December 14, 2019 - - Psalm 119:73 -- Creator King Rule in and over our hearts

Your hands have made and fashioned me;

give me understanding that I may learn your commandments.

Psalm 119:73 English Standard Version

When we read Genesis 2:7 we learn that the Creator of the Universe fashioned Adam out of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life. It is awesome. Adam spent some time alone in the Garden of Eden, naming the creatures and the birds of the air and in so doing realized there was nothing, no creature, and no one like him. He was alone. The Sovereign of Heaven and Earth then took one of Adam’s ribs and made a woman—a suitable helper for him (Genesis 2:21-22). So our very first parents, Adam and Eve, were made by the hand of God.

According to Psalm 139, each one of us also is fashioned in the womb. God knows us from the very moment of our conception. He makes us for His holy purposes. We are not some cosmic accident. We are not here by chance. Every single one of the 7 billion plus of us that inhabit this planet is here by the design and desire of our Lord and Creator.

Therefore David prays—”give me understanding”—since You made me, help me to discern my purpose for being here. And that which most closely links us to our divine purposes is knowing His commandments. It makes such sense that He Who made us knows how to direct our steps and lead our living. In Psalm 16 David notes: “the boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places.” What God directs us to do and forbids us, such are the boundary lines of our lives and they are perfectly placed for us.

There is a Christian 12 Step Group that I have been attending called “Overcomers”. It is my desire to learn how to lead this group in order to help those who are in prison fight their addictions and find true freedom in Christ. The third step of this Overcomers Group is: I make a decision to turn my will and my life over to the care of God as He instructs me. It seems to me many of us are happy to have our King take care of our life now and in eternity, we are just not as happy to have Him over-rule our wills. However, we cannot have one without the other. We need Him. He Who made us and knows us, must direct us—both our wills and our life—and lead us in the way everlasting.

King Jesus, the true Treasure and Desire of all Nations, send Your Spirit to us so that by Your Word and Your Spirit You will truly rule in all our hearts. Rule us fully and truly, completely and without the murmur of our self-will, so that our lives will bring to You, Father in Heaven, praise and honour, glory and blessing now and always. Amen.

December 12, 2019 -- Psalm 119:72 -- Is God really Good above thousands of gold pieces? Oh yes!

The law of your mouth is better to me

than thousands of gold and silver pieces.

Psalm 119:72 English Standard Version

This is the Teth stanza of Psalm 119. Remember this is a Hebrew acrostic—each stanza of eight verses begins a letter of the Hebrew alphabet. The ninth letter is Teth. The word “good” appears repeatedly in this octet of verses. In fact, it begins our verse today—which could read: “Good is the law of your mouth above thousands of gold and silver pieces.”

Listen to the words of Agur:

Remove far from me falsehood and lying;

give me neither poverty nor riches;

feed me with the food that is needful for me,

lest I be full and deny you

and say, “Who is the Lord?”

or lest I be poor and steal

and profane the name of my God.

Proverbs 30:8-9 ESV

When Jesus walked this earth as a wandering preacher, He had no permanent home (Luke 9:58). Yet He trusted His Father in heaven to provide all that was needful. The Spirit of God lived in Jesus—the very same Spirit Who lives in us who are believers—and strengthened Jesus’ humanity so that whatever He faced—adversity or riches, accolades or mocking, acceptance or rejection, and finally the intense suffering of His mock trial, flogging, crucifixion and death—the Spirit was with Jesus comforting, guiding, letting His heart know He was accomplishing His Father’s will. Jesus endured all things in His flesh because God Who is good beyond all gold and silver pieces had given Him the priceless gift of the Spirit. And the Spirit of Power led Jesus in the Law which came from the mouth of the LORD.

This is why lotteries are such wickedness in our culture today. Ordinary men and women are taught to long for earthly riches that soon fade. Lotteries are such an evil in our society because those who are poor are longing for a big pay-out and spend way beyond their ability to give with the desperate hope that maybe this will solve their problems. All of us have read stories of those who received big pay-outs only to have lawsuits brought against them by family members who want a chunk of their windfall.

Only God is Good and the Source of all Good. The Law from the mouth of God is good. Only the Spirit of God leads us in all good. Only Christ Himself is for us the example of what is Good and is for us who believe in Him Good. Oh fellow believers, ask the Spirit of God to break down every idol in your heart and cast out every enemy of God that lingers in your thoughts so that you will have the clarity to see and live in the goodness of our God and Father.

Spirit of the Living God fall on me in fresh and new measure. Spirit of God, direct me to see the perfections of Jesus and as I follow Him help me to live fully in the good which God my Father intends for me. Amen.

December 11, 2019 - Psalm 119:71 -- Adversity and Happiness

It was good for me that I was afflicted,

that I might learn your statutes.

Psalm 119:71 English Standard Version

If you have been tracking with this series on Psalm 119, you’ll have noticed among all the other interwoven themes there is a theme-thread which shows the significance of obedience to God in our afflictions. Generally we thoroughly dislike any discomfort. If something messes with the plans we have made, such disruptions bring agitation and bad temper. In sharp contrast to the ways in which troubles and adversity commonly annoy those who are suffering, the psalmist saw affliction in a different light. He called affliction good because it directed his heart upwards to the Living God.

The statutes of God are His rules for godly living. The statutes of God are not intuitive. In fact, the heart of sinful man—our sinful hearts—will always be inclined towards evil—away from God and His goodness. Affliction, adversity, and the troubles we encounter in life serve the purpose of lifting our eyes to the King of Glory Who loves His people and is willing and able to deliver us.

A few days ago I was listening to a talk given by Ravi Zacharias. He noted how people all around are seeking happiness. Zacharias said that when he turns his attention to the Son, in his shadow, closely following behind is happiness. When he turns his back on the Son and chases happiness, the shadow gets longer and further from him and happiness is elusive.

What a great illustration for us today. Adversity shows us where we’re headed. If we have turned our backs to the Son in order to chase happiness, we will soon get cold, irritated and lost as we chase what is elusive. However, when we turn and face the Son and move closer towards Him, then happiness, blessedness, will follow close behind. We willingly endure difficulty and rough terrain because we have in view the glory of the Son of God and know the rich joys of obedience to Him. The writer of Hebrews notes this is Jesus’ own example for us—

looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith,

who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross,

despising the shame, and is seated

at the right hand of the throne of God.

