March 28, 2024

Better Courts

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For better is a day in Your courts than a thousand [elsewhere];
I prefer standing at the threshold in the house of my God
more than dwelling in the tents of the wicked.
Psalm 84: 10

Psalm 84 is a song of longing for the house of God, to be where the Lord dwells, and where His praise is sung and His people gather for worship. It may have been sung by Hebrew pilgrims making their way to Jerusalem for a festival, but whatever the context, it expresses the heartfelt desire for worship that should be in every believer.

The psalmist makes two comparisons in this verse. The first is between spending a day in the courts of the Lord than a thousand days elsewhere, or in other places. The Temple in Jerusalem had a series of courts, an outer court for Gentile converts, a court for women, a court for Israelite men, and a court for priests. There were also various gateways into the courts, used by different people for different purposes. At the center of the Temple was the Holy of Holies, which is where the Ark of the Covenant was and where, once a year, the sacrifice for atonement was made by the High Priest.  The psalmist says that to be in the courts of the Lord–and he doesn’t specify which one, so we can presume any of these courts, is better than spending a thousand days anywhere else.  Just to be within the vicinity of where God’s people are worshipping just for a day is more precious than being anywhere else for a thousand days.

The second comparison is between standing at the threshold of the Temple (some translations speak of being a “gatekeeper”–but I think “standing at the threshold” makes more sense of the comparison), and dwelling in the tents of the wicked. Someone who stands at the threshold of a place is someone who is not planning to stay. They’re visiting, or just looking in, as opposed to someone who dwells, who has made their abode in that place. The psalmist has made a choice (my translation “prefer” is probably not strong enough–the verb is “to choose”): he would rather hang around the entrance to the Temple, able to hear the worship of God’s people, than live with the wicked in their tents, far removed from the praises being offered to the Lord.

We don’t worship in the Temple, but we do gather for worship every Lord’s Day with God’s people.  And we do know the Lord inhabits the praises of His people, so the place they are gathered for worship is, indeed, the Lord’s house.  Do we consider going to church better than being anywhere else?  Would we rather stand in the lobby, hearing the voices of God’s people lifted in praise, and the words of the Scriptures read and expounded, than be among unbelievers? Church is not an optional extra for Christians.  The Lord expects us to gather with our brethren in Christ for public, corporate worship.  May the words of this psalm impress upon us the attitude we should have toward church.

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Lord, we give You glory for the privilege to be among people who worship You. We will dwell in Your courts forever; in Jesus’ name. Amen!

I Love the Lord — Psalms 116:1-7

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I love the Lord, because He hears my voice and my supplications.
Because He has inclined His ear to me,
Therefore I shall call upon Him as long as I live.
The cords of death encompassed me and the terrors of Sheol came upon me;
I found distress and sorrow.
Then I called upon the name of the Lord: “O Lord, I beseech You, save my life!”
Gracious is the Lord, and righteous; Yes, our God is compassionate.
The Lord preserves the simple; I was brought low, and He saved me.
Return to your rest, O my soul, for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you.

Psalms 116:1-7 NASB

I Love the Lord Because….

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I love the LORD, because He has heard my voice and my supplications.
Because He has inclined His ear to me, therefore I will call upon Him as long as I live.
The pains of death surrounded me, and the pangs of Sheol laid hold of me;
I found trouble and sorrow.
Then I called upon the name of the LORD: “O LORD, I implore You, deliver my soul!”
Gracious is the LORD, and righteous; yes, our God is merciful.
The LORD preserves the simple; I was brought low, and He saved me.
Return to your rest, O my soul, for the LORD has dealt bountifully with you.
Psalms 116:1-7

