Day 45 - Psam 134

The sound of the radio came as a shock to my system. I was fully aware that it was on and could call me or any of the rest of the staff to action at anytime, but I was giving it little thought as I was too engrossed in my game of cards. A voice on the other end said the phrase I didn't want to hear, "Tango for one! Tango for one! I repeat, Tango For One!" "Tango for one" was the code phrase for a missing camper, and as a male staff member trained in water rescue, it was now up to me to hit the trail running in search of a little one that was missing.

I made a full-on spring down the gravel road towards the edge of the lake where my search area started. The time was now 12:27 AM and I had almost a mile to run up a mountain on rough trails looking for a little girl. I had just about five minutes to make my search. If the camper was in distress in the water, that was all the time it would take for them to drown. My bright blue Maglite barely kept me from falling over the rocks and roots as I sprinted around the lake with everything that I had. I was already tired from a full day of watching kids and playing games but the adrenaline in my veins gave me new strength to keep pushing. The trail got steeper and the woods more dense. I knew I was now more than half a mile from my nearest help. If this little girl was in danger it was all up to me. With no luck and three minutes gone, fear began to kick in. Just after the halfway point of my run around the lake, I ran headlong into an inflatable pool toy of a whale. It was tied to a tree and hung in the middle of the path. On its fin was a note that said, "Thank you for saving me! I could have been a real emergency." I got on the radio and informed the other staff members of my find. The director came over the airwave and thanked everyone for their efforts and stated that this was a successful drill in finding a missing camper. I was completely drained, but I knew that if this had been a real emergency, the staff was ready. That I was ready. When the camp ended we had not had to use our safety system again. The campers were safe and protected in ways that they never even knew.

Such is the way that God is. He offers blessings and protections in ways that we will never truly  understand or know. While some of God's blessings are obvious to us in life, most aren't. Even when we are looking for it, the true nature of a blessing can be hard to spot. Fortunately we serve a God who blesses us everyday in every way.

I recently attended a self-defense course given by the Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office for Emergency and Rescue workers. Even as a young EMT I had already been exposed to gang violence in the streets and combative patients in the ambulance. I knew it was important to listen and listen good. The officer made two things clear from the start. One, that he was a Christian and two, that by being in a Rescue team we had been called by God to be "shepherds." Now don't let my use of the word shepherd here imply that I am now qualified to be a bishop or an elder (depending on your translation). What I am talking about here, and what the officer meant that day, was that there are really only two types of people in life: sheep and shepherds. Most people are sheep. They follow other sheep. They stay with the group and assume that in general the group is good. They spend little time worrying about personal or group safety because there is "safety in numbers." Sheep can be easily fooled and easily harmed by those who have an intention to do so.

This is where the shepherd comes in. Shepherds are the people who stand ready to put themselves in harm's way to protect not just one sheep but the flock. Shepherds are, as Orson Wells put it, "We sleep safe in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would do us harm." We will never know the full risks and threats that our men and women in the Armed Forces face for us every day. We can never fully understand the dangers that our brave police officers and firefighters face to keep our city safe and standing. We almost never think of the heroes on the other end of 911 until you wake up in the middle of the night with chest pain and difficulty breathing. It takes courage to run into unknown dangers in dark backways and busy highways.

As Americans we are blessed to live in a country where being a shepherd is a common trait among many of our friends and neighbors who "serve the Lord in the night." God keeps us safe by his providence and  his favorite tools to use often come from Providence Road. As you go about your daily walk, remember to thank those who serve the Lord and serve us in the night. Few people want to be in the line of danger and even fewer want to do so at night. So please give thanks to our soldiers, police, firemen, and medics who serve God by serving us.


Note: This is my last addition to the Summer in the Psalms blog. It has been an honor to write and share my heart with you, along with my thoughts about some of God's word. I hope that each of you will continue in prayer and study so as to better understand our God and His will for all of us. May He bless you in your walk with Him, and all you meet along the way.

- submitted by Nolan Davis

Day 44 - Psalm 131

Psalm 131 is one of the shortest Psalms and yet, one of the most poignant.  This is a person who is quiet on the inside.  There doesn’t seem to be a lot of ‘racket’ going on in his head.  He is composed and not living on the edge.  He is not churning inside, always looking for something better.  Anxiety isn’t sending him into a free fall.

This type of composure and peacefulness is learned. We are not born like this. We are born into a world that has gone haywire. Nothing, and I mean nothing, is operating according to God's original design. This type of peace is learned in relationships.

       He's quiet.

                     He's at peace with himself and with God.

                                He is not climbing ladders to nowhere: to success, ambition,
                                wealth, or achievement.

Are you quiet on the inside?

Read this Psalm slowly and listen to every sentence. Memorize it for those times when the racket in your head won't go away. Be still with your God. Know you are his.

- submitted by Sandy Welfare

Day 43 - Psalm 128

Psalm 128 is about the blessings that will be ours when we fear the Lord and walk in his ways. Provision. Family. Relationship with the Lord.

The Psalmist then prays the the Lord will bless you all the days of your life and that you will live to see your children's children.

You gotta know that as an expectant grandmother, that line caught my attention in a hurry. There has been little else in my life that has stirred such anticipation as awaiting the arrival of my grandson this October. I'm already so eat up with it, that I can't imagine what it is going to be like seeing him in the arms of my daughter, holding him in my own arms. I can hardly wait! What a blessing indeed.

There has also been very little in my life that has driven me to prayer like this little one. I wish I could say that I prayed for my children this hard when they were growing up. I certainly prayed for them...but not like I'm praying for this one. Praying that he will know Jesus, that he will sing songs of praise one day, that he will make the most important decision of his life and surrender to Christ.

In fact this is a Psalm that we could all pray over our children and grandchildren...join me, won't you?

- submitted by Holly Barrett

Day 42 - Psalm 125

Why are we told that faith, even small as a mustard seed, can move mountains? Can you think of anything God made on this earth larger or more immovable than a mountain? Me neither. What a powerful statement on "faith."

God tells us we can move mountains (MOUNTAINS) with our faith...which is very cool, but now He kicks it up a notch. Through David, God says if you trust in Me, I will give you the invincible constancy of a mountain (yes, I'm paraphrasing). He says I will allow my people to see My grandeur, enduring strength, and steadfastness (still on the mountain metaphor, stay with me) through you. Can you imagine what that must look like to those early in their walk or those who don't know the God we serve?

Consider this little aside: celestial bodies of larger mass wield stronger gravity (I haven't lost my mind, keep reading). Because of their size, they affect more of what's around them. Ok, come back to the mountain metaphor. How greatly could God work through us if we appear to others as mountains? Gravitas. People would be drawn to what God has allowed us to show of His nature through our lives. Cautionary tale - never forget that the mountains don't boast of their size or strength, because they did not make themselves.

