The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, and majestic in his radiant splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Psalm 17:1-2,
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
"Hear me, Lord, my plea is just; listen to my cry. Hear my prayer— it does not rise from deceitful lips. Let my vindication come from you; may your eyes see what is right."
David brings a complaint to the Lord. He claims his innocence and yet is suffering from enemies. What is fascinating about his psalm is that it stands diametrically opposed to much of what is taught in the church today!
Today we hear the false teaching that those who obey the Lord in all things will experience only the best things in this life. God will bless us financially if we are faithful to bring in our "tithes". God will heal us of all sickness and disease if we have the faith God looks for in us. God will make sure our marriages will be successful, our children will turn out well, we will succeed in our occupations, getting those promotions and raises. If we go to church regularly, if we avoid "secular" music and entertainment, if we engage in those spiritual disciplines of prayer, Scripture reading, and even fasting... we can avoid those things we wish to avoid in our lives. You know the drill.
Maybe so. God just might bless us. After all, he says he will. However that is not all he says. Listen to Proverbs 3:11-12, "My son, do not despise the Lord's discipline, and do not resent his rebuke, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in." Hebrews 12:10-11 says this discipline is not pleasant, it falls into that category of those things we might wish to avoid in our lives, "God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it." Jesus wrote the same thing to the church in Laodicea, "Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent." Revelation 3:19.
In Psalm 17 David claimed his innocence, "Though you probe my heart, though you examine me at night and test me, you will find that I have planned no evil; my mouth has not transgressed. Though people tried to bribe me, I have kept myself from the ways of the violent through what your lips have commanded. My steps have held to your paths; my feet have not stumbled." Verses 3-5. Yet, the Lord allowed David to suffer through those who attempted to destroy him, "Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings from the wicked who are out to destroy me, from my mortal enemies who surround me." Verses 8-9.
Over the years I have heard those comments, and I'll bet you have as well: "She has cancer, she must have some hidden sin or she is lacking in faith."
The only sin I see in such occurrences is the presumption by holier-than-thou brothers and sisters who pretend they don't have their own hardships just like the rest of us. I accept the kind of difficulties that David experienced - after all, it is proof-positive as a believer that God is treating me as a son!
David brings a complaint to the Lord. He claims his innocence and yet is suffering from enemies. What is fascinating about his psalm is that it stands diametrically opposed to much of what is taught in the church today!
Today we hear the false teaching that those who obey the Lord in all things will experience only the best things in this life. God will bless us financially if we are faithful to bring in our "tithes". God will heal us of all sickness and disease if we have the faith God looks for in us. God will make sure our marriages will be successful, our children will turn out well, we will succeed in our occupations, getting those promotions and raises. If we go to church regularly, if we avoid "secular" music and entertainment, if we engage in those spiritual disciplines of prayer, Scripture reading, and even fasting... we can avoid those things we wish to avoid in our lives. You know the drill.
Maybe so. God just might bless us. After all, he says he will. However that is not all he says. Listen to Proverbs 3:11-12, "My son, do not despise the Lord's discipline, and do not resent his rebuke, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in." Hebrews 12:10-11 says this discipline is not pleasant, it falls into that category of those things we might wish to avoid in our lives, "God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it." Jesus wrote the same thing to the church in Laodicea, "Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent." Revelation 3:19.
In Psalm 17 David claimed his innocence, "Though you probe my heart, though you examine me at night and test me, you will find that I have planned no evil; my mouth has not transgressed. Though people tried to bribe me, I have kept myself from the ways of the violent through what your lips have commanded. My steps have held to your paths; my feet have not stumbled." Verses 3-5. Yet, the Lord allowed David to suffer through those who attempted to destroy him, "Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings from the wicked who are out to destroy me, from my mortal enemies who surround me." Verses 8-9.
Over the years I have heard those comments, and I'll bet you have as well: "She has cancer, she must have some hidden sin or she is lacking in faith."
The only sin I see in such occurrences is the presumption by holier-than-thou brothers and sisters who pretend they don't have their own hardships just like the rest of us. I accept the kind of difficulties that David experienced - after all, it is proof-positive as a believer that God is treating me as a son!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
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