  • I found trouble and sorrow…then I called upon the name of the Lord.” How great of a feeling is this!?  Knowing that we can call on His name. Knowing that He is there…He is righteous, He is merciful.  Knowing He will save us.  I think back and I try to count how many times I call out for God’s help during the day.  From the morning when I pray for patience with my kids, to the workday when I pray for guidance when interacting with people, to the evening when I pray for energy to finish my tasks of the day.  I know I can call on Him.
  • The pains of death surrounded me,”  When I read this line of the psalm, my mind began running through all of the areas in life that we face a type of death: physical death is the first, of course; but we also face emotional death, loss of relationships, loss of jobs and income, loss of belongings. All of these can feel like a type of death, and pain accompanies all of them.
  • I was brought low, and He saved me.”  When I call on Him, He saves me. When I feel loss, He saves me.  This may not look how I expected it to, but it is always what I need.  This passage ultimately says two things: we are going to feel pain in life and we are going to feel loss, but despite this we will always be able to call to Him and He will always be there to hear our voice.

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Let’s Pray: Dear Heavenly Father, ‘thank You’ doesn’t begin to express how appreciative we are of Your love, and of the fact that You hear us at our lowest times.  Not only do You hear us but You step in and help…You intervene and do what is best for us.  Thank You, Father.  In Jesus’ name we pray.  Amen.

Compassion

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I love the Lord, for He heard my voice; He heard my cry for mercy. 
Because he turned His ear to me, I will call on Him as long as I live. 
The cords of death entangled me, the anguish of the grave came over me; 
I was overcome by distress and sorrow. 
Then I called on the name of the Lord: “Lord, save me!” 
The Lord is gracious and righteous; our God is full of compassion. 
The Lord protects the unwary; when I was brought low, He saved me. 
Return to your rest, my soul, for the Lord has been good to you. 
Psalms 116:1-7

God’s love knows no bounds!  He is there when we call out to Him and He hears our plea for ourselves and for others.  This past week was such a test for some friends of ours.  It is rather a long story, but the unfortunate side effect was that a teenager took his life.  No one this side of heaven knows why, but I am sure there are theories. He loved the Lord and people loved him.

We can use this situation to minister to others and let them know that it is okay to feel sad.  As Christians we are taught, or believe, that we should not feel sad, depressed, or helpless.  That is a lie from the evil one.  We are capable of sinning and, when sin creeps in, we are vulnerable to thoughts of suicide.  Please be aware, dear sisters, that here you can find rest, love, acceptance, help, and healing as well as hope.

com·pas·sion

noun 1. a feeling of deep sympathy and sorrow for another who is stricken by misfortune, accompanied by a strong desire to alleviate the suffering.

This—compassion— is what God has for us. If only…..they would see; they would seek me; they would pray more; they had paid more attention.

Mighty to Save by Hillsong is such an appropriate song for us today.  He is so mighty to save us and help us know that we are forgiven and loved.  We may face desperate times, but it is not to define who we are in Christ.  Rules are made to protect us and guide us, but not to rule us.

We must remember to love the way that God loved us and everyone would be better.

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Father, thank You for loving us unconditionally.  Thank You for those who would love on us, even when we are unlovable.  You are a great and wonderful God that we mostly do not deserve to have in our lives, but You love us anyway.  Help us to be strong enough to share Your Word with others and with those in our own families. In Jesus’ name, amen.

A Cry Answered

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I love the Lord, for He heard my voice; He heard my cry for mercy.
Because he turned His ear to me, I will call on Him as long as I live.
The cords of death entangled me, the anguish of the grave came over me;
I was overcome by distress and sorrow.
Then I called on the name of the Lord: “Lord, save me!”
The Lord is gracious and righteous; our God is full of compassion.
The Lord protects the unwary; when I was brought low, He saved me.
Return to your rest, my soul, for the Lord has been good to you.
Psalms 116:1-7

As a mother, I can only imagine the anguish that Mary must have felt as she watched her Son and Savior die on the Cross on that Easter Friday.  She was down on her knees crying and praying for a miracle.  What she probably did not realize was that she was witnessing the greatest miracle known to man.  She knew that when she gave birth to Jesus that He was destined to save mankind.  At the moment of His death and resurrection, Jesus was answering the silent cry of help from mankind.