One more thing, I love this part...God doesn't stop at the invincible constancy of a mountain (which is super cool). He says He will surround His people, now and forever. BAM! You can't touch me! There is no power anywhere, EVER that can pry open the hands of God. My spirit is committed to the first bank of MY GOD MADE EVERYTHING AND SET THE HEAVENS IN MOTION! Now that's what I'm talkin' 'bout!

If you want the strength and constancy of a mountain, seek the One who made 'em.

Praise God for He alone is worthy...and that's all I got to say about that.

- submitted by Norm & Melissa Wilson

Day 41 - Psalm 122

Touchy-Feely Blessings

What a psalm of unity and blessing! "I was glad when they said unto me, 'Let us go into the house of the Lord.'" Wouldn't it be great to look around with joy and say, "Hey! Let's go into the Lord's house! Let's worship together. Let's praise the Lord and be thankful together."

Maybe we could post our collective Facebook status on Sunday morning at 8:00 or 10:45 - "Let's go worship the Lord together!" Knowing that our brothers and sisters all over the globe are gathering together to worship, as is time zone appropriate.

"Every tribe of the LORD obeys Him, and comes to you to praise Him!" He's speaking here of Jerusalem, but someday, we'll all gather in Heaven - the new Jerusalem - and joyfully worship together. What a beautiful blessing to speak over someone - I will pray for things to go well for all that love you!

The body together, Jerusalem is a solid and beautiful city! The church unified is also a strong and beautiful family, bringing the needs of others before the throne of God. "I will pray for peace!"

"Because of the House of the LORD our God, I will work for your good." Jerusalem was home to the House of the LORD, so the psalmist wanted good things for Jerusalem. But could the converse be that if I were not home to the Holy Spirit of God, I might not work for your good? Because the Holy Spirit lives in us, you and I are united in our love for "Jerusalem" - the Lord, His church, each other. I put my agenda aside and work for what is good for you, as Christ did for me! It's all intertwined. Jerusalem, the new Jerusalem, anyone that loves Jerusalem, anyone that loves the Lord, we're all united! We all work for the good of the whole loving, joyful, sanctified, peace-seeking conglomerate!

Everyone may not wake up every Sunday morning, jump out of bed and say, "Let us go into the house of the Lord!" But sometimes, we might feel that way.

Through the course of your day, whenever it is that you read this post, may the blessing from Psalm 122 also be upon you, a Temple of the Holy Spirit, and fellow lover of Jerusalem:

I pray that you will have peace,

and that all will go well for you,

and for those that love you.

Come, let us go into the house of the LORD!

- submitted by Andrea Eller

Day 40 - Psalm 118

"Love and toes"...what? "Love and toes." I'm sure Ryan was frustrated with Melissa and I. Why didn't we understand? Were we not listening? He said it again, as clearly as before..."love and toes". When Ryan, our oldest, was two years old one of his favorite songs was "His love endures forever." When he would ask us to play that song, Melissa and I heard "love and toes". Yes, it was cute...but likely frustrating for Ryan.

Just being who we are, some lessons need to be repeated. For me...math. Ugh. For Melissa and I, we needed to hear Ryan's message several times before we got it. We're not prone to learn vicariously (through someone else's experiences). Convinced of our own mettle, we strike out on our own...often only to, well, strike out. Some times we just need to hear things more than once for them to really sink in. Thank you, David.

In the 118th Psalm David delivers a chorus that we all need to hear...need to be reminded of. "His mercy endureth forever", "His lovingkindness is everlasting", "His faithful love endures forever". There's no splittin' hairs here. This is one of those "y'aint movin that one" stones. And how great a reminder being offered as a chorus...His faithful love endures forever.

Though the pillars of the earth shake...His love endures forever. 

When floods rise, when stocks fall, when disaster strikes on the other side of the world or right here at home...His love endures forever. 

When we celebrate new life, new jobs (that'd be me), or new found hope...His love endures forever. 

No depth, no height, no distance...no trial or tribulation...no short-lived success...no experience of this life changes who He is. The God we serve is greater than time or space, greater than any powers (yes, even Superman)...and He is unchanging. His love endures forever.

And in case you missed it...His faithful love endures forever. Amen.

- submitted by Norm Melissa Wilson

Day 39 - Psalm 115

Jehovah, the God of Israel, is the all-powerful and all-loving Creator.

Any other god is a lifeless, man-made figurine.

Have you ever seen a piece of wood or metal utter a sound?

Have you even seen the lips of an idol speak to its followers?

Have you ever seen intelligence in the eyes of a totem?

Do you really expect a man-made icon to hear, smell, walk or make any kind of recognizable gesture?

                                                                                                                          

Anyone who worships idols is just as dead as an idol.

The God of the Israelites, the God of Moses and Aaron can actually bless and defend His worshippers.

Heaven belongs to God. God has given Earth to His followers.

The dead, who don’t even realize they are already dead, do not praise the Lord.

- submitted by Bob Diamond

Day 38 - Psalm 112

There is an epidemic consuming Americans by the thousands: V1N2. It mostly attacks individuals who are just reaching puberty, but does have effects on adults. While studies of these effects in children show that the V1N2 negatively impacts them, symptoms are typically not as severe as those found in teenagers and adults. Race seems to play a small factor in efficacy of transmutation, but once transmitted all races are effected equally. The cause for this is still unknown and under investigation. The virus appears to be exclusively transmitted from parents to offspring. Method of transmission remains unknown. For those that are infected as teens or adolescents, there is a very high incidence of symptoms causing severe long term damage to the individual who will then become a carrier for life. The epidemic is spreading quickly and in fact, your home may already be infected.

While most people would take the above warning about an impending health crisis seriously and take steps to defend their family, fewer men are willing to step up to defend their home from the epidemic of fatherlessness. V1N2 isn’t real but think about how quickly people reacted when a real health warning came along. When H1N1 was sweeping the country people quickly and readily took precautions to guard themselves and their children from the virus. People were vigilant, focused, and took the threat of getting physically sick very seriously. However, many of those same parents would scoff at the notion that they need to be more focused and involved their children’s lives and spiritual growth. While modern times bring about different words, being a “latch-key-kid” is only the new name for an old problem. 

