Psalm 84

I've been reading through one "Psalm a day" for a few months, about half-way through. Psalm 84 is one of my favorites and I've been pondering it for a few days. Charles Spurgeon commented if the 23rd is the most popular, the 103rd the most joyful, the 119th the most deeply experiential, then the 84th would be known as the best of the "Psalms of Peace."

When my son Levi was in a season of searching we decided to memorize Psalm 84 together. It was a great experience and we've come back to it many times. Psalm 84 voices a deep longing for God. "My soul longs and even faints for the courts of the Lord. My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God."

I love the Treasury of David, by Charles Spurgeon, a 7-volume collection of commentaries on the Psalms. When I read it I feel as though I live a few inches deep and a mile wide, that my insights are shallow, that my experience of God's Word could be so much more, ugh! It is apparent the authors spent countless hours mining for hidden treasure (and found it). But thankfully at the same time I sense God's mercy and being drawn to greater depths.

Here is a quote from Spurgeon's comments on Psalm 84:

"To be the guests of God, enjoying the hospitalities of heaven, set apart for holy work, screened from a noisy world, and familiar with sacred things-- why this is surely the choicest heritage a person can possess."

So what difference does something like this make today?

First of all it reminds me that I need to hit the pause button and look to Jesus during the day.

Second it strikes my heart with the knowledge of God's great love.

Just a few hours after reading it I was in a restaurant and hit with a sense of how much God sees what is going on and how much He loves people.

That moved me to talk to some people I wouldn't normally engage (being a quiet introvert by nature). There wasn't anything weird about it. Actually quite amazing.

A wise person said the ONE unique quality of all great men and women of God was their "open ear to heaven" while being present on earth. What a strong but encouraging challenge. He didn't say you have to go to Bible college, seminary, or come up with a fancy resume (with a fish graphic on it). He didn't say you have to be well-versed in spiritual matters. You can start right where you are. The invitation is to all of us, no matter where we are.

To go a little further, a little deeper in following Jesus... appropriate for this Passion Week as we ponder the suffering of Jesus and look forward to celebrating His resurrection!

Big Adjustments

My dad and I were playing golf some 35 years ago. It was one of the things I enjoyed most. Seems like yesterday.

It was a beautiful spring morning with dew still on the greens. On the second tee, a long par 5, I sliced my drive over the power lines and out of bounds. I was angry as I'd been hitting a big "banana" slice for awhile and unable to fix it. He hit one down the middle, rolling over the hill and out of sight, glancing over at me with a little smile.

As we walked over the bridge and up the hill he asked "How would you like to get rid of your slice today?" I said something like "duh." He told me to drop a ball next to his and he was going to give me a lesson. My dad didn't usually offer golfing tips (since I'd started occasionally beating him). But I guess this day he felt sorry for me, or he wanted to remind me he still knew more than I did.

As I lined up over my shot he said "I want you to aim waaaaaay left." I started about 5 yards left and he kept saying "more, more, more, more..." By the time I stopped moving my feet I was lined up 50 yards left of the target, down the 9th fairway. Then he said something I'll never forget, "Now try and hit it to the right."

As I swung the club, surprisingly, there was no slice, and the ball went straight up the middle (of our fairway). Dad proceeded to explain the dynamics of "opening up," "trusting your mind to get your club on the right path" and "making big adjustments to get the results you want." All I knew was I hit the ball straight. And he smiled the rest of the round.

It is a fact of human nature that we are willing to try new things when times get tough. Just this past week I was processing with a friend about our series in Joshua and blind spots. It was in the context of failure and hardship (time and time again) that Israel got up and made healthy changes. And when things were going well that she got into ruts and drifted off course.

It feels like this spring is going to be a time of big adjustments and knocking the ball down the middle of the fairway.

And that God the Father is smiling as He walks with us.

Being equipped to follow Jesus

We had an amazingly refreshing night of worship and prayer! The theme was consecration -- being filled and empowered by God's Holy Spirit to do His will at work, in relationships, etc. It was so cool being equipped together to follow Jesus.

I read from Spurgeon's "Treasury of David" (circa 1885) and many inquired about the quote so I'm including some excerpts here.

My soul waits in silence for God only; from Him is my salvation. Psalm 62:1

"My soul waiteth upon God. My inmost self draws near in reverent obedience to God. I am no hypocrite or mere posture maker.

To wait upon God, and for God, is the habitual position of faith; to wait on him truly is sincerity; to wait on him only is spiritual chastity. The original is, 'only to God is my soul silence.'

The presence of God alone could awe his heart into quietude, submission, rest, and acquiescence; but when that was felt, not a rebellious word or thought broke the peaceful silence.

The proverb that speech is silver but silence is gold, is more than true in this case. No eloquence in the world is half so full of meaning as the patient silence of a child of God.

It is an eminent work of grace to bring down the will and subdue the affections to such a degree, that the whole mind lies before the Lord like the sea beneath the wind, ready to be moved by every breath of his mouth, but free from all inward and self caused emotion, as also from all power to be moved by anything other than the divine will...

Faith can hear the footsteps of coming salvation, because she has learned to be silent."

Wow, all of that from reflection on one verse! It makes me aware of how much of life is geared to be a mile wide and a few inches deep, and the calling to go deeper...

What a great devotional resource! Check it out

http://www.spurgeon.org/treasury/treasury.htm