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Don’t Lose Your Sparkle

Making Life Work
Read: Psalm 13
Focus: Psalm 13:3

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

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 that any or all of the above factors contribute to their winsome approach to life. 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. Here’s the thing: Underneath the failure to endure and the quitting, there was 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 is why we’ve got to choose 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.

Some people’s eyes just seem to light up—they sparkle. Why is that?  King David says it’s because they practice hope. In the midst of all the negative stuff of life, they pray bigly, reflect gratefully and sing expectantly. Seriously, that’s how you practice hope: pray, reflect and sing. David did it—and he’s a pretty credible authority. He wrote the songbook of the human race—the 150-song book of Psalms. It’s still the number one selling hymnal for humans for a reason—it works. It has lit up the eyes of the hurting with hope, joy and light by the millions. If you’re low on joy, do what the psalmist did—practice hope—and let God “restore the sparkle to your eyes,” too!

What did David do to pull off that turn around? Well, to begin with, he went to God—he prayed. He poured out his complaint (vv. 1-2) and then made a bold request (v. 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 (v. 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 (v. 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 knew it, the sparkle had returned to his eyes.

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“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.” (William Gurnall)

 

Making Life Work: 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.”

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A Higher Perspective Helps

Making Life Work
Read: Psalm 12
Focus: Psalm 12:1

“Help, LORD, for the godly are no more; the faithful have vanished from among men.”

“The godly are no more!” Of course, David was using hyperbole here. He wasn’t literally the only godly person left on the planet, although at that moment, he certainly felt like it. We’re not sure what the specific occasion was that led to this outburst, but it was likely that nasty people and impossible circumstances were closing in on David and in this moment he just needed to talk to somebody about how alone he felt. And God was the only one listening.

Which, obviously, is the point of this and many of David’s psalms. At times, there is no one with whom you can share the depth of your despair except God, who is always there and is always the best person with whom to share those things that are on your heart anyway! Even if you are exaggerating the moment, God graciously invites you to pour out your worries to him, the one who truly cares and can actually do something about it.

David’s complaint reminds me of another saint who expressed his feelings similarly: Elijah. You can read the story in I Kings 19. He too, like David, was often on the run from those who wanted to kill him. In this case, Ahab and Jezebel were out to get him, and Elijah was in hiding, depressed, and despairing even of life. So he cries out to God, “I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.” (I Kings 19:14)

What is so beautiful about this story is that several times God said to Elijah, “What are you doing here?” (I Kings 19:9,13). That is kind of a curious question for the All-Knowing God to be asking, wouldn’t you say! But really, what God is doing is simply inviting Elijah to pour out his heart, even if the frustrations that spill out are from a wrong perspective.

That is one of the blessings of taking our hurts, frustrations and worries to God. In the process of telling him how we feel, he gives us a fresh and higher perspective. For David, he prays himself into the conclusion that “O LORD, you will keep us safe and protect us from such people forever.” (Psalm 12:7) For Elijah, God reminded him that he was not the only one left: “I reserve seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and all whose mouths have not kissed him.” (I Kings 19:18)

That sounds like a pretty lop-sided exchange: My problems for God’s perspective. I think I will take that any day!

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“If man is man and God is God, to live without prayer is not merely an awful thing; it is an infinitely foolish thing.” (Phillip Brooks)

 

Making Life Work: That is one of the greatest gifts God gives us in prayer. As we honestly tell him about our problems, he infuses us with a higher perspective, reminding us that he is in control of our lives and has his eye on us at all times.

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Unshakeable!

Making Life Work
Read: Psalm 11
Focus: Psalm 11:3

“When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do?”

You will notice a note in your text that suggests a possible alternative reading to this verse: “When the foundations are being destroyed, what is the Righteous One doing?” The ancient Hebrew manuscript is unclear as to which reading is exact, but the preferred choice of the modern editors of Scripture was to choose the rendering I’ve printed in the title.

However, both readings are correct! Whatever reading is chosen, whether it is “the righteous” who are looking for guidance in times of trouble or it is “the Righteous One” we are wondering about, the question is answered in the rest of the psalm, especially the very next verse, Psalm 11:4. When the foundation are being destroyed,

“The LORD is in his holy temple;
the LORD is on his heavenly throne.”

That’s the confidence we have in times of insecurity and instability: God is in the unshakeable place; He is the Unshakeable One. He is the One we run to for “refuge” (Psalm 11:1) when the foundations are being destroyed.

I lived in the Bay Area for several years, where fault lines run throughout the area like fingers branching off your hand. My home was literally just a few blocks off the Calaveras Fault Line. When The Foundations Are DestroyedDuring our time there, we endured a few minor shocks—enough to keep you reminded of the possibility of the “big one.” Everybody, in theory at least, knew the preferred place to go when one of those infamous California earthquakes hit.

So do the righteous! When big ones hit—and the little ones, too—we go to the Unshakeable One. When the foundations are being destroyed, he is in the place where the foundations are eternal. They were here before the earth was even created, and they will be here long after this old earth fades from view. And we have this promise (Psalm 11:7) that is as sure as God himself:

“For the LORD is righteous,
he loves justice;
upright men will see his face.”