Psalm 112 speaks about how great things will be for the family, and specifically the father who follows and trusts in the Lord. Sadly though, many kids are raised today without a father in the home. While it would be a mistake to downplay either parent’s role in the raising of a child, God clearly calls the father to be the leader of the family. So why is it that so many men are unwilling (not unable) to step up and take on this role? Because it is hard. It is probably one of the hardest things that a man can do with his life. It is a job that will take up every hour of every day for the rest of his life. He will learn the true highs and lows of life by raising an innocent child into a godly adult. Their truly is no higher calling then this. So many men today, and yes our world in general, see being a father as being able to procreate. This however, has nothing to do with being a real father. A real father will sacrifice. A real father will give until he has no more. A real father will support you even when they don’t agree. A real father will love you even in your lowest state. A real father will defend you for life from all that is wrong. A real father will be the one who holds your hand, steps out first to make sure it is safe, and lovingly guides you all the way. He will be the greatest man you will ever know. 

If you are reading this as a single mother: know that I am incredibly sorry for the role that has been thrust upon you that you can never fully fill. If you are a victim of absentee fathering: my heart aches for you for the loss that you feel for a man you barely know. And if you are reading this as a man I simple ask you to look deep and examine yourself. Examine your calling by God to lead. Examine Psalm 112 for the guidance and the goodness that comes to the children and the fathers who follow God’s commandments. I have met many men who have said, "I would give my life for my child if they were in danger." and no doubt they would. That is why I say to each of the fathers who read this: your child is in danger of losing themselves, their future, their family, and  their love of God. The only question is will you give your life in sacrifice and dedication to God’s glory so that the light of His love will reflect through you to guide your children to HIm?

- submitted by Nolan Davis

Day 37 - Psalm 109

A PRAYER FOR THE PUNISHMENT OF THE WICKED

How would you like to go to church on Sunday morning and sing a song like Psalm 109?  Written by David and sung during public worship gatherings by the Hebrew people, it stops me in my tracks.  It is a song asking God to curse our enemies.  It is a song of hatred for sin.  It is a song that doesn’t lift one’s spirits but forces us to think about sin.  I have to say, I don’t think I’ve ever heard this Psalm read in church.  Most of us would like to just cut it out of our Bibles.  We are very uncomfortable with pleas for the destruction of our enemies.  That doesn’t even seem Christian to us!  I would say that taking our sin seriously, is very Christian.

Oh, how we hate to think about sin, both ours and others, but I have to wonder if singing a song like this might help us to take sin more seriously.  We want to sing to a God who shows us grace and mercy but sometimes I wonder if that makes us less serious about the sin in our life.  We want to serve a God of love and mercy, but we are not comfortable with a God who holds judgment and justice in his hands.

What might happen if I had the courage to pray a prayer like Psalm 109?  I think I would take sin more seriously.  I also wonder if I would be as willing as David to hand it all over into God’s hands rather than seek vengeance myself.  David trusts God’s ultimate judgment and gives up his right to exercise any sort of punishment on his enemies.

- submitted by Sandy Welfare

Day 36 - Psalm 106

Psalm 106 tells the history of Israel's betrayal of God over and over again. Verse after verse, the writer lists the things that Israel did wrong. How they forgot the favor of God, the times he rescued them, the times he provided for them, the love he showed them.

And he often thought to destroy them completely.

Until verse 23 which says,

So he said he would destroy them - 

had not Moses, his chosen one, 

stood in the breach before him

to keep his wrath from destroying them.

But the Israelites didn't listen. They grumbled and complained. They forgot him once more. They made idols and provoked the Lord to anger, and he finally afflicted them with a plague.

That is until Phinehas stepped forward in verses 30-31,

But Phinehas stood up and intervened,

and the plague was checked.

This was credited to him as righteousness

and the plague was checked.

And then they forget again. They mingled with the other nations. They returned to idol worship. They sacrificed their children and defiled themselves. And the Lord was angry again and handed them over to their enemies. 

But this time, the Israelites cried out and the Lord heard them in verses 44-45,

But he took note of their distress

when he heard their cry;

for their sake he remembered his covenant

and out of his great love he relented.

Two thoughts came to mind as I meditated on this Psalm. First, it's a good thing our God is so loving and gracious. He relented on many occasions and gave the Israelites one more chance. Rather than jump on the Israelites for their shortcomings, I'm reminded that I often need a second chance too. And I'm eternally grateful for the times God has heard my cries and relented out of his great love.

The second thought was about Moses and Phinehas interceding for the Israelites. I know that there have been times when others interceded on my behalf and I'm humbled by that and grateful for it. But who is God calling me to intercede for? Who needs my prayers today because they have stumbled along the path? Let's not miss the opportunity to pray for those God lays on our hearts. We may not ever know how important that prayer is to their lives.

- submitted by Holly Barrett

Day 35 - Psalm 103

Psalm 103 is a description of the benefits of God's love and of all creation's need to praise him.

This is my favorite type of Psalm. King David is obviously fully in praise mode. It's all about praise. This is one time when David doesn't ask God for anything.

In verses 1-5, David sings of the mercies and blessings which he has personally received from God.

In verses 6-19, he magnifies the attributes of Jehovah as displayed in his dealings with God's people.

David closes this psalm by calling upon all of God's creation to adore him and for them to join with him in praising and blessing Jehovah.

Praise the Lord, you his angels,
you mighty ones who do his biding,
who obey his word.

Praise the Lord, all his heavenly hots,
you his servants who do his will.

Praise the Lord, all his works
everywhere in his dominion.

Praise the Lord, O my soul. - Psalm 103:20-22 (NIV)

- submitted by Bob Diamond

Day 34 - Psalm 100

Acknowledgment

How many times have we checked the box, "I acknowledge...?" We waive our rights; we acknowledge that whatever we're about to do could result in harm or loss of life; we promise to hold harmless; we give permission for someone to obtain our private information.

We ask for something, or ask to do something, and to get that something, we have to give up something. And it might cost us!

We check the box, sign our names, then wonder if we've made mistakes. What if the wheels fall off? What if we're injured...or die? What if it doesn't work? What if they find something bad?

We checked the box! What have we forfeited?

Psalm 100 isn't that.

Make a joyful noise!

Serve the Lord with gladness!!

Come before his presence with singing!

Then there's the box...please acknowledge that the Lord is God!

That's a box I'm okay with checking!

He made us and we are his! Where do I sign?

I love the King James Version, "It is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves." Thankfully, King James left out the implied, "Duh!"

Be thankful! The Lord is good!

And contrary to most acknowledgements, I didn't give up anything that I care to have back!

His mercy is everlasting! (I gave up the guilt!)

His truth endures forever! (Satan's lies are harmless against me!)

I am happy and joyful and thankful!

Psalm 100 is all that!

- submitted by Andrea Eller

Day 33 - Psalm 96

Praise God. Praise him because he is worthy. He is almighty, omnipresent and omniscient. He alone is worthy. And you thought Superman had it goin' on.

