Humans are very flawed. I am very flawed. You are very flawed. We are a mixed bag. At times we can do things that are more along the lines of noble and wonderful; at other times we can all act like complete buffoons. Take Abram for instance. In Genesis 12 he tells Sarai his wife to say she’s his sister (which is partially true on a technicality) out of fear that something will happen to him…with seeming little regard to what could well happen to her. The Lord rescues him and Sarai from that situation. But then he rescues Lot from a very bad situation and gives honor to Melchizedek, and in that we see faith in the Lord as the one who has and will provide. A mixed bag.

That leads us to Genesis 15:

1 Some time later, the Lord spoke to Abram in a vision and said to him, “Do not be afraid, Abram, for I will protect you, and your reward will be great.”

2 But Abram replied, “O Sovereign Lord, what good are all your blessings when I don’t even have a son? Since you’ve given me no children, Eliezer of Damascus, a servant in my household, will inherit all my wealth. 3 You have given me no descendants of my own, so one of my servants will be my heir.”

4 Then the Lord said to him, “No, your servant will not be your heir, for you will have a son of your own who will be your heir.” 5 Then the Lord took Abram outside and said to him, “Look up into the sky and count the stars if you can. That’s how many descendants you will have!”

6 And Abram believed the Lord, and the Lord counted him as righteous because of his faith.

Abram had believed God. He left his country and his family and followed the call of the Lord. But at this point in his life he has no children, no heirs of his own. But the Lord promised that Abram would have a son of his own - and Abram believed. He was counted as righteous. This is such a beautiful truth. It’s a truth our lives with the Lord depend upon. 

Heidelberg Catechism Question 60:

How are you right with God? Only by true faith in Jesus Christ. Even though my conscience accuses me of having grievously sinned against all God’s commandments, of never having kept any of them, and of still being inclined towards all evil, nevertheless, without any merit of my own, out of sheer grace, God grants and credits to me the perfect satisfaction, righteousness, and holiness of Christ, as if I had never sinned nor been a sinner, and as if I had been as perfectly obedient as Christ was obedient for me—if only I accept this gift with a believing heart.

Reflection:

• Read Romans 4 and reflect on the words that Paul wrote in regard to righteousness by faith and why that matters.

• How do you have a tendency to believe your standing with God depends on your actions? How does Scripture answer that?

• What are the benefits of believing the promise of God? Try and come up with more than just one or two - sit a while and contemplate what the Lord gives to those who believe in his good promises.

Ok - don’t get used to this again, but in my prayer time this morning I was directed to sing the song “Jesus I My Cross Have Taken” as I read and prayed through a chapter in the book Prone to Wander. I’m going to put down all the lyrics because it’s a beautiful song. This has been a hard year, and it may still get more difficult as we head into the fall and winter. I love the line in the third stanza: “Life with trials hard may press me; Heaven will bring me sweeter rest.” Then turn to all of stanza 5…just take in the truth of this great song. There is sweet rest with Jesus. May you and I rest in that each and every day!

1. Jesus, I my cross have taken, 
All to leave and follow Thee. 
Destitute, despised, forsaken, 
Thou from hence my all shall be. 
Perish every fond ambition, 
All I’ve sought or hoped or known. 
Yet how rich is my condition! 
God and heaven are still my own.

2. Let the world despise and leave me, 
They have left my Savior, too. 
Human hearts and looks deceive me; 
Thou art not, like them, untrue. 
O while Thou dost smile upon me, 
God of wisdom, love, and might, 
Foes may hate and friends disown me, 
Show Thy face and all is bright.

3. Man may trouble and distress me, 
’Twill but drive me to Thy breast. 
Life with trials hard may press me; 
Heaven will bring me sweeter rest. 
Oh, ’tis not in grief to harm me 
While Thy love is left to me; 
Oh, ’twere not in joy to charm me, 
Were that joy unmixed with Thee.

4. Go, then, earthly fame and treasure, 
Come disaster, scorn and pain 
In Thy service, pain is pleasure, 
With Thy favor, loss is gain 
I have called Thee Abba Father, 
I have stayed my heart on Thee 
Storms may howl, and clouds may gather; 
All must work for good to me.

5. Soul, then know thy full salvation 
Rise o’er sin and fear and care 
Joy to find in every station, 
Something still to do or bear. 
Think what Spirit dwells within thee, 
Think what Father’s smiles are thine, 
Think that Jesus died to win thee, 
Child of heaven, canst thou repine.

6. Haste thee on from grace to glory, 
Armed by faith, and winged by prayer. 
Heaven’s eternal days before thee, 
God’s own hand shall guide us there. 
Soon shall close thy earthly mission, 
Soon shall pass thy pilgrim days, 
Hope shall change to glad fruition, 
Faith to sight, and prayer to praise.

