Year 8, Day 304: Proverbs 13

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The proverbs today feel as sporadic as ever.  In spite of this, there are a few that jumped out to me.  This might have been aided by the fact the proverbs continue to talk about the righteous and the fool.  It isn’t too much of a surprise that a book about wisdom speaks so much about how to not be a fool.

The proverbs that really leapt out to me deal with the righteous and their ability to take advice.  The righteous respect commands.  Those who heed correction are honored.  Wise people walk with the wise.  Those who discipline their children love them.

On the other hand, we have the fools.  Those who scorn instruction pay for it.  Those who disregard discipline come to shame.  Companions of fools suffer harm.  Those who don’t discipline their children hate them.

There is a common theme throughout the proverbs.  Nobody is perfect.  We will all make mistakes.  None of us will have all the answers.  We’ll need help.  The point is that we all need some help.  We all will need advice.  We all can benefit from a change in perspective.  The people who are wise recognize this fact and use it to their advantage.

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Year 8, Day 303: Proverbs 12

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Reading through Proverbs 12 gives us a plethora of insight into wisdom and folly once more.  What caught me specifically is the proverbs that have to deal with the spoken word.  As the saying goes, better to have the world think you a fool than to open your mouth and prove them correct.

The big proverb that hit me today was Proverbs 12:16.  “The fool shows his annoyance at once, but the prudent overlook an insult.”  I love this saying because it reminds us to keep our emotions in check.  I can’t tell you the number of times that I have said something that I wish I could take back.  I can’t tell you the number of times that I spoke out in my ignorance and had to eat my words once I understood a little more.  The fool shows his annoyance indeed.  The prudent overlook an insult.

Take verse 18 as well.  “The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.”  How often can our words cut deeper than we intend?  How often can a few well-placed kind words bring about deep healing?  Sometimes our words are the best weapon we have.  The question is how will our internal character deploy our words?

We need to learn to choose our words wisely.  We also need to use our words effectively.  It’s up to us to determine how our words can best help the people around us become the people that God desires them to become.

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Year 8, Day 302: Proverbs 11

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Proverbs 11 continues the feel of the proverbs that jump around from topic to topic.  Honestly, it feels like a squirrel wrote this chapter (and the many chapters to come).  There still is a truth that comes out of this chapter: It’s worth living a life that’s worth life.

It’s also tough living a life worth living.  After all, God dislikes people who use dishonest scales.  In other words, God disapproves of people who try to cheat others out of their money.  God also dislikes people who overestimate the value of their goods.  It’s tough living a life where we don’t take advantage of the people around us.  However, earning the trust of the people around us is worth the effort.

After all, how many times does this set of proverbs discuss the differences between righteousness and wickedness?  When the righteous prosper, people rejoice; when the wicked perish, people rejoice!  A city is exulted by the blessing of the righteous; but the words of the wicked sow the city’s destruction.  In other words, when we live and act honorably, it benefits the people around us as well.  It is difficult to take the high road, but it is worth it.

The cruel and ruthless only cause grief; the kind gain honor.  People without discretion are like gold in a pig’s snout; but the one who sows righteousness reaps a great reward.  People curse those who horde, but those who are willing to sell their supply are blessed.

Again and again we hear examples of the righteous life.  Living righteously means thinking of others.  It means helping others.  It means listening to their needs and acting when appropriate.  It means putting yourself last at times.  While all of these things can be tough, a life worth living is worth the effort.

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Year 8, Day 301: Proverbs 10

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It is in Proverbs 10 that we shift from the wisdom written down by David to the collection of wisdom written down by Solomon.  Certainly, the Bible tells us that Solomon was wise.  In fact, his wisdom was a gift from God.  However, Solomon’s proverbs are sporadic and always changing in focus.  Whereas David’s proverbs were thematic and feel as though they are written as a thematic whole, Solomon’s proverbs feel like a collection that was assembled in the moment as each piece of wisdom was revealed.  Neither is wrong; but I personally feel that Solomon’s proverbs are harder to read.

All of Solomon’s ideas in this chapter are contrasting thoughts.  Solomon teaches through a saying, but then he also teaches through a counter-example.  As an example, take the first verse of this chapter.  Wisdom is paired up with joy while folly is paired up with grief. We can see this throughout the whole chapter.  Righteousness is contrasted with wicked.  Laziness is contrasted with diligence.  Hatred is contrasted with love.  Discipline is contrasted with ignorance of correction.  Blessing is contrasted with toil.  These are all good pairings to see as contrasts.  One cannot be in both camps of any of these pairs at the same time.