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“Our extremity is God’s opportunity.” (George Whitefield)

 

Making Life Work:Next time you experience a tremor, go where you are supposed to go. Go to the Unshakeable One and claim your place of safety.

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Only God Is King Forever!

Making Life Work
Read: Psalm 10
Focus: Psalm 10:16

The LORD is King for ever and ever; nations will perish from his land.”

It may not be this week, it may not happen this year, it may not take place in your lifetime, but there will be a divine payday—judgment—someday for the wicked!

At the proper time, human sinfulness and institutional evil will be called to account before the righteous God who has watched over every square inch of the earth with penetrating moral clarity every second since time began. That proper time may come sooner, or it may come later, but it will come for sure.

This calls for patient endurance on the part of God’s people, who prayerfully long for his “justice to roll down like waters in a mighty stream,” as the prophet Amos said. Like David in Psalm 10, we too, witness the perpetration of evil by those who have no regard for God and live as if there is no God (v.4), and we cry out, “Why, O LORD, do you stand far off? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?” (v. 1) Perhaps even more frustrating, we are overwhelmed by the evil systems of the world—governments, financial institutions, business, unions, academic bodies, boards and various other seats of power that are ruled by unassailable philosophies rather than identifiable human beings—as they continue to harass, oppress, cheat and destroy the defenseless.

But James 5:7-9 reminds us, “Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains. You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near. Don’t grumble against each other, brothers, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door!”

God RulesThink about this: What wicked nation has remained in power for more than 500 years? None! What evil institution has stayed in business for more than 200 years? I challenge you to name one! What vile person has lived more than 120 years? The last I checked, the death rate for the wicked is hovering around 100%

My point is, they have all been brought low and have perished from the earth. But God remains! So rather than keeping my eyes on that which will fade before the eternal God, I am casting my lot with him.

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“That which a man spits against heaven, shall fall back on his own face.” (Thomas Adams)

 

Making Life Work: The next time you are frustrated by some current evil in your world—an abusive boss, a bully at school, corporate executives who rake in millions while laying off workers, poverty in Africa, pollution of God’s green earth—do what you can to address it. Don’t let evil overwhelm you, but overcome it with good, as Paul says in Romans 12:21.

And even though much of the evil in your world will still remain after you have done all that you can do, remember, this evil, too, will perish from the earth.

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A God Who Will Never Fail You

Making Life Work
Read: Psalm 9
Focus: Psalm 9:9-10

The Lord is a shelter for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. Those who know your name trust in you, for you, O Lord, do not abandon those who search for you.”

Do you ever wonder what people who don’t know the Lord do when they face overwhelming difficulty and indescribable pain in their lives? I’ve often thought of that when a young mother is diagnosed with terminal cancer or the sole breadwinner abandons his wife and kids or when parents stand over the grave of a teenager killed in a car crash, or a variety of other tragic scenarios. What do people do without Jesus?

I am so thankful that my trust is in the Lord. He is indeed a shelter and a refuge. Not that I have been kept from hardship and tragedy—neither have you. We’ve had our share, and perhaps will experience more in the future. As Jesus said, the rain falls on the just and unjust alike. The difference is, we know to Whom we can run when it’s raining—our loving Shelter. We know where to go in times of trouble—our great Refuge.

God has not proposed to keep me from pain, but he will repurpose my pain in a way that is for his glory and my good! It takes an extraordinary amount of trust to lean into that in times of pain, but truly, there is no better way to live.

That is one of the things I love most about the faith that I’ve placed in Jesus Christ as my Savior. No matter what, I win! When trouble hits, I win because God delivers me from all of my troubles. (Psalm 34:17, Psalm 41:1) Even when I (or someone I love) go through the tragedy of terminal illness, relational heartbreak, economic disaster, or premature death, I belong to a God who

  • Holds my hand—“never will I leave you or forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5)
  • Provides my daily bread—”My God will supply all your needs according to his riches.” (Philippians 4:19)
  • Turns my tragedy to triumph—“In all things he works for the good of those who love him.” (Romans 8:28)
  • Trumps death with eternal life—“He who believes in me, even though he dies, will live again.” (John 11:24-26)
  • And one day will permanently turn my tears to joy and make everything new—“He will wipe away every tear.” (Revelation 21:4)

Even though life doesn’t always turn out as we have planned, God will never abandon us. He has a track record of faithfulness and goodness going all the way back to the beginning. He has never failed, not even once! And even if life doesn’t make sense to us now, we have this assurance that when we cross to the eternal side, we will fall on our knees in worship and wonder at the wisdom of the One who does all things well!

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Let thy hope of heaven master thy fear of death. Why shouldst thou be afraid to die, who hopest to live by dying!” (William Gurnall)

 

Making Life Work: In light of God’s promises, determine now to trust him at all times, and when the tough times come around, don’t abandon your hope and trust in the only One who will never abandon you.