4 I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus, 5 that in every way you were enriched in him in all speech and all knowledge— 6 even as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you— 7 so that you are not lacking in any gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 8 who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. (1 Co 1:4–9)

Provided to YouTube by TuneCore Jesus I My Cross Have Taken [Andrew Osenga] · Indelible Grace Music Pilgrim Days: Indelible Grace II ℗ 2008 Indelible Grace M...

Where do we find our calm? I remember as a child seeing the old Calgon bath commercial. It advertised that a bath with Calgon was a place where an exhausted mother could go to escape and find some peace. It seems we all need some Calgon these days. But we really need something much greater. We need to stop trying to figure everything out. Everyone wants an answer. Quite often demanding an answer. That will rarely bring calm and peace (truly…I don’t believe it ever will).

You can turn to one news station and ten minutes later turn to another and get whiplash from the massive differences in how things are reported. It’s overwhelming, and honestly, I don’t think it’s good for our souls. We often have this complex that we have to know all the answers. Well, let me put it simply. We don’t know all the answers. We (you) are not God. This does not mean we shouldn’t seek to be informed or to grow in our understanding of the way life works. But what it does mean - is that we need to learn to rest rather than to be constantly chasing after things that are perhaps a bit bigger than us.

Psalm 131 is a short and simple song of David. It is a psalm of confidence and of great rest. The controlling image is of a weaned child…calmed and quieted in his mother’s arms. It is so peaceful. It is true contentment. How does David get to that point? He humbles himself. He does not chase after things in arrogance and pride that are too big for him (cf. Deuteronomy 29:29). He places his hope and his trust solely in the one who has the power and ability and the wisdom to handle everything. He hopes and rests in God.

In some sense, this is an Old Testament version of Romans 8:28. We can rest and trust because we believe that God is working in all things…and we don’t need to know all the specifics. Let us look to God in calm and rest. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus (his life, death, and resurrection a perfect example of God working all things). Calm yourself in his presence. Trust and hope in the Lord, from this time forth and forevermore.

1 O LORD, my heart is not lifted up; 

my eyes are not raised too high; 

I do not occupy myself with things 

too great and too marvelous for me. 

2 But I have calmed and quieted my soul, 

like a weaned child with its mother; 

like a weaned child is my soul within me. 

3 O Israel, hope in the LORD 

from this time forth and forevermore. 

Here is the song “Psalm 131” by the band Waterdeep.

Psalm 65 is a hymn of praise to God, and it is very clear that God has worked awesome deeds (65:5). It is amazing to see how God blesses his people and cares for them, but what I want us to see this morning is the first words of verse 2:

O you who hear prayer,

That’s it. A stunningly simple statement, but yet farther reaching than we can imagine. God hears our prayers. Is that not a massive encouragement? Is that not a shot in the arm? God, the one who created all things, hears the prayers of his people!

Not only that but the Lord Jesus taught us to pray. Look at Luke 11 and what we call the Lord’s Prayer. We see prayers throughout Scripture: from Moses to Paul and everywhere in between. The reason they all prayed is because God hears our prayer. They prayed and confessed sin. They sought strength in the midst of daunting circumstances. They prayed thanksgiving and praise. They prayed laments. In essence, they poured out their hearts to God because they knew that apart from God they could do nothing (cf. John 15:4,5).

So then - here is the simple encouragement today. Let us pray. Let us approach the throne of grace with confidence because we have a great high priest who has gone before us and it is in him that we draw near (Hebrews 4:14-16). So pour out your heart before him…he delights to hear from his children.

Here is a song for this morning. It is called “A Christian’s Daily Prayer.”

As morning dawns and day awakes,
To You I bring my need
O gracious God, my source of strength,
In You I live and breathe
Each hour is Yours by wisdom planned,
Each deed empowered by sovereign hands
Renew my spirit, help me stand;
Be glorified today

As day unfolds, I seek Your will
In all of life's demands
And though the tempter tries me still,
I cling to Your commands
Let every effort of my life
Display the matchless worth of Christ
Make me a living sacrifice;
Be glorified today

As sun gives way to darkest night
Your Spirit still is here
And though my strength fades like the light
New mercies will appear
I rest in You; abide with me
Until our trials and suffering
Give way to final victory
Be glorified, today

Get the song: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/a-christians-daily-prayer-live/1300512803?i=1300513221 Free sheet music: http://sovereigngracemusic.org/music...

And since I love the sound of thousands of men singing - here is another version of it live.