In addition, Solomon also pairs up ideas to show links between camps.  For example, righteousness is paired up with joy while foolishness is paired up with false hope.  Righteousness is also paired up with favor while foolishness is paired up with false hope.  Wisdom (fear of the Lord) is paired up with longevity while folly is paired a short life.  These kinds of connections are also good to realize.  What we find is that when we embody one attribute in our life then it is easier to embody those attributes that are connected to the one that we already have.  For example, if I am trying to be righteous, I can also focus on bringing joy to others and living wisely. 

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Year 8, Day 300: Proverbs 9

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Proverbs 9 continues the theme of wisdom that we’ve felt largely throughout the book.  Again, we hear that wisdom is willing to call out to all people.  Obviously the wise have already partaken of what wisdom has to offer.  The simple, too, are her focus.  Those who have no sense are invited by her to come and learn.

I love this dynamic, and it fits completely within the character of God.  God took those who could not save themselves and made a way for them to be what they could not be on their own.  Wisdom does the same thing.  Those who have no wisdom are not sent away; those who have no wisdom are invited in so that their nature can change!

This brings us generically to one of my favorite qualities about God.  God does what He does because He desires us to be become more like Him.  He wants us to take our broken sinful nature and replace it with His perfect nature.  Not that we become gods, mind you.  Not at all!  What happens is that our flawed beings become more like Him.

Then, of course, there is folly.  Folly does what sin does.  Folly calls out to those who don’t know better and gives them the easy way.  Folly invites people to stay the same.  Folly invites people to do what they have to do – even if they have to do it in secret.  Folly is about being who you are rather than admitting where one needs to grow and then going through the hard work of being something better.

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Year 8, Day 299: Proverbs 8

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Much of this proverb is dedicated to wisdom’s role.  The proverb asserts that wisdom has been around since before the world was created.  It was there when the heavens were put into place.  It was there when the sea and the land were separated.  It was there when the days were created.

What is the point of this?  There are many.  First, this passage makes it clear that wisdom is not something that humanity brought about.  Wisdom was with God well before it was ever with human beings.  Second, wisdom calls to us, not the other way around.  We are found by wisdom; we do not create wisdom.  Third, wisdom was known by God and was a part of His creation.  The creation is not a random event in a grand universal action.  The creation was planned and put into place by a God who knows wisdom personally.

Having said this, I love where this proverb begins.  Note to whom wisdom calls.  Wisdom will call to all mankind.  Wisdom doesn’t play favorites, she’ll call to anyone who will listen.  She has something for the simple. She has something for the foolish.  Wisdom doesn’t speak only to the deserving or the best.  Wisdom will speak to anyone who is listening.

Finally, look at where wisdom can be found.  She stands at the intersection of common roads.  She stands at the highest point.  She stands beside the gates leading into the city.  In other words, she isn’t hard to find.  She isn’t some hidden secret to which only a few lucky people have access.  Wisdom is something we all can find if we want to find it.

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Year 8, Day 298: Proverbs 7

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Proverbs 7 continues the recent theme of avoiding adultery.  I can’t help but wonder if this isn’t truly a reflection on David’s own life.  We tend to try and make sure that those we love don’t fall into the same pitfalls that plague us.  Of course, it could also be that God knows what Solomon’s reign is going to be like and he is trying to give Solomon a push in the other direction.  Either way, these are great words for us to hear.

What I love about the message of this Proverb is that the story that it brings out.  We hear about a woman who see a man seemingly wandering about aimlessly.  Here is our first lesson.  When we don’t really have a purpose, we are in a great place to fall into temptation and sin.  When we don’t have a focus, sin will come along and focus us onto itself.

This woman seduces the man to come with her.  As she speaks, hear the risk in her words.  Her husband isn’t home.  But she has a husband.  Often times we get into trouble because of the rush of doing something in which we might get caught.

The woman also entices the man.  She has food.  She promises lengthy love.  She promises a soft bed.  Her words are persuasive.  This brings us back to the man’s lack of purpose.  Because he has a lack of purpose, he is able to be persuaded.

David wants Solomon to avoid such pitfalls.  He wants him to be able to resist the temptation of others.  He wants him to understand wisdom and be in a place to pass it along when he becomes a father as well.

