Septmeber 8, 2019 -- Psalm 119:13 -- What should I say about God?!

With my lips I declare

all the rules of your mouth.

Psalm 119:13 English Standard Version

How do I explain Who God Is? How can I share what He means to me? How do I tell others He has rescued me from myself. From my sins. From the evil that lingers and seeks to swallow me up? What about the times I am talking with someone at the YMCA, or the coffee shop, or at work—I imagine the barrage of questions and wonder if I’ll be adequate to answer. My life is given in service to Him, though I often falter in my vows and fail in keeping His rules. There is no other way for me to live. No other path of salvation!

I find the following words, spoken by Jesus to His followers, to be so reassuring! Look especially at the last verse, and ponder that.

“And I tell you, everyone who acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man also will acknowledge before the angels of God, 9 but the one who denies me before men will be denied before the angels of God. 10 And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but the one who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. 11 And when they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not be anxious about how you should defend yourself or what you should say, 12 for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.”

Luke 12:8-12 English Standard Version

Blessed Sunday to you, one and all! Join with the people of God in worship and as you acknowledge Him in Church trust that you will be empowered by the Spirit to declare Jesus to everyone you meet. Your words and your actions are never neutral. Either Jesus is acknowledged by them, or you are showing signs of your defiant denial. Trust that as you worship Him, sins’ glamour is exposed as the noose of death, and that the light of day will drive away the temptations of darkness.

Knowing Whom we serve enriches our service and draws our hearts closer to Him! Jesus is not a set of rules. He is Living. He is personal—He knows you by name. He hears your prayers. He is both willing and able to answer. Jesus—sent by the Father into the world to seek and save lost sinners—this Jesus prays on our behalf to the Father Who is ready to hear His Son and bless those who have been rescued by Jesus. When we don’t know how to pray, or what to say—the Spirit of God brings the sighs and groans of our hearts to the very throne room, where Jesus is sitting next to our Father in heaven.

Blessed are You, Lord God Almighty. Great is Your Name. Mighty are Your acts of salvation. Let the words of our lips and the actions of our life declare Your Renown. As we gather for church this day, let those among us who are regular in our attendance be directed by Your Spirit to warmly welcome those who may be new, or shy or nervous. Make us new in Christ and revive in us the joy of Your great salvation. Amen.

September 6, 2019 -- Psalm 119:12 -- What do you own that you didn't receive?

Blessed are you, O LORD;

     teach me your statutes!

Psalm 119:12 ESV

There is so much hype and obsession in magazines and all forms of media about whoever currently is part of: the rich, the rockstar, the royals and the revolutionary set. It is all carefully scripted. Planned. Exploited. Money-generating. The schedules of these overly hyped folks are broadcast so crowds will follow them—or seem to mysteriously appear wherever they are. It backfires when a member of the rich or royal, rockstar or revolutionary set wants some privacy. Or a scandal breaks and spin doctors go into damage control. Generating a new message and a new story to appease the insatiable appetites of the worldly. Why mention this at all?

The Psalm is noting the LORD God alone is the sources of blessedness. The Name “LORD” is the Self-revelation our God has given. He was, He Is, He Will Be. He is completely Self-existent. There is no beginning nor will there ever be an end to God. He created all things. He sustains all things. He is of Himself glorious. He is always available. He is never caught out. Never crosses a line. Beyond the media-generated glamour of the latest “it” person—the LORD of Radiance—always is.

The rich will rise and fall. And yet their very breath is a gift from God which no money can ever repay.

The rockstar can’t count on his body—think of Gord Downy with his brain tumour. Talent and life are on loan to them from the LORD.

There is no “accident of birth”. Those deemed to be “royals” are born into such families and privilege at the will of the LORD. They are fully accountable to Him for what they do with their power.

The revolutionary gathers crowds and power, sways nations and in some cases influences generations who follow—but their days are numbered. Only the Eternal God has power that stretches from the beginning of history to its end.

The psalmist is dedicating his life and his allegiance to the LORD, Who is the source of all blessing now matter what takes place in life: sickness, health, riches, poverty, feast or famine, great adulation or obscurity. The greatest contentment life could ever offer is this: God knows each one of us. Whether or not we acknowledge Him, He gives us life, breath, He grants whatever is needful so that we will turn and acknowledge Him Whose power and splendour, rule and glory will never end.

God of Life with the psalmist we note You are the Source of all Blessing and You are, Yourself, blessed. All we have and all we are is a wonderful gift from You. Thank You for the greatest gift of all: new life in Jesus Christ. In view of all we receive from You, with the psalmist we pray: teach us Your statutes. And, Spirit of God, help us to live for God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. Amen.

September 5, 2019 -- Psalm 119:11 -- Studying for love

I have stored up your word in my heart,

that I might not sin against you.