Provided to YouTube by Absolute Marketing International Ltd A Christian's Daily Prayer [Live] · Sovereign Grace Music · Bob Kauflin Together for the Gospel I...

11 Has a nation changed its gods, 

even though they are no gods? 

But my people have changed their glory 

for that which does not profit. 

12 Be appalled, O heavens, at this; 

be shocked, be utterly desolate, 

declares the LORD, 

13 for my people have committed two evils: 

they have forsaken me, 

the fountain of living waters, 

and hewed out cisterns for themselves, 

broken cisterns that can hold no water. (Jeremiah 2:11-13)

This reference is probably well-known, at least the gist of it. What it points out is the folly of going to something for supply that cannot produce what is needed. I would not go to some quick oil-change place for a good dinner (or probably even an oil change). I would not go to a hardware store to find a good pair of running shoes. It’s not that hard to figure out, but yet we so often turn to something other than God to deal with our sin and our guilt and our shame. We turn to something other than God for our identity and worth. It is all as futile as seeking water from a broken cistern…and especially a cistern we made ourselves that’s still broken.

I’m reminded of this quote from John Calvin in his seminal work. Take the time and read it slowly.

“We see that our whole salvation and all its parts are comprehended in Christ [Acts 4:12]. We should therefore take care not to derive the least portion of it from anywhere else. If we seek salvation, we are taught by the very name of Jesus that it is “of him” [1 Cor. 1:30]. If we seek any other gifts of the Spirit, they will be found in his anointing. If we seek strength, it lies in his dominion; if purity, in his conception; if gentleness, it appears in his birth. For by his birth he was made like us in all respects [Heb. 2:17] that he might learn to feel our pain [cf. Heb. 5:2]. If we seek redemption, it lies in his passion; if acquittal, in his condemnation; if remission of the curse, in his cross [Gal. 3:13]; if satisfaction, in his sacrifice; if purification, in his blood; if reconciliation, in his descent into hell; if mortification of the flesh, in his tomb; if newness of life, in his resurrection; if immortality, in the same; if inheritance of the Heavenly Kingdom, in his entrance into heaven; if protection, if security, if abundant supply of all blessings, in his Kingdom; if untroubled expectation of judgment, in the power given to him to judge. In short, since rich store of every kind of good abounds in him, let us drink our fill from this fountain, and from no other. Some men, not content with him alone, are borne hither and thither from one hope to another; even if they concern themselves chiefly with him, they nevertheless stray from the right way in turning some part of their thinking in another direction. Yet such distrust cannot creep in where men have once for all truly known the abundance of his blessings.”*

Here is one of the better songs I could find to speak to what we have in Christ - the vast fountain (treasure) that we ought not turn away from to seek out broken idols that cannot save or serve. “How Rich a Treasure We Possess” by Matt Boswell.

How rich a treasure we possess, in Jesus Christ our Lord
His blood our ransom and defense His glory our reward
The sum of all created things are worthless in compare
For our inheritance is Him whose praise angels declare

How free and costly was the love, displayed upon the cross
While we were dead in untold sin the Sovereign purchased us
The will of God the Father demonstrated through the Son
The Spirit seals the greatest work the work which Christ has done

How vast and measureless the flood of mercy unrestrained
The penalty was paid in full the spotless Lamb was slain
Salvation, what a priceless gift received by grace through faith
We stand in robes of righteousness we stand in Jesus' name

For Yours' is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory
Yours' is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory
Yours' is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory
Yours' is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory;
Amen, amen, amen

Provided to YouTube by Catapult Reservatory, LLC How Rich a Treasure We Possess · Matt Boswell Messenger Hymns, Vol. 1 - EP ℗ 2012 Doxology & Theology Releas...

*Calvin, J. (2011). Institutes of the Christian Religion & 2. (J. T. McNeill, Ed., F. L. Battles, Trans.) (Vol. 1, pp. 527–528). Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press.

As we face another Sunday at home, it could be tempting to find little to praise God for if we focus on the negative of our circumstances. That is always a temptation. However, our eyes see much more clearly when we set them on Christ above, on our life (cf. Colossians 3:1-4). Daily this is our privilege and our joy. Daily we are to remind ourselves of the greatness and the beauty of the grace of God. We are to remind our souls of the steadfast love of the Lord.

As we dwell on that reality. As we dwell on who God is and who he is for us…we cannot help but praise and give thanks. And it calls for the response, beyond praise, of our lives - following him wherever he may lead. The one who would give us life by the sacrifice of his son….this one is absolutely worth following and he is absolutely worth everything we can give because we know in him we have all things (Romans 8:32).

