Author: kezha1

No matter what our outward circumstances look like…we must always remember the unfailing goodness of God. His goodness is unfathomable in its greatness…His benevolence, the true source of our well-being, as He showers His abundant blessings and lovingkindness onto His children. (Nahum 1:7 & Zechariah 9:17) Events and conditions in our lives can change in a blink of a eye…but God never changes…and neither does His goodness!

The Psalms aren’t all full of gladness & light…in fact, Psalms of Lament make up the largest single category…56 of the 150 Psalms in the Old Testament. Within these Laments we see every human emotion expressed in the raw…anger, doubt, despair, sorrow, and grief…as the Psalmist painfully articulates his melancholy of regret, and suffering. In Psalm 22 we see his feelings of being forsaken by God. In Psalm 42, David writes of the separation he senses from God. And in Psalm 88, we see the very darkest of laments, ending with only a glimmer of hope. So what can we learn from all these laments as we approach God with our own tearfulness? First, as we sit quietly before God, lay it all out before Him. Put into words all the pent-up emotions, fears, and doubts. And don’t worry, God’s heard them all before and can’t be surprised by anything you will say. Be completely honest…yell if you need to…get it all out…for God has very broad shoulders and desires to hear you. And as the tears of frustration & loss flow, take a deep breath and remember. Remember God’s faithfulness, remember what He’s brought you out of in the past, and remember His mercy and grace. And then, as you grasp ahold of that thread of faith…praise God for His lovingkindness and Sovereignty, for He will never leave you nor forsake you, no matter what.

The Levitical priests led public worship and performed religious service, including the daily sacrifices. Morning and evening they managed and supervised the execution of offerings brought in by the people. But by the sheer repetition, it demonstrated that these sacrifices couldn’t take away the guilt of sin completely. In stark contrast to these priests whose work was never done, Jesus Christ’s sacrifice was made once for all…His work eternal, effective, and the final infinite solution for human sin. Therefore, Christ’s finished work atoned for man’s sin in a way that no human sacrifice could ever accomplish.

No matter how long we’ve been a Christian, this still stands…we’re all guilty before God of falling short in our ethical & moral obligation to Him on a daily basis. (Romans 3:23) And if we’re very honest with ourselves, we’ll admit, that if we claim to be without sin, the only one we’re really deceiving is ourselves. (I John 1:8) For no one can claim to have made their heart pure and clean before God on their own. (Proverbs 20:9) So every day it becomes a conscious decision of the will for us to make good choices, exercise patience & kindness, and walk closer to God rather than turning away.

One of the greatest prophets of the Old Testament was Elijah…as well as one of the most colorful and outspoken men of Biblical history. But when Elijah fled for his life from Queen Jezebel, he found himself holed up, hiding in a cave…dejected and in despair…until God lifted him up and sent him back to serve. That’s why God’s poignant question was so important. God knew why Elijah was there, but He wanted him to reflect on the reason that put him there. Elijah had allowed depression, and loss of confidence & hope to take over his life. So there he sat…hiding in a cave…discouraged, depressed, and self-isolating in the darkness. There’ll be times in our own lives when God will ask the same rhetorical question of us…”What are you doing here?” That’s because He wants us to reflect on what got us to this point in the first place, what we’re running from, and to finally acknowledge all our struggles, doubts, and fears. Remembering all the while, to listen carefully to that still small voice that says, “Follow Me and get out of this cave.”

II Samuel 24:18-25 describes King David’s repentance for his sin of pride in conducting a census that was not directed by God. Thus he is told to, “Build an altar to the Lord.” on the land where the future Temple would be built. As King David stands on the threshing floor, the owner, Araunah, not only offers to give him the land, but oxen, and even the fire wood needed to make a proper sacrifice. But David knew that worshiping God could not be careless, cheap, or painless…for God deserves the very best. (Malachi 1:13-14) He also knew that repentance and the seeking of forgiveness must be sincere, humble, and full of contrition…not just some easy fix.

God first loved us…He loved us at our worst…and He loved us when we were unlovable. “But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8) Just think of it…Jesus died specifically for us – achieving the reconciliation to God we were unable to obtain on our own. God loved us first by sending Jesus to satisfy the demands of His justice. Thus by taking our place, Jesus fulfilled God’s love for us as an atoning sacrifice. And so since God first loved us, we are now able to replace our selfish love for His.

In this Psalm, King David is describing an enemy encampment set up around him and his men. But instead of focusing on the overwhelming threat, he displays peace and courage…a bold and hopeful confidence in spite of what he sees. “I will not fear the tens of thousands drawn up against me on every side.” (Psalm 3:6) Now, we may not have a physical army besieging us today, but it can certainly feel that way. So we need to follow David’s example of turning fear into faith…pain into purpose…and conflict into confidence…always remembering that God preserves the righteous. (Job 4:6-11)

Misfortune, adversity, and sorrow will be part of our lives…whether we profess Jesus as our Lord and Savior or not. But what we can do is look at our sufferings through enlightened eyes… that by sharing in Christ’s suffering it becomes a pathway to sharing in His glory. (Philippians 3:10 & Romans 8:17) Besides, the Church is called to suffer for and with Christ. (II Corinthians 4:7-12 & I Thessalonians 3:2-4) Colossians 1:24 reminds us that we are divinely required to endure suffering as we carry the Good News of the Gospel Message to the world. So ultimately, it will be our decision if we suffer well or are miserable all the time.

Psalm 97 describes when the Lord will return and reign over the earth. Throughout the Old Testament, God’s manifested Presence was in storms. Job 36:30 tells of God’s majestic display of power as He controls the forces of nature. In Psalm 18:7 and 104:32 it tells us that everything we take as unmovable ( mountains symbolizing what is firm and established) can in a blink of a eye be changed by God’s mere glance. For nothing on earth is a match before the mighty power of God.