Of course, Mary was overcome by distress and sorrow at the death of her son…just as  any mother would be.  However, I would agree that her distress and sorrow turned to joy when she realized that Jesus died for her and the rest of us so that we may live eternally with God in worship and praise.  Jesus would not stay in the anguish of the grave. He would rise from the dead three days later to seal the deal of redeeming man back to God.

Mankind had to have a way to get past sin to be with God.  The Lord showed His graciousness and mercy by shedding His own blood for His children—those who believe by faith that Jesus died on the Cross for them.  Before Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice, man had to depend on different rituals performed by the high priests for forgiveness and assurance of forgiveness.  Jesus’ death wiped this away. We only now have to believe that He died on the Cross for us to know that we are saved and to spread the word of this wonderful gift.

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Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for Your wonderful gift of eternal life by showing faith that we believe that Jesus died on the Cross for us. I no longer have to show distress or feel anguish over dying. I know that when it is time to meet You that I will be among the other believers who are waiting to see You.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

He Is Our Shield — Psalms 18:30-32

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As for God, His way is perfect!
The word of the Lord is tested and tried;
He is a shield to all those who take refuge and put their trust in Him.
For who is God except the Lord? Or who is the Rock save our God,
The God who girds me with strength and makes my way perfect?
Psalms 18:30-32

Remembering My God, My Rock

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This God – His way is perfect; the word of the LORD proves true;
He is a Shield for all those who take refuge in Him.
For who is God, but the LORD? And who is a rock, except our God? –
the God who equipped me with strength and made my way blameless.
Psalms 18:30-32

Soon – click!  Our suitcases will have just been thrown into the back of the car.  We’ll be zooming past restaurants and familiar buildings…lots of waiting…waiting…then, finally!  I’ll see the first glimpse of that beautiful mountain scenery rising up into the clouds, and all of the traveling will be so worth it! Oh, to finally see them again! It will look as if each one is reaching toward the heavens posed with its mighty strength and massive hard rock formations, and I’ll quickly think of my God Who made those magnificent mountains and that He alone truly is my Rock—beyond anything visible that I can see!

He has helped me when I have cried out to Him, and I can praise Him for that, much like Hannah did in her prayer after her son, Samuel, (who she desperately prayed for) was born.

There is none holy like the LORD; for there is none beside You; there is no Rock like our God.
2 Samuel 2:2

The next day, I’ll sit with a cup of coffee in one hand, my Bible in my lap, and look up toward those huge, majestic creations.  I’ll have time with God there.  Just as God was faithful in being with David in his life and he gave great thought to God being his Rock, I know it will be easy to think of God’s goodness to me over the years in that way.  I’ll remember, and be thankful. His Word has been true, and He has been by my side as my Rock.  No other god can take the place of the One True God!

I’ll ponder how any strength throughout my life was found only in Him.  And then, I’ll think of what lies ahead—perhaps some dreams that I desire to fulfill for His glory.  If they seem too big for me to attempt, that will be okay, for they are not too big for my God.  When the fears come, I’ll simply draw closer to Him, and take refuge in Him. For He will equip me with His strength with whatever comes my way.  I hope on that day, I’ll pray, read, and meditate on God’s Word for awhile, and pray again.  I’ll lay my requests, praises, and dreams at the foot of the one great Rock—my Lord!

What do you do when you look up at a mountain?  Do you remember the faithfulness and strength of God that enabled you to get where you are today?  Do you believe He is enough to carry you through whatever lies ahead?  Lay everything at the foot of the one great Rock, our Lord!  His way is perfect.  Never walk alone in this life, not when your all can be found in Him!  Walk with Him.  Follow Him where He leads.

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Dear Lord, in the peace and quiet that each of us carves out of every day wherever we are, let us be reminded of Your all-sufficient Presence, Strength, and Faithfulness. Thank You for being our Rock and Strength.  Lead us, and continue to equip us for Your calling on each of our lives.  In Jesus’ precious Name I pray, Amen.