Hebrews 12:2 ESV

Jesus had His eyes fixed on the glory of the Father and He was strengthened in His human flesh by the power of the Holy Spirit to walk in profound obedience to His Father. The Holy Spirit is given to us, as believers in Jesus Christ, in the measure needed so that we can bear all things and keep our focus on Jesus—the Founder and Perfecter of our Faith. As we look to Jesus, we go in the path way He set before us so that by Jesus’ grace we will be ushered into the Presence of our Father. Indeed, the psalmist is right in saying: it is for me to be afflicted that I might learn Your statutes.

Jesus, You are the Way, the Truth and the Life—bless us this day with the measure of Your Spirit that will allow us to face and overcome our adversities. As victories are won and troubles overcome, may Your Name be praised, King Jesus, and may our lives bring delight to our Father in Heaven. Amen.

December 9, 2019 -- Psalm 119:69-70 -- Delight in the Law of God

The insolent smear me with lies,

but with my whole heart I keep your precepts;

their heart is unfeeling like fat,

but I delight in your law.

Psalm 119:69-70 English Standard Version

Yesterday we examined the first part of this sentence, verse 69; today we consider verse 70, which is the second half of that sentence. In the first part the enemies of the LORD sought to paste the people of God with lies. Mathew Henry in his commentary on this section notes that David’s enemies could not win victory against him so they tried to ruin his reputation with lies and false accusations. But the way of the LORD is the pathway of peace for those who serve Him.

Now a fuller description of the insolent follows in verse 70. I was not sure what it meant. Once again, as with some earlier verses, it is the commentator Matthew Henry to the rescue. In the first place Isaiah 6:10 has this phrase: “Make the hearts of this people fat” (this depends, of course on your translation of the Bible—but that is a good rendering of the original Hebrew language). In this verse to be fat is to be senseless, secure and stupid. Psalm 73:7 notes “their eyes stand out with fatness” which is a description of the sensuality which is the pursuit of their lives.

The fatness of the insolent enemies renders them insensitive to the Word of God. They are senseless to His great Truth. They are secure in the lies which they attempt to smear on others as their own conscience is dead. Sensuality is their master. Yet both Isaiah 6 and Psalm 73 make is abundantly clear that the destruction of the insensitive of heart, that beats in the chest of insolent people, is at hand. As it is written: “For behold, those who are far from you shall perish; you put an end to everyone who is unfaithful to you” Psalm 73:26 ESV.

And the response of the Psalmist is one we should take to heart. The waywardness of the people around him, even those trying to pull down his reputation, causes him to turn from their taunts and be more focused in his delight in the law of the LORD. That word delight is wonderful—it is onomatopoeia. That is, the word itself describes a sound it makes. Think of the delight of a hot bath—ahh. The aroma of a wonderful meal about to be served—ooh, aah. Delight, in Hebrew, is sha a. You can almost hear the delight, the enthused response, welcome relief to be found in the direction one’s life takes when following the Law of God.

No doubt this is an unfamiliar feeling for many of us—adoring delight in the Law of God. It seems, in fact, too strange—we might mutter: ‘okay, here is where Christians gets all weird’. I know I am getting ahead of myself, but my favourite verse of Psalm 119 is: “To all perfection I see a limit, but Your commands are boundless” (verse 96). After a perfect meal a slice of cheesecake would be ideal—but your belly is already too full to enjoy it. A body-builder sculpts his body and lifts weights until the competition and hopes to be shredded, each muscle ideal and have others judge him to be so. Let’s say he wins the competition. Then what? How long can he stay perfectly shredded"? He needed to restrict liquid intake, including water, in order to keep abs tights. How long will calves be ‘show ready’ without lingering fat, but hopefully not cramping in the pain of those torturous work-outs required to achieve such momentary, fleeting perfection. In contrast, the laws of God are boundless, without limit. The more one follows them, the deeper one drives into fullness of joy and delight in knowing God. Obedience lifts our eyes to the Captain of our Salvation, Who says: “No longer do I call you servants [slaves], for the servant [slave] does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you” (John 15:15). And Jesus makes known to us the way of delight. Jesus declared, “My food is to do the will of Him Who sent Me” (John 4:34).

Mighty God, conferring limitless joy to those who are obedient to Your commandments, by Your Spirit cause us to relearn deep, soul-refreshing delight which can be found in Your Law. Through the cleansing we have received in Jesus Christ, Spirit of Hope, fix our eyes on Jesus so that in following His will and His ways we may experience the eternal pleasures which, according to Psalm 16:11, are only found at Your right hand. Amen.

December 8, 2019 -- Psalm 119:69 -- Nonchalant insolence and Judgment

The insolent smear me with lies,

but with my whole heart I keep your precepts;

Psalm 119:69 English Standard Version

The insolent are those who have no idea of what they are toying with. Some crocodiles deposit their eggs in a nest and leave them unattended to fend for themselves. Some do not. Some build a nest and guard their young. The insolent are those who are nonchalantly collecting crocodile eggs without realizing the dire danger they are in. The defending crocodile is swiftly hurtling through the waters to defend the young. The insolent figure there will never be a judgment or a reckoning. All of Scripture reveals the beliefs of the insolent to be false. The just Judge of the Heavens and the Earth will rise up (Psalm 94:2 et al).

There is a subtle play of language taking place here which I didn’t notice until I read the original Hebrew. These insolent ones are trying to glue their lies onto the writer of this psalm. They are trying to make their gushing lies and falsehoods stick to the man of integrity. These won’t stick; cannot stick. Why?

The man of God is dedicating his whole heart to keeping the instructions (a.k.a. the precepts) of the Living God. The prophet Ezekiel prophesied:

I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses,

and from all your idols I will cleanse you. And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit

I will put within you.

Ezekiel 36:25-26

It is the work of God, Who is Just and True in all His ways (Revelation 15:3), to purify His people; it is the Spirit of God Who exposes lies and dissolves adhering falsehoods. The man or woman who dedicates his heart to God, who desires purity which finds it source in the LORD alone—that person will be made clean. It is the for the greater glory of God our Father that He has chosen to bring sons and daughters to the healing and cleansing that Jesus brings. It is the work of the Spirit to apply the solvent of Christ’s blood and purifying work to the deepest core of a person’s existence so that every trace of the lie is removed and the believer is made pure from the inside out. In fact, it is the Spirit of God Who softens our hearts so that goodness and blessings of God are made attractive to us. We are so papered over with lies and glued stuck with sins inside and out that we need outside help. We are unable to free ourselves. The Spirit reveals to us Jesus, so that we long to be made clean through Him, and all the lies which the insolent smeared on us and glued to our reputation will come undone and we will be whiter than snow.

