the poor. Encouraging verses like vs. 9 "The Lord is a shelter for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble", and vs 12b "For he who avenges murder cares for the helpless, He does not ignore the cries of those who suffer".
I'm also reminded of the folly of nations that forget about their God in verse 5 "You have rebuked the nations and destroyed the wicked; you have erased their names forever." This is in contrast to the book of life in Revelation 20:15 "And anyone whose name was not found recorded in the Book of Life was thrown into the lake of fire." God is a God of Judgement as well as love. Sometimes I'm reminded how trivial things are, how much stock we put into our nation, or into our 'things' and in the end that's not what matters ... but investing our time and energy in what God deems important needs to take precedence.
In 9:16 we have "The Lord is known for his justice. The wicked are trapped by their own deeds." We have a picture of God being just, but the wicked are always trapped by their own design. It's so true, and though it's not necessarily a physical trap, people who insist on doing wrong suffer in their sin. Thank goodness for the blood of Christ that restores us to God, and for His grace that sets us free.
The second part of verse 20 is interesting .. 'Let the nations know they are merely human.' I think many people place too much faith in their nations sometimes, and in their leaders. Some countries more than others. But they are just 'merely human'. During election time, politicians continue to remind us that they are working for us, after election is over, we sometime lift people higher than we should, and sometimes we lift up the ideals of a nation higher than we should. Here is a verse that puts it all into perspective. 'They are merely human'. Though I'm not one to lift up our nation into godhood, or put that much trust in my country ... it is a warning again even my person desires, and how I look at my life. Putting God first in everything is such a struggle against pride, and yet that is what God calls us too. To set aside our pride of country, of nation, of self, and lift Him up in everything.
When I say that you can say "YEAH I'M WITH YOU ... GOD'S AWESOME!" But then the ramification of that is to .. love what God loves ... the poor, the orphans, the widows .... and to hate what God hates ... wickedness .. selfishness etc. It's easy to say that I'm putting my life in the hands of God, it's another to actually embrace it, believe it, be molded in it, and walk with it.
Song today: Riding on a donkey by Great Big Sea. I like at the end in London where the King with the golden crown ends up on a donkey.... big thought, but really who cares... this is a fun song. :)
I'm also reminded of the folly of nations that forget about their God in verse 5 "You have rebuked the nations and destroyed the wicked; you have erased their names forever." This is in contrast to the book of life in Revelation 20:15 "And anyone whose name was not found recorded in the Book of Life was thrown into the lake of fire." God is a God of Judgement as well as love. Sometimes I'm reminded how trivial things are, how much stock we put into our nation, or into our 'things' and in the end that's not what matters ... but investing our time and energy in what God deems important needs to take precedence.
In 9:16 we have "The Lord is known for his justice. The wicked are trapped by their own deeds." We have a picture of God being just, but the wicked are always trapped by their own design. It's so true, and though it's not necessarily a physical trap, people who insist on doing wrong suffer in their sin. Thank goodness for the blood of Christ that restores us to God, and for His grace that sets us free.
The second part of verse 20 is interesting .. 'Let the nations know they are merely human.' I think many people place too much faith in their nations sometimes, and in their leaders. Some countries more than others. But they are just 'merely human'. During election time, politicians continue to remind us that they are working for us, after election is over, we sometime lift people higher than we should, and sometimes we lift up the ideals of a nation higher than we should. Here is a verse that puts it all into perspective. 'They are merely human'. Though I'm not one to lift up our nation into godhood, or put that much trust in my country ... it is a warning again even my person desires, and how I look at my life. Putting God first in everything is such a struggle against pride, and yet that is what God calls us too. To set aside our pride of country, of nation, of self, and lift Him up in everything.
When I say that you can say "YEAH I'M WITH YOU ... GOD'S AWESOME!" But then the ramification of that is to .. love what God loves ... the poor, the orphans, the widows .... and to hate what God hates ... wickedness .. selfishness etc. It's easy to say that I'm putting my life in the hands of God, it's another to actually embrace it, believe it, be molded in it, and walk with it.
Song today: Riding on a donkey by Great Big Sea. I like at the end in London where the King with the golden crown ends up on a donkey.... big thought, but really who cares... this is a fun song. :)
Psalm 8 - Praise and our Place
A nice jazzy opening for this Wednesday as we look at Psalm 8 we see that it is a pure piece of praise, but we can also find some neat reflections in the word.
These verses tell of our place in this world ... it tells of children and infants praising God, telling people of his strength. Sometimes I wonder why in Church services we tend to bring the kids 'downstairs' during the service, when we realize that God loves the children, and God has gifted children to be his ministers too. Children are invaluable when it comes to showing their zeal for the Lord. Christ told us in the new testament that our faith is to be like that of a child. In the NLT version in 8:2 it says "You have taught children and infants to tell of your strength." It's the same in parenting, we sometimes miss the role that God has for our children, and miss out on their ministry to us and others.
I love verse 4 "what are people that you (God) should think about them, mere mortals that you should care for them?" (also Hebrews 2:6-8) When I look at the newspaper or hear the news sometimes I'm wondering why God keeps us around. We've messed up alot, and yet God not only keeps us around, but provides for us, and even sent his son to die on the cross for us.
