Weekly Text 9/29/2024

 For your name’s sake, O Lord, preserve my life! In your righteousness bring my soul out of trouble! Psalm 143:11

Last week, I shared with you how I have been challenged of late to allow God to clean out the "selfish, sinful garbage that is stinking up my heart." (based on Psalm 51:10). Continuing in this vain, this week I am specifically challenged to examine the meditations of my heart especially, when I am overwhelmed by life circumstances.

In his devotion New Morning Mercies (highly recommend this, btw), Paul David Tripp writes: "Biblical faith looks reality in the face and does not flinch."  Instead, "...it examines reality, but it makes the Lord its meditation." Last Sunday, our church's pastor touched on taking your thoughts captive in obedience to Christ (2 Corinthians 5:10).

King David's psalm written thousands of years ago, has given me the perfect prayer to set my heart on God.  I share it with you now as our devotional today. I encourage you to make it your prayer as well.  In my Bible, I highlighted verses 1,4,6,8,10, & 11.

Psalm 143

1 Hear my prayer, O Lord; give ear to my pleas for mercy! In your faithfulness answer me, in your righteousness!

2 Enter not into judgment with your servant, for no one living is righteous before you.

3 For the enemy has pursued my soul; he has crushed my life to the ground; he has made me sit in darkness like those long dead.

4 Therefore my spirit faints within me; my heart within me is appalled.

5 I remember the days of old; I meditate on all that you have done; I ponder the work of your hands.

6 I stretch out my hands to you; my soul thirsts for you like a parched land.

Selah

7 Answer me quickly, O Lord! My spirit fails! Hide not your face from me, lest I be like those who go down to the pit.

8 Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love, for in you I trust. Make me know the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul.

9 Deliver me from my enemies, O Lord! I have fled to you for refuge.

10 Teach me to do your will, for you are my God! Let your good Spirit lead me on level ground!

11 For your name’s sake, O Lord, preserve my life! In your righteousness bring my soul out of trouble!

12 And in your steadfast love you will cut off my enemies, and you will destroy all the adversaries of my soul, for I am your servant.

As you pray and worship God today, lift up a prayer for the people impacted by Hurricane Helene this past week.  My heart is particularly focused on the people of Western NC where I have many friends and is like a 2nd home for my family.  May the good people there make God their meditation in the midst of their trouble!

Have a great day in the Lord!

Weekly Text 9/22/2024

 

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.  Psalm 51:10

You are familiar with the backstory of this Psalm and the leading characters of David and Bathsheba and later the prophet Nathan (2 Samuel11-12).  You also are aware that the condition of our heart is of paramount importance to God (1 Samuel 16:7).  And that relationship with God and bearing the image of Christ is the primary purpose of His Grace and not our minimum score on the righteousness scale. (Romans 8:15)

However, we often fall into the trap of measuring ourselves on the righteousness scale. There we either overestimate our score and underestimate the score needed thus, easily satisfied with our "right-standing" with God.  Or we are anxious about our relationship with God, what He thinks of us, and what all that means for us.

Recently, I have been challenged again and again in my Scripture readings and devotional readings to not be content and easily satisfied in my relationship with God but, to desire Him more and more. To know Him, to know His ways and to be transformed because of that knowledge (Romans 12:2).  I am also being shown how much more work needs to be done to create a clean heart and renew a right spirit within me.  King David knew, and you know, and I know, that the content of our heart is the ink that outlines the image of Christ that is being painted on the canvas of our life for all the world to see.  

For me, there is still a lot of selfish, sinful garbage that is stinking up my heart.  It shows itself in my hidden thoughts, the words that flow out of my mouth and my actions (and inactions) that I engage in.  It is overwhelming to think about but, not the least bit overwhelming to God.  

Something to be thankful for today.  

Even more, we can be thankful that while He is cleaning up and sanctifying the very essence of who we are (His child, His Image-bearer), He continues to pour heaps of His gracious love upon us.  

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Psalm 23:5-6

Have a great day in the Lord!

Weekly Text 9/15/2024

 

But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?” He said, “But I will be with you, and this shall be the sign for you, that I have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.”  Exodus 3:11-12

Moses was drawn to investigate a simple yet amazing phenomenon, a burning bush that was not consumed. Out of this bush, He heard the voice of God.  God was calling him to serve in a monumental way. Moses was being tasked to lead the Israelites out of slavery and into the Promised Land.  You know the backstory that led to this pivotal moment.

Moses questions his fit for the role.  It’s interesting to note, He doesn’t question the plan or the intent. Likely because it matched up with his own desire. You remember the anger over the treatment of the slaves that led to murder that led to him fleeing to this desert place.  Many times Moses must have wished his people could be out there with him living in the freedom that he enjoyed. 

But, surely it shouldn’t be him???

There probably were a lot of reasons bouncing around Moses’ brain at that moment as to why it shouldn't be him.

To us, God’s response is familiar….”I will certainly be with you.”  But then God offers confirmation….the return to this very mountain with all the Israelites. Did you notice the confirmation comes after Moses’ participation not before???  Sure, he was witnessing an amazing spectacle which confirms that he is dealing with a powerful, amazing God.  But, he had to step out and actually do “the thing” to confirm that he was the one to actually “do the thing!”

And it was no small thing that he was asked to do!

“If it can be done with a strategic plan and a gazillion dollars, it is not big enough for God.”  –J.D. Walt

Jesus has asked us to do a monumental task.  You know what it is….Matthew 28:18-20.  In that task, he has given each of us assignments.  In fact, multiple assignments.

Allow me to not belabor that point, and just give you my big takeaway from this passage:

Go Big (with God), Go Small (be humble), Go Home (Heaven).  This is the sum of the Christian life (or at least 1 way to look at it).

Have a great day in the Lord and be both blessed and a blessing!