Seeking the Life in Christ

Tuesday, July 12, 2022

God’s Faithful Love Endures Forever

Meditations on the Psalms

July 12, 2022

God’s Faithful Love Endures Forever

I come to you for protection, O LORD my God.

Save me from my persecutors—rescue me!

Psalm 7:1

King David is given credit for writing seventy-three of the one hundred fifty psalms, and he is mentioned in an additional thirteen psalms. I believe understanding King David’s relationship to God is essential to experiencing the spiritual depth of the psalms.

David began Psalm 7 with, “O LORD my God.” When the word LORD in the Old Testament is spelled with all capital letters it is a translation of God’s name. When God called Moses to lead the exodus, God revealed His name to Moses. However, in the following generations the Hebrews so revered God they would not speak or write God’s name. When writing God’s name, they used four consonants: YHWH, which is rendered LORD in English translations of the Old Testament. Over time, other people inserted vowels to pronounce the name of God, YAHWEH. This word was later rendered into Jehovah. So David begins this psalm with a very personal and intimate calling to God, by name, and in confession that the LORD is David’s God.

David then asks the LORD for vindication. He opens himself before God and seeks God’s perspective by saying, in effect, “If I have done anything wrong then let your judgment fall on me.” As David continues with this lament, he asks God to deal with his adversaries. David wants his enemies defeated, and he wants the land to be at peace; however, he is asking God to both render His judgment against the enemy and to also execute the judgment. David trusted God with his life and thus ends the psalm with worship: “I will thank the LORD because he is just; I will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High” (Psalm 7:17). (In a similar setting, recorded in 2 Chronicles 20, King Jehoshaphat went to God in prayer. In God’s response, the nature of the LORD is revealed. See 2 Chronicles 20: 15-21)

In response to his trust in God, King Jehoshaphat led his people in singing, “Give thanks to the LORD; his faithful love endures forever!” In response to his trust in God, King David led his people in worshipping, “I will thank the LORD because he is just; I will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High.”

My Takeaway: I believe David and Jehoshaphat’s responses are appropriate models for our response to any issues we are confronting in our lives.

Sē’lah

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(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life. The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Monday, July 11, 2022

What’s Your Choice?

Meditations on the Psalms

July 11, 2022

What’s Your Choice?

O Lord, hear me as I pray; pay attention to my groaning.

Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God,

for I pray to no one but you.

Psalm 5:1-2

Note: I am thankful for all the prayers of support I received last week when my Atrial Fibrillation got much worse. My heart wanted to outrace Rich Strike, the amazing horse who won the Kentucky Derby this year. After three days in ICU, I had a cardiac ablation and was home by noon on Friday. My wonderful Editor-in-Chief, Cheryl, was great throughout the week, and successfully posted my meditations while I was otherwise occupied.

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Psalm 5 includes the writer’s concern about those who are wicked, evil doers, proud, liars, deceivers, and those whose tongues are filled with flattery. What comes to mind when you read the psalmist’s lament? I think Psalm 5 could have been written yesterday about the state of politics in our country. However, the psalmist is not depressed by all this deception. Why?

First, the phrases the psalmist uses, such as, “O Lord, hear me”, “pay attention”, “listen to my cry,” and “listen to my voice” are rhetorical. They are not requests seeking to get God’s attention; they are affirmations that God is listening to the prayers of the psalmist. This is the same confidence expressed by the Apostle John: “And we are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him” (1 John 5:14). This may be a good time to reflect on our personal prayer life. Do we call out to the heavens, hoping someone up there may hear us? Or do our prayers express your heart’s desires as though we were personally speaking with our best friend?

Secondly, the psalmist’s confidence expressed his trust that God will lead, care, protect and provide for him. His trusting heart overflows in worship. Worship and depression are mutually exclusive; worship and depression are either/or, not both/and. I in no way minimize the effects of depression. I’ve been down that road. BUT God is greater, and worship is a powerful intervention for depression.

My Takeaway: The psalmist chooses worship as a reflection of his trust in God. That’s the choice I want to make for my life. What’s your choice?

Sē’lah

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(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

Friday, July 8, 2022

Because I Trust God

Meditations on the Psalms

July 8, 2022

Because I Trust God

“Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness!”

Psalm 4:1 NASB

The Bible is not the least bit concerned with proving the existence of God. The Bible was written because God is. The purpose of scripture is to reveal the character of God. The very essence of God’s character is God’s desire to be in a right relationship with His creation. This psalm of David, probably written, as was Psalm 3, during Absalom’s revolt, reveals the quality of a right relationship with God. The instructions at the beginning of the psalm indicate it was incorporated into the worship of Israel, probably for something like Evening Vespers.

David begins his psalm by exhibiting great confidence in his relationship with God, “Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness!” (Psalm 4:1 NASB). David was in a right relationship with God because God called and anointed David to be King over Israel. As the followers of Christ, we too can call out to God with great confidence because we are in a right relationship with God. “For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:21).

