Meditations

Psalm 27:1-29:11

Two-Faced People

“Do not take me away with the wicked, and with workers of iniquity,
Who speak peace to their neighbors, but evil is in their hearts.”
Psalm 28:3

Go Deep: There is a whole category of people whose behavior, by and large, we excuse. However, God doesn’t.  He doesn’t find them acceptable; they and the unseen attitude of their hearts he finds deplorable.  They are the kind of people who will say one thing to your face, but quite another thing behind your back.  Even worse in God’s eye than what they say about you behind your back is what they think about you in their heart.  The psalmist says they speak peace when they are in front of you, but even before the conversation ends, their mind is already flooded with ill will toward you.

We might say they are two-faced.  The Bible calls them hypocrites.  And though we pretty much excuse their behavior and accept their ways in our culture, there is One who doesn’t! God’s righteous gaze cuts right through the syrupy surface of their lives with utter moral clarity and labels the wickedness of their hypocritical hearts, calling them what they truly are:  Workers of iniquity.

Now I realize that at this point in your reading you might be thinking this is anything but an encouraging little devotional thought for the day.  You are right: This is not a happy little uplifter, this is a deadly serious exhortation.  And the exhortation I have for you is twofold:

One, it is most likely that you will rub shoulders today with the kind of people David describes in this psalm.  Be careful of them.  Discern their hypocritical hearts and don’t be tainted by their iniquitous ways.  If you allow them into your inner circle, they will ensnare you.  So be careful.

And two, don’t be one of them.  It is so easy to fall into this kind of two-faced living.  The word “hypocrite” comes from ancient Greece, where it referred to stage actors who wore a mask, representing a character that they were not in real life.  (Interestingly, the word for “politician” comes from the same Greek word—so you can do the math on that one!) Now you might think that acting is a difficult art form to master, you’re wrong.  Sorry to be so blunt, but it is about the easiest thing in life to be—one who acts one way in a certain situation but an entirely different way in another.  And easier still is to perform one way publically but to have thoughts running in the unseen world of your mind that betrays your public front.

So ask God today, and every day for that matter, to keep you from hypocrisy.  Don’t fall into the trap of saying one thing but thinking another in your heart.  Ask God for integrity of word and thought.  Integrity means “whole”; the congruence of thought and speech, heart and behavior, beliefs and actions.

That’s what David prayed:  Keep me from them, and keep me from being one of them.  Hope you will pray that too!

Just Saying… Joseph Hall said, “Next to hypocrisy in religion, there is nothing worse than hypocrisy in friendship.”

Psalm 24:1-26:12

When Criticism Leaves A Mark

Vindicate me, O LORD, for I have led a blameless life;
I have trusted in the LORD without wavering.
Test me, O LORD, and try me, examine my heart and my mind;
for your love is ever before me,
and I walk continually in your truth.
Psalm 26:1-3

Go Deep: Have you ever been savagely and unfairly criticized?  Sure you have!  It really hurts, doesn’t it? Nothing leaves a mark quite like taking a punch from the critic.

No one is immune to the critic’s blows, by the way. To be human means to be born in criticism season with a big ol’ bull’s eye on your back.  And the greater your visibility in life, the higher in leadership you climb, the more you accomplish or even attempt to accomplish, the uglier and more devastating criticism becomes.  Even worse, criticism is usually unjustified, indefensible, and often it is anonymous.  Being the target of a critic just comes with the territory.

Apparently King David was facing some tough criticism, and understandably, it was bothering him a great deal.  But there wasn’t a whole lot he could do about it, except take it to God—which, you know, is always the best thing to do with criticism.  David went before the Lord and there lifted his innocence and integrity before the only Critic who really counts.

You will notice in this psalm that David doesn’t claim perfection as he pours out his heart before God.  He was far from perfect, so inviting Divine scrutiny (“test me…try me…examine me…” Psalm 26:2) would have been the worst thing David could have done at that moment if he thought his perfection would impress God. No, it was not a perfect life, it was a blameless life and an innocent heart that he placed before the Lord.

Blameless…innocent…David? Are we talking about the same guy?  Yes, this deeply flawed man could point to the integrity of his ways (his whole-heartedness before God), and that was what allowed him to request God’s vindication before his human critics.

Here’s the deal: To be anything and do anything in life is to invite criticism. It is just one of the harsh and unpleasant realities of life, so expect folks to criticize you.  But like David, so live your life in innocence and integrity that even though you are far from perfect, nobody will give your critic much credence—especially God.

