Today's Psalm - Leaving It Up to God

David spent several of his younger years on the run from King Saul. He was anointed by the prophet Samuel as a replacement for Saul, when Saul displeased God. Early on Saul actually had him serve in his house. Later as David's popularity with the people grew, Saul became jealous until he tried to kill David. David fled and took up a robin hood existence, largely preying the favorite bad guys of the book of Samuel, the Philistines.

On a couple of occasions when Saul came hunting David, David could have turned the tables and killed Saul. But he refused because Saul had been anointed king before David and David refused to lift his hand against God's anointed. But he certainly prayed about it all. Today's psalm (54) is set in this one the run time when some folks have protected David. David asks for God to be the one to right the wrong and get him the vengeance and justice he is due.

Now David's non-violent ethic was pretty limited. He refused to kill the current king. He was also loathe to kill fellow Israelites unless he could see no other way out. We have another example of a non-violent ethic in the Bible that is even more amazing. Jesus told Pilate he could have called down angels to wipe everyone out. But Jesus did not. He accepted the violence of the world for the sake of the world.

We are still learning what it means to leave vengeance in God's hands. I have never been a pacifist, but I will freely admit that that position is probably as influenced by lack of faith as it is by carefully considered theological interpretation. May God teach me today a little more how to not seek vengeance on my own against my enemies but instead leave my deliverance in God's hands.

I'm back!

Hello to my followers. I was on vacation last week and actually did very little on the computer. Probably a good thing. Oh, I did insure my fantasy football team was up to date and for a change I am giving my opponent a good thrashing. See what one can accomplish with a clear mind?

I will probably post once more before Thanksgiving, but let me say it now, lest I forget.

I hope you all have a great Thanksgiving. If you are bearing extra burdens this year, then I pray that God will also send some unexpected blessings your way!

Today's Psalm - Accountablity

Will you behave yourself if no one's watching? The psalmist doens't think so. Psalm 53, ascribed to David, puts it bluntly. Fools say there is no God and so they do whatever they want. Atheism and anarchy in the view of David will lead to abominable acts. Atheists and anarchist, of course, will disagreed because they see the perversity of power and terrible acts committed in the name of faith. But the biblical view is simple. When people aren't held accountable both now and in eternity, they will do whatever they want to advance their own agendas.

Atheism equals foolishness. Sooner or later, though God will rain down judgment.

It's easy to throw stones at atheism. I was on a pastor's retreat recently and I was introduced to a different term -- functional atheism. That's living our lives as though God didn't exist. And the greatest practitioners? Why Christians, of course. We claim we believe in God, but we go through the motions of our day as though God didn't exist. God will excuse me for being rude, inconsiderate, short tempered, and selfish. Maybe the psalmist saw some of that in his own day and that is why he lamented that there was no one who did good. If those who claim faith act as if there is no faith, then what will become of the world?

Today's Psalm - I am jealous

Psalm 73 brings us face to face with that most human of emotions - jealousy. The psalmist checked out all the rich people and found himself jealous of their status, comfort, and their apparent freedom from the worries of life that plague others. Why do they get away with having life so good? Why do the ones who have gotten their money by deceit seem to get away with it? He was all wrapped up in huge fit of jealousy until he went to the temple and then saw things in the right perspective. In just a moment, the blink of an eye, their ruin can come. And he also realized that despite his bitterness and anger with God over the state of things, God continued to lead him and guide him.

So I started making a mental list of all those folks that make me jealous and sadly I realized how long that list could get. It is so easy to get caught up in the why does he/she have it so good and I have it so lousy. But it is such a waste. God doesn't want to see us throw our emotional energy away on jealousy. We need to rejoice over what we have and enjoy the good things and particularly people that are part of our life.

And isn't it good news that the psalmist realized how close God was even when he was angry and bitter. As much as we might think we can push God away, God always, always stays close by. I am so glad, because there are days I don't live a very faithful life, but God still stays close and guides me. Amazing!

Today's Psalm - Your Basic Leader Worship

Psalm 72 is what is called a royal psalm. It is all about the king (I know I have blogged about this kind of psalm before.) Basically the psalm asks God to bless the king and make everything (and I do mean everything) fantastic for the king and thus for all the people. All our enemies conquered. May he last as long as the sun. May the rivers and oceans obey him.

