"Wake the Dawn!"

Scripture Passage

Psalm 103; Psalms 108-110; Psalm 122; Psalm 124

Scripture Focus

My heart is confident in you, O God;
     no wonder I can sing your praises with all my heart!
Wake up, lyre and harp!
     I will wake the dawn with my song.
                              (Psalm 108:1-2 NLT)

Observation

I’ve always enjoyed singing. I don’t mean “public performance” or even “public ministry”—but simply singing as an expression of praise from my heart. In fact, I’ve used “unprompted singing” as something of a “personal heart monitor”. If those unguarded moments when I catch myself singing have diminished or disappeared altogether, there’s probably something “wrong” with my heart—something needing attention. Indeed, why people don’t catch themselves singing more is something that puzzles me.

So I really like the imagery of Psalm 108:2—“I will wake the dawn with my song.” I’ve heard of waking the dead, but never waking the dawn. What a wonderful thought—to be up ahead of the sunrise, singing praises to God at the top of your lungs, waking the whole world up in the process!

I know some people won’t understand that. In mock (I think) frustration, my wife has told a number of people, “He *sings* in the morning!” (like that’s a bad thing!). But given the goodness of God…given the confidence we rightly have in Him (v 1)…why shouldn’t we sing? Shouldn’t there be moments when we bust out in song with enough zeal and gusto that somebody notices?

So go ahead—bust loose. Wake the dawn!

"Passion for Your House"

Scripture Passage

Psalms 68-70; Psalm 86; Psalm 101

Scripture Focus

Passion for your house has consumed me,
     and the insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.
                                                             (Psalm 69:9 NLT)

Observation

Sometimes the whole of a story can be captured in a single line from the story. “Mama always said, 'Life is like a box of chocolates'” produces immediate recollections of “Forrest Gump”. “I’ll be back” (especially in an exaggerated Austrian accent) prompts images of Arnold Schwarzenegger as the Terminator. All the pathos of Star Wars is captured in Darth Vader’s words to Luke—“I am your father.” A single quote can capture and represent everything about the context from which it is taken. I thought about that as I read Psalm 69 today.

In John, chapter 2, Jesus clears the temple of livestock dealers and moneychangers.

[15] …he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple area, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. [16] To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here! How dare you turn my Father’s house into a market!” (John 2:15-16 NIV)

The next verse says…

His disciples remembered that it is written: “Zeal for your house will consume me.” (John 2:17 NIV)

Why is it that Jesus’ actions in John 2 would remind the disciples of this psalm? Certainly the connection between “the Temple” in John 2 and “your house” in Psalm 69 is obvious—but was there more? Was it the whole of Psalm 69 that came to mind when the disciples observed Jesus’ actions? Did they see more than just a rabbi passionate for God’s House? Did they, instead, see a man who saw the abuse of God’s Temple…the use of the House of God for oppressive profiteering…as a microcosm of the battle He was fighting—as evil men insulting who God was, defaming and disgracing the Name of the Lord. Did Jesus see, at this unique moment early in His ministry (this is, I believe, *not* the same as the clearing of the Temple during the Passion Week) how colossal was the task ahead of Him? I wonder if the disciples saw a man desperate in the fight for truth.

I wonder, then, how clearly I see things…how desperate I am for You and what matters to You.  Has passion for your House—and all your House represents—consumed me?

"Hands Off, Mr. Fixit!"

Scripture Passage

Psalms 61-62; Psalms 64-67

Scripture Focus

I wait quietly before God,
     for my victory comes from him.
He alone is my rock and my salvation,
     my fortress where I will never be shaken.
                                     (Psalm 62:1 NLT)

Observation

Psalm 62:1 seems to capture the theme of many of the psalms we’ve been reading recently—waiting in trust. Perhaps You, O Lord, are trying to tell me something? Or perhaps followers of Jehovah in ancient Israel faced the same challenges this follower of Jesus faces in postmodern America!