So let us steadfastly sing and make melody to our great God!

7 My heart is steadfast, O God, 

my heart is steadfast! 

I will sing and make melody! 

8 Awake, my glory! 

Awake, O harp and lyre! 

I will awake the dawn! 

9 I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples; 

I will sing praises to you among the nations. 

10 For your steadfast love is great to the heavens, 

your faithfulness to the clouds. 

11 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! 

Let your glory be over all the earth!  (Psalm 57:7-11)

This morning, here is a song by Keith and Kristyn Getty called “What Grace is Mine.”

What grace is mine that He who dwells in endless light
Called through the night to find my distant soul
And from His scars poured mercy that would plead for me
That I might live and in His name be known

So I will go wherever He is calling me
I lose my life to find my life in Him
I give my all to gain the hope that never dies
I bow my heart take up my cross and follow Him

What grace is mine to know His breath alive in me
Beneath His wings my wakened soul may soar
All fear can flee for death's dark night is overcome
My Savior lives and reigns for evermore

So I will go wherever He is calling me
I lose my life to find my life in Him
I give my all to gain the hope that never dies
I bow my my heart take up my cross and follow Him
I bow my heart take up my cross and follow Him

Provided to YouTube by Universal Music Group What Grace Is Mine · Keith & Kristyn Getty Awaken The Dawn ℗ 2009 Getty Music Label, LLC Released on: 2009-01-01...

Psalm 40 is a psalm rich in comfort, because it is rich in the character of God. The psalm begins with these words:

1 I waited patiently for the LORD; 

he inclined to me and heard my cry. 

2 He drew me up from the pit of destruction, 

out of the miry bog, 

and set my feet upon a rock, 

making my steps secure. 

3 He put a new song in my mouth,

a song of praise to our God. 

Many will see and fear, 

and put their trust in the LORD. 

Our God is one who saves people from pits of destruction. We are, by nature, not only stuck in a pit, but driving aimlessly on the road to destruction. But yet God, in his grace, pulls people out of that pit and sets their feet on solid ground. If there is not reason for song in that, then there is no reason for song at all.

Those who are in Christ have moved from desperation to blessing. As many have heard me repeat the theme of the Psalter: “Blessed are all who take refuge in the King who reigns” (Thank you Dr. Mark Futato), you see that very theme stand out in this psalm. The person whose God is the Lord has been blessed beyond measure. Look at verse 5:

5 You have multiplied, O LORD my God, 

your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us; 

none can compare with you! 

I will proclaim and tell of them, 

yet they are more than can be told. 

His thoughts towards us - his wondrous deeds…if we were to seek to tell them all it would be well beyond number. Have you considered that? Have you considered that God, your Savior, considers you? Works for you daily? Blesses you beyond what you know?

Take some time and read and meditate through this entire psalm. Look at David’s response to all that the Lord has done for him (and for others). Look at how he speaks of God. But there is something a bit different about this psalm - it has great thanksgiving, yet lament and petition are the last words. Yet in all of it, it is informed and guided by the character and attributes of God.

16 But may all who seek you 

rejoice and be glad in you; 

may those who love your salvation 

say continually, “Great is the LORD!” 

17 As for me, I am poor and needy, 

but the LORD takes thought for me. 

You are my help and my deliverer; 

do not delay, O my God! 

The hope of David - the Lord takes thought of him. I think of the most tangible display for us of the Lord taking thought of those who are in Christ. Galatians 2:20…listen to the language used: I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Paul personalizes the sacrificial death of Christ. It wasn’t just for some random group, but for each and every one of God’s children. What an amazing God who has pulled us up out of the pit. Let us sing a new song of praise!

Going back to 1983 and one of the greatest rock albums of all time. Here is the song “40” by U2.

U2-40+lyrics

This morning I want to get back to the heart of God…I’m not sure there is a better place to focus than that. The text I turn to is Jeremiah 6:16.

16 Thus says the LORD: 

“Stand by the roads, and look, 

and ask for the ancient paths, 

where the good way is; and walk in it, 

and find rest for your souls.

Stand and look. The Lord is commanding the people to look…to think…to consider as a traveller does on a journey. They should take care to find their way. Matthew Henry, the great Bible commentator wrote: “O that men would be thus wise for their souls, and would ponder the path of their feet, as those that believe lawful and unlawful are of no less consequence to us than the right way and the wrong are to a traveller!”

And then we find another imperative - ask for the ancient paths. What are the paths? They are the way of faithfulness that had been given to Moses and the people. The paths are the way of God and that which he blesses. They are the way of godliness and righteousness and peace and joy. They are the way of God’s law.They are the way laid out in Holy Scripture…the written Word of God given to us to be treasured and followed. This is the good way that we are to walk in.