You look at vs 5-9 - you see that God made us a little lower than him .. or a little lower than the angels depending on the text, and we are crowned with glory and honor. We are special creations of God, and but we are also care-takers of this world. vs. 6-8. I find myself sometimes wondering about some environmentalist views, but the fact is, is that we need to take our roles of caretakers and overseer's of this world very seriously. Even before the fall of Adam we were created to take care of the animals and the earth, and just because of the 'fall of man' doesn't mean that this role was taken away from us.
Out of any area, this is probably one that we have failed the most, and by we I mean myself and the Church. Many just put environmental issues into the court of Liberal politics, but the fact is, is that it is a God given role for us.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Psalm 6 - One of those days
As I read this, I'm reminded that it's alright to have an off day. It's alright to cry out to God, heck, even Jesus cried out to the God in Gethsemane. Here we have David just crying his heart out in this Psalm, we don't have a joyful song, we have a song full of lament. Again at the end of the Psalm there is the knowledge that YES God hears my cry, and you evil doers better run, because God has listened to my prayers.
I like that these Psalms aren't always about the 'good times' that they are honest to whatever David is feeling, or the Psalmist is feeling in relation to David. Sometimes we aren't as honest with ourselves or each other as believers, and yet here we have the King of Israel, the annointed one of God crying out to him. We need to be honest to God, and the neat things about God is that he's so into having a relationship with us that sometimes he breaks us down to where we need to cry out to him.
In your lowest low, don't run away from God, run to Him knowing that He is the God that answers prayer and does see our tears, and He is a God of compassion and unfailing love.
Here's not a 10 stringed lyre by as this Psalm was meant to be done, with a choir, but a couple good rabbis who's music actually reminds me of this Psalm... times of joy, and crazyness that life brings. Thought it was kinda cool :)
I like that these Psalms aren't always about the 'good times' that they are honest to whatever David is feeling, or the Psalmist is feeling in relation to David. Sometimes we aren't as honest with ourselves or each other as believers, and yet here we have the King of Israel, the annointed one of God crying out to him. We need to be honest to God, and the neat things about God is that he's so into having a relationship with us that sometimes he breaks us down to where we need to cry out to him.
In your lowest low, don't run away from God, run to Him knowing that He is the God that answers prayer and does see our tears, and He is a God of compassion and unfailing love.
Here's not a 10 stringed lyre by as this Psalm was meant to be done, with a choir, but a couple good rabbis who's music actually reminds me of this Psalm... times of joy, and crazyness that life brings. Thought it was kinda cool :)
Psalm 5 - Shields of Love
It's funny how some people think that God has two sides when looking at the scriptures, like the Old Testament is a vengeful angry God, while the New Testament is a picture of a loving God. But that's not true either, because we see in the New Testament that Jesus was angry at wrong doings in the Temple, and he did warn of the end times, and times of judgement. In the Old testament we have verses that speak of the Love of God .... especially in the Psalms we have David seeking refuge in the Lord ... in verse 7 it says "Because of your unfailing love, I can enter your house; I will worship at your Temple with the deepest awe." and in verse 12 "For you bless the godly, O Lord; you surround them with your shield of love." A shield of love!
God's love doesn't fail those who seek Him, and His love is like a shield. His love is a protection against the evil of this world, a shield that doesn't fail.
Notice something else about this chapter, in verse 3 "Listen to my voice in the morning, Lord. Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly" I really like the last part about waiting expectantly, because alot of times we take things to prayer to God, but we don't wait expectantly for the answer. Sometimes we get bogged down by the world, or our own problems, and we don't look for what the Lord is going to provide answers too. God wasn't just alive in the New Testament, but God is very much alive in the Old Testament, and He continues to work in our lives today. I think we all need to pray expectantly, knowing that He does answer.
For Closing, apparently this Psalm was supposed to be accompanied by a flute .. so here we go :)
Monday, January 24, 2011
Psalm 4 - Joy and Peace
4:7-8 "You have given me greater joy than those who have abundant harvests of grain and new wine. In peace I will lie down and sleep for you alone, O Lord, will keep my safe."
A great reminder of where our faith takes us, and the joy that is found in our Lord isn't it? People can have all the money, all the riches of the world, but many times they are not satisfied with what they have. They seek joy and fulfillment in this world but never find it.
I like that these two verses have references to Joy and peace. In many liturgies in Churches we have the blessing of the 'peace and joy of the Lord by with you' and the response 'and also with you'. It's a nice blessing and a reminder that even though we have hope of eternal life, but that while we are struggling with problems here, that the Lord does provide joy and peace to His people.
A great reminder of where our faith takes us, and the joy that is found in our Lord isn't it? People can have all the money, all the riches of the world, but many times they are not satisfied with what they have. They seek joy and fulfillment in this world but never find it.
I like that these two verses have references to Joy and peace. In many liturgies in Churches we have the blessing of the 'peace and joy of the Lord by with you' and the response 'and also with you'. It's a nice blessing and a reminder that even though we have hope of eternal life, but that while we are struggling with problems here, that the Lord does provide joy and peace to His people.
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