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Managing Creation: You’re Hired!

Making Life Work
Read: Psalm 8
Focus: Psalm 8:4-6

“What are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them? Yet you made them only a little lower than God and crowned them with glory and honor. You gave them charge of everything you made, putting all things under their authority.”

In comparison to the overwhelming vastness, magnificence, complexity, wonder and beauty of the universe—that which we see through both the telescope as well the microscope—man seems so insignificant. Yet the Sovereign God created the human race and gave them co-rulership over his creation. He put us in charge!

The Works of Thy HandsImagine that! God has entrusted us with the work of his hands. We are to manage his resources, tend to his investment, and supervise the things he so lovingly and purposely crafted out of nothing. We are to guard, preserve and even increase what is so precious to him. We have been given stewardship of all creation.

Why did God do that? Only God knows. But when you think about it, it is both humbling and sobering that God has sovereignly placed this weight of glory upon my shoulders—and yours.

That, then, begs the question: How are you doing taking care of God’s universe? How are you tending his environment—Planet Earth? What is your attitude toward things created—stuff? And what about you, God’s workmanship (Ephesians 2:10), how are you caring for you—spirit, mind, soul and, yes, even your body?

Hopefully you are giving great care to all these things like a partner rather than a hireling. Hopefully you have an ownership mentality. Hopefully you take seriously this calling of stewardship God has given you. Perhaps a great companion chapter for you to consider would be Matthew 25:14-30 where Jesus teaches about the parable of the talents.

Yes, God has given you the keys to his shiny universe—the macro, the micro and the personal. Steward it well!

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“Now if I believe in God’s Son and remember that He became man, all creatures will appear a hundred times more beautiful to me than before. Then I will properly appreciate the sun, the moon, the stars, trees, apples, as I reflect that he is Lord over all things. …God writes the Gospel, not in the Bible alone, but also on trees, and in the flowers and clouds and stars.” (Martin Luther)

 

Making Life Work:God has put you in charge of quite a bit—and he is counting on you to steward it wisely. So when it comes to the creation, don’t let the crazies and radicals hijack the environmental movement. Christians ought to lead the way with a common sense approach to loving the earth. When it comes to your body, treat it like the temple of the Holy Spirit—because it is. And when it comes to your inner being, tend to it often. Make sure you are doing regular soul work, because one day it will return to its Creator.

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The Only Critic Who Counts Is Your Biggest Fan

Making Life Work
Read: Psalm 7
Focus: Psalm 7:10-11

God is my shield, saving those whose hearts are true and right. God is an honest judge. He is angry with the wicked every day.

Ellen Hubbard said, “to avoid criticism, do nothing, say nothing, and be nothing.” In other words, welcome to the human race where no one is exempt from criticism. No one!

Moses—the greatest leader the world has ever known, humble servant of the people, worker of miracles, giver of the Law, desert guide par excellence—wasn’t immune from the most savage of criticism. The very people he had delivered from the cruelty of Egyptian bondage even talked of storing him. (Exodus 14:10)

Jesus—most perfect person who ever lived, the faultless Son of God, selfless sacrifice for the sins of mankind—often had his motives called into question. He lived with misunderstanding, was often misrepresented and endured malicious criticism:

David—the greatest king Israel would ever have, a man after God’s heart, sweet singer of Israel—was often under the thumb of critics. From Saul to Shimei to Absalom, his own son, David lived with a daily deluge of those who challenged his authority. In the title of Psalm 7, David’s critic came in the human form of a pain in the derriere identified as Cush. Apparently, Cush was quite vocal about David’s leadership flaws, real and perceived.

Maybe you face a critic, too. It could be that you have one at work, or at church, or perhaps you face one even at home—the one place that ought to be free of destructive criticism. And if you let them, they will sap the strength right out of you. Frankly, their criticism hurts…even when it is plainly untrue.

If you have a critic nipping at you right now—and if you don’t, stick around for a while, you’ll have one soon enough—I would recommend you do what David did. He ordered his life by the true and only Critic who mattered, entrusting himself to God’s righteous judgment and sin-covering grace.

Search My Heart Oh God

Whenever your critic shows up and starts shooting arrows your way, rather than spending too much of your precious energy on them, go to God. He is the only one who truly knows you, and at the end of the day, it is his evaluation that matters. The Apostle Paul in I Corinthians 4:3-4, “I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself. My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me.” It’s true—it is God alone who is qualified to judge you! So learn to pray David’s prayer from Psalm 139:23-24,

“Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”

Pray that prayer humbly and honestly before God, listen and respond to his voice, and you will be just fine. By the way, this Critic is your biggest fan!

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“All of us could take a lesson from the weather, it pays no attention to criticism.”

 

Making Life Work: Humbly and honestly ask God to “search my heart, test my motives, reveal my wrong thoughts and remove my offenses.” Then listen and respond to his voice. Do that and you will be just fine. And don’t forget, by the way, this Critic is also your biggest fan!