Psalm 1:1-3

Blessed in the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, 

nor stands in the way of sinners, 

nor sits in the seat of scoffers; 

2 but his delight is in the law of the LORD, 

and on his law he meditates day and night. 

3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water 

that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. 

In all that he does, he prospers. 

This ancient way is the way of delight in the Lord and in his ways. It is delight in his Word and in all that he has given us. It is following these ways even when the road seems quite rough. It is an ancient way, not necessarily a smooth way. It will likely cost you a bit of pain, but you will find much help along that way, and certainly the end of the journey will make it all worthwhile. It is a way that will bring rest to our souls. The way of faithful obedience is the way of true and lasting growth (John 15:1-17). And we have a forerunner, because this is the path that our Lord walked before us and in him we have the strength to walk it too.

Yet there is a little bit of the verse that I left out - the response: But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’ Let us not say the same thing. Let us walk the road before us. Let us take up our cross and follow our Lord on his path of obedience and blessing. It is the good road. It is the road that reveals the heart of God…that he desires the best for his children.

Below is a song by Andrew Peterson (by now you know I really appreciate his music). It’s called “You’ll Find Your Way.”

Music video by Andrew Peterson performing You'll Find Your Way. (P) (C) 2012 Centricity Music. All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproduction is a violation ...

When I look at you, boy
I can see the road that lies ahead
I can see the love and the sorrow

Bright fields of joy
Dark nights awake in a stormy bed
I want to go with you, but I can’t follow

So keep to the old roads
Keep to the old roads
And you’ll find your way

Your first kiss, your first crush
The first time you know you’re not enough
The first time there’s no one there to hold you

The first time you pack it all up
And drive alone across America
Please remember the words that I told you

Keep to the old roads
Keep to the old roads
And you’ll find your way
You’ll find your way

If love is what you’re looking for
The old roads lead to an open door
And you’ll find your way
You’ll find your way
Back home

And I know you'll be scared when you take up that cross
And I know it'll hurt, 'cause I know what it costs
And I love you so much and it's so hard to watch
But you're gonna grow up and you're gonna get lost
Just go back, go back

Go back, go back to the ancient paths
Lash your heart to the ancient mast
And hold on, boy, whatever you do
To the hope that's taken hold of you
And you'll find your way
You'll find your way
If love is what you’re looking for
The old roads lead to an open door
And you’ll find your way
You’ll find your way
Back home

One thing have I asked of the LORD, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to inquire in his temple (Psalm 27:4).

This is probably a familiar text to most of you. There is a desire of David to enjoy the delightfulness of God. What David longs for is the presence of God. He knows, like Asaph, that it is good to be near to God - that the nearness of God is his good (Psalm 73:25). And what David does is he makes the choice to pursue that good. Even in the midst of enemies that may be surrounding him, his desire and his choice is to seek after the Lord.

He knows that in the presence of the Lord there is not only great delight, but great security. For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble; he will conceal me under the cover of his tent; he will lift me high upon a rock (Psalm 27:5). He starts the entire psalm with a statement of fact which all believers can say with confidence:

The LORD is my light and my salvation; 

whom shall I fear? 

The LORD is the stronghold of my life; 

of whom shall I be afraid? 

There is an understanding in David that he knows where his security rests: it rests in the place of blessing - the presence of the Lord. The Lord will hide him in the shelter of his tent (Psalm 27:5) and he will be lifted up above his enemies (Psalm 27:6). So what does David do? Does he simply bank on that truth and do nothing? No, he seeks the face of the Lord with his heart, with his whole soul (Psalm 27:8). He longs to be taught the way of the Lord and to have understanding.

He is confident in God and knows that as he seeks after the Lord he will be received and he will be blessed in the presence of God. Even in the midst of troubling circumstances (we may not have physical enemies surrounding us but a virus likely counts) he expresses such trust and confidence in the Lord.

13 I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the LORD 

in the land of the living! 

14 Wait for the LORD; 

be strong, and let your heart take courage; 

wait for the LORD! 

We have seen the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living - we have seen and heard the gospel. First Timothy 1:11 uses the phrase: the gospel of the glory of the blessed God. In the gospel we see the glory of God. In Christ Jesus we see the glory of the blessed God. And in the gospel we are brought into the presence of God (1 Peter 3:18). Let us rejoice, rest secure, and seek the presence of our God in the face of Christ Jesus our Lord.

Provided to YouTube by catapultdistribution Psalm 27 (One Thing) · Shane & Shane Psalms, Vol. 2 ℗ 2015 WellHouse Records Released on: 2015-10-23 Auto-generat...