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Year 8, Day 297: Proverbs 6

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Proverbs 6 is two-fold.  The first half is a warning against folly.  Essentially, David wants to make sure that Solomon understands why wisdom is important.  Without wisdom, we can become entrapped in the schemes of other people.  We can be tempted into doing things that we regret.  The first half of this proverb just makes sense.

It was in the second half of this chapter that I really found an image into which I could dive deeper.  People don’t despise a thief if he steals to feed while he is dealing with his hunger.  Yes, David acknowledges that the thief still has to deal with the consequences should he get caught.  But it is understandable.  If a person is starving or has a family that is starving, it is possible to recognize the thought process that leads up to the stealing.

However, nobody respects a thief who steals just because it is fun.  Nobody respects a thief who takes when they aren’t in need.  Nobody cares about the thief who steals just because they can or because of the challenge.  Stealing is always wrong, but when there is no reason for it there is not even a rationale for it.

The deep part about this passage is when David comes back and relates this to adultery.  After all, when a person is married, don’t they already have a person to whom they can relate and be intimate with?  What, then, is the point of adultery?  There is no logical reason for it.  Committing adultery is just like stealing when a person isn’t in need.  It is an act that is solely based on a person’s thoughts in the moment.  It is a passionate response not based on need but solely on desire.

There are always consequences to adultery, just like there are consequences with stealing.  The difference is that there is never a time when adultery is even understandable.

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Year 8, Day 296: Proverbs 5

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The topic for today is adultery.  David gives sage advice to his aspiring son.  Don’t get me wrong.  David was a man who had a few issues with adultery.  In fact, Solomon was born of an adulterous find in his marriage to another woman.  While David is giving great advice here, it is of the “Do as I say, not as I do” variety.

What I love about David’s advice is that he focuses Solomon upon the idea that he should be content at home.  Marriage is a wonderful opportunity for two people to go through life together.  It is a great time to support one another, to have a confidant, and to have someone who knows you more intimately than anyone else.  It is a deep moment of trust, love, companionship, security, and friendship.

All of this is lost when we are willing to trade the things that really matter for other things.  When we long after our human lusts more than the wonderful aspects of marriage, we lose the truly meaningful things in marriage.  We trade things that truly matter for a few moments of passion that cannot sustain us.  As David says, the moments of passion are like sweet honey.  But the effects of such a moment are a pathway to death.

While this makes sense, it has a spiritual connection.  Remember that God considers us His bride.  Therefore, it should make sense to us why it is so dangerous for us to pursue other things in life besides God.  When we seek after other gods in our life, we break the trust, love, companionship, security, and friendship that we have with God.  Just like we would be wise to avoid adultery in our marriage, we would be equally wise to avoid spiritual adultery as well.

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Year 8, Day 295: Proverbs 4

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Today we get a glimpse at more of the same.  David continues to talk about wisdom to his son.  Don’t hear this as a complaint.  Wisdom is an incredibly important concept in life, we should expect to focus upon it for a while.

Near the end of Proverbs 4, we get a great reason to focus upon wisdom.  David tells Solomon to guard his heart.  Everything that we do flows from the heart.  If our heart is corrupt, our disposition, our actions, and our words will also be corrupt.  If our heart is pure, then our words, actions, and disposition will have a much better chance of being pure.

Where does wisdom fit into this?  It takes wisdom to keep our heart as pure as possible.  To remain pure, we must resist temptation.  That takes wisdom.  To remain pure, we must make sound decisions.  That takes wisdom.  To remain pure, we need to be able to avoid as much entrapment of others as possible.  That takes wisdom.  One of the key factors in remaining pure is having the wisdom to avoid the impurity of the world.

If we want to stay on the straight and narrow, we need wisdom.  If we want to be steadfast, it takes wisdom.  If we truly want to walk in the ways of the Lord, it takes wisdom.  David knows this – probably because he’s made his fair share of mistakes as he’s searched for wisdom – and he desires to have his son learn the lesson as soon as possible.

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Year 8, Day 294: Proverbs 3

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This proverb continues the message from the prior two.  What are the benefits of wisdom?  If wisdom must be pursued, and that pursued costs effort, why is it worth it?

David has plenty of answers for these questions.  He has far more answers than I can put here.  However, I think that they can be summed up nicely.  Wisdom is the way of righteousness.  When we pursue wisdom we live in a way that is pleasing to God, beneficial to the world around us, and keeps us free from trouble that we bring upon ourselves.  {Please note that I didn’t say we would be kept from trouble.  It doesn’t matter how wise I am, if someone else intends to do me harm I’ll have to deal with it one way or another.}

Wisdom brings peace.