Because we have been made right with God through faith in Christ Jesus, we can rest in the sure knowledge that God is faithful and will fulfill all His promises. What does it mean that we can rest? I experience this in the liturgy we use for The Eucharist. Our last prayer before receiving the bread and cup is this line inspired by the centurion in Mathew 8:8,

“Lord I am not worthy that thou should come under my roof, but speak the word only and my soul shall be healed.”

My Takeaway: Because of what Christ has done for me, I can join my voice with David and call out to God in confidence. Because I trust God, I can rest knowing God will keep me safe.

Sē’lah

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(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

Thursday, July 7, 2022

A Tale of Three Kings

Meditations on the Psalms

July 7, 2022

A Tale of Three Kings

I cry aloud to the Lord,

and he answers me from his holy hill. Selah

Psalm 3:4 (NRSV)

It is during adversity, both big and small, that the depth of our Life in Christ is revealed. The adversity may involve someone being rude or cutting us off in traffic, or perhaps we see everything we have worked for being lost through divorce, business failure or personal bankruptcy. How we respond to these circumstances reveals what we believe about God and how deeply Christ has transformed our life.

Near the end of King David’s reign, his son Absalom led a rebellion against David and seized the throne of Israel. That’s adversity. Gene Edward deals with the adversity in David’s life in his book, A Tale of Three Kings. It is the story of David’s relationship with both King Saul and Absalom. This book is a Christian classic and is a valuable addition to the personal library of every Christian.

Psalm 3 was written by King David in the midst of Absalom’s rebellion. David responded to the revolt by expressing his deep trust in God:

If God wants me to be on the throne, no one can take it away;

if God doesn’t want me on the throne there is nothing I can do to keep it.

This trust is revealed in the movement of the psalm from a description of the crisis to his calling out to God for help. David affirms he can rest because God hears, God fights the battle, and God blesses His people.

The word Sē’lah is used three times in this psalm. It is translated, Interlude, in the NLT, which comes close to describing its meaning. But Sē’lah is more than resting; in this context, it is taking the time to think and reflect on what has been written.

Today, as I reflect on verses 4-6, two details caught my attention. First, David “cried out to the Lord.” I don’t know about you, but I know I try way too hard to get my life under control. David’s psalm is an invitation for me to ask myself, “When was the last time I cried out to the Lord?” Am I heeding Jesus’ invitation to keep on asking, to keep on seeking, and especially to keep on knocking?

The second detail was the connection between David’s trust in God and a good night’s sleep. This is the peace that passes all understanding that Paul speaks of in Philippians 4. David’s circumstances had not changed, but he was able to rest because he knew the Lord was watching over him. (Psalm 4 also speaks about “In peace I will lie down and sleep . . .” I wrote about my personal experience with this resting in the Lord on June 27, 2022.

My Takeaway: Every day we all face adversities. How we respond to these adversities reveals the depth of our Life in Christ.

Sē’lah

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(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

Wednesday, July 6, 2022

The Believers Pray for Courage

Meditations on the Psalms

July 6, 2022

The Believers Pray for Courage

But what joy for all who take refuge in him!

Psalm 2:12b

Although Psalm 2 does not identify its author, Acts 4:24-26 attributes it to King David. The context of how this Psalm was used in first few weeks of the Christian church is as applicable today as it was two thousand years ago!

First, some background. Nations rebelled against God’s Sovereignty. But God, out of the abundance of His mercy, sent His only begotten Son, the Messiah, as the way to restoration and harmony with God. The appropriate response to God’s Messiah is subordination to and worship of God. However, devoting our life to God has always been risky because the ways of God conflict with the ways of the world. Psalm 2 addresses a heavenly view of all history as well as the future beyond the horizon.

In Acts 4, Peter and John had been arrested. Immediately after their release from jail, they rejoined the other believers, and they all prayed together. (See Acts 4:23-31) They began their prayer by quoting Psalm 2:1-2, “…The kings of the earth prepared for battle; the rulers gathered together against the Lord and against his Messiah” (Acts 4:26). Their prayer reveals they were encountering vicious resistance to their witness for Jesus, and so they prayed, “. . . give us, your servants, great boldness in preaching your word. Stretch out your hand with healing power; may miraculous signs and wonders be done through the name of your holy servant Jesus” (Acts 4:29-30).

Today, the followers of Christ are a small minority in the world and in the USA. Today, there is much resistance, including violence, to the witness for Jesus Christ in our culture. One of our neighbors is the director of a crisis pregnancy center that was terrorized and damaged in advance of the Supreme Court’s ruling last month on abortion. Today, every bit as much as the forbearers of our faith in Jerusalem two thousand years ago, we need to pray for courage to boldly proclaim the Word of the Lord. I believe, with every fiber of my being, that as believers come together to pray, we will share in this experience of our ancestors in the cause of Christ:

“After this prayer, the meeting place shook, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. Then they preached the word of God with boldness” (Acts 4:31).

