Saint Lucas Lutheran

Moments in the PSALMS
July 19-25, 2010

MONDAY, July 19  Psalm 13:1  “How long, O LORD?  Will You forget me forever?  How long will You hide Your face from me?”

FOREVER

God’s people turn to Him in times of trouble.  However, His deliverance often seems long in coming. 

David knew that feeling well.  Remember earlier we were reminded that the young David – anointed by God as the next king of Israel – had to flee from the current king, Saul, for seven years.  He turned to God. God seemed to turn a deaf hear to him.  God seemed to have forgotten him.  Knowing his unworthiness for God’s help compounded the problem for David. 

Would the LORD’S delay become permanent?  FOREVER?!

The truth is neither David or we have been forgotten by God.  Not even for a moment.  The truth is we have been loved by God in Christ forever.  The means for our deliverance and the best moment for that deliverance has also been set forever.  In faith we just need to hold on.  To Him!

Keep praying in faith.  The LORD is with you and He will hear and help you forever!

PRAYER: Dear LORD, when I feel the pressure of my problems and don’t see the solution to them from You, keep me from panic and doubt.  Remind me that, in Jesus, You love me forever!  AMEN

TUESDAY, July 20 Psalm 14:3  “All have turned aside, they have together become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one.”

NO ONE!

You and I tend to exaggerate at times.  You never listen or you always do that – we say.  Absolutely.

God’s judgment about our human race is absolute.  It is no exaggeration.  It’s true.  “…there is NO ONE who does good, not even one”.  Zip.  Zero. Nada.

While humans may exaggerate their own goodness apart from Christ – by thinking they and/or others have some, the fact is no one has any.

Only God is Good, Jesus said.  Thank Goodness He offers that goodness to us in Jesus and enables us to receive it and be clothed in it by faith.  For, while absolutely no one is good apart from Christ, absolutely ALL have been declared righteous based upon His merits.  (Romans 3:22-24) 

NO ONE needs to pursue a vain effort to produce their own righteousness.  Instead, ALL need to believe and receive the righteousness from Jesus.

PRAYER: Dear LORD, I know that I have no righteousness apart from Jesus; but I believe Your declaration that I have perfect righteousness in Him!  Thank You!  AMEN

WEDNESDAY, July 21  Psalm 15:1  “LORD, who may dwell in Your sanctuary?  Who may live on Your holy hill?”

IMPOSSIBLE!

Dwelling in the presence of the Holy God.  Impossible!  Read through the standards that need to be met for such citizenship according to Psalm 15 – “…whose walk is blameless and who does what is righteous…no slander on his tongue…does his neighbor no wrong…casts no slur on his fellow man…”  for example. 

What a neighborhood!  What a neighbor!  How not like me!  Who has attained such high standards so that they could move into God’s neighborhood?  IMPOSSIBLE!

Psalm 15 states God’s law.  It keeps us honest about ourselves.  It exposes our sin.  It’s true – I’m not fit to live in God’s presence.  IMPOSSIBLE!

But not with God!  All things are possible with God.  The righteousness necessary to dwell in His presence is His gift to us in Christ.  Gift received through faith in Jesus.  Faith in Christ not only makes it possible, it makes it certain that I will spend eternity as an accepted upstanding citizen of heaven.

PRAYER: LORD, I am not what I should be, of myself.  Thank You for supplying me everything I need in Jesus only.  AMEN

THURSDAY, July 22  Psalm 16:10,11  “…You will not abandon me to the grave, nor will You let Your Holy One see decay.  You have made known to me the path of life; You will fill me with joy in Your presence, with eternal pleasures at Your right hand.”

My plot is NOT my lot!

The Holy Spirit led David to write these words “in the voice” of the Messiah, Jesus.  It’s a simply awesome Psalm!  The Messiah talks about His lot in life as if it was all pleasant.  Ironically, it was!

How can that be?!  We know of the continual adversity Jesus faced as our Redeemer.  We know that He suffered sorrow and trouble that was incomprehensibly deep.  All He endured for us – despite the pain – was a pleasure to Him.  It was a pleasure because it was His Father’s will and it would result in our salvation. 

His path led to a borrowed plot – Joseph’s tomb.  It was a short stay!

Some place there’s a plot for you.  Don’t worry!  That plot is not your lot.  It will be your body’s resting place for a time.  Your soul will be in heaven and the glorified version of your body will follow when time is no more. 

“You will fill me with joy in Your presence, with everlasting pleasures at Your right hand.” That’s your lot thanks to Christ!

Prayer:  There’s a place for me LORD.  A place in Your presence forever!  Heaven!  Thank You Jesus!  AMEN

FRIDAY, July 23  Psalm 17:15  “And I – in righteousness I will see Your face; when I awake, I will be satisfied with seeing Your likeness.”

GOD’S FACE

You are going to see it.  God’s face, that is.  Everyone will.  What will be the expression on it?

For some the vision of His holy face will be a terror from which they will never recover.  Dressed in the rags of their sin, they will see His face in judgment and be sentenced to an eternity apart from Him.  (See Matthew 25:41)  How incomprehensibly awful!

Believers in Jesus, you too will see His face.  Don’t be afraid!  His face will be not only be glowing with holiness but beaming with love and acceptance.  “…in righteousness I will see Your face…”  Through faith in Jesus, you and I are dressed in God’s righteousness.  We shall not only see His awesome likeness, we shall be like Him.  John wrote:  “…we shall be like Him for we shall see Him as He is”.  (I John 3:2c)

Prayer:  Dear LORD, seeing You in Jesus, I look forward to seeing You face to face in heaven.  AMEN

SATURDAY, July 24 Psalm 18:29  “With Your help I can advance against a troop;  with my God I can scale a wall.”

SCALE A WALL

An increasing number of adventurous people prefer to climb a rock wall instead of playing miniature golf.  Instead of climbing a trail, they choose to climb cliffs and mountains.  Dangerous.  Exciting.  Fun?  You know you’re alive.  (Unless you fall…)

However, do you know anyone who enjoys “scaling a wall, that is, facing painful excruciating troubles in their life?

Life has a way of leading us to “rock faces”.  Impossible climbs.  There seems to be no way out, no way up.

David learned to “rock climb”.  To trust in God in the impossible circumstances of life.  He experienced God’s help and deliverance.  He learned to trust.  He knew he could face anything with God’s presence and help.

 “…with my God I can scale a wall”  You can too.

PRAYER:  LORD, I have had and will have many walls in my life.  Some because of my sin.  Others because of other sinners and the world’s condition.  Help me to believe in Your love and rely on Your power.  With You I really can scale every wall.  Thank you!  AMEN






SUNDAY, July 25 Psalm 19:1  “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands.”

GLORY!

If only my eyes were open.  If my ears would only hear and my heart listen.  If my heart would only take in His Word!  Then!  Then I would see His glory – I would hear it – I would feel it, know it, live in it, enjoy it.

I can.  So can you.  By His power and grace.  So, why not do it?  Ask Him to open your eyes to His glory expressed in the world around you.  Ask Him to open your heart to His grace expressed in His Word which is near you.

Enjoy the glory of God!  Savor His grace!  Enjoy Glory on your way to seeing it in person in heaven forever.

PRAYER:  LORD, I want to see Your glory!  Help me!  AMEN