Wisdom brings favor from both God and mankind.

Wisdom brings healing.

Wisdom brings refreshment.

Wisdom brings honor.

Wisdom brings riches.

Wisdom brings security.

Wisdom brings surety.

Wisdom brings confidence.

Wisdom brings good relations between neighbors.

Wisdom brings blessing and favor.

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Year 8, Day 293: Proverbs 2

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Proverbs 2 continues to be about wisdom.  In fact, David is instructing his son in how to obtain wisdom.  The main that I get out od David’s words is that wisdom is pursued.  Wisdom is not naturally given to anyone.  I have never heard a person say, “Wow, that 2-year-old is really wise.”  For that matter, I’ve honestly never heard anyone say, “Wow, that eighteen-year-old is really wise,” either.  Wisdom is pursued.  It is learned.  It is passed down from generation to generation.  There is no wisdom gene that some people have and others don’t.

What does David say that Solomon must do in order to obtain wisdom? 

• Solomon has to have an attitude of valuing wisdom in his heart.  The first step of genuine pursuit is to value it.
• Solomon needs to ask.  In other words, he needs to pursue mentors who are wise.  Wisdom is taught from person to person.
• Solomon needs to persevere in his pursuit.  He needs to understand that wisdom is often hidden.  We don’t become wise by trying and giving up; we become wise by trying and trying and trying.

It is after David has given this advice that he turns to Solomon and tells him then wisdom will come upon him.  I love how David describes what wisdom will get him.  The person who is wise will understand the fear of the Lord.  That’s the key right there.  Wisdom comes from a genuine fear of the Lord.

It is the fear of the Lord that pulls us back from the brink of sin.  It is the fear of the Lord that allows us to resist temptation.  It is the fear of the Lord that keeps us from planning evil against our brothers and sisters.  It is the fear of the Lord that wills us to value righteousness and justice.  It’s a pretty easy message in the end.  Those who pursue true wisdom will learn to fear the Lord.  That means that those who pursue wisdom will eventually learn to walk in righteousness.

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Year 8, Day 292: Proverbs 1

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The book of Proverbs is a bit of an enigma.  It is a book that in some moments gives greats swaths of advice as we see in this chapter.  In other chapters we will hear a much more haphazard collection of material.  In those instances, it can make the book a bit difficult to read.  This chapter, however, is easy to decipher.

In this chapter, David is penning words of advice to his son, Solomon.  I love where David begins.  The wise hear and increase in learning.  The one who understands obtains guidance.  This leads us to the premise of the book.  The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.  If we wat to be wise, we would do wise to seek the counsel of His ways and obtain the guidance within.

Next, David turns to his son and gives very practical advice.  A father’s instruction and a mother’s advice are like garland for the head.  They are more than ornamental, they signify importance.  They lift up the individual as one who is honored.  It is an honor to be instructed by one’s parents.

The point that David is trying to make is that Solomon would do well to listen to his elders.  Children seldom come into life equipped with the wisdom to make decisions that will carry them through life.  That wisdom needs to come from someone, from somewhere.  It is most easily found in the adults around the youth.  It is most easily found in those who desire to mentor and shape the youth.  Wisdom is passed on from generation to generation like a garland and a pendant upon those to whom it is bestowed.

To make his point, David has wisdom speak about the world.  The world is simple.  The world typically rejects wisdom.  The world is interested in the simple things and the fun things.  The world has self-interest at its heart.  The world isn’t naturally interested in wisdom because wisdom demands that the selfish desires of the heart be cast aside.   David wants to make sure that the readers of Proverbs, primarily Solomon, understand that to pursue wisdom implies that one is separating themselves from the ways of the world.

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Year 8, Day 291: 2 Thessalonians 3

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I love the emphasis on work within this passage.  Work is good for the soul.  Work gives us a sense of fulfillment and belonging.  Work allows us to know our place and even feel needed.  Work does marvelous things within us.

In this chapter, the emphasis on work starts with the Lord.  The Lord is faithful.  Part of His work towards us is to protect us from evil.  In fact, He protects us from the Evil One.  In doing so, He directs our hearts.  He works on our behalf.