My Takeaway: Oh Lord, may we be so empowered for your work today!

Sē’lah

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(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

Tuesday, July 5, 2022

The Mind of Christ

Meditations on the Psalms

July 5, 2022

The Mind of Christ

Blessed is the man

Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly,

Nor stands in the path of sinners,

Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;

But his delight is in the law of the Lord,

And in His law he meditates day and night.

Psalm 1:1-2 (NKJV)

Jesus’ teachings, such as the Sermon on the Mount, and his prayer life are grounded in scripture, especially the Book of Psalms. In his teachings, Jesus quotes from the Psalms more than twenty times. If we want to go deeper into the heart of Christ and the mind of Christ, the Psalms will teach us much. Recently, my wife, Cheryl, recalled being in a teaching session with Dudley Hall in 2007. Hall mentioned how Jesus is revealed throughout the Old Testament. That revelation changed how she reads the OT. My goal in these meditations on the Book of Psalms is to find Jesus in the Psalms. Here, in the very first psalm, we will find Jesus described.

While some newer Bible translations render verse one gender neutral as “happy are those” or “blessed are those”, the original text uses a word that is very gender specific and should be translated, “Blessed is the man.” Jesus is this perfect man who delights “in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.” As followers of Jesus, yielding ourselves to be transformed to become like him, Psalm 1 gives us a clear example of how to order our lives. Is it really possible for a mortal human being to get excited about meditating on God’s law day and night?

When the Psalmist refers to ‘the law’ they do not mean just the Ten Commandments or other rules and regulations. They mean law, as in God’s nature. God is love. God’s nature is to forgive. God’s law includes:

His love that cannot fail;

His Word that does not return to Him void; and

His mercies that never come to an end.

I especially love this line in the prayer to Jesus we use in our liturgy for Holy Communion which reveals God’s law:

We do not presume to come to this thy Table, O merciful Lord, trusting in our own righteousness, but in thy manifold and great mercies; . . . But thou art the same Lord, whose property is always to have mercy.

The Psalmist has in mind the law of God that looked at a world that did not exist and brought it into being by the power of His Word. The law of God can be summed up in one verse:

“For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

The Psalmist pronounces God’s blessing on us as we take time to reflect on all the ways we have experienced God in our life. Psalm 1 is our invitation to mediate on how we have experienced God’s mercies and forgiveness, His favor, and how we know God to be our Shepherd.

My Takeaway: As we take time to remember that the LORD watches over our path, I believe we will agree with the Psalmist in saying

“Oh, the joys of those who delight in the law of the LORD, meditating on it day and night”

Psalm 1:1-2

Sē’lah

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(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

Monday, July 4, 2022

Freedom

Freedom

“And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

John 8:32

Happy Fourth of July.

On July 4, 1776, the Second Continental Congress unanimously adopted the Declaration of Independence, announcing the American colonies' separation from Great Britain. On June 21, 1788, the Constitution became the official framework of the government of the United States of America. The Constitution was much in the news last month as the Supreme Court announced several very important decisions regarding the rights and freedoms of American citizens.

I have been blessed to have traveled to many countries in Europe, the Middle East, and Central America. It is always good to come home. A lasting memory I have from two trips to Cuba is when our airplane landed in Cuba, and when the return flight landed in Miami. There were loud cheers and applause when we landed in Cuba as most passengers were returning to their homeland to visit family; there was raucous applause when we landed in Miami. It is so good to be home where we enjoy so many freedoms.

Even so, we are living in changing times. I read last week that Cornell University received one complaint about a bust of Abraham Lincoln and a Gettysburg Address plaque on campus. The university promptly removed both. Such are the times in which we are living. The new cancel culture is not confined to the secular society. More and more Christian churches are compromising their traditions, liturgies, and doctrines to accommodate the world culture. In writing this last sentence, I am specifically mindful of the United Methodist Church where I am an ordained elder.

As I noted last Thursday in my penultimate mediation on First Corinthians, we are living in difficult times, and it is vitally important that all of us be on guard and stand firm in the faith. We need to be courageous and strong, and above all do everything with love. Doing everything with love will separate us from the cancel culture. Being courageous and standing firm for the cause of Christ will place us shoulder to shoulder with that great unseen cloud of witnesses for God.

My Takeaway:

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. (Hebrews 12:1-2a)

Sē’lah

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(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

Tuesday, July 12, 2022

God’s Faithful Love Endures Forever

Monday, July 11, 2022

What’s Your Choice?

Friday, July 8, 2022

Because I Trust God

Thursday, July 7, 2022

A Tale of Three Kings

Wednesday, July 6, 2022

The Believers Pray for Courage

Tuesday, July 5, 2022

The Mind of Christ

Monday, July 4, 2022

Freedom

Seeking the Life in Christ

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