Reflections on the Psalms (Psalm 7)

⁶ Arise, LORD, in your anger; 

rise up against the rage of my enemies.    

Awake, my God; decree justice. 

⁹ Bring to an end the violence of the wicked 

and make the righteous secure 

You, the righteous God who probes minds and hearts

¹⁴ Whoever is pregnant with evil 

conceives trouble and gives birth to disillusionment. 

¹⁶ The trouble they cause recoils on them;    

their violence comes down on their own heads.

Its easy to think of God as love or Gods as an angry wrathful God.  What I think is harder is to think of God as just.  God is a God of justice he seeks for people to be righteous and do the right things.  And yet God is also patiently unjust!  For if He chose to be just all the time we would all get what we deserve which is death through our sin.  God is also a God of mercy, grace and forgiveness.  God is also not just like our modern day court system defines justice.  God is actively on the side of the poor, widow, orphan, offended, fatherless and those who are considered the least of these.

What we do know is that in God's justice he seeks for and end to all violence.  We know that as early as Cain and Abel violence enters the word through broken relationships.  God seeks restoration, redemption and reconciliation all which stand opposed to the violence of this world.

My wife is pregnant with our third child so the metaphor in verse 14 really hits home right now.  When someone is pregnant with evil its something they live with, something thats dwelling inside them.  Often when we allow sin to live with inside us we give birth to something that is a lie and we become disillusioned.  We are led astray by our own sinfulness and desires.  As a result we often bring negative consequences upon ourselves.

Reflections on the Psalms (Psalm 6)

⁴ Turn, LORD, and deliver me; 

save me because of your unfailing love. 

⁵ Among the dead no one proclaims your name.

Who praises you from the grave?

God's word tells us that no one among the dead proclaims His name.  While that may seem like an obvious statement think about it for a second.  God's word also says that before we are in a saving relationship with Him we ARE the walking dead.  We are dead in our sin, we are the walking dead.  When God does something amazing in your life you die to your sin and are raised to Christ.  

So its no wonder when people see Christians worship they don't understand it.  In some ways reflecting on this helps me as a worship leader.  It reminds me that sometimes there is nothing that I can do to get someone to sing the praise of God.  No song, or setting, or number of people, or right arrangement can do that.  It must be God moving that person from light to darkness, from death to life, from a slave to sin to a slave to righteousness, from the walking dead to a risen child of God.

And the promise comes in the previous verse.  When we cry out to God to deliver us, to save us from ourselves He will.  Gods love is an unfailing love.  It is steadfast and true.  Finally, I am reminded that as the church its our job to call these people from death to life by living and proclaiming the gospel.  So while our songs of praise may sound strange to the ears of the dead, its all the more reason to sing them.  Songs that proclaim our story, our testimony and our praise.

Reflections on the Psalms (Psalm 5)

³ In the morning, LORD, you hear my voice; 

in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly. 

⁷ But I, by your great love, 

can come into your house; in reverence 

I bow down toward your holy temple.

¹¹ But let all who take refuge in you be glad; 

let them ever sing for joy. 

Spread your protection over them,

that those who love your name may rejoice in you.

Its funny, we often think of prayer happening at bedtime right before we go to sleep.  Its a little strange at first to think of morning prayer time before we even get out of bed.  But it makes sense that we should begin our day with prayer and then wait in eager expectation for how God will speak to us through the rest of the day.  

Interspersed between this Psalms plea for justice is also a heart for worship.  Its interesting how we see in verse 7 the progression.  First, we recognize its only by Gods mercy, grace and love we can come to worship in the first place.  Second, worship postures itself in a attitude of reverence and right perspective of who we are in relationship to God.  Third, we see an action involving the entire body, bowing down.  Finally, we see that we can then stand in confidence and sing with joy and rejoice over God and what He has done for us.

Reflections on the Psalms (Psalm 4)

"Know that the LORD has set apart his faithful servant for himself; 

the LORD hears when I call to him. 

Tremble and do not sin; when you are on your beds, 

search your hearts and be silent. 

Offer the sacrifices of the righteous and trust in the LORD."

One of the definitions of the word holiness, means to be set apart for God. God calls us to be holy like he is holy, to be set apart and different than the world. The psalmist reminds us that we are called to be a holy people set apart for God.

I am reminded of Hillsong songs lyrics that say "search my heart, search my soul. There's nothing else that I want more. Without you I am nothing.". These words ring true in the Psalm as well. The other two things that hit me are that we are called to spend time in silence and we are to give a sacrifice of ourselves. In a culture that is full of busyness and sound we are called to be still and listen to the still small voice. That's no easy task in a culture that's full of sound! Last we must offer a sacrifice of righteousness. We are the living sacrifice giving praise and glory to God through our lives. (Romans 12:1-2)

Night of Worship

Getting excited for next weeks "Night of Worship" at Covenant.  I can't wait to spend some dedicated time in worship reflecting on Christ's sacrifice, death, resurrection and redemption of His church!  Im praying this will be an amazing time for the youth of Vacaville and the start of something bigger.