pastorjohnb

Thoughts and musings on faith and our mighty God!

Tag Archives: range


by Leave a comment

Steady and Consistent

Reading: Psalm 86:1-10 and 16-17

Psalm 86:2 – “Guard my life because I am faithful. Save your servant who trusts in you – you! My God!”

Psalm 86 is attributed to David and is a “servant’s prayer for protection.” David mixes together a range of emotions and of faith. At times he affirms God’s certain response and at other times David reminds God (and himself?) that he is indeed faithful to God. Sometimes it feels like David is trying to motivate God to act on his behalf because is suffering and sometimes because David’s enemies need to be put to shame! When I am troubled and pray to God, my emotions and my faith can range far and wide too. Maybe you’ve experienced this as well.

Verse 2 is a great example of this range of faith and emotion. Here we read, “Guard my life because I am faithful. Save your servant who trusts in you – you! My God!” David petitions God’s guarding and saving while reminding God how faithful and trusting he is in God. I can slip into the same “How can you let this happen God – don’t you know how…?” prayer. In the end, these thoughts and prayers really come down to our questioning the status of our relationship with God. This questioning is most present when I’ve been neglecting my daily time with God.

In seasons of my life I’ve treated God like a vending machine. I’ve come to God when I need or want something, but when life is good or even just okay, I’ve let my relationship slide. I’ve come to realize that when I think I need to remind God how faithful and trusting I am, it’s really me that needs reminding that I haven’t been these things lately. This realization often draws me back to the God who has been present all along, just waiting for me to do the same. Lord, may it be so.

Prayer: Lord God, help me to walk a more steady and consistent faith. Even though the day always begins with you now, I can still drift away during the everyday of life. In moments when other things begin to creep in, lessening my connection to you, touch my heart and draw me close. Thank you, God, for your faithfulness. Amen.


by Leave a comment

Clean Hands, Pure Heart

Readings: Psalms 21-24

‭Psalm 22:19 – “But you, LORD! Don’t be far away! You are my strength! Come quick and help me!”

What a range we have in today’s four Psalms. Psalm 21 celebrates God’s protection of the king. Psalm 22 begins as a desperate plea for help and turns into praise. Psalm 23 is all about trusting in God’s care. Psalm 24 celebrates God’s control over all things.

Psalm 21 begins with thanksgiving for all that God has done to establish the king. There is a two-way street: the king will not stumble because he trusts the Lord. The psalmist returns to thanksgiving in verses 8-12. This thanks is for God’s protection against enemies. There are parallels with Psalm 23 abounding here in this Psalm. Praise be to God!

Turning to Psalm 22 the immediate question is, “Where are you, God?!” The psalmist cries out day and night. Although faithful since birth, the author is now “poured out like water.” These words and others in these four Psalms echo the scene of Jesus on the cross. The cry to the Lord is renewed in verse 19: “But you, LORD! Don’t be far away! You are my strength! Come quick and help me!” This cry, however, is quickly followed by words of praise and proclamation. It is as if the psalmist of verse 4 (“Our ancestors trusted you”) has reconnected to the Lord our God. Psalm 23 speaks deeply of this trust and connection. This Psalm reminds us of the thoroughly sufficiency of God’s care for us in all of life.

Psalm 24 takes the themes and ideas of Psalm 23 and makes them corporate. All is God’s. The God who walks with us “through the darkest valley” is also the God who is strong and powerful in battle. Psalm 24 reminds us that “only one with clean hands and a pure heart” can ascend to the mountain of God. May it be so for you and for me.

Prayer: Lord God, how glorious, how mighty, how majestic, how powerful are you, O God. And yet you hear our cries in the night and our pleas by day. All-powerful yet personally intimate. You hold our hand in the valleys. Your hand anoints us with the oil of blessing. You are the king of glory! You are our God. Amen.