Then, we see Paul turn to the antithesis of work.  Paul warns us against the idle.  He warns us against people who aren’t willing to work.  He speaks to us against people who seem to demand resources without contributing to the system.  If anyone isn’t willing to work, don’t feed them.  People should earn their keep.  Our work need not be equal, but we should all work.

Finally, Paul turns to encourage us to not become weary in doing good.  Not only should we be wary of idleness, we should be serious about doing good.  We should want the love of God, which is within our hearts, to come out through our works.  As Jesus teaches us, we will know the love within us by the fruit of our labor.

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Year 8, Day 290: 2 Thessalonians 1-2

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Reading through the first 2 chapters of 2 Thessalonians is a study of contrasts.  The first chapter is all about God and His people.  The second chapter is primarily about those who abandon God and their time.  We get to see both perspectives in this chapter.

As we look at these contrasts, there are some important things to note.  The most important is our salvation comes so that the name of the Lord may be glorified.  We are saved, God has come to us, for the sake of His name.  To this end, god works within us.  God perfects us.  He does the work, we reap the benefit.

On the other hand, there is the time of lawlessness.  I love the words that Paul uses here.  In order for the Day of the Lord to come, there has to be a time of rebellion. In order for the glory of God to shine most brightly, humanity must go through its ultimate rebellion.

This makes a ton of sense.  Is not light the most bright in the midst of absolute darkness?  Which is more devastating, looking into a flashlight in broad daylight or looking into a flashlight in the utter darkness of the night?  It simply makes sense.  In order for the glory of the Lord to shine the most brightly, it must come in the midst of the greatest darkness that humanity can muster.  In order for the Day of the Lord to come, the human rebellion must come first.

What is the time of lawlessness?  This is a time when human beings exalt themselves up as though they are gods.  It will be a time of false signs and great deception.  It is a time when truth is rejected.  The weak will be deluded.

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Year 8, Day 289: 1 Thessalonians 5

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Paul has two major points in writing this chapter to the Thessalonians.  First, Paul wants to make sure that they understand about the return of the Lord.  Please note the first words that Paul associates with the return of the Lord: thief in the night.  Paul wants to make sure that the church understands that the world won’t see it coming.  Then, Paul associates the day with another term: destruction.  Paul wants to make sure that we understand that for many people the return of the Lord will signify the end of their way of life.

That being said, Paul then speaks about the church.  We do not live in darkness.  We won’t be caught by surprise.  We won’t think about judgment in terms of destruction.  We can live in love and faith instead of self-interest.  We can live in the hope of salvation.

The second major point that Paul talks about is general life advice.  Pray without ceasing.  Give thanks always.  Don’t repay evil with more evil.  It’s all great advice to live by and help us be the change in the world that we want to see.

The part of his advice that I personally resonate with the most is the advice to test everything and hold fast to what is good.  We live in a world where there is little new under the sun.  Most sin simply finds new ways to be introduced into our life, but it is really just the same old passions.  This is why we need to test everything.  We don’t need to find new ways to partake in old sin.  What we need is to test things and find the old truth that consistently anchors our life.

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Year 8, Day 288: 1 Thessalonians 3-4

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The next two chapters of 1 Thessalonians seem to revolve around this idea of encouragement.  Relationships are hard.  Sometimes we get on each other’s nerves.  Other times we worry about the people we care about, especially when they are apart from us.  Other times we worry about what the future may hold until it comes.  In all of these occasions, we need encouragement.

In 1 Thessalonians 3, Paul explains that after leaving Thessalonica they encountered persecution.  In the midst of their trial, they thought that the Thessalonians might hear about the trial.  Because of this, they sent Timothy to Thessalonica.

Additionally, because of their own persecution, Paul worries about the Thessalonians.  He fears that life may have gotten to them as well. Timothy goes to Thessalonica to reassure Paul.  He wants to make sure that the persecution is worth it.  In the midst of his troubles, he needs to be uplifted by seeing the fruit of the work.  The encouragement helps Paul deal with his current situation.

The next thing that the people need to be encouraged about is regarding love.  Fortunately, Timothy reports to Paul that the Thessalonians are masters of showing love to one another.  Paul gives them a reminder of what the godly life is.  Paul also takes the time to remind them that their example is being spread all throughout Macedonia.  Paul’s encouragement not only serves as a reminder about how to live, but also as a reminder that how we live is observed by others.