Truly the carol writer captured the magnificence of Your salvation plan, LORD of glory, when penning the words, “of the Father’s love begotten ere the worlds began to be”. For truly Jesus’ birth is forever blessed and He is the Savior of our race—therefore to You, Christ with the Father and the Spirit there shall be hymn and chant and high thanksgiving and the shout of jubilee. Praise and honour, blessing and might, power and worship be unto You, Triune God, will ever be spoken, hymned and shouted from the hearts and mouths of those who have been made clean. Glory is Yours—glory in the highest. Amen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOF9JLJkPis

December 6, 2019 -- Psalm 119:68 -- Perfectly fitted for His service

You are good and do good,

teach me your statutes.

Psalm 119:67 English Standard Version

Yesterday I referred to John Piper’s brief biography on C. Spurgeon. While I was encouraged and blessed by reading it, there was also an undercurrent of frustration as I read it. Spurgeon was so diligent, so proficient, so prodigious in his work. While I admired his work and productivity, I also started to feel inadequate myself.

Thankfully, before putting the book away I came to this encouraging portion.

He often worked eighteen hours in a day. The missionary David

Livingstone asked him once, “How do you manage to do two

men’s work in a single day?” Spurgeon replied, “You have forgotten

there are two of us.” I think he meant the presence of Christ’s

energizing power that we read about in Colossians 1:29, where

Paul says, “I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully

works within me.”

J. Piper A Camaraderie of Confidence, page 42

King David testified to the goodness of God, the faithful One. God alone is Good. When we work doing the things He requires of us, the very things which He designed us and the circumstances He made for us to thrive in, then we accomplish great things. In those very circumstances we testify, it is God my Father Who made me in the womb and knew me and the purposes for which He made me. It is Christ my King Who purifies me and fits me for holy service. It is the Spirit of God Who works in me all good so that by the power of God I can toil and work with great joy.

In such circumstances the statutes of God are precious and good. Imagine a soccer game where ten friends are playing “pick up” soccer. Some are following the rules. Some are just horsing around. Some are using their hands. Some are checking others and pushing them. The game would be utter chaos. It isn’t a game. It is a recipe for losing friends! Now a man stops by and says, “Hey, I am a referee for the local men’s semi-professional league, let me ref this game.” As soon as he imposes the needed order, the men flourish in the game. The statutes needed enable the men to play, each one using his talents—the goalie’s gift in blocking shots on the net is not impeded by his being unfairly tackled and physically pushed away. The mid-fielder can run his paces the length of the field and his skills would be proper tested by the rules governing whether or not a particular play is off-side. His adherence to the rules of the game contribute to the fun, of a hard-fought soccer match.

So it is, though infinitely more gloriously so, that God is good. He has created us for life, for work, for purposes and activities. God does good. He works in us and through us accomplishing His will and bringing many sons and daughters to glory. He gives us the limits we need so that our lives adhere to the craftsmanship He has exercised in making us and directing our interactions and opportunities. I do not need to be a Spurgeon. You do not need to get all bent out of shape trying to be something you were not created to be. Each us is gifted with the blessing of working in exactly the right places and spaces allotted to us by God—Who is Good and is the Source of all good.

No wonder the Psalmist praises You and blesses Your Name, King of kings and LORD of lords! You really have dealt well with Your servants in ages past and so do good to us in this day and this era also. In every part of our lives we can see Your goodness. That is why we join the writer of this psalm praising You by saying, “the law of Your mouth is better to us than thousands of gold and silver pieces”. Great are You, LORD! Amen.

December 5, 2019 -- Psalm 119:67 -- Ah, be encouraged!

Before I was afflicted I went astray,

but now I keep your word.

Psalm 119:67 English Standard Version

John Piper has a wonderful, slim volume called: A Camaraderie of Confidence. In it he gives a brief biography on Charles Spurgeon, George Müller, and Hudson Taylor. If you have an opportunity to read it, I highly recommend it. The chapter on Spurgeon is one I read as I considered our verse from Psalm 119. Piper’s work on Spurgeon influenced much of this devotion and I want to recognize that debt.

Charles Haddon Spurgeon (1834-1892) was a prodigious preacher—his collected sermons fill six volumes—and he has been called the prince of preachers. He preached faithfully and powerfully through-out his life. Yet many people are not aware that he struggled against depression. Here is how Spurgeon himself described it:

Causeless depression cannot be reasoned with, nor can David’s harp charm it away

by sweeting *discoursings. As well as fight with the mist as with this shapeless,

undefinable, yet all beclouding hopelessness…

The iron bolt which so mysteriously fastens the door of hope and holds our spirits

in gloomy prison, needs a heavenly hand to push it back.

*discoursings: conversations, debates

~Charles Spurgeon

Besides this depression which was so debilitating at times he’d weep like a child for hours on end; he was mocked and derided in the press. (It is said his wife kept a scrapbook of newspaper criticisms, and this merely from one year of his ministry, and it became a bulging book!)

Yet this same man preached faithfully. He founded and supervised dozens of organizations providing mercy for the poor and help for orphans and so on. He noted that his adversity benefited him in these ways.

1. That the Lord receive all the glory for any work accomplished, since the weakness of the man is obvious the greater glory of the LORD is all the more obvious.

2. Others could identify with his adversity and it made his preaching so powerful because others who were hurting could identify with him—his very demeanour alone would impact people.

3. He realized this depression could be a time of preparation used by God before larger blessing was poured out. In fact, he called depression “a prophet in rough clothing, like John the Baptist, which heralded a time coming of greater bounty.”

King David knew adversity had powerful purposes in his life as well.

1. Adversity drove him to obedience to the Word of God (our verse today).

2. Adversity reminded him of those who were his true companions in suffering and in service to God (verse 63).

3. Adversity reminded him that the Word of God is the source of life—not things, power, wealth or family or anything else that might strive for prominence in our lives (verse 50).

I do not know what you are suffering today. Maybe it is a cancer diagnosis. Maybe you are lonely and it is crippling as the holidays approach. Maybe you have been betrayed by those you thought were dear friends. Perhaps it seems as if God is far from you at this time in your life. Know this: God, Who is rich in mercy, has given you the gift of His Word for a time such as this. And the written word is pointing to Jesus, the Living Word, in Whom we have life, hope, and access to the truth about our life and situation.

King of Glory, rich in love, in tender mercy visit us, especially when we are distressed and humbled low. Spirit of God, let the heavenly hand of hope push back the iron bolt to release us from all our gloomy prisons so that we will fix our eyes on Jesus, Captain of Salvation and Savior of the World. Amen.

December 4, 2019 -- Psalm 119:66 -- Tasting obedience

Teach me your good judgment and knowledge,

for I believe in your commandments.