So I'm reading David's words, struggling in my head and frustrating my wife, as I try to figure out why we don't feel this way all the time. Why we aren't happy, why we don't sing his praises with joy overflowing all the time? And then she simply asks, "Where does it say anything about your happiness?"

Holy simply profundity, Batman! Her very pointed question caught me sideways. Why doesn't this passage from David's pen, inspired by God, mention anything about David's (any by extension, my) happiness? Nothing about hearts leaping or souls lifted. Nada. Ok, let me read this again...clearly I missed something. I mean this is about praising God, right? And isn't there always happiness involved in that?

David got right to the heart of the matter, but this time by what he did not say.

I often live this life (the life given me, not the one I've earned) from behind my eyes. I'm stuck in here and it's all I know. I can't easily escape the habit of answering all the questions on my own, before I turn the corner and discover the truth. I get stuck inside...stuck on me. And it's not like the messages of this world don't enable, encourage, even incent that mentality.

But what my wife helped me see - what David doesn't mention - is what affected me most after reading this (several times). Praise the Lord for he is worthy. There is no condition, no qualifier. David doesn't say you have to be happy and then it's ok to praise him. David doesn't say when you're sad, there's not as much to praise God for. And here's where Mel's question caught me. You don't have to feel happiness to praise God. After all we change our moods more often than we change our socks. God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. There is ample reason to praise him - for who he is, for his grace and mercy, for his omniscient guidance, forbearance, and love (it's a really, really long list).

God made us and knows we are inclined to failure, inclined to sin. He doesn't expect us to feel happy all the time. But there is always reason to praise him.

Only Disney employees are happy all the time. As Christians, we are under no obligation to feel (or pretend to feel) happy all the time. Our greatest joy, even when things suck, should come from knowing the God we serve. Knowing his love is ever present, his grace is unbounded, his desire for our sanctification is unyielding, and in him there is no shadow of turning.

Praise God.

- submitted by Norm and Melissa Wilson

Day 32 - Psalm 93

The Lord Always Reigns

Verse one indicates to me that God rules with an authority that  nothing can take away from Him and that God hung the Earth in the heavens and no one but God could ever alter that.

Verse two tells us that God was God before Creation; that He will still be God no matter how many eons have passed.

Verses three and four remind me of the powerful thundering of Niagara Falls. When I am near there, I can feel and hear the thundering maelstrom that makes the earth around it tremble long before it comes into view. This trembling and mighty roar are created by tons of water falling over the precipice every second. Niagara is capable of either smashing or wearing away anything that comes in its path. This passage indicates that this show of power is literally nothing compared to the power of God.

Verse five states that God's laws never change. Anyone who has entered into a serious study of Physics knows that God's physical laws are immutable, that they never change and that they cannot be overruled by the will of anyone other than God Himself. When God's laws seem to be violated, we call it a "miracle." Everyone knows that only God is in charge of miracles.

Yes, God's power and righteousness and absolute purity have always been here and always will be; and nothing else will ever be as powerful as He is.

Praise God!

- submitted by Bob Diamond

Day 31 - Psalm 90

When it comes right down to it, we are all afraid of it: Death.

Part of serving an all-powerful God is knowing that he can give and take life away at any time, without our consent or understanding. We don't like to face the fact that today could be our very last day on this Earth.

Because of some of the unique career choices I have made, I have seen death on many occasions. While some have been peaceful, most have not. While some were older, most weren't. Recently as an EMT I responded to a house where a woman was giving birth. The main problem with this is that the baby was four months premature. When delivered, the baby had no pulse, was not breathing and was unresponsive. For all practical purposes, dead. While some may have simply accepted this, we did not! Through good training, fast response, and the help of the lord, we brought the baby back to life.

After this happened, one of my partners commented, "There's dead, and then there's dead." She was right. Just because hope may be lost, the end looks inevitable, and there seems like no chance, we have a God who makes the one in a million shot.

And it's not just about our physical bodies. Because in reality, we are not a body that has a soul, but rather a soul that has a body. God cares for both. For many people, right now their soul is dead or dying because it does not have the love, forgiveness, and life that comes through knowing Jesus Christ. While we would never think to simply ignore someone we saw physically dying, every day we walk right by those who are dying spiritually and do nothing. By doing so, we discount the power of a God who gives and takes life as he pleases. Who has done so from the beginning of time. My partners and I did not help that baby because it was our job (although it was), nor because it was easy. We stepped in and helped because it was right. The same must be said for the lost and dying soul. It is not enough for us to stand by and wait. Nor can we simply say, "They would never be interested in Jesus." It is not our call to make a judgment about who God can save, but instead to simply offer ourselves as rescuers wherever we are needed.

Psalm 90 closes with asking God to "bless the works of our hands". To me this is fitting because the only way we can impact the spiritual is through the physical. If God will bless our physical efforts to save the lost, there is nothing spiritually that can stop us.

- submitted by Nolan Davis

Day 30 - Psalm 87

The Tale of Two Churches

Zion was the name of the hill upon which Solomon built the temple.  The Jews thought that God lived on this hill in his temple.  This Zion was made up of lavish buildings and is portrayed in verses 1-3.  However, the Psalmist moves on to talk about a different Zion, one that seems diverse and accepting of many different peoples, not just the Jews.  It seems to move toward a prophetic stance that the church will be a place for all peoples of all nations and cultures.  There is a foreshadowing of Jesus and his New Testament church.

I wonder, do we still live with the idea of two churches?  I think we do; there’s a church for the people who look the part. You know the church. Everyone puts on their "church clothes", looks good and answers questions with the word "fine" a lot. This church is mostly made up of people who are like minded, look alike, speak the same political language, etc. 

Then there is the other church: the one that points to a collection of people who maybe snuck inside the windows or even found the back door. You know these people too. They are the ones who are openly broken and seeking God from that place of brokenness; the ones who maybe voted the "wrong" way in the last election. They don’t look as well "dressed", they may enjoy worshiping in a way that our restoration heritage doesn’t condone; maybe they arrive with a guitar and start playing with great joy as the church starts singing. Maybe they dare to lift their hands in praise. Oh my gosh, one of them walked down to the front and is on his knees praying! Can we welcome this worship style or do we have to tolerate it as a disruption? Is there any way to live and worship together with all our differences?

I think there is. We must return to the mission of the first century church, to go into the entire world to make disciples. I’m not sure that the "how" of doing those things is nearly as important as we make them out to be. Our mission, given to us on the day of Pentecost is to "GO" and "SEEK" the lost. The mission is primary, the means secondary. That is why he made us all so different; so we could reach peoples of all different nations and cultures.