And the next time the critic is getting the best of you, just remember that you answer to the One who knows your heart.  If you can lift a life of innocence and integrity before him, then feel free to call out to him for his vindication.

Divine vindication is always the sweetest revenge you can dish out to your critic!

Just Saying… C.S. Lewis said, “God knows our situation; He will not judge us as if we had no difficulties to overcome. What matters is the sincerity and perseverance of our will to overcome them.”

Psalm 21:1-23:6

So You’re Having A Really Rotten Day

“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
Psalm 22:1

Go Deep: David had some really rotten days during his journey on earth—hiding from Saul in a cave, fleeing from his own son’s murderous plot, betrayed by people he had trusted—yet I have a feeling that the depth of despair you read in this psalm was a bit exaggerated.

We do that, too, sometimes. When we’re going through a painful experience, we often use hyperbolic language to describe our emotions: “I just want to die…I’ll never get over this…this pain is too great to bear…I am all alone.” It is a universally accepted practice to communicate the depth of our feelings by this sort of exaggeration.

But think about this: David was not just speaking on a personal level about having a really rotten day, he was also speaking prophetically of a time when Jesus, the Son of David would have a really rotten day hanging on a cross bearing the punishment for our sins.

Jesus, who knew no sin, became sin for us, bearing the wrath of God on that old rugged cross. We will never in a billion years be able to understand the pain—not just the physical pain—but the spiritual pain of the sinless One taking on sin, and having the Father turn his back on the Son because his holy eyes could not gaze upon the sin his Son had become in that moment. That’s why Jesus fulfilled David’s prophetic utterance in Matthew 27:46 when he, too, cried out,

“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

I am so grateful that my Lord endured that really bad day so I wouldn’t have to. So the next time you are having a really awful day, take a moment to rejoice that even though your day is not so great, you will never really know a really rotten eternity, thanks to Jesus.

Try doing that, and see if your really rotten day isn’t so bad after all.

Just Saying… Dietrich Bonhoeffer was a German pastor who was martyred by the Nazis right before the end of World War II.  Among the many wonderful truths that live on from Bonhoeffer’s writings, here is one that is certainly profound, particular in light of the really rotten stuff he endured:  “Much that worries us beforehand can, quite unexpectedly, have a happy and simple solution … Things really are in a better hand than ours.”

Psalm 18:1-20:9

In God We Trust!

Some trust in chariots and some in horses,
but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.
Psalm 20:7

Go Deep: You would think by now we’d know how foolish it is to trust in anyone but the Lord for our safety and security.  That is not to say that we shouldn’t lock our doors at night, put our money on deposit with the banks, expect our leaders to provide a strong national defense, think through long-term investment strategies that will help us in our retirement years, and so on.

There is nothing wrong with that!  In fact, the Bible calls us “prudent” when we think in those terms.  But our first and fundamental trust needs to be in the Lord.  He is our source.  He is our provider.  He is our future.  In fact, Deuteronomy 30:20 says that the Lord is our very life! And when our primary trust for that which will bring us peace, joy and comfort begins to drift back to human beings and man-made institutions, we are on the road to eventual disappointment.  Just ask anyone who has lost a boatload of money in the sinking economy lately.

Here’s the deal:  Be wise, work hard, and do the things that will provide for both short and long term safety and security.  But make the primary and ongoing source of your wellbeing God. Rather than trusting in chariots and horses, look at the coin in your pocket and do what it says:  In God We Trust.

How can you do that?  I think prayer is one of the best ways.  Each and every single day, come before God and acknowledge your dependence on his provision.  Before every meal, return thanks for his goodness.  When you lay your head down on the pillow, review your day and ask yourself if you have honored God in everything you have thought, said and done.  At every decision, ask him for guidance.

Make God the critical part of your moment-by-moment life, keep him as the senior partner in every decision, and once in a while, look at all the broken down chariots that litter life’s highway as a reminder that trusting in the name of the Lord is better.

Just Saying… Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote, “All I have seen teaches me to trust the Creator for all I have not seen.”

Psalm 15:1-17:15

The Apple Of God’s Eye

Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings.
Psalm 17:8

Go Deep: Did you know that God has favorites?  The Bible tells us that he held the nation of Israel as the apple of his eye.  Really—you can read that in Deuteronomy 32:9-11 and Zechariah 2:7-9.

The good news is that God not only played favorites with Israel, he holds you as the apple of his eye, too. How so?  Through Christ’s blood!  You see, when you came to Christ, God took all the love he displayed for Israel, and for his Son, and he placed it on you.  Now you are the one he loves.