Psalm 119:66 English Standard Version

The word teach has an underlying sense of “exercise”—you understand that, right? When you exercise something you are doing motions repetitively so that you will hone your muscles and get fit. When we are taught God’s good judgment we need to hear it repeatedly so that we will become spiritually fit and strengthened for holy service.

The word judgment carries a secondary meaning which is ‘taste’. When we are being taught a completely new way of living, obedience to Jesus as our King—rather than obeying our own lusts, desires, and wants—this new obedience might not be to our taste. It is unusual. It can seem sour. Even men and women who have been Christians for a long time and find they are called to obedience in an area they’d not previously submitted, well they will find that hard to swallow. Do not give up in doing good or following through on the LORD’s teaching. In time our tastes will be accommodated to what is new, and holy, and what is past will become vile.

The second part of the verse gives the ground for accepting God’s good judgment and knowledge—it literally says, for I amen your commandments. Yes, that word “amen” is actually a Hebrew word. We put it at the end of our prayers as a statement of our conviction that the LORD is more faithful to carry out His part of the covenant than we are willing to obey—still, we place our lives in His hands.

Here the psalmist will amen the knowledge and judgments of God the Father. As he is instructed and obeys, he finds the fruit of obedience confirms God’s goodness. To obey is to find our soul’s calling and our life’s best and greatest adventure. It is what we were made for: to serve God and delight in Him forever. Anything less than this will bring dissatisfaction. But to serve God and be instructed by Him makes the heart soar and the mind overflow with thankfulness.

Oh God, Source of every good gift and blessing, may our hearts prepare room for You. Let our hearts and hands, minds and actions, having been instructed in Your good judgment and knowledge, work in concert to serve You. Jesus, Captain of Salvation, direct us to the places where our faith and obedience will be a blessing to others. Spirit of God, keep us in close communication. By Your presence in our life may the written word and the Living Word—Jesus Himself—become ever more vibrantly real to us. Amen.

December 3, 2019 -- Psalm 119:65 -- God's Goodness

You have dealt well with your servant,

O LORD, according to your word.

Psalm 119:65 English Standard Version

We are in a new stanza of Psalm 119—this one is called Teth. Each of the eight verses in this stanza begin with the Hebrew letter Teth. The very first word of this stanza, and the first word of our verse today, emphasizes the goodness of the LORD our God. The verse can read: “Good You have dealt unto Your slave, O LORD, according to Your Word.”

What a great attribute of God to highlight—His goodness. In James we read that God our Father is the Source of all good—of every good thing (James 1:17). In the middle of his agonizing suffering, loss and grief, Job still declared of God “Though He slays me, yet I will hope in Him” (Job 13:15). Even in our darkest hours and deepest griefs, God is good all the time!

We are slaves. This makes the goodness of God our Father even more emphatic! We are slaves to sin. We are slaves to our passions. We are slaves to our lusts. The ESV has cleaned up the reference to call us servants but the original language names us as slaves.

Even so, the LORD—the One Who Keeps His Promises to His People—has said in His Word:

He will seek us, though we are lost sheep (Ezekiel 34:11).

He will bring us to green pastures and living waters and restore our souls (Psalm 23:1-3).

He will instruct us in the way we should go, writing His law on our hearts (Jeremiah 31).

He will forgive us our iniquities and remember our sins no more. (Micah 7:19).

He will use His rules to help us because we have [willfully] gone astray like lost sheep, despite the fact that we have repeatedly seen and experienced His mercy and goodness (Psalm 119:175-176).

This is exactly the picture of Christmas—God our Heavenly Father sent His Own Son to this earth. Though Jesus was robed in divine splendour in the heavenly places, He took on human flesh and blood in order to seek and save lost human beings. All who believe in Him are called sons and daughters of God. This not by a husband’s will or human decision, but by the mercy of God. Indeed, our God is good and the source of every good in our lives. Trust in Him. Now is the day of salvation. Now is the day to repent from our sins and believe in Him—turning our will and our life over to Him as He instructs us in His Word. Now is the day to be assured that it is God Himself Who will bring us to salvation—not our works, not our power—so that no one of us can boast in ourselves of our works. When we are saved we can only declare: “Jesus, it is all on You! You found me! You rescued me! Your sacrifice at the cross bought my forgiveness! You, Jesus, bring me to the Father in heaven where I am called a beloved child!”

You are, O LORD our God, good and the source of all good—exactly as is stated in the Word. Thank You for the rich salvation given us in Jesus Christ. Thank You for the Holy Spirit Who takes the beautiful Word and makes it real and exciting to our hearts. Spirit of God, help us to live under the shadow of God’s goodness according to the Word. Amen.

December 1, 2019 -- Psalm 119:64 -- Creation Testifies about God

Here is a link to a beautiful and fitting song. I recommend you listen as you read this devotion this morning. Shalom. Richard

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=reN-3g-myJM

The earth, O LORD, is full of your steadfast love;

teach me your statutes!

Psalm 119:64 English Standard Version

Whenever you read in your Bible the covenant name of God—LORD—pause. It is a reference to the fact that the LORD of Glory and Power has made binding promises to His people. What the Psalmist is declaring is that the whole earth—all plants and trees, all seasons and weather patterns, all creatures on the earth and under the seasons, all things on our planet declare the steadfast love of their Maker. People are without excuse. Those who say things like: “Unless God proves Himself and gives me a sign that He exists, I won’t believe in Him” are therefore condemned by their own words.

The heavens declare the glory of God,
and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.
2 Day to day pours out speech,
and night to night reveals knowledge.
3 There is no speech, nor are there words,
whose voice is not heard.
4 Their voice goes out through all the earth,
and their words to the end of the world.

Psalm 19:1-4

This is just one text in Scripture, among many, that testifies to the evidence God gives of His presence, His power and His mercy in and through creation. Indeed, the whole earth is filled with His glory.

The only response one can give is this: teach me Your statutes! Help me to walk in the way of blessing and to know my Creator! When Jesus came to earth creation knew her Maker! When He spoke sicknesses suffering people. When He spoke the storm obeyed His voice and immediately stopped its tempests and blowing. When He merely said, “Be still” the waves’ surging and foaming halted before Him.

This Advent season know this: Jesus, Immanuel, God with us, has come to this earth. He has made the Father fully known. The steadfast love of God has been fully revealed. How will you respond? Join with believers and worship God. Attend church and declare He is Holy! He is Good! He is worthy of worship.