I do know that patience is no particular strength of mine—and that I’m not alone in that characteristic. I am a guy—if there’s something broken, I want to fix it…quickly…so I can get back to more important things (like watchin’ NASCAR). Though originally from Missouri, I don’t want somebody to “show me” how to do something—I generally just want to do it. Leave me alone and I’ll figure it out.

Those characteristics do not set me up well to succeed at the challenge the psalmist presents—waiting quietly before God…trusting completely in Him.

So today, Lord, help me with that—I'm no good at it! Help me to let go of that which I’d rather fix myself. Help me settle down…simmer down…and quiet down before You. Because I do affirm what the psalmist has declared—“You alone are my rock and my salvation!”

"Two-Faced Trouble"

Scripture Passage

Psalm 39-41; Psalm 53; Psalm 55; Psalm 58

Scripture Focus

His words are as smooth as butter,
    but in his heart is war.
His words are as soothing as lotion,
    but underneath are daggers!
                           (Psalm 55:21 NLT)

Observation

Have you ever dealt with somebody you just knew you couldn’t trust? I’m thinking especially of someone who said all the right things and did all the right things (at least, in your presence), but—deep down—you knew everything *wasn’t* on the up and up, and you really couldn’t trust that person as they were presenting themselves to you.

Psalm 55 obviously grows from a time in David’s life when he experienced that kind of relationship—and, in fact, had suffered betrayal at the hands of someone he’d trusted (when he shouldn’t have).

The psalm is a cry for God’s help (“Confuse them, Lord, and frustrate their plans” v. 9) and a declaration of expectation of God’s deliverance (“…you, O God, will send the wicked down to the pit of destruction” v. 23). But as I read it today, I’m thinking more about relationship—about transparency and integrity in relationship—in terms of both who I need to be, and what I want from others.

I don’t like not knowing where I stand with people. I don’t like wondering if what I’m seeing is what I’m really getting. I hate the possibility that…

His words are as smooth as butter,
     but in his heart is war.
His words are as soothing as lotion,
     but underneath are daggers!
                               (Psalm 55:21 NLT)

I don’t want that from others, Lord—so don’t let me ever be guilty of the same! Let genuine authenticity mark every conversation—each word an honest representation of who I am and where I stand. And may I reap, then, what I sow—receiving the same integrity in relationship from others.

"Waiting...In Stillness"

Scripture Passage

Psalms 27-32

Upper Lake, Glendalough, Ireland

Scripture Focus

Be still in the presence of the LORD,
     and wait patiently for him to act.
Don’t worry about evil people who prosper
     or fret about their wicked schemes.
                               (Psalm 37:7 NLT)

Observation

Psalm 37 is an acrostic psalm—each stanza beginning with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet. That probably makes it “unfair” to simply pull one verse out for comment and mediation, but, hey, that’s the assignment I’ve given myself, right? So I’m considering verse 7.

The challenge of verse 7, as I understand it, is to not always *have* to act, but rather to let God fight my battles for me. I think I used to be better at that than I am these days. Perhaps I’m growing impatient as I grow older. Perhaps the stakes seem higher than they used to. The thing is—no matter how I might change or how my circumstances might change—the counsel of God’s Word remains constant. “Be still…wait…don’t worry…don’t fret.”

Waiting in stillness is tougher than ever. My life is filled with noise, and when there isn’t any supplied, I’ll often make my own. But how often does God call me to stilled waiting? More often than I’ve obeyed, I’m sure.

All this calls to mind another psalm—a personal favorite from the psalms of ascent—Psalm 131…

My heart is not proud, O LORD,
     my eyes are not haughty;
     I do not concern myself with great matters
     or things too wonderful for me.

But I have stilled and quieted my soul;
     like a weaned child with its mother,
     like a weaned child is my soul within me.

O Israel, put your hope in the LORD
     both now and forevermore.
                           (Psalm 131 NIV)

Lord, help me to be still, wait patiently, and put my hope in You!

