Psalm 66: He Has Not Rejected My Prayer

Today’s reading is Psalm 66.

We’ve been through many lament psalms. Enemies abound. Dry times multiply. In those times, the psalmist struggles. Has God forgotten him? Did God abandon him? Was God even listening?

Even this psalm mentions the times when God allowed His people to be tested and tried. They were brought into a net and fell under crushing burdens. Men trampled them and rode over their heads and backs. Awful!

Those times are hard. But when in the bright sunshine we look back on the night, the darkness dims, the fear diminishes, the suffering pales. When we get to the times of abundance, the times of fire and rain do not look so bad.

Remember Paul’s exhortation in Romans 8:18.

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.

In these moments of blessing after the suffering, we realize God was listening to our prayers all along. We felt abandoned, but we were not. We felt forgotten, but we were not. And when we are in that time of ultimate and eternal blessing, the momentary pains will be forgotten entirely.

In the good times, store these memories and feelings up. I imagine you’ll want to remember them when tough times come again. In the night, remember, this too shall pass. The dawn will make it all look different.

Tomorrow’s reading is Psalm 66.

PODCAST!!!

Click here to take about 15 minutes to listen to the Text Talk conversation between Andrew Roberts and Edwin Crozier sparked by this post.

PATHS:
Discuss Today’s Meditation with Your Family

How does Psalm 66 admonish you?

Channeling Moses

Today’s reading is Psalm 27.

Bible trivia: I asked the Lord to let me see His face. He set me on the rock. He covered me. I saw his goodness. I asked the Lord not to abandon me, but to go with me. Who am I?

That’s right! I’m Moses. We can read about this in Exodus 33-34. Israel had sinned with the golden calf and the Lord was threatening to abandon them. Moses interceded and asked to see the Lord’s glory. God explained no one could see His face and live, so He placed Moses in the cleft of the rock, covered him, then passed by and let him see His goodness. Finally, He agreed that he would go with Moses and Israel. Now, here’s the really cool part. God demonstrated His presence in Exodus 40 by having His glory fill the tent of meeting. By day it was a pillar of smoke, by night a pillar of fire.

But wait! Psalm 27 shows that it is David too. David is channeling Moses in this psalm. Why was David so completely confident in his Psalm 27 prayer? Because he knew what kind of God he served. He knew how the Lord had worked with Moses, he was certain God still worked that same way. He knew the Lord would let him see His goodness. He knew the Lord would set him on the rock and cover him with protection. He knew the Lord would not forsake and abandon him but bestow His presence and favor. It’s what God does. It’s what God has always done. It’s what He still does. Praise the Lord!!!

Tomorrow’s reading is Psalm 27.

PODCAST!!!

Click here to take about 15 minutes and listen to the Text Talk conversation between Andrew Roberts and Edwin Crozier sparked by this post.

In the Middle

Today’s reading is 2 Timothy 4.

What a shock! Demas, who is twice demonstrated as a faithful fellow worker of Paul’s (Colossians 4:14; Philemon 24), has abandoned Paul because he loved this present world. That goes to show how all of us are just in the middle of our journey. We don’t get to rest on past victories and previous work. Satan is attacking us every day and will count it a great triumph to take a Demas like you or me and turn us to the world. But wait! Look at Mark. All historical indications suggest this is the John Mark who abandoned Paul in Acts 13:13. Paul saw John Mark as so useless that he parted company with Barnabas over wanting to bring John Mark along on another journey (Acts 15:36-41). Yet, at the end of Paul’s life, he wants Mark to come join him because he is useful. That just goes to show we are in the middle of our journey. We don’t need to give up because of past failures and sins. God is working on us, in us, and for us every day to lift us up, bring us along, and grow us to bring glory to Him, being useful in His kingdom and service. We’re in the middle today. So is every one around us. Don’t get distracted by the past, simply press on for God’s glory today and in the future.

Tomorrow’s reading is Titus 1.

Almost a Disciple

Today’s reading is Mark 10.

In our congregation, we remind ourselves a disciple is someone who honors God, learns from God, loves like God, and leads others to God all while abiding in God’s Word. Here we find a man who was almost a disciple. He comes to Jesus as if to honor, learn from, and lead others to him. But in the end he falls short. And what is the ultimate difference? In the end, he honored himself (Sure, he called Jesus “good” but his own ideas were better). He learned from himself (yes, he called Jesus “teacher,” but when taught what he didn’t want to hear, he went his own direction). He loved himself (whatever it was about the many possessions that attracted him, it was because of what they did for him). He led himself away from God (that one is obvious). Don’t be an almost disciple, because there really is no almost. Be a disciple.

Tomorrow’s reading is Mark 11.