Sometimes while reading Scripture it seems as though it leaps off the page at you. That’s what happened for me this morning as I was reading Psalm 81. This is a familiar psalm for me, but this morning the heart and character of God shone through this psalm with the brightness of the sun.

1 Sing aloud to God our strength; 

shout for joy to the God of Jacob! 

2 Raise a song; sound the tambourine, 

the sweet lyre with the harp. 

3 Blow the trumpet at the new moon, 

at the full moon, on our feast day. 

4 For it is a statute for Israel, 

a rule of the God of Jacob. 

5 He made it a decree in Joseph 

when he went out over the land of Egypt. 

I hear a language I had not known: 

6 “I relieved your shoulder of the burden; 

your hands were freed from the basket. 

7 In distress you called, and I delivered you; 

I answered you in the secret place of thunder; 

I tested you at the waters of Meribah. Selah 

8 Hear, O my people, while I admonish you! 

O Israel, if you would but listen to me! 

9 There shall be no strange god among you; 

you shall not bow down to a foreign god. 

10 I am the Lord your God, 

who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. 

Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it. 

11 “But my people did not listen to my voice; 

Israel would not submit to me. 

12 So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts, 

to follow their own counsels. 

13 Oh, that my people would listen to me, 

that Israel would walk in my ways! 

14 I would soon subdue their enemies 

and turn my hand against their foes. 

15 Those who hate the Lord would cringe toward him, 

and their fate would last forever. 

16 But he would feed you with the finest of the wheat, 

and with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.” 

As you read through that psalm - what leapt off the page for you? We see that it begins with a call to give God great praise. God has delivered his people from slavery, from bondage. The allusion is to the exodus, and for believers today there is a greater picture - our redemption from slavery to sin. But what it shows is God responds to our pleas, to our cries. And then when we see verses 8 & 9, God’s heart admonishes and warns his people of danger - specifically of the danger of foreign gods, of idols that we bow down to and to whom we give our allegiance.

And then the folly of that turning to false gods is shown so clearly in verse 10. The image is of baby birds opening their mouths wide as can be for their mother to feed them with everything they need. God is saying to his people - “Simply open up…come to me…and I will fill you with all you need.” Can you hear the words of Jesus in Matthew 11:28-30? What about Psalm 23:5 or John 15:11 or Ephesians 3:14-19?

Yet the Lord will let us suffer in our poor choices to help us to see our own folly. Yet he longs for us to choose the path of blessing, the path of abundance. He is the God who longs to bless us (see v. 16).

Oh may we hear the heart of our God! May we hear the delight he has in his children and how he delights (yes…delights) to care for us and to provide us with abundant blessings. His grace is magnificent. And those blessings are most clearly and gloriously shown to us in Christ Jesus our Lord. Let us open our mouths wide and be filled with the goodness of our God!!

Two songs this morning. The first is Good and Gracious King by CityAlight. Beautiful words. The second is from The Gray Havens - Storehouse. (Here’s a little information about the song)

"Good and Gracious Kingl" from our new album "Only a Holy God" recorded live at our church St Paul's Castle Hill available to purchase at http://apple.co/2h3...

As I have written previously, I continue to dig deep into my collection of music, and not surprisingly, old hymns (mostly re-tuned) have been some of the most beneficial in this time. There is something that the old hymn writers knew of God in the midst of sorrow, pain, doubt, fear, worry, and more.

Today I turn to a hymn originally written by John Newton. Newton’s mother died when he was seven, but she had taught him the Bible at a very young age, and that proved beneficial later in life. At age 11 he started a life at sea. He was not a man of faith, but rather quite godless. He later wrote of his life of moral abandon: “I sinned with a high hand, and made it my study to tempt and seduce others.” His life at sea was not easy. At one point he was flogged as a deserter from the navy and spent 15 months living as a half-starved and poorly treated slave in Africa.

It wasn’t until later in his life at sea that Newton was converted. And it was surprisingly as he commanded a slave ship that his faith matured (which may seem a bit contradictory). Once he left the life at sea he was influenced by the Wesleys and George Whitefield and became increasingly disgusted with the slave trade and how he had taken part in it. He also became acquainted with William Cowper, a very skilled poet, but also one who knew depression all too well. I don’t know this, but I would not be surprised if the words of this hymn were influenced by his friendship with Cowper (and certainly by his own life experiences).

Take time and read through these words, listen to the music, and let the truth of God’s covenant love and grace soothe your heart. As believers we are graven on the heart of our God and he will never let us go (John 10:28). There is no safer (or more blessed) place than in the arms of our Savior and in the presence of our God.