An inspiring writer by the name of Brennan Manning tells the story of an Irish priest who was on a walking tour of his rural parish one day.  And there by the roadside he found an old man, a peasant, kneeling in prayer. The priest was quite impressed, so he walked over and interrupted the man: “You must be very close to God.”

The peasant looked up from his prayers, thought for a moment, smiled and said, “Yes, he’s very fond of me.”

This simple man had a simple faith that revealed a profound self-awareness of his true identity—he knew he was loved by God, and that was all that mattered! Manning developed his own personal declaration from that touching story.  He would say of himself, “I am the one Jesus loves.”

It sounds a little arrogant, but he’s actually quoting Scripture.  Jesus’ closest friend, John, identified himself in his Gospel as, “the one Jesus loved.” If you were to ask John, “What is your primary identity in life?” he wouldn’t reply, ‘I’m one of Jesus’ disciples—actually one of the three in his inner circle!”  He wouldn’t say, “I’m one of the twelve apostles.” Nor would he identify himself as “the author of the Gospel that bears my name.  As a matter of fact, I wrote the original ‘Left Behind’ book—Revelation.”  Rather, John would simply say, “I am the one Jesus loves.”

I hope that you, too, will take to saying that.  More importantly, I pray that you will start believing it in your heart, because when you truly grasp how great the Father’s love for you really is, it will change your entire life!  Peter Kreeft insightfully wrote, “Sin comes from not realizing God’s love. Sin comes from thinking ourselves only as sinners, while overcoming sin comes from thinking ourselves as overcomers. We act our perceived identities.”

Friend, your identity is the “one Jesus loves”. Now start perceiving it. You are the apple of God’s eye—that is who you are. In fact, your Father is watching over you at this very moment with great delight.

Now go act like that’s true, because it is!

Just saying… Blaise Pascal, the brilliant 17^th century French mathematician and philosopher, wrote: “Not only do we only know God through Jesus Christ, but we only know ourselves through Jesus Christ; we only know life and death through Jesus Christ. Apart from Jesus Christ we cannot know the meaning of our life or our death, of God or of ourselves.”

Psalm 14

Practical Atheism

“The fool says in his heart,
There is no God.”
Psalm 14:1

Go Deep: David is not referring here to the atheist who flat out denies the existence of God—although we could easily argue the foolishness of such a position.  Nor is he speaking of someone who is intellectually challenged.  Rather, he is speaking of the person who is morally lacking.  That one may even be very bright, and believe in God, but for all intents and purposes, live as if God doesn’t exist.  That kind of person is, in effect, a practical atheist.

You might find it interesting to know that David referred to such a person more than once in the Psalms. He uses identical language in Psalm 53:1, and in Psalm 10:4 he actually gives us a pretty clear definition of how the fool lives: “In all his thoughts there is no room for God.”  As king of Israel, David was concerned with the steady stream of people who were bright enough to work themselves into positions of influence within his government, yet lived and acted without regard for the laws of God. He knew that powerful leaders who acknowledged God with their lips but dishonored him by their actions were bad news for Israel.

You know people like that; so do I. In fact, some of these “fools” might even be sitting next to you in church. They are very smart, extremely successful, and perhaps even quite magnetic in their personalities.  But they live with no thought for God.  They act without regard for his moral law, give no consideration to his right to rule their lives, and are oblivious to his eternal purposes.  They are, in effect, practical atheists.

I suppose, however, that the most important question to ask is not about these people, these fools, but rather, about you.  Although you believe in God and claim him as your Sovereign Lord, is he?  Is he the Lord of every area of your life?  That is, does he hold absolute rulership in your thinking, your planning, your interacting and every facet, every moment of your living?  Or at times, do you live as if he doesn’t exist—as a practical atheist?

You know, I have to confess that at times I’m that fool.  I think, plan and do without giving God the highest consideration.  I have a feeling you do to.  I don’t mean to live that way; neither do you.  It’s just that I neglect to give God his rightful place.  In that sense, you and I are no different from the type of person David calls the fool.  Therefore, we must accept the psalmist’s stinging words as a rebuke to the way we have lived.

So what say we get back to the practice of putting God first in every waking thought we have.  Or, as Paul taught in Romans 12:1,

“Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it.”

That’s what you might call practicing the presence of God.  And it is the best antidote to practical atheism.

