A Necessary Distraction from Today's To-do List

I am a prideful person. So often I begin my days like a race horse bursting from the shoot. Full of energy. Full of goals. Ready to start checking things off my to do list. And today was no exception. 

You see today I have a significant to do list: lessons to write, t-shirts to pick-up, a baptistry to fill, people to contact, a sermon to review, etc. So why I am posting a blog for the first time in a few years? Well, first on my to-do list is my daily bible reading. I am usually pretty good at quickly navigating through my bible reading, checking those boxes and moving on. By the way my reading is four separate boxes so eliminating four items off my list is a great way to start my day! Are you seeing the "prideful person" problem yet? But this morning as I was racing along Psalm 123 slowed me way down. It slowed me down enough that I clicked on my "dusty" blogger link and I started typing. Here is Psalm 123:

(1) I look up toward you, the one enthroned in heaven. (2) Look, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a female servant look to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes will look to the LORD, our God, until he shows us favor. (3) Show us favor, O LORD, show us favor! For we have had our fill of humiliation, and then some. (4) We have had our fill of the taunts of the self-assured, of the contempt of the proud. (NET)

As I read through the Psalm verse 3 grabbed my attention. The Psalmist pleads for "favor." Tired of humiliation. Tired of the taunts of the arrogant, the Psalmist is asking Yahweh to intervene, so he pleads for the favor (grace and mercy) of the LORD. Immediately my mind raced forward to one of the last things on today's to-do list: Our churches participation in the Have-a-Blast community event tonight. I prayed a silent prayer, "Father, show us favor." 

From there my mind jumped forward to Sunday. What this Psalmist pleads for is exactly what our men plead for every Sunday morning at 8am. We gather to ask for the favor of the LORD to be on our 10am worship gathering. I prayed another silent prayer, "Father, show us favor." 

Then as I glanced over at my open to-do list - still no checked boxes - I was reminded that I need the favor of the LORD for ALL of these tasks. As I looked back at the Psalm again the opening declaration made more sense: "I look up." The Psalmist owns his position - he is low; he is on the earth; he is weak BUT the LORD is high; the LORD is in the heavens; the LORD is enthroned in power.

He then offers a pair of helpful metaphors. Like a servant looks to his master; like a female servant looks to her mistress that is how the Psalmist looks to Yahweh. Cutting through the distance of culture, time, and geography how does a servant look to his master? IN COMPLETE DEPENDANCE - "Our eyes will look the LORD, our God until he shows us favor." 

As I pondered this I was reminded of a powerful quote by Charles Bridges from his commentary on Proverbs: “Pride lifts up the heart against God and contends for the supremacy with Him.  How unseemly moreover is this sin?  A creature so utterly dependent and so fearfully guilty, yet proud in heart.”  

Psalm 123 was the truth I needed today. Psalm 123 is the truth I need everyday. Psalm 123 stands up to my arrogant pride. Psalm 123 slows me down and helps me gain perspective in regards to my weakness and my Father's strength. Psalm 123 is a ready-made prayer that I hope becomes a regular part of my daily and even hourly routine. 

What about you? What is on your to-do list today? The Psalmist invites you to join the prayer: "Father, show us favor." 

A Reflection on Psalm 9:10

This morning I was reading Psalm 9, which is jam packed with amazing truths, but one in particular caught my attention. It is in verses 9-10..

The LORD is a stronghold for the oppressed,
a stronghold in times of trouble.
  And those who know your name put their trust in you,
for you, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek you.

For those of you who journeyed through the Old Testament with us in 2019, I hope it catches your attention too. It's the opening line of verse 10, "And those who know your name put their trust in you." His name? What does his name have to do with anything?

Well what is his name? If you go back to verse 9 it reads, "The LORD...". All caps means this is the personal name of the God of Israel - Yahweh. Now that we know the name let's plug it in: "And those who know your name - Yahweh - put their trust in you."

Here David reflects on the character (we might say the track record) of Yahweh. He has never once abandon his people or the promises he made to his people - think Joshua, Israel, the Judges, Ruth, Samuel, David, the birth, life, death, and resurrection of our Savior Jesus Christ.

So David declares those who know your name...those who know who you are...those who know what you have done...those who know how gracious and merciful you are...those who know how faithful you are...those are the people who put their trust in you.

Do you know him? If you do...if you really KNOW him...then you WILL trust him. And by the way we get to know him by digging in the Bible; by reflecting on Psalm 9; by reflecting on Mark 9 (both are our assigned reading for today).

Finally let me encourage you that whatever you face today YOU CAN TRUST HIM. He is faithful.

Psalm 9:9-10

"The LORD is a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek you."