In June, on the final night of VBS, I stood in the back of the church building and watched as several hundred children and adults sang and praised God so loudly that I think anyone driving down Providence Road could hear. Why is it that our children can worship with such uncontained abandon yet we (adults) must be orderly? I think if our mission to seek and save the lost were paramount, we would not be so concerned about the  details of how our mission is moved forward. 

I also have to wonder about worship in the New Jerusalem.  What will it look like?  I doubt that we can even come close to imagining it.  I doubt it looks like what we’re accustomed to on Sunday mornings, and we will probably be surprised by the inhabitants.

- submitted by Sandy Welfare

Day 29 - Psalm 84

Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere.

Do you believe that? Hmmm, do I believe that?

Do I believe that it would be better to spend one day in the presence of God than a thousand days anywhere else, doing anything else? This psalm is all about living in the presence of God. The psalmist says that even a sparrow and a swallow will try to build their nests close to the altar of the Lord.

We get so tied up in our lives here. We make careful decisions about where we will live, and work, and play. We put down roots as if our life depended on it. And yet the reality is that our lives depend on God...or should.

For the Lord God is a sun and shield;
the Lord bestows favor and honor;
no good thing does he withhold
from those whose walk is blameless.

O Father, let my walk be blameless. Let me live in such a way that you will be my shield and will bestow favor and honor. Let me sing your praises today and every day. And let me long to be in your presence.

- submitted by Holly Barrett

Day 28 - Psalm 81

Listen.

Just listen...how long did the silence last?

I am willing to bet that it was less than a minute, and for those with kids, less than 10 seconds. For me, I am truly blessed (although it took me years to see things that way). I have pretty severe hearing loss so I get to hear a silence you can only dream of any time I want. Being hard of hearing, I have to spend a lot of focused time on listening. I have to. If I don't then I am bound to be lost, call you the wrong name, or do something really inappropriate like apologize for the death of your goldfish when you really asked me to give to Make a Wish.

Israel, like most people today, had a big problem: they never stopped to listen. Truthfully neither did I until I started losing my hearing. Then I realized how important listening was. Time and again Israel was told by God to listen to Him and his commands. Time and again, Israel would listen briefly and then get distracted by something shiny (like a golden calf).

Pretty much it was spiritual ADD. Now while ADD is an established mental disorder and a real disability for millions of people, I'm making reference to how many of us follow Israel's lead and divide our time between 20 different things and never find the time to just stop and listen. To our spouse. To our kids. To our God.

This weekend take some time to heed the warning of Psalm 81, and stop to listen. You just might find that the silence you hear helps to silence your worries.

- submitted by Nolan Davis

Day 27 - Psalm 78

History of Israel
(sung to the the tune of...)

A Maskil is a psalm with something special to teach. Asaph was a Levite, a musical teacher and leader.

As one of the musically inclined, I wonder what I would have said had he handed me the score for Psalm 78 - all 72 verses. How much does this thing weigh? Are the notes going to be on the screen? Do we have to memorize this by Temple? Can we use music stands?

Was it broken down into movements, like Handel's Messiah? Did it start out with trumpets to get their attention?

"My people, hear my instruction, listen to what I say."

Or did it start out with a soft flute to make you curious and want to listen?

As it tells the story in verses 9-11, did it move around from part to part? Did it start with everyone singing, "The Ephraimite archers turned back on the day of battle"?

(Sopranos - staccato) "They did not keep God's covenant,"

(Basses only - low and hard) "and refused to live by his law."

How does one sing the history of a people? The pervading theme of this people was rebellion against God, and God's faithfulness toward them. In verse 22, they are in disbelief and unreliance, and by verse 25, God has sent them an abundant supply of food. Musically, can you feel the ebb and flow from thundering drums of rebellion and God's fury, to strings and winds playing his compassion and forgiveness?

God was their rock, but their hearts were insincere toward Him.

            He brought them to His holy land, then they treacherously turned away.

And then comes the "Hallelujah Chorus,"sort of, in verse 65,

"Then the Lord awoke as if from sleep...He beat back his foes...He chose instead the tribe of Judah, Mount Zion, which he loved...He chose David his servant...He brought him...to be shepherd over His people Jacob - over Israel...and guided them with his skillful hands."

Asaph starts out by reminding the Israelites that this is important stuff. Their history mattered. It mattered that they knew from whence they had come. It mattered that the next generation knew why they were who they were, and how they had become that way. He did not keep secret their shortcomings and failings.

"We must not hide them from their children, but must tell a future generation."

As I write my song, my Maskil - what doe sit sound like? Is there more rebellion than reliance? Is there more dissonance than resolution? Or am I sharing the lessons I've learned with the next generation, and singing "the praises of the Lord, His might, and the wonderful works He has performed"?

- submitted by Andrea Eller

Day 26 - Psalm 75

It's not about you.

Are you having trouble with that opener? Don't. It's true. This life is not about what we accomplish, not about our kids, our clothes, or our car; nor about the moments which cause us to lift up our "horns"...to raise our power or autonomy above their place.

Did I lose you with that one? Yeah, me too...and I wrote it.

Do you think you could come up with a better purpose for your life than serving the Creator? And yes, I'm speaking of the One who created everything that was created...the only Master and Commander worth serving. Man, I so want to serve in His Corps. Could there be a greater purpose or goal for your life than to know, love, and serve the One who calls you child? Even when we as adults behave like children...oy! (God gave me that last line, 'cause it was all about me and for me.)

So what? What's the point of living a life that's not about me? I'll let David 'splain that one to you, Ricky. David says in Psalm 75 that no matter what happens, no matter what we silly, frail, and faulty humans do, no matter what comes or what goes, the "the earth and all it's inhabitants shake", He is the one who holds steady the pillars.

Please, please don't miss that. He holds steady the pillars of the earth. Your car, your cash, and your clothes can't do that. Is this making sense yet? Starting to sink in? He holds steady the pillars of the earth. When you experience loss, He's holding on.

When you struggle, He's holding on.

No matter what, He's holding on.

I like to say "the only constant in life is change". That's a narrow view, but it speaks to our need for stability, for someone or something to help us through those unstable times. There is only one fixed point, and that One is eternal, unchanging, and whose love is without limit. And if we fix our eyes on Him, the ups and downs of this life still happen, but no longer carry as much weight.

This life is so much greater when we make it NOT about us...when we make it about those in need, when we make it about those experiencing struggles we've been through, when we make it about God. Practically speaking, the more I focus on God, the less I focus on me. And the more I strive to look like Him, the less people see of me (and in my case, I'm in favor of both).

Praise the Lord for He is good. He IS good...here, today. He IS...exactly like He was for Adam, Moses, and David. Praise the Lord for He is good.

