Today's reading comes out of Psalm 27:1-14
The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? When evildoers assail me to eat up my flesh, my adversaries and foes, it is they who stumble and fall. Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war arise against me, yet I will be confident. One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple. For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble; he will conceal me under the cover of his tent; he will lift me high upon a rock. And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me, and I will offer in his tent sacrifices with shouts of joy; I will sing and make melody to the Lord. Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud; be gracious to me and answer me! You have said, "Seek my face." My heart says to you, "Your face, Lord, do I seek." Hide not your face from me. Turn not your servant away in anger, O you who have been my help. Cast me not off; forsake me not, O God of my salvation! For my father and my mother have forsaken me, but the Lord will take me in. Teach me your way, O Lord, and lead me on a level path because of my enemies. Give me not up to the will of my adversaries; for false witnesses have risen against me, and they breathe out violence. I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living! Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!
Here we see such a beautiful picture of the one who truly 'waits' on The Lord. The psalm begins with a proclamation of faith. The Lord is my 'stronghold' (i.e. fortress/fortified place). David made it clear that military power and defense infrastructure was not his source of protection. He said this while being in a literal state of danger--with enemies surrounding him, looking to attack. In the midst of this David proclaims: 'One thing have I aske
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Today's reading comes out of Psalm 27:1-14
The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? When evildoers assail me to eat up my flesh, my adversaries and foes, it is they who stumble and fall. Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war arise against me, yet I will be confident. One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple. For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble; he will conceal me under the cover of his tent; he will lift me high upon a rock. And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me, and I will offer in his tent sacrifices with shouts of joy; I will sing and make melody to the Lord. Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud; be gracious to me and answer me! You have said, "Seek my face." My heart says to you, "Your face, Lord, do I seek." Hide not your face from me. Turn not your servant away in anger, O you who have been my help. Cast me not off; forsake me not, O God of my salvation! For my father and my mother have forsaken me, but the Lord will take me in. Teach me your way, O Lord, and lead me on a level path because of my enemies. Give me not up to the will of my adversaries; for false witnesses have risen against me, and they breathe out violence. I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living! Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!
Here we see such a beautiful picture of the one who truly 'waits' on The Lord. The psalm begins with a proclamation of faith. The Lord is my 'stronghold' (i.e. fortress/fortified place). David made it clear that military power and defense infrastructure was not his source of protection. He said this while being in a literal state of danger--with enemies surrounding him, looking to attack. In the midst of this David proclaims: 'One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple.'
Then there comes what seems to be a violent shift of anxiousness. 'Hide not your face from me. Turn not your servant away in anger.' Waiting on the Lord is not an exercise in 'blissful prayer'. Waiting on the Lord is trying and full of many anxious moments, doubt, and fear. But we take our anxiousness, fear and doubt to the Lord, humbly trusting him to deliver us from our enemies.
Of his enemies, David calls them 'false witnesses who breathe out violence'. The New Testament tells us 'Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.' (1 Pet 5:8) The enemy 'breathes out violence'---his goal is ultimately to undermine the goodness of God. He attacks the truth of the Gospel and our place in it. But to that I respond with the words of Paul (Romans 8):
What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen?...For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
The enemy would also have us believe that waiting on the Lord means, 'waiting until heaven'. But David rejects that! He says 'I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living!' Waiting is not synonymous with 'pie in the sky' theology. No, we are waiting in hopeful expectation--knowing God will reveal His power in our lives on EARTH, and ultimately in heaven! Let's live in victorious purpose today brothers!
Matthew 6:10
Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven
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