Will the Real Me Please Stand Up?

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(Psalm 32:6) Therefore, let everyone who is godly offer prayer to You at a time when You may be found; surely in the rush of great waters, they shall not reach Him.

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This describes people who know and trust God--they invest time and attention to building a safe and secure relationship with Him in anticipation of distressing, destructive life circumstances. When caught in such crises, strong currents of emotions and frantic intentions sweep us into strange, unsought places. But by establishing a secure resting place in God before floods engulf us, godly people find themselves emotionally and rationally anchored to the safe and secure, immoveable Rock.

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I know God uses the water of His Word to wash away real contaminates (Ephesians 5:25,26). The goal of this pressure hose is our wholeness. Michelangelo chipped and scraped marble blocks to "release" iconic representations of people, but the Holy Spirit removes misrepresentations of His image so--in His image--we become liberated to be our true selves.

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Lord, be my soul's strong anchor amidst chaotic floods (Hebrews 6:18,19; 12:27,28). Search me and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any evil way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting! (Psalm 139:23,24).

Exchanging Evil for Good

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(Psalm 109:4,5) In return for my love they accuse me, but I give myself to prayer. So they reward me evil for good, and hatred for my love.

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In shocking, graphic detail, David inventories how he promotes justice in the midst of an unjust and painful world. Half of this psalm lists specific prayers that cause spiritual crimes to boomerang back upon evildoers. Before being able to pray this way, though, David loved and prayed for his accusing adversaries, and he did good to them when they hurt and cursed him (v. 4, 21, 18).

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How easy it is to abuse justice by two equally pain-producing extremes: either taking justice into our own badly informed hands or allowing fear to shrink us into a false apathy that causes us to forsake justice. Vengeance clearly belongs to God, not to people (Romans 12), yet He requires people to fearfully use this tool (Romans 13; 1 Peter 4; Ephesians 1:22,23).

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Lord, You explain that "light dawns in the darkness for the upright" and that Your people are "gracious, merciful, and righteous" (Psalm 112:4). For a season, You evidently allow evil be believe it's winning (1 Corinthians 5:5) so that the contrast between it and Your character becomes increasingly evident. I volunteer to walk the Valley of the Shadow so Your dawn can be increasingly glorious (Proverbs 4:18).

More Honest Honors

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(1 Samuel 30:24) ...For as his share is who goes down to the battle, so shall his share be who stays by the baggage. They shall share alike.

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David learns his life-lessons well. Had these exhausted men stayed behind to protect their families or had they not remained to behind to protect their travel supplies, their stories would have been much different. Similarly, had the Amelikites cared for their sick Egyptian, their story would have been very different, too. In God's kingdom, the strong care for the weak. They don't ascribe praise and honor to themselves when it belongs to God or should be shared with others.

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Romans 12 and 1 Corinthians 12 describe the equity of the Body of Christ. Although the world spotlights some jobs and accomplishments at the expense of others and it rewards some jobs with praise and honors, this view doesn't fit well in Christ's kingdom. Each task done unto the Lord receives His praise and approval...and in time, His rewards, too.

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Lord, I want to avoid discouragement from not being appreciated as much as I want, and I want to avoid being praised for things I've done with the help of the quiet, more honorable and hard-working servants of yours...which pretty much includes everything I do. May I be content with quiet, humble, and anonymous service.

Surprise Packages

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(Psalm 23:6) Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

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David conscripted a startlingly vivid and thought-provoking word for this gentle, calming psalm. Radaph (translated "follow"), usually meant (1) pursue to overtake, usually with hostile intent, (2) chase or put to flight, as an army would do to a defeated foe, (3) hunt down an elusive prize, or (4) attend to very closely.

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I am comforted to know that God employed this picture to help me understand how He feels and thinks about me. In this description, He deploys two expert trackers to keep up with me. Goodness (tov) chases me in order to bestow upon me all necessary things that are "pleasant, beautiful, excellent, lovely, delightful, convenient, joyful, fruitful, precious, sound, cheerful, kind, correct, righteous, and virtuous" (and much more). Mercy (chesed) bestows God's lovingkindness...as though I could tell His goodness from His lovingkindness.

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Lord, I just don't understand why You do this. Your mercy and goodness track me down even though I seem lost and play hard to find. Hebrews 12 informs me that I reject Your health-producing gifts because they come in packages that don't expect or want. Help me to always recognize and receive You gifts.

Warriors of Valor

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(1 Chronicles 9:2) Now the first to dwell again in their possessions in their cities were the Israelites, the priests, Levites, and Nathinims [temple servants]."

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The first people to repossess their land was a diverse group. They regained the security and liberty that their fathers--through abandoned morals and spiritual corruption--had squandered. God described these repossessors as "mighty, very able warriors of valor" (v. 13). Jesus sticks to this model. When He sent out His disciples to reclaim lost Israelites (lost souls), He told them to not fear being wrongly accused and killed (Matthew 10:10-39); instead, they were to fearlessly proclaim Jesus' kingdom, heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, and cast out demons (Matthew 10:6).

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Warriors can be spiritual or political, and warriors without valor--no matter how able to fight or willing to suffer and die--are a scourge. They're bullies, pirates, murderers, and despots. In contrast, warriors who possess and who are possessed by submission to virtue make justice and security possible for even the weakest of citizens. Jesus redefines these ideals: the reality of such valor and virtue is defined by one's love for and obedience to Himself, the King of kings.

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Lord, see that Your end game is for lot people to dwell safely in peaceful and secure homes. For this to happen, You send out warriors of righteousness and justice who blaze paths for others to follow. Lord, help me to be such a warrior of valor. Help me to reclaim all You desire for my relational connections.

Learning Precedes Teaching

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(Matthew 9:13) Go and learn what this means, “I desire mercy and not sacrifice.” For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.

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This Great Commission—to learn of God’s desire for mercy instead of sacrifice—preceded His other Great Commission to go teach, disciple, and baptize people (Matthew 28:19,20). The context here is Jesus—the friend of sinners—collecting, befriending, redeeming, and commissioning people who had been trampled by people and troubled by life.

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The Old Testament prepares us for the New, and in it David demonstrates God’s merciful, benevolent strength. In a similar way, he collected everyone who was in distress, in debt, and discontent in their soul. He told the persecuted, “Stay with me, do not be afraid, for he who seeks my life seeks your life. With me you shall be in safe keeping” (1 Samual 22:2,23).

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Lord, when David was in this distress, he worshiped You. Thank You for recording David’s thoughts and words in Psalm 63 so I can pray that way, too. Thank You for providing relief, comfort, and direction for my soul, too.

Learning to Fall Well

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(Matthew 4:9,10) “All these I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.” Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written, “You shall worship the Lord your God and Him only shall you serve.”

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Falling down is a significant aspect of worship. Falling, in those ancient times, meant “casting down,” and it described utter submission and dependence. To receive that sort of relationship, Satan offers false hopes to keep people depressed and oppressed. Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 3) demanded that worship, too, only to learn that “the Lord upholds all who are falling and raises all who are bowed down” (Psalm 145:14).

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Too easily have I stumbled and fallen into false worship, dedicating my energies into worthless endeavors. Too casually have I bowed myself to lies, only to find myself distressed and humiliated. But finally, I’ve learned to cast myself upon the Lord’s mercies and to commit myself to His kingdom. He feeds the hungry, sets prisoners free, and lifts those who are bowed down. He is the glory and lifter of my head (Psalms 146:7,8; 3:3).

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Lord, I gladly cast myself before You in total submission. You alone deserve such worship. You alone are gracious, full of compassion, slow to anger, and great in mercy (Psalm 145).