Finally, Paul reminds the Thessalonians that we should be encouraged by our future hope.  God gives us eternal life.  He promises us the resurrection from the dead.  We will live with God eternally in his grace, love, and peace.  This should give us great encouragement.  When we are persecuted, we can think of the resurrection to come.  When we are tempted, we can think of the resurrection to come.  When we are worried, we can think of the resurrection to come.  Our future hope in God is all the encouragement that we need.

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Year 8, Day 287: 1 Thessalonians 1-2

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Today we turn once more to the New Testament.  In 1 Thessalonians, we hear words penned by Paul to a former community of faith.  Paul and his associates came to Thessalonica after going to Philippi.  What’s good to remember is that Paul and his associates were arrested and persecuted in Philippi.  They came to Philippi with a hard moment of life to their backs.

This is why Paul reminds them that they didn’t come with a lofty tone or seeking their own glory.  They came humbly, simply desiring to share Christ with them.  They know rejection and they know persecution.  They come hoping to avoid more of the same while realizing that it could – and would – happen again.

While in Thessalonica, Paul does see people come to know Christ.  Their humbleness and gentleness pays off and people begin to know Christ through their works.  They see Christ in Paul and His associates.  They began to realize that if God can work through Paul and his associates, then God can work through them.  This is one of the powers of testimony.  If God can do things through one fallen human, it makes logical sense to conclude that God can do it through any number of fallen humans, too.  Our past doesn’t matter.  What God cares about is our future.

In turn, word of the Thessalonians has spread all throughout Greece and the surrounding areas.  The Thessalonians become what Paul and his associates became.  The work that God does in and through them helps even more people believe that God can work through them, too.  As Paul opens this letter to Thessalonica, he reminds them of the power of a positive testimony.  God uses us to accomplish His will.  God also uses us to reach other people for Him.

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Year 8, Day 286: Psalms 149-150

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It’s only fitting that the book of psalms ends with two psalms of praise.  If the book of psalms are the Lord’s Greatest Hits book, then it should end with words that bring glory to His name.  Life, our very human existence, is best lived when our very being brings Him glory.

We’ve grown accustomed to psalmists speaking about the various things that give God praise.  In this set of psalms we have a focus on musical instruments.  We hear about trumpets and cymbals and lutes and harps and tambourines.  I can only imagine the symphony of sound the psalmist imagines as he pens these words.  The words, though, make sense.  These instruments would all be useful in bringing praise to the Lord.

Naturally, we also have the human element in the praise.  The humans play the instruments.  The humans give their bodies up in dance.  The very breath of the humans is spent in giving praise to the Lord.

In all of these images that make sense, there is a unique image to be found.  Psalm 149:6 call for more than just psalms of praise to be in the throats of the faithful.  This psalm calls for double-edged swords to be in the hands of the faithful to execute judgment upon the nations.  It’s an interesting concept to pair psalm and sword.

How do these ideas fit together?  Remember that the subject of the praise is a perfect and righteous God.  He is a perfect and righteous God who executes justice upon the nations.  He is the only one righteous enough to be the judge!  It makes sense, then, that the faithful would be the hands and feet of such judgment.  This brings out a neat point.  We are not the righteous judge.  We are the servants who praise the righteous judge.  He is the judge, not us.  We praise Him.  We act upon His desires.  In all this we remember that we are ourselves not the judge.

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Year 8, Day 285: Psalm 148

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Clearly, Psalm 148 is about praising the Lord.  I didn’t count how many times the words “praise the Lord” are in the psalm, but it is a good many times!  It’s rather difficult to miss the point of this psalm.

This year, as I read through it today, I noticed something remarkable.  The order of this psalm is very reminiscent of Genesis 1:1.  The heavenly beings praise God.  The stars praise God.  The waters below and the heavens praise God.  The see creatures praise God.  The mountains and the dry land praise God.  The plants praise God.  The creatures praise God.

Only as we approach the end of the psalm do we hear about humanity giving praise to God.  This is quite reminiscent to the creation account, where the human beings come very close to the end of the story.  Where we are in the psalm, though, is irrelevant.  What matters is that humanity is called to praise God.  We are a part of creation as we give glory to our creator.

When the psalm talks about humanity, I love what it says.  Common and lordly people alike are called to praise God.  Young and old are called to praise God.  The call to give glory to God goes out to all creation, and all humanity within that.

As with most psalms of praise, it is important to remember the purpose of the psalm.  We are to praise God.  He is the one worthy of our praise.  He is the one who lifts us up.  He is the one who calls us out of the ways of the world.  We, the creation, gives praise to Him, our creator.

