Re: Verse reading–Psalm 53 (day three)
“The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God.” “The universe can and will create itself from nothing” (Stephen Hawking and Leonard Mlodinaw, The Grand Design, 180). The aforementioned quote from Stephen Hawking’s book is not meant to label the brilliant physicist a fool. It is meant, though, to highlight the lengths to which we will go to place something—anything—at the center of the universe other than a God who has created us and holds us accountable. If we have to posit a universe that pulls itself into existence by its own bootstraps, so be it. If we must have something because we want it, if we decide that we have not harmed someone because we did not intend to do so, so be it. All such thinking comes from the kind of foolish thinking that convinces us that we create our own reality.
Confessions of a Functional Atheist
Re:Verse reading–Psalm 53 (day two)
Over worked, over stressed, always rushing in to save the project, the friend in need, the person in crisis. This is the life of the functional atheist. He serves his church, his family, his work, his community…yet secretly he resents those he serves. “Why can’t they take care of themselves? Why won’t they step up and take responsibility? Why aren’t they more like…more like me?!” Now the heart is being exposed. He would never say with his lips, “there is no God,” but his heart has said, “I must be the savior, the deliverer, the problem-solver, the provider.” His heart has said, “there is no God, so I must do the best I can to be god.” He is a functional atheist even while being a confessing Christian. A wrong idea has infected his heart, and only replacing it with a right idea will restore his being. There is a Savior, Deliverer, Problem-Solver and Provider. His name is Jesus.
Not even one
Re: Verse reading–Psalm 53 (day one)
“There is no one who does good, not even one” (vs 3) “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23) It is ultimately a great comfort. It isn’t just me. Not just you. Every human on the planet has the same problem before a holy God. “Every one of them has turned aside; together they have become corrupt.” (Psalm 53:3) Our reading and reflection (Psalm 53) was a well-known passage to the Jewish nation. Over time, it came to be applied mainly to the enemies of Israel. See vs 4. 1000 years later, the Apostle Paul applies it in a larger way. He includes the Jewish people in God’s judgement on the race for sin. Paul declares that we are all sinners. All in need of the righteousness that comes through “faith in Jesus Christ’. (Romans 3:22) First judgement, then comfort, God’s verdict is that none of us are righteous apart from Christ. Not even one.
Patience and prayer
Re: Verse reading–Psalm 40 (day seven)
“I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry.” (vs 1) Both of these assignments come to the believer from God. We are to be patient! “Those who WAIT on the Lord will renew their strength” (Isaiah 40:30) We are to pray! “There was a widow in that city, and she KEPT COMING TO HIM, saying, ‘Give me legal protection from my opponent.’ ” (Luke 18:3) Even David, as he waited on God, did not stop crying out to God. It is an important and difficult balance to find. Waiting on God is not stoic, silent or sullen resignation. As believers, we bear up under the difficulties of life, but we never cease to cry out to God for His help. We are His children, asking our Father for His help. We are His adult sons and daughters, facing hardships with confidence and hope. Patience and prayer. We do both.
A new chapter
Re: Verse reading–Psalm 40 (day six)
“then He said, ‘Behold, I have come to do your will.’ He takes away the first in order to do the second. By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” (Hebrews 10:9-10) In Psalm 40, David ponders the emptiness of Jewish religion. He concludes “sacrifice and offering you have not desired.” (vs 5) Everyone already knew it. People were faithfully going to church, observing the rituals commanded by God’s word, but missing power! It was a real problem for the man who would build the temple and establish this ceremonial/sacrificial form. In a prophetic moment, David hears Christ speak. He will do the Father’s new will. He will be the needed sacrifice. Perfect in obedience, perfect in effect, perfect in example. We must never go back to a system of religion. Only Christ has the power to cleanse our hearts. He is the new chapter.
Majesty
RE Verse reading–Psalm 40 (day four) Have you stopped recently to consider who God is and what He has done? 40:5 says, “Many, O Lord my God, are the wonders which you have done,” The Psalmist was acknowledging the mighty works of God. Verse 5 says, “…If I would declare and speak of them, they would be too numerous to count.” When we recognize how complete and extensive God is, what should be our response? Look at verse 9…we are to proclaim the works of His hands. The Psalmist says his words cannot be restrained…he has to speak of His faithfulness and loving kindness. Verse 16 also shows us a response…it is worship. “The Lord be magnified!” Back to the original question, have you reflected on the majesty of God lately? What was the result of your experience? Hopefully, it is declaration and worship! God sustains us in our need and we must be faithful to exalt His name…even when the world presses in upon us.
Ears
RE Verse reading–Psalm 40 (day three) “Sacrifice and offering you did not desire—but my ears you have opened—burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not require.” People use their ears for more—much more—than listening. Often, ears function as filters: You hear what you want to hear. Ears also serve as early warning systems: You recognize the voice of someone you don’t wish to see, so you go somewhere else. God calls us to hear him—to stop even our religious observances lest they become a substitute for paying attention to him. Jesus often punctuated his teaching with a call for people to use their ears to take his words into their minds and think: “He who has ears, let him hear.” If we listen, we can ponder; if we ponder, we can pray. If we pray, we God will hear.
When bombs go off…
RE Verse reading-Psalm 40 (day two) My thoughts were interrupted as I wrote this by the sudden and sad news from Boston, and this week’s passage became even more significant. “I waited patiently for the Lord, and He turned to me and heard my cry for help” (40:1). As senseless suffering and death again strike our people, can we find help? The song writer says, “Yes.” “He brought me up…making my steps secure. He put a new song in my mouth.” Easy for him to say, right? God helped him, but what about those people in Boston? Not so fast. The song writer’s story is not finished. “Troubles without number have surrounded me…my courage leaves me” (40:12). This is not a song about rescue from trouble but rather rescue through trouble. Help is needed precisely because troubles are still present. The hope is that help has come, a help that carries us through. Perhaps Jesus had this on his mind when he said, “In this world you will have trouble, but take heart. I have overcome the world!” (John 16:33).
Thy will
RE Verse reading–Psalm 40 (day one) “Then I said, ‘Behold, I come. . .I delight to do Thy will, O my God.’ ” (vs 7-8) Ancient Judaism had a problem. It was a system of worship designed around animal sacrifice which everyone knew was insufficient to change a heart. “It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sin.” (Hebrews 10:4) What was needed, then and now, was a perfect sacrifice, a volunteer, perfectly holy and yeilded. David describes the exciting moment when this “Lamb” presents Himself. It is a prophecy of Christ in His full surrender. It describes HOW we are saved (by the death of a voluntary innocent). It also describes WHAT we will be when we are saved. Yielded. Surrendered. Obedient. Had Christ refused God’s will, He could not love us. When we refuse His will, we do not love Him. These are Christ’s words and they should be ours. “I have come to do thy will”. (Hebrews 10:7)
Seeking worshippers
RE Verse reading–Psalm 34 (day seven) “O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together.” (vs 3) Praise to God is not a choice that should be left to individual choice or mood. Having overcome his own saddness (see 1 Samuel 22) David begins to enlist others to the life-giving privilege of praise. Psalm 34 is a song. A song of evangelism. A song of enlistment. A song sung to his men. Are we compelled in similar fashion? If others do not praise God, do we encourage them to join us? Secular culture treats faith as a matter of privacy. In many ways, some subtle, some not, it argues that believers should be silent and non-intrusive toward people who do not praise God. David disagress. So does Jesus. “true worshippers will worship the Father in Spirit and truth; for such people the Father SEEKS to be His worshippers.” (John 4:23) God seeks people to worship. He extends an invitation. Do we?