Pensive, doubting, fearful heart,
Hear what Christ the Savior says.
Every word should joy impart,
Change thy mourning into praise.
Yes, he speaks, and speaks to thee,
May he help thee to believe!
Then thou presently wilt see,
Thou hast little cause to grieve.

"Fear thou not, nor be ashamed,
All thy sorrows soon shall end.
I who heaven and earth have framed,
Am thy husband and thy friend.
I the High and Holy One,
Israel's GOD by all adored,
As thy Savior will be known,
Thy Redeemer and thy Lord."

"For a moment I withdrew,
And thy heart was filled with pain,
But my mercies I'll renew,
Thou shalt soon rejoice again.
Though I scorn to hide my face,
Very soon my wrath shall cease.
'Tis but for a moment's space,
Ending in eternal peace."

"When my peaceful bow appears,
Painted on the watery cloud,
Its to dissipate thy fears,
Lest the earth should be o’erflowed.
'Tis an emblem too of grace,
Of my covenant love a sign.
Though the mountains leave their place,
Thou shalt be forever mine.

Thou afflicted, tempest-tossed,
Comfortless awhile thou art,
Do not think thou can be lost,
Thou art graven on my heart.
All thy walls I will repair,
Thou shalt be rebuilt anew,
And in thee it shall appear,
What a God of love can do.

Unlike many people, I don’t really dislike Mondays. Typically it’s my day off…a day to rest and recover a bit from a busy and draining (in a good way) Sunday. That has felt different over the past 5 weeks or so. I don’t have the same tiredness, but there is still emotional drain - and today with the cloudy and rainy skies and the temperature dropping - it’s a bit gloomy (especially as I type from a dark basement).

And the gloominess is a bit of picture of the longness of these days were are living in right now. There is uncertainty and (at least a bit of) trepidation. What is going to happen? When is the country going to open up again? Will we be safe from this virus? And sometimes the peace that we long for is hard to hold on to or even come by, but we have to go to the only source of peace in the midst of the uncertainty.

I think of Isaiah 26:3,4:

3 You keep him in perfect peace 

whose mind is stayed on you, 

because he trusts in you. 

4 Trust in the LORD forever, 

for the LORD God is an everlasting rock. 

Our Lord is our everlasting rock. He is the Rock of Ages. He is the one who can (and will) keep us in perfect peace. We are to labor to find rest in him. Our eyes must be fixed on him in the midst of whatever we are going through. He has proved his status as our rock over and over and over again. We can trust him. The resurrection of Jesus was the ultimate picture for us that our God is to be trusted. Our God gives us peace. Our God secures our hope. He truly is the anchor of our soul.

There is a great song written by Sandra McCracken called “Rock of Ages (When the Day Seems Long). [Here is a second version of it by Indelible Grace] Listen and let the words of truth wash over your soul. Our God is our solid and secure rock!

Lyrics written by Sandra McCracken and the music written by Indelible Grace's Kevin Twit. It has a nice haunting melody mixed with strains of Celtic influences.

This morning I read these words from 1 Thessalonians 1:

 6 And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit, 7 so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia. 8 For not only has the word of the Lord sounded forth from you in Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith in God has gone forth everywhere, so that we need not say anything. 9 For they themselves report concerning us the kind of reception we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, 10 and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.

Of course what caught my attention first was receiving the word in much affliction. The world is certainly under a good bit of affliction right now - and the question is: are we receiving the word during this time? I realize the context is a bit different, but I believe the principle stands. When the Thessalonians heard the word, they believed and they sounded it forth - they spoke the word of God. They may have been young in their faith, but they were examples in faith, love, and hope (1 Thessalonians 1:3). What are we filling our hearts and minds with during this time? Are we seeking after what is absolutely true and good and beautiful?

But there is more, at the end of that passage Paul mentions that the Thessalonians turned to God from idols. This is a time where idols are being stripped away, but we have to be careful, because other idols are vying for their position in our lives. I saw this tweet from Bob Thune yesterday.

I think what he wrote is quite true. We have had safety and security and the like stripped away from us. Most of us have had our worlds turned a bit upside down. It is all so different right now. We’ve never been through a pandemic before (unless you are the 100 plus year old guy in Italy). Things we have relied on and trusted in have been removed (and that’s good), but if we are not careful, we will merely substitute them with something else that isn’t God.

The only unchanged and unchanging is God. Hebrews 13:8: Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. James 1:17: Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. And, remember how God identified himself to Moses - I Am. He is and he is the God who is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness (Exodus 34:6).