- submitted by Norm & Melissa Wilson

Day 25 - Psalm 72

The Story of Psalm 72

This psalm is about the best king that there can ever be! Maybe David wrote it for, or, about his son Solomon.  There are some scholars who think Solomon may be the author.

Christians have always believed that there is only one king it can really be about: Jesus! 

Psalm 72: 1 – 7

There are three important words in this part of Psalm 72:

1. Righteousness in verses 1, 2 and 3 indicates total and absolute goodness. In verse 1 we see that it is God’s righteousness that the king has. In verse 7 the good people He rules will have it, and also be righteous.
2. Justice in verses 1 and 2 carries the idea of total fairness. 
3. Peace in verses 3 and 7 means more than just no fighting.  It also carries with it the idea there will be plenty of health and more than adequate provision no matter where they live. 

In verse 1 the King and the King’s son are the same person. 

In verse 4 the Good King will defend the poor people. The cruel people who hurt them will always be afraid of the Good King. He will be as showers of rain that bring life to the dead earth! He will do this forever. Remember that there really is no "end of time." 

Psalm 72: 8 – 14

There are also three important words in this part of Psalm 72:

1. The people in need in verses 12 and 13 have nothing.
2. The poor people in verses 2, 4 and 12 are ones who have a little but are oppressed by those with plenty.   
3. Save in verses 12, 13 and 14 has different meanings. In Hebrew the word is translated as Yoshea, sometimes Joshua; and was apparently transliterated to become Jesus in the Greek rendering of the text. 

In verse 8 the river is the Euphrates. The verse would tell the reader that the king will be so great that he will rule the entire world.

In verse 9 kneel means fall to your knees. Eat the dirt means that you will have your face plastered to the ground. Back then you knew that if you looked up that you would be killed. This commonly happened to the enemies of a king who were caught and returned to face him.

In verse 10 one of the places is Sheba in Hebrew, whose Queen brought Solomon many gifts.

Psalm 72: 15 – 20

The Good King

Bless is a special Hebrew word that comes in verses 15, 17, 18 and 19. There is no English word that means the same as "Baruch". It can mean that the person being blessed will not only have good things happen to them, but that they will also have many children, many animals, abundant crops, plenty of money, a mansion to live in and more land than they could possibly need in a lifetime.

Blessing God is an indication of praise, of how good, great and glorious he is. The glory here is like the glory that comes from our intensely burning Sun; the Sun you can't look at directly, the source of our warmth that supports all life on this planet.

Verse 20 indicates that we have come to the end of this part of the Book of Psalms.

- submitted by Bob Diamond

Day 24 - Psalm 69

Today personally (well as you read this, yesterday) was a bad day for me. I'm down. I'm depressed, and right now I don't really see what is going to happen tomorrow that is going to make it any better.

As a musician, I tend to gravitate to the guitar to help me through these times. For years I have played a song that is based on Psalm 69. I wasn't clever enough to write it, but I do really like it. The band, Lifehouse, has been a personal favorite of me and my wife for years. The song is appropriately called Storm and was only played live by the group for the first decade of its existence.

It is personal. Painful. Private.

It is this song I have gravitated to time and again on bad days to call out to God as David did: in song.

So as the tears fall and the chords play, these are the words on my heart. Thank you, David, for this amazing psalm, and thanks to Lifehouse for this amazing song.

STORM - Lifehouse

how long have I
been in this storm
so overwhelmed by the ocean's shapeless form
water's getting harder to tread
with these waves crashing over my head

if I could just see you
everything will be alright
if I'd see you
the darkness will turn to light

and I can walk on water
and you will catch me if I fall
and I will get lost into your eyes
and everything will be alright

I know you didn't
bring me out here to drown
so why am I 10 feet under and upside down
barely surviving has become my purpose
cause I'm so used to living underneath the surface

if I could just see you
everything will be alright
if I see you
the storminess will turn to light

and I will walk on water
and you will catch me if I fall
and I will get lost into your eyes
and everything will be alright

- submitted by Nolan Davis

Day 23 - Psalm 66

Psalm 66 is written as a call to praise and worship. It started me thinking about how we define worship. I think it's easy to think that worship is church services, singing, reading scripture, tithing, and taking communion. But it's so much more.

We were created to worship the creator but with the sins of Adam and Eve in Genesis 3, there is a shift in worship. In this crazy world where nothing works as it was originally intended, we worship created things. We worship money, cars. movie stars, athletes, alcohol, drugs, food, and the list could go on ad infinitum. What we worship defines where we put our focus.

"Therefore, I urge you, brothers in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship" (Romans 12:1). My life is worship; not Sunday morning worship services. As a body, we've become "Sunday centric." We focus on Sunday as our worship time and forget that everything we do is worship. Our messy-looking attempt at worship, when coming from the depths of our hearts, is worship that I believe God accepts.

I've been reading a book this week called Messy Spirituality. It asks a simple question: when our attempts at being spiritual don't look very spiritual, are they spiritual? I think if we worship from the depts of our hearts with all we have available to us, even if it looks messy, it is acceptable to God. Think of the widow who gave her last two coins, worth almost nothing, but it was all she had. "What landed Jesus on the cross was the preposterous idea that common, ordinary, broken, screwed up people could be godly. What drove Jesus' enemies craxy were his criticisms of the 'perfect' religious people and his acceptance of imperfect nonreligious people. The shocking implication of Jesus' ministry is that anyone can be spiritual" (Yaconelli 2001)*.

It may seem like I've gotten off subject, but I think for a messy person like me, when I read a Psalm like Psalm 66, I am quick to jump to the conclusion that I can never be as spiritual as this Psalmist. Satan wants me to believe that. It's one of his favorite lies; the one where we're not good enough. I've listened to him for much too long.

I will worship with all my heart, body, mind, and soul...whether it looks perfect or not.

*Yaconelli, Michael. Messy Spirituality. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 2002.

- submitted by Sandy Welfare

Day 22 - Psalm 62

Wait.

Wait a little longer.

Now wait some more.

Do you ever feel like all you do is wait? We wait in line, wait at the doctor's office, wait on our children or spouses, wait for whatever it is that we want to happen next. It's probably no big surprise to anyone that I'm not a good wait-er...most of us Type-A's aren't. It's not that I think I'm too important to wait or that I think everything should be done just to accommodate me. Rather, it's that I have a hard time with time that doesn't seem to have a purpose. And wait time feels that way to me - there's no purpose in it.

In our last Summer Siesta Bible Study this past week, we talked about waiting. We studied Ruth this summer and learned about how God worked in her life, even as she appeared to just be waiting. And then I opened my Bible to read my assigned Psalm today so I could write this blog post, and what do I find? Another admonition to wait. The writer of the study notes in my Bible says that this Psalm is about "placing all hope in God" and reminds us that "knowing that God is in control allows us to wait patiently for him to rescue us."