Just saying… To paraphrase the great missionary, Hudson Taylor, “if we expect Jesus to take us to heaven, should we not expect him to rule over our lives on earth?” Obviously yes!

Read Psalm 13

Capture The Sparkle

“Turn and answer me, O Lord my God!
Restore the sparkle to my eyes, or I will die.”
Psalm 13:3

Go Deep: Do you ever wonder why there are some whose eyes just always seem to sparkle?  Is it because they have such a naturally sunny disposition?  Is it because things are continually going their way?  Is it because they are just so much better at life that they outshine the average person?  What is it about these people?

Well, it could be any or all of the above factors contribute to their winsome approach to the world. But I would venture to guess that these folks have also developed the ability to practice hopefulness in the midst of all the negative stuff that might send a less hopeful person into the tank.

Aaron Beck, a leading marriage researcher, found the number one belief that kills marriages is that a spouse will never change. Once that belief set in, there was a loss of motivation, surrendering of perseverance, and giving up. What Beck discovered about marriage is true of life as well: That beneath our failure to endure and thrive there is always the loss of hope.

The Bible tells us in Proverbs 13:12 that “hope deferred makes the heart sick.”  But when hope is practiced, whether in marriage specifically or life in general, there is tremendous motivation not only for growth and change, but for that winsome radiance to dominate our personality in a way that both elevates our moods and is consistently visible to those we are around.

That’s why we’ve got to make the choice daily to put our hope in the promises of God.  That’s what David did.  He practiced hope.  In the first two verses of this six-verse psalm, David was focusing on the overwhelmingly bad things in his life that were dragging him down. But in the last two verses, his focused has shifted to the overwhelming mercy and grace of God—and it changed everything.

What did David do to pull that off that turn around?  Well, to begin with, he went to God—he prayed.  He poured out his complaint (Psalm 13:1-2) and then made a bold request (Psalm 13:3).  Next, he went back into the memory banks of his past experience with God and recalled that God had never failed him—not even once (Psalm 13:5). Therefore, since God had been faithful in David’s past, it only made sense to trust him in the present.  And finally, David praised (Psalm 13:6).  David began to sing of the mercies and goodness of God. Praise is simply declaring that God’s track record of faithfulness in the past is the pre-evidence of his immutable character tomorrow.

David practiced hope—and before he knew it, the sparkle had returned to his eyes.

Hebrews 6:19 says of the practice of hope: “We have this hope as an anchor of the soul, firm and secure.”

And when we practice it—praying, reflecting, singing—we too, can expect the sparkle to return to our eyes. As Romans 5:5 says, this “hope does not disappoint us.”

Just Saying… William Gurnall wrote, “Hope fills the afflicted soul with such inward joy and consolation, that it can laugh while tears are in the eye, sigh and sing all in a breath.”  When you practice hope, you will not only survive life’s difficulties, you will thrive because of them!

One Year Bible: II Kings 20:1-21:16, Acts 21:17-36; Psalm 150:1-6; Proverbs 18:9-10

PTL!

Let everything that has breath praise the LORD.
Praise the LORD.
(Psalm 150:6)

Our God is worthy of praise! At all times, in each place, and through every means, the highest and best use of the breath of life is that it would offer praise to the great and glorious One, the Creator and Sustainer of all. Praise the Lord!

That is not only the message of this final psalm, but it is really the underlying call to all 150 of them. From the beginning to the end of this amazing songbook for the human race, the psalmists have taken us by the hand and walked us through the whole gamut of life’s circumstances. They have masterfully drawn us into the cornucopia of emotions that attend those human experiences, and they have reminded us that through all of our ups and downs, victories and defeats, good times and bad times, joys and sorrows, the one thing that remains constant is God’s worthiness to be worshipped.

No matter what, God is ceaseless in his power and is surpassingly great. (Psalm 150:2) No matter what, God is loving and faithful. (Psalm 25:10) No matter what, God is good and kind. (Psalm 34:8) No matter what, God is just and fair. (Psalm 103:6) No matter what, God is with you and for you. (Psalm 23:1) No matter what, if you are God’s and God is yours, you are going to be just fine. (Psalm 37:4)

John Newton, author of Amazing Grace, wrote, “The Lord himself is our Keeper. Nothing befalls us but what is adjusted by His wisdom and love. He will, in one way or another, sweeten every bitter cup, and ere long He will wipe away all tears from our eyes.” (Psalm 30:11) That is why under every circumstance and with every breath, we can praise the Lord.