Oh - and one more thing. Verse 10 of 1 Thessalonians is about longing for the return of Christ. The Christian not only turns to God and away from idols, but waits (with anticipation) for the Christ to return and set everything right.

I don’t have any song that goes with what I wrote - but this song by Wes King is appropriate at any time. Enjoy.

One of the grand beauties of the psalms is that they are realistic. The most common type of psalm is the lament. And right now, for so many, this is a time of lament…at least to a degree. I feel that. How long? How long will this go on? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I take counsel in my soul and have sorrow in my heart all the day?…(Ps. 13:1b-2b).

I may not be at that point of feeling sorrow in my heart all the day, but I do ask - how long will I not be able to hug or touch my family? How long will I have to live in the uncertainty of whether I had/have this virus or not? The not knowing is hard…and maybe the Lord is stripping something from me…my need to have to know…my need to feel in control (even though I know very well I’m not).

Things have been stripped away from all of us. What we have been used to is gone, and the uncertainty of when things might return is troubling. Will the economy rebound? What will the death toll from this virus be? Will my friends of family be part of that number?

For me, it makes me long not just for the end of this time, but for the day when all this will be forgotten. When all the sad things will become untrue. The day every tear is wiped from our eyes. The day when I will see my Savior face to face. We can hope in that and let that vision guide our days. Being heavenly minded does not stop us from being earthly good - it actually helps us, because it grounds us in what is good and true and beautiful.

There is a song by Bifrost Arts that captures some of this. I was playing it yesterday on guitar and found it therapeutic.

How long? Will You turn Your face away? 
How long? Do You hear us when we pray? 
On and on, still we walk this pilgrim way - How long? 

How long 'til Your children find their rest? 
How long 'til You draw them to Your breast? 
We go on holding to Your promises - How long? 

'Til You wipe away the tears from ev'ry eye 
'Til we see our home descending from the sky 
Do we wait in vain? 
Jesus, give us hope again! 

How long 'til Your word will still the storm? 
How long 'til You bare Your mighty arm? 
How we groan 'til You snatch us from the thorns - How long? 

How long? Sweet the dawn that ends the race. 
How long? Weak our hearts but strong our legs. 
Looking on - great that cloud of witnesses! How long?

Then hear the last two verses of Psalm 13: But I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation. I will sing to the LORD, because he has dealt bountifully with me.

Hopefully I will be out of self-isolation soon. I have been fever free and feeling better (still some lingering things, but that is to be expected). It’s been a bit frustrating with the differing information that comes out from doctors or the CDC - is it 72 hours, is it 7 days, or 14 days even? It’s all a bit confusing, and I will say the lack of ability to get tested seems to be something that needs to be remedied in our country. However, I am grateful that whether I contracted CoV-19 or had a bad summer cold mixed with allergies that this is all the worse it got. I realize it has been much worse for a good number of people and we need to continue to pray for this virus to dissipate, for people to recover, and for our health care workers who are on the front lines.

This morning I turn to one of my favorite Psalms - Psalm 16.

1 Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge.

2 I say to the LORD, “You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you.”

3 As for the saints in the land, they are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight.

4 The sorrows of those who run after another god shall multiply;

their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out or take their names on my lips.

5 The LORD is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot.

6 The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;

indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.

7 I bless the LORD who gives me counsel; in the night also my heart instructs me.

8 I have set the LORD always before me;

because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.

9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices;

my flesh also dwells secure.

10 For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol,

or let your holy one see corruption.

11 You make known to me the path of life;

in your presence there is fullness of joy;

at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

One would be hard pressed to find a better confession that verse 2: “You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you.” David understood this throughout his life. He was a man who made many mistakes. He certainly wasn’t the true hero. But he did learn that God was his sure and certain source of good…he learned what it was to trust in God. And we can see that throughout this entire psalm in different facets of life. David relys on the Lord, delights in Him, learns from Him, rejoices in Him. Take some time and meditate on the language of this psalm and see what it is to trust in the Lord.

You see this trust culminate in the final verses when David has such confidence that he will not even rot in the grave. The way that is true is because this also speaks of One greater than David…of Jesus. And because of His resurrection from the dead those who trust in Him will also not be abandoned. As believers in Christ we have been raised with Him and seated with Him in the heavenly places - at the right hand of the Father (cf. Ephesians 2:6; Colossians 3:1-4). And there we will know true fullness of joy and pleasures forevermore - but even now we live in the presence of God (His Spirit dwells in us) and experience the first fruits of that joy. Our joy is one that is everlasting because we know that God will never abandon us and has set us on the path of life.

For your listening pleasure today - Shane & Shane - Psalm 16.