Do you suppose God is trying to tell me something?

David reminds us that while we wait, we may face people and things that are a trial to us. We may feel forgotten or beaten up. The key to handling all of that is to rest in God alone (verse 5), to trust him at all times and pour out our hearts to him (verse 8). When we are willing to do that, we will receive the rewards he has planned for us (verse 12).

David also often refers to God as his rock and his fortress and he does so in this Psalm as well. There is something comforting in the visual image of God as a rock - a strong tower - a fortress - as big and strong or really, bigger and stronger, than the above picture I took at Red Rocks Amphitheater in CO.

So I guess I'll just wait...remembering that God is my rock...relying on the promise that he is working in my waiting...trusting in the strength of my Father to take care of whatever is on my heart and mind...believing in his love and goodness...knowing that each passing day brings me one step closer to that which I am waiting for...

You might remind me of that if you ever find me impatiently tapping my foot while waiting!

- submitted by Holly Barrett

Day 21 - Psalm 60

Prayer in Difficult Times

As I read this Psalm over ad over again, several things struck me...and let me just say the first one and get it over with: the flying sandal in verse 8, did that make anyone besides me say, "OH!!! I get it!"? Remember the reporter and the President and the flying sandal? I guess we know what God thought of Edom!

At first I thought this Psalm would be about David going through some hardship and leaning on God for his strength, in a very "man-after-God's-own-heart" kind of way. But as I read it, that's not what I got. God had rejected them and had been angry! God doesn't reject and become angry with those who are faithful and leaning on him in their distress.

How many times are my difficulties the result of my own lack of faithfulness? How many times does God have to "shake my land" and allow me to suffer hardship to get my attention?

Verse 4 had a couple of different "takes". One version read that God had given a "signal flag" so that those who feared him could "flee before the archers". Another read so that they could "rally because of the truth". That reminded me of the song, "His Banner Over Us is Love". In times of difficulty I have caused myself, do I look up in the midst of my near defeat, crawling and bleeding, and see the banner and rally because I remember what's true? Do I crawl back to God when I see his conquering banner? Does it guide me back to the truth--the banner under which God's people are gathered? Am I watching for it? Am I fighting on the right side?

And in verse 5, the bruised and bleeding cry out, "Save with your right hand and answer me...so that those you love may be rescued!" Did the writer think God needed reminding who he loved, or was it a statement of desperation? I get it though! God, I need help here. I'm desperate. I've really messed things up...and, um, you love me!!! (Hey, I've even played that card a time or two with Scott!)

Then, the very major shift occurs. God speaks. And there is no question as to which party is in control. Before, the words were "hardship, suffer, shaken, fire". Now the words are "triumph, divide, apportion, shout" and the best one, "is Mine".

And perspective is regained. The nearly dead soldier, the prodigal, remembers wherein lies the true strength: "Is it not you, God?...Give us aid..." Then my favorite part (aside from the flying sandal), "...for human help is worthless."

And all my efforts, my attempts to manipulate the situation to go my way, my reliance upon myself, to my own obvious and utter detriment, lay in the dust. And I, broken, defeated, bleeding, crawl back up under the banner of truth, and allow God to "perform valiantly" and "trample my foes".

- submitted by Andrea Eller

Day 20 - Psalm 57

If we only knew.

I'm humbled when I consider David's grasp on his relationship with the Creator. And I have to ask my self, "Why don't I feel like that? Do I really believe what I believe is really real...really?"

Ok, where was I? Seriously though, I wonder what we'd do if we knew, like David, that in God there is no shadow of turning. There is absolute power tempered by a love that we cannot possible fathom.

What would you do? What would you do if you knew you couldn't fail? In my imagination, I'd fly. In reality, I'd like to say I'd downsize, cut back, practice the austerity that Jesus did. I'd say hello to everyone...greet them with a smile because I'd have no fear of not fitting in or being mocked. I'd lend a hand even if it put me in physical danger because I knew that a life spent in service to God is the most noble pursuit.

So I'm feelin' pretty small right about  now. I'm convicted by David's faith. He is rightly lavishing praise on the one true God, the only one worthy of praise, though my words feel so inadequate. But I take heart and am encouraged because regardless of how I feel, how I perceive my worth, or worry about whether I'll be accepted or not, God has assured me He has value for me, for my life and for my service. And that's what it all boils down to.

Let us be of good courage. We serve a God who is omniscient and omnipresent, who exists outside the boundaries of time, and who probably chuckles at our behavior...like a knowing Father. Pray to him today, pray to him often, even if you have nothing to ask for. Pray to him because he is worthy and wants us to experience that relationship.

We can't get to know him if we don't try.

- submitted by Norm & Melissa Wilson

Day 19 - Psalm 54

Psalm 54 appears to be another entry of a praise and worship song written by King David and included in the book of Psalms.

In the first 3 verses David again stresses that he knows that God will hear his prayer and that God will vindicate him. David has many enemies. He was even denied the task of building God’s temple in Jerusalem because he had so much blood on his hands. That task was relegated to his son Solomon. David did spend many of the last years of his life gathering materials to be put into God’s house by his son Solomon.

The third verse is followed by the term “Selah.” There have been several interpretations of the meaning of this word that has been inserted in many of the psalms. Rather than sound pedagogical by telling you of all of the possibilities, I’ll just tell you that I like the one that says that Selah indicates that the reader should pause and “Think on this.”

It would be interesting to hear the music that David actually played on his harp.
Again David ends this psalm with a promise to offer a considerable sacrifice to God out of appreciation for Him delivering David from his enemies.

- submitted by Bob Diamond

Day 18 - Psalm 51

Shame. In my mind I have never felt an emotion that has run deeper, spread farther, or shaped my world in a more significant way.

A lot of you know exactly what I'm talking about. Shame for doing good but being proud. Shame for doing bad but not being caught. Shame for doing bad and being caught but not coming forward first. Shame ruled my world.

I would like to say that all of that is in the past, but the honest truth is that it is not all in the past. There are days when I still feel a wave of shame wash over my heart, be it justified or not, and I realize in some ways I am still "in repair". For years I have prayed that God will remove these feelings from me. That he will wipe my mind and my heart clean of the guilt I feel from falling short of his grace. It is for these reasons that Psalm 51 is my favorite psalm. This is where I can relate.

The basic background for David's writing here is that he has come to realize that he has sinned sexually with Bathsheba, has killed Uriah to try to cover it up, and has been outed publicly by Nathan for all of it. The psalm speaks from the heart of a broken man. It speaks to a God who seems to be a friend who can make everything ok, but who know that now is not the time. The pain and anguish are clear. The guilt and sorrow are piled on line after line.