No matter what things may look like, no matter what man may say, no mater what the devil may throw at you, no matter what you may feel, God is still God, he is always victorious, his will shall be done on earth, his purposes for you shall be fulfilled, and he is therefore always worthy of your praise. So why don’t you just go ahead and give God now what he will ultimately receive from all creation—praise!

Let everything that has breath—that means you—let everything that has breath praise the Lord! Yes, praise the Lord!

“A man can no more diminish God’s glory by refusing to worship Him than a lunatic can put out the sun by scribbling ‘darkness’ on the wall of his cell.”
~C.S. Lewis

One Year Bible: II Kings 18:13-19:37, Acts 21:1-16; Psalm 149:1-9; Proverbs 18:8

The Tables Will Be Turned

To carry out the sentence written against them.
This is the glory of all his saints.
Praise the LORD.
(Psalm 149:9)

God’s people have been the victims of injustice for far too long, but the day is coming when they will be not only victorious, but the administrators of justice upon this evil world. (Psalm 149:6-9) With humility and through indignity, the saints of God have borne the yoke of oppression, but when Christ returns to set up his Father’s righteous rule on the earth, it will be with glory, praise and joy that his people will carry out just punishment upon those who have served Satan’s purposes. (Psalm 149:1-5)

Now that kind of militant talk may make you a bit uncomfortable. You prefer to love your enemies and pray for those who have persecuted you. You’re more accustomed to think in terms of forgiveness and reconciliation, peace and tolerance than judgment. And rightly so. That is our assignment for the time being.

But at the proper time, Divine justice calls for Divine judgment. And Divine judgment is only right and fair when you consider the cruelty and wickedness that has been carried out against the people of God throughout the centuries. Just think of what the nation of Israel, the Jews, have endured—not the least of which was the horror of the holocaust.

And what about the church? Anywhere between one hundred to three hundred thousand believers are killed each year throughout the world for nothing more than believing in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Daily, in other parts of the world, the saints are mistreated, suffer economic terrorism, endure beatings, rape, imprisonment and death—by the thousands. Just because we don’t see those horrors here in the western world does not mean it is not happening elsewhere—or won’t happen here some day.

Yes, Divine justice is coming to this world. It has to, or God isn’t just and righteous. And when justice finally arrives, you and I will lift our voice in praise, and along with all the saints and the heavenly hosts, say, “just and true are your judgments, O Lord.” (Revelation 16:7)

Yes, the day is coming, sooner than you think, when the tables will be turned, and the saints of God will be in charge. God’s justice demands it; God’s fairness ensures it.

And thank God, by his grace and mercy, through faith in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ, you and I will be on the right side of the table!

“Your life is short, your duties many, your assistance great, and your
reward sure; therefore faint not, hold on and hold up, in ways
of well-doing, and heaven shall make amends for all.”
~Thomas Brooks

One Year Bible: II Kings 17:1-18:12, Acts 20:1-38; Psalm 148:1-14; Proverbs 18:6-7

The Ubiquitous They

Let them praise the name of the LORD,
for he commanded and they were created.
(Psalm 148:5)

The writer tells us that “they” should praise the Lord, since it was He who spoke the word and “they” were created. So who in the world is “they”?

Have you ever heard people refer to “they” when they are talking? “They” did this; “they” did that; “they” want this; “they” want that. I call that the “ubiquitous they”—everybody in general and no one in particular. The psalmist is referring to the “ubiquitous they.” In this case, everybody and each one!

Whatever was created—which pretty well covers it—owes their existence to the word of the Lord. He spoke, and out of nothing “they” were created: Angels, heavenly beings, solar systems, weather patterns, geological formations, plant and animal life, rulers and authorities, along with “young men and maidens, old men and children.” (Psalm 148:12) I think it’s safe to say, you and I are included in this list. That is who “they” are.

Now isn’t it only right and fitting that “they” should offer continual and heartfelt praise to the One who created them? Unfortunately, and unbelievably, many of “them” have turned from worshipping He who created them and worship what He created instead. (Romans 1:25) How absurd is that!

But you can change that—me too! Let’s do what we were created to do. As we go about our day, let’s make it our aim to lift up praise to the name of the Lord in all that we say and in whatever we do. If you and I will do that, at least two of “them” will do what “they” should be doing!

“My mind withdrew its thoughts from experience, extracting itself from the contradictory throng of sensuous images, that it might find out what that light was wherein it was bathed… And thus, with the flash of one hurried glance, it attained to the vision of That Which Is.”
~Saint Augustine