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Year 8, Day 284: Psalm 147

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Psalm 147 is another psalm of praise.  I was listening to a speaker today, and he was commenting on favorite songs.  He made a comment that Psalms might be considered as God’s favorites playlist.  With as many psalms of praise as can be found, I’m inclined to agree with him.

Why shouldn’t God be praised?  He is our provider.  He gathers the outcasts.  He binds up our wounds.  He is the creator.  He blesses us with future generations.  He controls the weather.  Is there anything that God cannot do?  Is there any reason He should not be praised?

What I love most about this psalm, though, is the description about what the Lord loves most.  The Bible clearly says that He isn’t impressed by animalistic or even human strength.  What He loves is someone who fears Him.  He takes pleasure in those who put their hope in Him.

That’s powerful for me.  I’m not the most flamboyant person.  It’s easy for me to get lost in the crowd – except for my height.  I don’t do well in large crowds.  I’m not the most athletic of people.  There are better theologians out there – and better mathematicians, too.  It’s easy to feel rather unnoteworthy on a daily basis.  But then I hear what God loves.  It’s within my grasp to fear Him.  It’s within my grasp to put my hope in Him.  I might not be remarkable, but I can put my hope in Him and bring pleasure to my God in doing so.

Thanks be to God!

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Year 8, Day 283: Psalm 146

Theological Commentary: Click Here

Psalm 146 gives an interesting point to ponder.  We should put our trust in God and not in other people.  On the surface, this makes sense.  I find the challenge, though, when I look a little deeper and actually ponder if it is true in my life.

Please don’t misunderstand me.  I genuinely do believe that salvation comes only from God.  Eternal life is a gift received only through His hand and purchased by His blood.  There is no doubt in my mind from where eternal life comes.

Looking past eternal life, though, I wonder if I do give off any indications of looking to somewhere other than God.  For example, I am currently staring a hurricane in the face.  It’s easy for me to pay lip service to trusting God, but I can’t help but wonder just how much trust I am actually putting in my house.  Yes, God provides my house for me.  But, I think that’s the trick.  I need to remember that my house is simply God’s provision.  My house won’t keep me safe during the hurricane, God will.  God may use my house in the process, but it is still God.

As another example, take my job.  I use my paychecks to buy things like food, clothing, insurance, gasoline, transportation, utilities, etc.  It is easy to think of my job as being the source of my life.  Again, though, is it not God who provided my job for me?  Is my job the source of my life or is it God?

In the end, I need to be diligent about not confusing God with the person or thing God is using in my life.  There is nothing wrong with having a mentor.  There is nothing wrong with someone helping out another person when they are in a rough spot in life.  There is nothing wrong with getting a paycheck and using it to buy things in life.  But in all of these things, it is important to note that God is the true source of each of these things.  God provides.  God gives love we can share with one another.  God is the source of our life.

As the psalmist says, He is the one who rescues.  He is the one who saves.  He is the one who provides.  He loves.  He watches over us.  It is God who deserves our praise.

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Year 8, Day 282: Psalm 145

Theological Commentary: Click Here

I’m reminded today of a great truth.  God is the power behind the workings of the world.  His mercy is all over creation, as the psalm says.  He is gracious and slow to anger.  He is faithful, upholding those who have fallen.  He provides our daily needs.  He preserves those who love Him.

In this, God invites us to work with Him.  While there are many ways to do the work of the Lord, there is one thing that is greater than all the rest.  As this psalm says, one generation proclaims the works of the Lord to the next.  While we are His hands and feet, the reality is that God can move mountains on His own should He desire.  What we can do well is to be a living testimony for the works of the Lord.  We can make sure that people are given the opportunity to see God’s hand in the events around them.

Don’t get me wrong.  Jesus Himself teaches that if God’s people keep silent that God can make the rocks cry out on His behalf.  God doesn’t need us to be His testimony.  It is, however, the greatest part we can play in His work.  We lift up the greatness of the Lord to the world around us.

It is right for us to join David’s sentiment in the end of this psalm.  We should praise the Lord.  We should be a part of our generation’s participation in blessing the name of the Lord forever.

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Year 8, Day 281: Psalm 144

Theological Commentary: Click Here

I love the way that David starts this psalm.  The Lord is David’s rock.  It is the Lord who trains David.  It is the Lord who gives him strength.  It is the Lord who rescues David and provides a fortress about him.  David places his faith completely in the Lord.