Open my eyes, Lord of All Creation, so that I will see Your steadfast love in every part of creation. Humble my heart, Spirit of God, as I read the Bible so that I will see the glorious touch of Jesus Christ all around me. Let the words of my mouth and actions of my life cause the people around me to see Jesus. I confess my mess. There are so many times I do wrong, I act contrary to what I claim to believe. Merciful King forgive me. Renew in me a zeal to serve You. Amen.

November 30, 2019 -- Psalm 119:63 -- A True Companion

I am a companion of all who fear you,

of those who keep your precepts.

Psalm 119:63 English Standard Version

While volunteering at an addiction recovery centre, Harvest House Atlantic, I heard an expression I really like. It is: “fellowship up”. Those who are leaving addictions to alcohol and drugs leave behind the people who used to be the circle of friends with whom they’d engage in their addictive behaviors. To fellowship up is to find people whom you admire or respect, whose way of life is a worthy pattern for you to follow.

The word “companion” in the original Hebrew language is one not often used in the Old Testament. It is used negatively in Isaiah—with the sense of being thick as thieves. And in Judges with the sense of being deeply united in a common cause. Our former sinful way of life has a tremendous pull on us. It is easy to go to old patterns and familiar sins. It is hard work to fellowship up and find new friends and deep personal connections where we are challenged to be men and women of integrity. Yet this is exactly what we are called to be in Christ—those who seek deep and meaningful friendship with true believers.

The ‘fear of the LORD’ is a wonderful expression that I don’t hear very often anymore. To walk in the fear of the LORD is to honour Him. It is a profound desire to acknowledge He is holy. It invokes in us a commitment to make a searching inventory of our lives, our words, thoughts and deeds so that we do not offend His reputation by our conduct. The fear of the LORD is the ultimate step of ‘fellowshipping up’. In Jesus Christ we have our closest companion, in fact, we who were slaves to sin are now called friends of God in Christ, even co-heirs with Christ. We make a sincere promise that we will not defile this rich inheritance by our conduct or by the friends we keep.

For a third time in this stanza the writer makes a vow: “I am a companion…to those who keep your precepts.” That verb to keep has been used in verses 57 and 60. This three-fold emphasis signals his deeply held commitment to the precepts of God, His judgments and Word. It is so easy to drift off into sin. When you are holding onto your canoe alongside a dock, before you’ve fully tied onto the dock and big waves from a power boat splash against the dock you’ll find it incredibly hard to hold on. So it is with our commitments to keeping the precepts of God. If have not tied ourselves to Christ—whom Hebrews calls the Anchor of our Salvation—we are in danger of being swept back into our old sins and old ways of life. Casting our anchor in Jesus Christ is the wisest course of action, it is the only way we’ll survive the tempest of this sin-riddled world. It is the best way to fellowship up and find through service to Him other companions who are faithful and true.

Jesus, You taught we need not fear the devil who can torment us and even kill us. Rather, we are to fear Him Who has the power of life and death and the power to send someone to the new heavens and new earth or to eternal punishment in hell. Yes, the Judge of Heaven and Earth we are to fear Him. Jesus, help us to fellowship up, to know You are both our Savior and our Judge. You Redeemed us from our sin and You are the Anchor of our Salvation. May our devotion to You be fueled and strengthened by the Spirit and as we live for You may our Father in heaven be pleased and be praised. Amen.

November 29, 2019 -- Psalm 119:62 -- Midnight Praises

At midnight I rise to praise you,

because of your righteous rules.

Psalm 119:62 English Standard Version

There are many reasons a person will rise at midnight—it may be to empty the bladder, or to grab a snack. Perhaps someone is wrestling with frustrations at work and her mind cannot shut off. Maybe it is bitterness against someone who seems to have sinned against you and now seems to be living without any consequences for those actions.

The psalmist rises at midnight for a completely different reason. The writer of this psalm rises to give praise and thanks to the God of Justice. He intentionally worships the King of Heaven. And the reasons for this worship are slightly obscured in our translation. A more literal translation of the second phrase would read: “because of your righteous judgments”.

When the God Who Keeps His Promises renders His judgment a man is determined to be guilty or innocent. That is the righteous judgment of the LORD. So, King David rises at midnight to praise the LORD Who pronounces guilt or innocence. This frees David up to praise God. If anyone has acted unjustly against David, it is the LORD Who will vindicate David. The system of sacrifices which David lived under pointed to Jesus Christ. In the Old Testament a lamb was slaughtered—because only blood and death could wipe away sins. Even so, the lambs and other sacrifices were continually made because these did not take away the guilt and sin of a man, but they pointed to Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God who would come, Who takes away the sin of the world.

When David rose at midnight and prayed for the ones who abused him or hated him—he prayed on the basis of God’s righteous judgment. If such an enemy confessed his sins, and repented, and obeyed the LORD of the Glory, then David would be praising God because an enemy has come to know the same mercy and kindness he himself has found. That enemy has turned from his hostility and has become an ally in serving God.

If an enemy has not repented and still breathes out violence against David, even in that circumstance David praises God because the judgments of God mean this enemy will be punished with greater severity than David could ever mete out. I wonder, would this mean when David rose and prayed, he’d ask for God’s mercy even on his enemy because David himself knew what it was to suffer punishment at the hands of God’s discipline?

LORD Jesus we rejoice in You. We rise and bless Your Name. What David only dimly perceived in the system of sacrifices, we know in fullest measure—in Jesus Christ our sins are fully paid for and we are set free. Father in heaven, God of Justice—we pray for those who are racing headlong to hell in their wickedness and rebellion. Direct them by Your Word, Your Spirit and the testimony of believers—use even me!—to direct them on the path of humble confession and repentance. Turn such from being enemies of the cross of Christ to those who find hope and help under its shadow. Choirs and churches, soloists and orchestras this Christmas season are declaring the glory of Jesus, Who has made His blessings flow far as the curse is found. We rise at midnight and praise You, Oh God. We declare Your Sovereign goodness in the light of day. We long for the glorious return of Jesus when sin will be utterly vanquished, death itself hurled to hell defeated. Blessed are You, Triune God forever and ever. Amen.

November 28, 2019 -- Psalm 119:61 -- Sin, Rescue and Entanglements

Though the cords of the wicked ensnare me,

I do not forget your law.

Psalm 119:61 English Standard Version

That word “cords” can mean noose. When a friend struggling in sin the first thing many want to do is help out. Many people have the natural impulse to rescue those who are in serious trouble. What must first happen is making an assessment to determine the exact danger that person is in and what threats or impediments there would for any rescue effort. For example, if a man is drowning, are there hazards in the water which are just below the surface? Such hazards might be pulling the drowning man downwards and they could impede any rescue that is not properly conducted. In fact, the rescuer might get entangled and need rescue as well. If a woman is trapped in a car after a car accident, any rescuer would have to ask: are there shards of glass here that might harm me as I help? Is there leaking gas that can ignite? Any rescue would have to take account of the potential threat or danger.