"He Will Hide Me"

Scripture Passage

Psalms 27-32

Scripture Focus

The one thing I ask of the LORD—
     the thing I seek most—
is to live in the house of the LORD all the days of my life,
     delighting in the LORD’s perfections
and meditating in his Temple.
     For he will conceal me there when troubles come;
he will hide me in his sanctuary.
     He will place me out of reach on a high rock.
Then I will hold my head high
     above my enemies who surround me.
At his sanctuary I will offer sacrifices with shouts of joy,
     singing and praising the LORD with music.
                                            (Psalm 27:4-6 NLT)

Observation

(Okay—just to warn you, today’s thoughts, though absolutely genuine, seem uncharacteristically syrupy sweet to the author.)

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It must be “old hymn week” in the Duncan noggin’.

(For the uninitiated, “noggin’” is Ozarkian for “head” or “mind”, i.e., “You can git those foolish notions outta yer noggin’ right now, boy!”)

I wasn’t five verses into today’s reading—this wonderful psalm of David where he affirms his trust in God’s covering, and asks of God one thing—that he never be disconnected from the Lord’s Presence…that he never be unable to be in the House of the Lord—…not five verses in before I was remembering the lyrics to Ralph Carmichael’s song “A Quiet Place”…

There is a quiet place

Far from the rapid pace

Where God can soothe my troubled mind.

There’s much more to that song—but it’s about gardens and mountains and such, and I’m just not that into nature…

The point is, this psalm opens with expressions about all kinds of legitimate concerns—evil people intent on devouring, enemies determined to attack—and David finds that place where he knows he has nothing to fear (“Why should I be afraid? Why should I tremble”) when he crawls into the safety of the presence of the Lord.

It’s there he finds protection. It’s there he finds covering. It’s there he finds renewed confidence and strengthened hope.

Oh, how we need that very same thing. Oh, how we need repeated, consistent immersion in the presence of the Lord. If memory serves, Robert Webber said it like this: “True worship really sets the world in order.” Oh, how we need those times when we immerse ourselves in God’s presence and reframe our days from an eternal perspective.

(Conveniently, this is a Sunday morning post.  I hope you're headed to the House of the Lord, today.)

Then I will hold my head high
     above my enemies who surround me.
At his sanctuary I will offer sacrifices with shouts of joy,
     singing and praising the LORD with music.
                                                (Psalm 27:6 NLT)

Addendum:

Speaking of syrupy-sweet…want to hear a rendition of Ralph Carmichael’s syrupy-sweet song performed by syrupy-sweet Bill Pearce on a syrupy-sweet trombone complete will syrupy-sweet full orchestral accompaniment?

Click "play" below...

A Quiet Place – Bill Pearce

MP3 search on MP3hunting

"Shepherd Care"

Scripture Passage

Psalms 22-26

Scripture Focus

I will not be afraid,
     for you are close beside me.
                   (Psalm 23:4 NLT)

Observation

I’m sure it is the most familiar psalm in Scripture—it may be the most familiar passage in Scripture—the 23rd Psalm. In this beloved psalm, David—who has been both shepherd and king—celebrates the care and expresses the heart of our Shepherd-King, Jesus Christ.

My favorite words (among these favorite words) are found in the middle of verse 4—and most familiar from the King James Version:

I will fear no evil,
     For Thou art with me.
             (Psalm 23:4 KJV)

This reality—Jesus’ abiding presence—is the one constant that overcomes all life’s inconsistencies and unknowns. He is with me every moment of every day. He will never leave me nor forsake me (Hebrews 13:5). Even on that day when I “pass through the valley of the shadow of death,” He will be with me still. He has blazed the trail of faith I am walking now, and He completed it with absolute success.

For reasons I don’t completely understand, all this brings to mind these familiar lyrics:

Why should I feel discouraged,
     Why should the shadows come,
Why should my heart be lonely
     And long for Heav'n and home,
When Jesus is my portion?
     My constant Friend is He:
His eye is on the sparrow,
     And I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow,
     And I know He watches me!

So we say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?" (Hebrews 13:6 NIV). Thank you, Lord, for your abiding presence!