If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell. (Matthew 5:29-30) I've known ... [Continue Reading]
Remember God’s Faithfulness (Psalms 65-67, 69-70)
Psalm 66 recounts what God did for the Israelites with the Red Sea - turning it into dry land so they could cross it. Throughout the Old Testament the Israelites erected monuments to remind themselves of God's faithfulness to them and was being done in this Psalm. As generations died off and as new ones rose up, the older people could show the monuments ... [Continue Reading]
That in Which You Trust (Psalms 60, 75, 20)
There are so many things that a person can trust in. Some trust in their physical strength, others in the strength of their position at work. There are those who trust in their material wealth or in their stock portfolios. There is a temptation to trust in one’s country or in their country’s military might. But the psalmist reminds us that none ... [Continue Reading]
Just a Blip on the Radar (Psalms 36, 39, 50, 53)
A key aspect of wisdom is learning to understand your place in the world and the brevity of your life. If you add up the years of every person who has ever lived, and you then compare the years you have to the total years that have been had by all mankind, the space you take up is miniscule. I’m not trying to be pessimistic… just realistic. You have, ... [Continue Reading]
Worship With Excellence (Psalms 132, 25, 29, 33)
One of the ways we worship God is by being excellent at what we do. For the pastor, that means arriving for services completely prepared and ready to give a message to the best of his ability. For those leading music, that means practicing and working hard so that the music is the best it can possibly be. But what about those who don’t serve in the ... [Continue Reading]
Learning to Worship (Psalms 96, 100-101, 105)
The Psalms have much to teach us on how to worship God more fully. Here are a few thoughts that from the readings: Worship doesn’t take place merely at church Our lives should be marked by worship – it should be part of who we are and not simply something we do We worship God because of His greatness Worship is both individual and corporate – we must learn to ... [Continue Reading]
The One Who Is Responsible (Psalms 47, 68, 89)
There is a bit of encouragement that comes when we understand that we are not ultimately responsible for the outcomes in life. In the case of David, for instance, God was His strength and shield, and He faithfully kept the covenant that He made with David. Israel’s power and status didn’t come necessarily because of its great strength as a warring nation; ... [Continue Reading]
I Shall Not Want (Psalms 1-2, 15, 22-24)
The 23rd Psalm is one that is quoted often, and many people over the centuries have appreciated David’s words. One line, in particular, struck me as I meditated over David’s words: I shall not want. From the perspective of a sheep, a shepherd provides everything that it could ever need: food, water, shelter. From a human perspective, marketers tell us ... [Continue Reading]
Unity (Psalms 133, 106-107)
Have you ever lived in a place of discord? Those homes where fighting persists and arguments are the norm are very unhappy places to be. Contrast that with a home marked by unified desire to have a loving attitude toward one another. Where would you rather live? It’s not surprising, then, that David lauded the notion of dwelling in unity with ... [Continue Reading]
All That is Within Me (Psalms 88, 92-93, 102-104)
How often, from the very depth of your being, do you bless the Lord? For too long, the Church has been made up of Sunday Christians who show up for worship services but who walk away and live godless lives from Monday to Saturday. In writing Psalm 103, David wanted to bless the Lord from the core of who he was. He wanted every piece of himself to exist ... [Continue Reading]
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