When the sins of others require urgent attention, it is altogether too easy for the Christian to get bound up and ensnared in those sins even during the attempt to help another person out. A former alcoholic seeking to help a struggling alcoholic may face temptations that are overwhelming. A man helping a friend confess adultery may find himself so caught up in the lies and deceptions and immorality of his friend’s behavior that he begins to allow his own thoughts to rehearse the failings of his spouse and the great qualities of a co-worker.

A reader might be thinking: ah but I am secure. I have achieved great victories. Christ is the One Who Helps me. Thanks be to God! It is in Him alone any of us can find victory However there is an alarm sounding warning in this brief text today! Sin breeds sin. Sin is contagious. Jude 1:23 reminds us to hate even the clothing of those stained by sin and to be beware as you snatch others from the fire, lest you yourself get burned, or singed, or the smell of the smoke lingers on and the temptations to sin are sparked.

What halts the slide into sin of the friend seeking to help another? It is the Law of God. In verse 61 the word for law is the Hebrew word: “Torah”. For a Jewish man or woman the Torah refers to the first five books of the Old Testament. These are “the books of the law”. They guide believers in the right path. They hold up the standards of God the Holy and Just. These books remind us that our lives are measured not against those who are good or against those who are worse off than we are. We are called to the standard of complete holiness—we are to be holy as the LORD Almighty is Holy. When our eyes are fixed on Him and our hearts are moved to faithful obedience to His Torah—the direction He gives for our lives—then we are in a position to evaluate the potential dangers and pitfalls in helping others out. Then, in the light of His Word and His Will we can see the way in which any attempt to help others might have hazards and pitfalls and present dangers. In making this evaluation one can be prepared to fully help and remain fully devoted to the glory of God, our portion and our joy.

Jesus, Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world—blessing and honour, praise and glory belong to You! Thank You for our own rescue story—You love that reached out and snatched us from sin and burning shame. Spirit of Wisdom direct us in the love of Christ and in His commandments so that we can help and bless others. Great and Glorious Father in heaven, You sent Jesus to seek and save the lost—let His saving work continue to be carried out by our words and life, as we are carried along by Your Spirit. Thank You that You have never given up on us, that You Who began a good in us will see it to completion! Great and merciful are You, Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Amen.

November 27, 2019 -- Psalm 119:60 -- Hastening to happy obedience

I hasten and do not delay

to keep your commandments.

Psalm 119:60 English Standard Version

Steven Lawson in his fine exposition of this verse noted: delayed obedience is no obedience. I like that. And to be honest, I chaff under that. There are times I know the will of God and begin to hem and haw about being fully obedient to Him. If we are dragging our feet and protesting against obedience to God we are forgetting the fact that the LORD is our portion—that is the first verse of this stanza called: “Heth”.

In the Old Testament the portion meant inheritance. The tribe of the Levites did not receive an inheritance in the Promised Land because the LORD Himself would be their portion. He would provide for them. He would ensure their safety. For us in Christ, we have Him as our portion. He provides for us salvation. He gives us life. He gives us His Spirit. He gives us a future. All things, in fact, work together for good for those who are in Christ Jesus. Therefore, since my life is wholly bound up in His, when He commands obedience is required and is to be immediate.

Hebrew (the original language of this Psalm) does not have exclamation marks, so a writer will show emphasis when he repeats a concept. It is called intensification. The writer piles up two verbs to indicate keeping the commandments is his priority. In the Hebrew language a secondary meaning of “hasten” is “joy”. I wonder if that is significant? Would that mean his quick obedience is crowned with joy in service to the King? (That was a rhetorical question which is answered in a strong affirmative—”Yes, to the LORD!).

The other repetition, which we might overlook because we are taking this entire Psalm one verse at a time is the repetition of the vow: “I promise to keep”. In the first verse of this stanza (verse 57) the writer promised to keep the words of the Living God and here he promises to keep His commandments. What the writer is vowing to do is set a guard over his mind and his eyes, over his heart and over his actions to make sure all are in compliance with what God requires.

Seems like a lot of work, doesn’t it—this constant self-examination for compliance in the word and work of God? Let me remind you that we are always working hard—either in rebellion against God or in submission to Him. Those who desire to be submitted to Him must be submitted in word and in action. That takes dedicated work and confession—repenting of sin and turning to the Living God.

Finally, the beginning of the Psalm celebrates the fact that God our Father blesses those who walk in His ways. He has saved us so that to walk in obedience to Him is for us the place of joy and blessedness. And the Psalm ends with a very plaintive cry “I have gone astray like a lost sheep”. At verse 176, even after all the vows of submission and promises to be obedient, the writer realizes how prone he still is to wandering. Thanks be to God that He Himself will shepherd His flock.

O come O Wisdom from on High to show us the paths of knowledge and teach us to go in them rejoicing. As Christmas approaches, we realize how deeply You love us. We understand more fully the lengths to which You have gone, Eternal God of Glory, in order to secure our salvation. In view of all Your wondrous blessings we, along with the psalmist, promise to keep your commandments. In our words and in our lives be glorified, O King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Amen.

November 25, 2019 -- Psalm 119:59 -- Repentance

When I think on your ways,

I turn my feet to your testimonies.

Psalm 119:59 English Standard Version

At the start of this stanza the psalmist promised: “The LORD is my portion, I promise to keep your words.” In order to follow through on that commitment, the psalmist is examining his life in light of the word. The Scriptures are called “the ways”. Think of the Word of God as the highway. Now, our obedience is a car moving along at 110km per hour (here in New Brunswick, where I live, the speed limit is 110 on the main highway). If you are going that fast, even a slight turning of the steering wheel will result in catastrophe. Even a mere one or two degrees off centre will mean the driver winds up in the ditch, or worse, smashing into other moving vehicles.