And then there is the shame. This has to be one of the most heartfelt and gut-wrenching pleas that has ever been recorded by the hand of man.

I first truly examined this Psalm when I was going through the long process of healing. I lived for more than a decade feeling that I was inherently unworthy and dirty because I was sexually abused as a child. Long before I had my current mindset of being a sexual abuse survivor, I firmly held to the belief that I was just like David describes himself in verse five, "Surely I was sinful from birth." As far back as I could remember, I felt dirty in the eyes of God. While I never believed that babies were born into sin (a theological discussion for another time), the worthlessness I felt stretched back for years and years. My identity had formed around an experience that made me feel like an object. I was nothing but something to be abused, but in the strange nature of sexual abuse there was a part of me that did get some pleasure from the experience. Today I understand that such is simply  how God made my body to respond but for years I believed that the act that was forced on me made me as guilty as anyone who had ever chosen to go against God.

Feeling already lost, I began to care little for how far my actions separated me from the God who never left me. Years passed before I read this Psalm and was struck with how much I felt connected to the desire in David's heart to be close to God and be clean. While physically I was perfectly healed, emotionally I was still raw and broken. Despite my well-crafted and hidden scars, some saw deep into my heart and introduced me to a God that heals like no one else can. David would go on from this Psalm to be a great man, a great leader, and to be called "a man after God's own heart". I too have found myself in the embrace of a God who heals.

While I am sure that some of you have little idea what I am talking about and why I felt connected to this particular set of verses, I am sure others will know exactly how I feel. It took courage for David to humble himself before God and beg for forgiveness. It took courage for me to seek help in recovering from my past. At Providence Road, we are blessed with great programs like Celebrate Recovery where people can gather and seek support together. Blessed with people like Sandy Welfare who can offer private counseling at no cost. Blessed with a group of Shepherds who truly care about the floc. So for those of you who know what it's like to hurt, but can't imagine what it means to heal, I beg you to seek out any of the above. They are all willing to help and to serve as tools for a God that truly can and does heal.

On the inside of my left wrist I have three words tattooed: "Never Let Go". To me they mean so many different things. They remind me to hold on to the moments of goodness I have. They remind me to hold on to the things that matter, and forget about those that don't. They remind me to never give up even when the road is hard. They remind me of my dad who "fought the good fight" every day of his life.

But  mainly they remind me of my God. A God that is not some bearded old man beyond the clouds, but a friend who is at my side. I don't know how he works or why he answers some prayers the way he does. All I know is that I am a survivor of abuse because I have a God who never lets go.

And I promise He won't let go of you either.

- submitted by Nolan Davis

Day 17 - Psalm 48

I’m embarrassed to say that by the time I got to writing about Psalm 48, I was kind of bored with the idea of writing about more Psalms.  We had been focusing on the Psalms of refuge and I was ready for something different.  God provides.

At first glance, I wasn’t quite sure what was happening in this Psalm; it seemed there were praises and accolades for a city and a building.  Then something hit me; it is something that I often forget.  This sounds so alien to me because God’s temple now lives within me.  When the Psalmist was writing this Psalm, he had been on a long Journey; probably the trip of a lifetime.  He was one of the blessed ones who actually got to see God’s dwelling place among his people.  This was a huge journey, so when he saw the city finally coming into view, he was struck by how awesome it was.  These people had never seen the temple and they were astounded to be in the dwelling place of God.  I wonder how long they had been walking just to be able to worship in his presence once in their entire lifetime?

How often do I take for granted that my God lives within me!  I don’t have to journey to him.  He meets me in my very soul every morning, and I have trouble finding time to sit with him and talk.  God forgive me.  

- submitted by Sandy Welfare

Day 16 - Psalm 45

The Royal Wedding Song

"You are the most handsome of men; grace flows from your lips. Therefore God has blessed you forever."

"Mighty warrior...Majesty and splendor...In the cause of truth, humility, and justice..."

WOW!! What woman doesn't want that?  And whoever he is, he's getting the PRIZE of his LIFE!!
 
"The king will desire your beauty...He is your Lord...the wealthy people will seek your favor with gifts...in colorful garments she is led to the king..."

The beautiful bride that will meet all his needs, love him no matter what, and give him the most successful sons! 

So is it really a wedding? Or is it God? Is it Israel? Or maybe it's Jesus? As I looked into it, sources says it's all of the above! And isn't that so like God--to show us his perfect constant love in a way that is living and breathing, in a way that speaks directly through the desires he gave us?

The love between a bride and a groom is precious. We cry at weddings because the covenant we are witnessing is precious. It is holy. It is from God.

God modeled pure love in the way he loved Israel and in the Old Testament, gave them chance after chance. Always forgiving. Always wanting them to want him. Always willing to do what was best for them.

Christ’s bride is his Church. He showed us his love in giving his life for her. He went to Heaven to prepare a place for her. He promised to come back and take her there.

But the “her” is really “us!”

God is our truest love! He anointed us with the oil of joy! Don’t you just read this Psalm and inhale in wonder and awe? Doesn’t it excite you that the God of the Universe loves you (and me) in a way that is undying and unchanging? Doesn’t it make you feel fresh and alive and…JOYFUL?

He is worthy of praise! His name will be remembered for all generations.

We rejoice in his presence! Let all the people praise him forever!

- submitted by Andrea Eller

Day 15 - Psalm 42

Both versions of the song based on this Psalm are favorites of mine, but I particularly like the Dennis Jernigan version with the women's echo. We sang that version at Carolina Bible Camp when I was visiting last week. Sitting in the dark, singing this song with 200+ people, most of whom are teenagers, is breathtaking.
The writer of Psalm 42 compares the longing for God to being thirsty and panting for water. Have you ever been so thirsty that you were panting for water? I've been awfully thirsty before but not to the point of panting. Although I am not wealthy (at least by America's standards), I am certainly more comfortable than many of the world's inhabitants. I expect most of us have never really gone hungry or thirsty, despite our occasional hyperbole, as in "I'm so hungry I could eat a horse!"

The question I'm pondering today though is have I ever been that hungry for God? The Psalm writer says, "Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls" (verse 7) and so we must allow the deepest part of ourselves...the part we fear will overtake us...the part we fear letting anyone else know about...the part that gnaws at our hearts as hunger gnaws at our stomachs...we must allow that part of ourselves to call out to the Depths that we cannot fathom. There is no place else to go.

Recently Brett Loftis posted the following as his Facebook status: "I wished I desired prayer as much as I desire food...anybody with me?" God, give me the courage to pray every day for the hunger and thirst for Your Presence that will not let me go until I seek You.

- submitted by Holly Barrett