His Way Is Perfect

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As for God, His way is perfect;
The word of the LORD is proven;
He is a shield to all who trust in Him.
For who is God, except the LORD?
And who is a rock, except our God?
It is God who arms me with strength,
And makes my way perfect.
Psalms 18:30-32

“Mom! its not working!”  “Guys, how are you doing it?”  As my boys proceed to tell me how they are using the way they devised (I don’t even know how they came up with this method), I chuckle to myself, knowing that it wouldn’t work, and knowing that this was going to happen.  They weren’t going to do it the way I suggested they do it because I have given birth to the most independent and stubborn boys in the world.  Who knew that lining books back into a bookshelf could be so difficult?

This isn’t new, all three of my children have the “I’m going to try it my way first,” mentality when they set out to accomplish tasks.  Many times the end result is less than what we all hoped for.  Similar situations are seen in the daily lives of most parents, even our Heavenly Father.  His children are stubborn, we like to try it our way.  He tells us or shows how to do something and we turn around and do it how we see fit, and  the outcome is always less than we hoped for.

Though my ways are far from perfect, my boys have learned that they may work  better.  But His ways are perfect, and when we follow His ways, He will shield us from the unpleasant side effects of trying our own ways first.  Thankfully God is forgiving, and we get do-overs.  He gives us chance after chance to do it His way.  Time after time, He has shown me that His Word is proven.  Time and time again He has been my Shield, my Strength, and my Rock.  He has done so even when I tried my way first…when I didn’t trust Him as I should have.  He was waiting for me, His arms outstretched, ready to show that His words rang true.

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Let’s Pray:  Dear Heavenly Father, You know better than we do that we don’t always do things Your way, yet You love us regardless.  We fight, we argue, we do things how we want to.  But You are always there, arms outstretched.  Always our Shield, always our Rock, always our Strength.  Thank You.  In Jesus name, we pray, Amen.

The Hardest Thing About Trusting God

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As for God, His way is perfect: the word of the LORD is tried:
He is a buckler to all those that trust in Him.
For who is God save the LORD? or Who is a Rock save our God?
It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect.
Psalms 18:30–32

Faith is not faith as long as it is holding onto a branch.  There is a story that goes like this:

One day on a hiking trip, a man fell off the edge of a cliff and began the 800-foot drop to the bottom. He thought it was all over for him until he grabbed a tree branch which stopped his fall. Hanging on for dear life, he cried out for help, “Is anyone up there?”
There was no response. The seconds turned into minutes. The branch was sagging beneath the hiker’s weight. The tree’s roots would only take so much more strain before they gave way. When it seemed the poor hiker couldn’t hold on any longer, he heard a voice: “I am God. Do you trust Me?”
“Yes, Lord. I trust You. Can You help me, please?”
God answered, “Yes, I will help you. Just let go of the branch.”
The hiker was silent for a moment. Then he shouted back, “Is anyone else up there?”

There is perhaps nothing more difficult than releasing our grip on a “branch” we have been trusting for life, stability, and the provision of our needs.  The hardest part is not knowing how the landing will turn out.  This is what happens when we practice faith, only we are leaving the outcome of our situation in God’s hands.  We’re used to holding onto our relationships, jobs, homes, families, friends, bank accounts, retirement savings, and even our plans for the future.  But God can’t help us until we are willing to let go of these things and completely trust Him.  He knows that when we are trusting Him, we are in a place of safety.  Our branches may fail us, but His hand will never let us go.

Each of us is clinging to a branch of one kind or another.  Your branch might be your job, a relationship with a friend,  the stock market, your health, or your home.  Today God is asking you to let it go and trust Him.  You might not see how the landing will turn out, but God can.  He has promised to keep you safe.

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Dear Lord, we thank You for the love You have for us even when we don’t trust You. Help our unbelief.  Let us trust You more and more each day, in Jesus’ name we pray. Amen!!

You Are A Shield — Psalms 33:18-22

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Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him,
On those who hope for His lovingkindness,
To deliver their soul from death
And to keep them alive in famine.
Our soul waits for the Lord;
He is our Help and our Shield.
For our heart rejoices in Him,
Because we trust in His holy name.
Let Your lovingkindness, O Lord, be upon us,
According as we have hoped in You.

Psalms 33:18-22