Hmm, sometimes we still vest this much hope in new political leadership. For that matter some churches have believed the new pastor will somehow save them. Human leadership is never, never perfect. The leaders are part of the problem and those of us who are followers are also part of the problem. Thinking that we can control rivers, oceans, etc is over reaching. Later Christian interpreters reassigned the praises in this psalm to Jesus as the only true king worthy of this kind of trust.

Now, all that being said, there is a poignancy to this psalm. The prescript speaks of it being "of Solomon" which could mean it was written about Solomon perhaps for his coronation. And the last line of the psalm points in that direction also -- "the prayers of David son of Jesse are ended." David has died. Solomon is now king. One era ends. Another begins. Let the new king be prosperous. David is remembered fondly and we hope the new king also does as well.

Today's Psalm - Talking to Yourself

If you thinking talking to yourself is a sign of being crazy well then the psalmists were one loony bunch. Take Psalm 42. It's a running dialogue between the writer and himself about why he is having a bad day. "Why are you cast down, o my soul?" I have been crying night and day, but remember when we had that great time of rejoicing. Trust God, it will get better. God, I can trust you, right? Have you forgotten me? I feel like have been wounded, run through by my enemies. Hope in God and times will get good again.

Talking to yourself and doing it so God can hear you is one form of prayer. Asking God questions like, "Have you forgotten about me?" is not faithless. When we quit asking questions, that's when we really lose touch with the eternal.

If you feel like chattering with yourself about life's troubles. Don't hesitate. If it helps to have a friend listen so you don't feel crazy, well then go right ahead. If you want to ask God all the hard questions of life, go for it.

Today's Psalm - Get 'em God!

Today's psalm, psalm 35 which is one of David's, raises an interesting question. Is it ever okay to pray for God to bring vengeance on your enemies? Certainly it is an an honest psalm. We have all wanted to ask God to get those who are out to get us.

This psalm speaks of a time of suffering when others rejoiced over David's suffering. Evidently those same folks had suffered and David had prayed for them and mourned for them. But now that he is down, they are happy. Wow! We have those times when someone we treated with love and caring turns their backs on us when we are down. Most of us have felt the cold knife of a backstabber.

Turn the other cheek or ask God to bring ruin upon them? I know Jesus calls us a to a higher standard when it comes to dealing with our enemies. He forgave Peter and I am convinced if Judas would have asked, Jesus would have forgiven him as well. Glad to know that David's honest prayer is there. Somedays we probably have to pray Psalm 35 before we can open ourselves up to the deeper commandment that Jesus gave.

Today's Psalm - Are You Sure About the All Times Part?

Psalm 34 is another psalm of David's. He begins with an out there kind of statement. "I will bless the Lord at all times. . . " So now that just sounds like an invitation to trouble right? Can we have a few times maybe, David, when we might just want to gripe and complain and dispense with the blessing God?

What about when we are sick or when we are financially destitute or when our loved ones are suffering or when (fill in the time when life really leaves you down). I mean a statement like, "I will bless the Lord at all times . . " sounds like an open invitation to step into Job's shoes and suffer all manner of trouble while maintaining your faith steadfastly in God.

Oh wait, I guess that is kind of the point. Faith isn't a matter of convenience that I hold onto just cause life is going my way. Hmm. The psalm does go on to talk about good times and bad. Timidly, fearfully, grudgingly, the opening line is to be our statement of faith. "I will bless the Lord at all times . . "

Should I duck right after I say that, God?

My week as a slug

Even slugs get grace, right? So this past week I was laid up with the flu. H1N1 I presume, although I was never sick enough to require a doctor's care. I have been plenty sicker in my life but this particular flu just held on and held on and held on. Relentless. I am still not 100%. So I am preaching today and doing communion and already formulating ideas for how to insure as much space between me and hopefully healthy members of the congregation. Sometime being pastoral means keeping your distance!

I have been told plenty and preached often that God rejoices over all men, women, boys, girls, etc of creation. God rejoices even over those who are ill and unable to do much. Hope God still found something to rejoice over me about as I basically did nothing but breathed (and that not too well at times), coughed, slept (that also not too well), went from sweating to chillled, but enough of the details.

Thank God for supportive members, a patient wife (who was sick herself but managed to rebound more quickly), and a window of opportunity in my life where an illness wasn't devastating. Many or not so fortunate. And thank God it was only the flu!