The psalmist is walking along—and examining the will of God and his own direction—he realized he needed a huge course correction. He was going the wrong way. He remembered his promise so he realized he needed to turn his feet around and head in a different direction. He needed to repent. “Repentance is a change of mind followed by a willful change in behavior Literally, repentance means to turn around and go the other way. There must be a turning “from” sinful behavior “to” godly behavior.” Overcomers Recovery Support, Day 13, page 32

The Testimony. In Exodus the two stone tablets upon which the LORD had engraved the Ten Commandments are called “the two tablets of the Testimony”. These are the revealed will of God for His people. They are placed in the Ark of the Testimony. In the New Testament, after Jesus’ life, death, resurrection and ascension to the Father’s right hand in glory, the Holy Spirit was poured out on believers. Those who follow Jesus now have the Testimony of God written on their hearts. As believers read the Word of the Living God the Spirit of God awakens their conscience and gives them the warning when they are going astray—by the way, “warning sign” is another use of the original Old Testament Hebrew word “Testimony”.

What tremendous loving-kindness there is found in God alone—Who in Exodus 33 declares of Himself: “The LORD. I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy” (Exodus 33:19). This too is the Testimony of the LORD. He has compassion on wayward sinners who, recognizing their sin and error, turn from their wicked ways and call to Him for mercy.

As the Christmas season draws near once again, carols playing and homes brightly lit up, and decorations all through homes and streets, let each of these displays be for you a clarion call: warning bells and alarms. Let these shake you from your waywardness. Come back to the ways of the LORD. For those who are already obediently walking in ways of the LORD, warmly welcome prodigal sons and daughters who are repenting. Make a place next to you in the pew. Open up your home and bless them.

O come Emmanuel, Key of David, and open wide our heavenly home. Make safe for us the heavenward road and bar the way to death’s abode. Thank You, Spirit of Peace, for the rich testimony of the Word. Thank You Spirit of Truth, for the mercy of God shown to us in Jesus Christ—the LORD to Whom Your presence in us bears witness. In the Christmas season, call sinners to repentance. All through these weeks, let wayward believers also be restored to right paths. Let our feet walk in the joy-filled way of salvation until, Everlasting Father, we see You face to face. Amen.

November 24, 2019 -- Psalm 119:58 -- Helped to Whole-heartedness

I entreat your favor with all my heart;

be gracious to me according to your promise.

Psalm 119:58 English Standard Version

The background to the word “entreat” is that one is weak and aware of his need. Previously the writer had vowed to keep the words of the LORD—the God Who Keeps Covenant Faithfulness. In order to do, in order to have the strength to and the desire for the LORD, he needs the LORD’s help. Notice the phrase “with all my heart”—it is a phrase that is repeated in Psalm 119 various times and in various ways.

Blessed are those who keep his testimonies,

who seek him with their whole heart verse 2

With my whole heart I seek you,

let me not wander from your commandments! verse 10

This blessing has fallen on me,

that I have kept your precepts. verse 56

Verse 56 is a reference back to verses 2 and 10, noting that God, the Rewarder of His people, pours out His blessing on those who whole-heartedly follow Him.

If you are looking at your life and going, there is no way I am “whole-heartedly” following Him, and you grieve over that, take courage, God will be gracious to you according to His promise. Every victory is the LORD’s. When we cry out to Him. When we confess our desire to be faithful. When we admit our inability to be faithful—He answers. Then, as we see our zeal for God renewed, the credit for this belongs to God alone. He has given the desire and God the Gracious has given the power so that our souls may delight in Him. There is no room for pride. There is no room for us to say, “Look at all I am doing!” Instead, our whole heart, soul, mind and strength praise God and bless Him for giving the grace we asked for so that we can keep His words and find our highest joy in Him.

O come to us Emmanuel, You Who are the LORD of Might, and pour on our dry and weary souls the refreshment of Living Water. O come to us, Emmanuel, God with us, so that our whole heart, soul, mind and strength will be employed in the service of blessing Your Name. Spirit of Jesus, we confess we may only be half-hearted in this prayer, sort of seeking Your help, even so the Word promises that the bruised reed of faith and the weakest murmurings for change You will not despise. Therefore wash into us—every lonely, longing place fill to overflowing with the waters of salvation so that we will bring joyful service and whole-hearted praise to God our Father. Amen.

November 23, 2019 -- Psalm 119:57 -- Vowing to be fed

The LORD is my portion;

I promise to keep your words.

Psalm 119:57 English Standard Version

Recently I have been re-reading an excellent book on discipleship: The Lost Art of Disciple-Making. This illustration totally grabbed me:

We were in the middle of orange country when we stopped for the night at a motel. The next morning we went down to the restaurant for breakfast and I ordered orange juice with my eggs.

The waitress came back shortly with some sad news. “Sir,” she said, “I can’t bring you any orange juice. Our machine is broken.”

At first I sat dumbfounded. I knew we were surrounded by millions of oranges and I knew there were oranges in the kitchen (they used orange slices as a garnish on the plates they served). But now that I wanted a glass of orange juice, I could not have it.

I began to reflect on the situation. What was the problem? No orange juice? Hardly. We were in the middle of thousands of gallons of orange juice. The problem was that she had become so dependent on the machine that when it broke down she couldn’t serve a glass of orange juice.

Christians are like that sometimes. They may be surrounded by Bibles in their homes, but if something should happen to the pastor or church so that there was no Sunday morning preaching service, they would go without their spiritual food. They would have no nourishment for their souls. If someone is not available to break open the Word of God and feed them, they would go hungry.

LeRoy Eims The Lost Art of Disciple-Making, page 53

David named the LORD his portion. He would drink deeply from the wells of salvation. David named the LORD his portion—he would feed his soul on the goodness of the LORD and he made that his vow. We are, as Eims noted, so fortunate as to be surrounded by so many bibles, and translations and opportunities to be fed wonderful spiritual food—is that your vow and your decision today? Will you call the LORD your portion?

O come, O come Emmanuel and fill our hearts and minds with the knowledge of our glorious Father in heaven. O come, Savior of all mankind, send out Your Spirit to us so that we will rejoice as we think of all the extravagant riches given us in the Word. Mighty God, forgive us for our scant attention to all that is holy and true and our willingness to chew the straw and stubble of this world’s offerings. O come, our Wisdom from on High that our food and drink is to do the will of our Father in heaven. In so doing may our lives and our loves conform to You, Jesus, our soul’s desire. Amen.

November 20, 2019 -- Psalm 119:56 -- Blessings poured out

This blessing has often fallen on me,

that I have kept your precepts.

Psalm 119:56 English Standard Version

It has been over fifty verses since the writer of this Psalm has noted the blessing of the LORD falling on him. At verses 1 & 2 he’d noted:

Blessed are those whose way is blameless,

who walk in the law of the LORD!

Blessed are those who keep his testimonies,

who seek him with their whole heart.

