Psalm_103

Scripture

Psalm 103:13-17¹³ As a father has compassion on his children,    so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him;¹⁴ for he knows how we are formed,    he remembers that we are dust.¹⁵ The life of mortals is like grass,    they flourish like a flower of the field;¹⁶ the wind blows over it and it is gone,    and its place remembers it no more.¹⁷ But from everlasting to everlasting    the Lord’s love is with those who fear him,    and his righteousness with their children’s children— 

Observation

The below is taken from the Enduring Word Bible Commentary:https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/psalm-103/This psalm is simply titled A Psalm of David. We don’t know the circumstances in which it was written, but since David was a man who knew the grace and deliverance of God many times, it could have been written at many different times of his life.

1. The Lord pities those who fear Him: David continues to describe the abounding mercy and goodness of God. The way that a good father cares for and even [has compassion for] his childrenin their frailty and weakness, so the Lord [has compassion for] those who fear Him.

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1. For He knows [how we are formed]: The pity and compassion of God towards those who fear Him are rooted in His knowledge and understanding of our inherent weakness and impermanence, our transience.

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1. As for man, his days are like grass: David expanded the thought of man’s weak frame and dust-like nature. Humanity is so transient that his days are like grassand like a flower of the field that blooms one day and withers the next. When the flower is gone, virtually nothing remains – its place remembers it no more.

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1. But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting: This is true of God’s mercy and of God Himself, the source of mercy. His hesed – covenant love, loyal kindness – endures from all ages to all ages. Those who fear Himreceive the benefit of this everlasting mercy, as do their children’s children.

Understanding

I read things a little different than the commentary I shared from above.First, I’m struck by the fact that God has such compassion for us, even that He calls us His children when our lifespans are just passing wisps in the line of eternity.  I loved how the commentary calls out the scriptures focus on our transience versus God’s permanence.  Like Pastor Gary shared yesterday…given all that, why would He make the choice He did to step away from His throne and become man to endure death on the cross?Because of His love – His deep, wide, incredible love for us.  To bring it back to the scripture, I “love” seeing green grass and fields of flowers, but not once have I thought to take the place as a blade of grass or one of those flowers amidst the many on a hillside.  I don’t give a second thought to their permanence or transience; I just enjoy them while they are here.  But that’s not what God’s love looks like; His is a love that knows us inside and out, know how and why and where we were formed, knows the number of hairs on our heads.  A bit overwhelming isn’t it?  In the best way of course, but overwhelming just the same. 

Life Application

So what do we do with that love?We are called to soak it up and pour it out!  Return often to the well, draw close to Him so we can experience Him drawing close to us…but then go and pour it out in crazy, generous, refreshing ways to everyone we meet. God, as I sit here overwhelmed by your love my heart is beyond full.  There’s a stillness, a peace a joy that comes with knowing I am loved just as I am…in all my imperfection, in all my transience, in all my failure to be all you’ve called me to be.  While I love that feeling of knowing that I’m “perfectly and wonderfully made” in your eyes, let that not be where it starts.  May I be used to let people know that they are seen and known and loved by you.  May I be intentional in my interactions as I go throughout this day, this week, this season.  Soften my heart to your voice, to your tugging…that I may share your love in personal ways that only you can facilitate.  And may hearts be turned to you as a result.  In your name I pray, Amen.ReiTo check out the discussion or to join in click here.