I also love the introspectiveness that this brings about.  Look at where this leads David.  “What is man that you are mindful of him?”  Human beings are here and then gone.  We live for a short time and then we hand life over to the next generation.

This is unlike God.  God was here for all the generations before us.  He is still here.  He will be there for all the generations after us.  He is consistent and true.

This brings me back to where I started – well, David, really.  What are human beings that God thinks about us?  Why would an infinite God care for such a temporal being?  Why does God give us His attention and His care?

The reality is that God does all of this because He desires relationship.  He knows that we are flawed.  He knows that our lifespans are measured in such short lengths.  He knows that He has to continually start over generation after generation.  He also knows that His perspective is better than ours.  While we wonder why He does it – because we can’t see what’s in it for Him – He already knows the value.  His priorities are different.  He is holy, meaning that He finds value in things differently than we do.

There is another dimension at work, too.  While we only know the temporal life, God knows the eternal.  He has a plan for us to know the eternal, too.  God desires to bring us into eternal life with Him.  This is why He wants relationship.  His perspective allows Him to find value in something that is completely unlike Him.  Rather than look down on creation, God tries to lift us up to His level.  Rather than see us as minions to be used and forgotten, He invites us into His work.  Rather than see us as we view ants or cattle, God desires to call us His sons and daughters.  What an inspiring reality to which we have been invited!

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Year 8, Day 280: Psalm 143

Theological Commentary: Click Here

Psalm 143, like most psalms of David, give us a great glimpse into the life of the human being.  David is a great case study because he seldom felt the need to have a façade.  His life is borne out – for the good and the bad – in his psalms.  There are several great points to highlight.

First, look at where David is.  He begins and ends with his humanity.  He is in a rough spot in life.  He is being persecuted.  He feels like there are traps all around him.  He has been crushed and has been made to feel like he is dead.  There is no shame in admitting one’s place in life.  In fact, the road to healing usually begins with admitting one’s reality.

Second, I love what David does with this knowledge.  David admits that his circumstance hasn’t exactly made him into the best representative of God’s ways.  David specifically asks not to be judged.  He doesn’t want to be judged because he knows what the verdict would be!  I love that David is willing to admit the connection between his circumstances and his attitude.  Bad circumstances typically make for a bad attitude.

Third, David takes this realization and goes forward into a place of health.  If He his circumstances are making it hard to be in God’s ways, He needs to be retaught.  He asks God to teach him again.  He asks God to lead him.  He does not allow the depth of his current situation to stop him from seeing what his reality could be.

Finally, I love that in the end the focus is upon God.  Life is for the Lord’s sake.  Life is a demonstration of the Lord’s love.  We are ultimately His servants, not the other way around.

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Year 8, Day 279: Psalms 141-142

Theological Commentary: Click Here

Psalm 141 contains a very memorable image for me.  “Let my prayers rise up as incense before you.”  Part of why it is memorable is because I am highly allergic to incense.  If a person lights incense in my presence, I need to leave the room as soon as possible or my chest tightens and it becomes quite hard to breathe.  Fortunately, it’s never been life threatening; but it is an experience.

That being said, it is still not a negative image for me.  I know that incense fills the room.  It seeps into every nook and cranny.  The scent lingers upon those who are in the room.  There is no escape from incense.  It is very comforting to think of my prayers as incense, lingering before God and filling His presence.  It is an image that is very helpful in times when I feel alone and cast aside.  If my prayers are like incense before God, then I am in His presence as He promises I will be.

Before leaving the psalm, there is a challenge in verse 5 that should not be overlooked.  The psalmist says that it is a kindness to be struck by a righteous man and his rebuke is like oil upon the head.  While it certainly makes sense to consider righteous the correction of the righteous, I wonder how often we do actually feel that way.  Correction is hard to take.  Rebuke seldom feels good in the morning.  Yet it is good for us.  We should welcome the rebuke of the righteous.

Turning to Psalm 142 gives another psalm of David.  Once more we hear David crying out to the Lord because he is being persecuted and he does not want to be forgotten or abandoned.  It would seem like David would have benefitted from hearing His own words in Psalm 141.  Here he feels forgotten, in the last psalm he prayed that his prayers would be like incense.

I love the contrast in these psalms.  It is so good to see humanity.  In one moment, David is close to God.  In another moment a later, David feels forgotten and overlooked.  Human beings are emotional beings who change with our surroundings and our circumstances.  We have highs and lows.  It is simply what it means to be human.

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