Those who walk in the way of the LORD, are the people who walk in blessedness. Our stanza, Zayin, the seventh stanza, has recounted times of trouble and affliction for the writer of this Psalm—but he did not waver. In the days of trouble and sleepless nights, he kept the rules of God ever before him. He did not turn aside from the judgments of the Living God.

He can look back now and declare the blessing of God has fallen on him. He can see God’s goodness. He has been saved by the undeserved grace of God—it was nothing he’d earned, it was not that the Mighty One of Heaven owed him a thing. Instead, though he was wretched and sinful, God the Merciful called David from darkness into His wonderful light.

Now that David had faced incredible trial and hardships and had stayed true to his commitment to the Living God he recognized how powerfully God has sustained him. Blessings—even more blessings than he’d anticipated—are flowing over his life. And it reaffirmed his commitment and deepened his vow to keep the precepts of his God. “To keep the precepts” means he will set a watch over his heart—a sentry that will warn him of any impending trouble so that he will not just fall into sin, nor will sin like a stealthy army overtake him; rather, he will remain pure and dedicated to God Who remembers him.

Thank You, God our Father, for the rich and glorious blessing of Jesus Christ! Thank You Jesus, for the powerful gift of Your Spirit Who strengthens us to walk in Your will and Your ways. With the psalmist we praise You, O God, for all the blessings that have fallen on us, in times of joy and times of sorrow. Rich blessings surrounded us in every moment of our walk with You—with awe we thank You and rededicate ourselves to You. Amen.

November 19, 2019 -- Psalm 119:55 -- Preparing for Night-time Praises

I remember your name in the night, O LORD,

and keep your law.

Psalm 119:55 English Standard Version

How often is the night time darkness used as a cover for evil?! No doubt many people cut loose in the night time hours and do things they would be ashamed of in the daylight. In sharp contrast to this, King David is vowing to keep His heart pure. He remembers, calls to mind, the Name of the LORD, in the night time hours. He reflects on the glory of God His King. David gives to the LORD the night watches so that his heart will not be inclined to evil.

The Law of the LORD begins with this great truth: we are to have no other god, nor worship any idol. David keeps his mind occupied with the law of the LORD and so his mind and his body are kept pure. It is easy to let the mind wander at night: thinking of those who have offended me, those who owe me, those with whom I am angry. In short, the night time can be used to rehearse evil thoughts and intentions. All of these thoughts become sacrifices of time to the idol of self. God the Glorious is not in front and centre seated on the throne of our hearts when we spend our times occupied with such thoughts.

David chose to use the times of night-time wakefulness to remember the LORD and know the LORD as His delight. How that changes the night. It becomes a time of intimacy. A time to meditate on the law of God and grow in delight of and appreciation for that law, which is the rule guiding our grateful living.

How well have you prepared for wakefulness in your night times? Perhaps you just take up the remote and flick through channels. Maybe you scan websites that lead you to dark and forbidding places? Maybe you live by the light of fridge thinking: “Hmm, what can I snack on?” My point is this: even though many of us regularly experience periods of wakefulness, we are often surprisingly unprepared for these wakeful times of the night. Here are some suggestions of what to do instead:

-Place a bible next to your bed, perhaps one that is a different translation than you normally use, so that your mind has to focus on what you are reading, and pray about whatever the Spirit is showing you;

-Recite the passages of Scripture you have memorized over the last little while, and pray;

-If that last suggestion is foreign to you, start memorizing Scripture and draw near to God, and pray these passages;

-Read the Law of God: Exodus 20:1-17; or Psalm 119 one or two stanzas; or Ephesians 5:3-20 (or whatever other passage the LORD places on your heart) and pray that the Spirit of God will keep you in the pathways of righteousness for the sake of the Name of Jesus.

LORD of Glory, to Whom we raise our songs of praise in the watches of the night and bless during the brilliance of the day-light hours offering our hymns of worship—keep us in the pathway of Your law. Let the sacrifice of Jesus and His salvation direct all our living. We confess how easily we stumble back to old patterns of sin and unfaithfulness, therefore, give us Your Spirit in ever greater measure so that our hearts, minds, souls and strength are fully put into Your service. Amen.

November 17, 2019 -- Psalm 119:54 -- Songs of Salvation

Your statutes have been my songs

in the house of my sojourning.

Psalm 119:54 ESV

Statutes describe something that is due to the LORD our God. Since He created us, and He sustains us from conception to the end of our lives carrying us in His steadfast love (as Isaiah 46:3-4 richly notes), it is right and absolutely fitting for us to give Him our complete allegiance.

In Isaiah 12 we read:

“Behold, God is my salvation;
I will trust, and will not be afraid;
for the Lord God is my strength and my song,
and he has become my salvation.” Isaiah 12:2

We sing and hymn our love to our Savior—we have received His statutes because we are those who have also received His salvation full and free. We sing as those set free from mountains of debt and piles of IOU’s that we could never, into all eternity, repay. Christ stood in our stead. By His stripes we are healed! Sin no longer has a claim on us. No wonder we sing!

King David sings such salvation songs in the house of sojourning—that is pilgrimage. This life is not all there is. This life is a vapour, a passing shadow, while beyond this life eternity yawns, opening up ages stretching through times and aeons immeasurable. Those who know the Deliverer, delighting in Him today, will find their permanent home in His presence. They live in such joy as cannot even be described here. Those who cursed, ignoring His glorious and patient presence will spend untold and uncountable ages in torment in hell. Therefore Christians sing with such zeal—we are those who are saved, rescued, knowing we’d dangled over the gaping maw of hell’s fire and now are set free.

If this day you are curious—find a church. More to the point: find a Christian friend whose faith-walk you admire and go to church and learn of Him Who is worthy of all service and worthy of all your songs. Soon it will be Christmas and there will be carols and songs of joy and wonder, worship and hallelujahs. If you’d like to understand what all the praise is about, investigate Who Jesus really is. You will never be the same and you’ll sing songs of wonder and praise in this house of your sojourning.

With saints and singers through the ages we hymn our praise with anticipation as we sing: “O Come, O Come Immanuel.” God with us, let the glory of Jesus’ salvation break over our minds and saturate our understanding. God with us, help us to see You not as is so often portrayed, You as an angry God—but help us to see you as the Father Who in lasting love and mercy sent the Savior to rescue prodigal sons and daughters. God with us, thank You for the powerful presence of Your Spirit Who directs us in Your forgiveness and strengthen us in thankful living, assured that Your love will never leave us. *O Come, O King of Nations, bind in one the hearts of all mankind. Bid all our sad divisions cease and be Yourself our King of Peace. Amen.

*quotation is from 12th century carol “O Come, O Come, Immanuel” stanza 7