Matthew___24

Scripture  Matthew 24:6-8 & 13  You will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end.  For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes. But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs...But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved. Observation-What does it say?  Before sacrificing himself on the cross, Jesus prophecies about the second coming.  He talks about things to expect as the precursors of this age, like war and famine. He warns of the false teachers and prophets that will come.  Finally, he tells his followers that they would be tortured and killed for following him.  Some of Jesus’ predictions, like the destruction of the physical temple, have already come to be.  Additionally, we live in a time where we are already seeing many of these tragedies, like wars and famines, take place regularly all over the world.  This, then, poses the question of whether or not to expect the second coming sooner rather than later?Understanding-What does it mean?  I saw a friend post a funny picture (read meme), and the comment in the picture read, “I have to workout in the morning, before my brain realizes what is going on.”  I really appreciated this, as it can be really difficult to convince myself that exercise is a good idea after I get off work. Other times, I have to warn myself of the pain that will be associated with the exercise that I am about to undertake, knowing that not only do the ends justify the means, but that the suffering during is part of what makes me a better person.  You have to embrace the suck.While I am not schooled well enough to take a stance on whether we live in a premillenial, postmillenial, or amillenial world, I can tell that these end times sound both scary and horrible.  But is fear the stance we should take in approaching these times? Should we be concerned when Jesus will make his return? I think the simple answer is no. But, knowing what is to come makes the inevitable suffering easier to understand.  It helps me to embrace the suck.  Multiple times in scripture we are warned that we will need to be prepared for trials associated with the choice of following after Jesus.  Jesus clearly tells us of this here, but we also hear it from Paul in his letter to the Ephesians, and from Peter in his letters. But, we are not expected to have the strength to endure these hardships on our own accord.  The Holy Spirit was sent to us as our helper for exactly this reason. May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13)  And in the Holy Spirit, we can rely on the body of Christ to give us strength to endure as we approach the end of times.  Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful;  and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near. (Hebrews 10:23-25)Life Application  Jesus, help me not only to rest in the peace of your strength, but also a catalyst of encouragement to your body.  Help me to clearly hear the prompting of the Holy Spirit, and trusting the prompts he gives me. Help me to live out of love and not fear, for your perfect love casts out fear.  -Tyler Galloway

Psalm 101

Scripture

Psalm 101 NIV

I will sing of your love and justice;

    to you, Lord, I will sing praise.

2 I will be careful to lead a blameless life—

    when will you come to me? 

Psalm 101 MSG

My theme song is God’s love and justice,

    and I’m singing it right to you, God.

I’m finding my way down the road of right living,

    but how long before you show up?

Observation 

A psalm of David. 

Understanding 

I live my life as worship to you.

With my mouth I will worship you. 

I discipline myself daily to live a life that follows after you, in your ways. 

When will you come to me? When will you fill me with your spirit? When will I have an encounter that will ruin me for anything this world has to offer? When will I experience you in a way that gives me what I need to keep persevering? 

Do you ever feel this way? You are doing all that you can do live right. You know who God is, “merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in love.” You have seen it evident in your life. 

And so, you speak of his love. You worship Him for who he is and what he has done. And yet, you need him to come. 

You need Him to come in a way that you have never experienced before. 

You need Him to come in a way that will inject you with His power, love, and joy! 

You need Him to come in a way that will bring dead things to life, restore vision, and keep you moving forward! 

I think we all feel this way at different times. I imagine that's how Simeon felt waiting in the temple waiting to see the Messiah (Luke 2:25-35). He had been a righteous and devoted man. He had been doing what was right, at home I’m sure and also in the temple worshiping. After all, he had an encounter with Holy Spirit who revealed to him that he would see the Christ.  Even though he had that encounter, he wondered…when will you come?

Or what about the 120 in the upper room?( Acts 2 ) Many of them had already witnessed Christ and experienced him in a profound intimate way, that clearly changed their life. But they gathered and worshiped and prayed and they wondered… when will you come? 

Application

Be expectant. He is coming! 

I can't help but imagine how the righteous felt the months and years before the first Christmas. All of the political, religious, and moral upheavals that were surrounding Israel and the gentiles. The prophecy from Genesis that spoke of the Messiah that was to come and save the world had been passed down and repeated for centuries. 

The righteous generations had waited. And now… they had encounters with God. They knew who He was, they spoke and worshiped about his love and justice. Their homes were filled with integrity and discipline and they wondered… when will you come?

Emmanuel, came to us in the time we needed him! He knows exactly when we need Him. He came in a way that was real, and intimate, and full of power, love, and grace and mercy! 

God, came to earth, with us! He spent 33 years in the flesh with them to give them what they needed for then and all eternity! 

Keep asking God for a deeper encounter with Him. He will come to us on time. 

I will sing of your love and justice;

    to you, Lord, I will sing praise.

I will be careful to lead a blameless life—

    when will you come to me? 

“oh come, oh come, Emmanuel” by King and Country. 

Deborah Lee 

He who testifies to these things says, "Yes, I am coming soon." Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.  Rev. 22:20