Psalm 119:11 English Standard Version

One of the privileges of being a minister is officiating at weddings. I will often meet with a couple before they get married. This is for pre-marriage counseling. Fascinating to have an intimate glimpse into the lives of couples and see how people treat one another. There is a negative example that stands out: one guy who calculates how to irritate his wife to be. Whenever he cracks open a beer, he leaves the opener and the cap on the counter. He purposely does not put them away because it gives him joy to see his intended bride irritated. Hmm. You don’t need to be a professional marriage counselor to offer advice along the lines of: “For the good of your marriage you had better address that attitude. Stop it! Find ways to bless her and honour her. Study what pleases her and things that give her joy and do those things! You will find the marriage so much richer and delightful!”

The Bible describes believers as the Bride of Christ. Every action on the part of Jesus is designed to lift us from our path of death and inclination to sin. His love towards us always has in view the day when the Church (all the Christians submitted to Jesus Christ) will be dressed in white and join in the marriage feast of the Lamb. In response the Psalmist is studying the Word of God, knowing every detail and tracing out every single thing which might bring honour and blessing to God. The psalmist is living as part of the redeemed community. And the psalmist is preparing for the glorious day when sin will be fully, finally conquered and his every action will bring praise and obeisance to the God of Splendour and there will be fullness of ecstasy in His presence.

Patient God, as we study the Bible and commit it to memory, let Your Spirit move our will and understanding so that we do not focus on the “does” and “don’ts” but commit ourselves to obedience which is the fitting response to Jesus’ great love. As we store up Your word in our hearts let our eyes be fixed on Jesus Christ and in awe-filled reverence to Him let our every act of obedience be acts of worship. Amen.

September 4, 2019 -- Psalm 119:10 -- Where is freedom found?

With my whole heart I seek you;

let me not wander from your commandments!

Psalm 119:10 English Standard Version

Rules and statutes, commandments and precepts, Word and law—I am sure there are some reading this who might say something like: “I just want to be free. With the LORD God in charge of one’s life there are so many boundary lines. I am tired of all these restrictions!”

To this person I would reply look at the world. Our culture is bound up in all kinds of laws and taboos, unwritten rules and restrictions. Some laws we understand are for the common good: speed limits, laws against murder and so on. But what about the current taboo against Christians who, based in the word of God, disagrees with the LGBT? agenda? What about people who pray on the sidewalks of abortion clinics and are arrested because those seeking abortions—wanting to kill the baby in the womb—might be offended?! This world has a fixation on climate change. Anyone who speaks up and says “No, God has created the heavens and the earth and He has built in resilience in the systems He created” will be mocked and shouted down. In this world academia has bowed down to evolution so thoroughly that you can be fired for questioning it. I put to you in this world there is no freedom from restrictions, taboos, and laws and rules. The question is this: whose rules will you follow?

The writer of this psalm faced the very same kinds of pressures. In his society there were standards and laws and taboos designed to draw him away from the LORD of Glory. He has dedicated himself to the One Who made him. He is giving his obedience and his life, his joy and his service to God Who alone is worthy of all our praise. This commitment foreshadows the work of Jesus Christ.

Jesus, fully God and fully human, obeyed God the Father as no one ever has. He walked in complete submission to all God’s laws and had perfect peace. He faced down the hosts of hell and the worst temptations of Satan, and withstood all peer pressures. In so doing He demonstrated the greatest blessing and most wondrous adventure and freedom is found in following God.

The choice is basic. Those who follow the world, and therefore follow the prince of this world, Satan, are bound up by laws and rules that are leading them to death and hell. Those who are obedient to the God of heaven are following the rules that lead to fullness of life here on earth and life that unfolds gloriously throughout eternity. No wonder the psalmist prays: “let me not wander from Your commandments!”.

The Bible clearly tells us this creation is wearing out like a garment. The weight of sin and the effects of the curse mean that without You, O God, people will face an eternity in hell. Blessed are You, King of Kings, Lord of Glory for You have revealed the way of life and salvation through Jesus Christ. You are building a house which has Jesus as its foundation. You are blessing men and women to be living stones put together for the honour of Jesus—our Rescuer. You are leading believers by Your Spirit so that we are sealed for the Day of Judgment, marked as Your people. Who is a God like You? Who is faithful and just, merciful and good? There is no one else—no other god and there is no other salvation but what You so lavishly give through Jesus Christ to Your beloved! Amen.

September 3, 2019 -- Psalm 119:8 -- Didja catch the reference?

How can a young man keep his ways pure?

By guarding them according to your word.

Psalm 119:9 English Standard Version

Two words: “believer, believer”. If you listen to any music in the stores when you are doing your back to school shopping, you’ll have heard those two words. I am guessing your children will likely know the rest of the lyrics. With very little prompting they’ll be able to continue “Pain. Pain. You break me down, you build me up". (Imagine Dragons “Believer”—it is like a brain worm, whether or not you want it, the words burrow into your brain). In the gym music is blaring. In the store music is blaring. Walking along the streets you see youth with earbuds (and adults and even some of the seniors working out have those ubiquitous earbuds in!). With all the noise pouring out know for certain all these songs have very worldly messages! And such messages are directly opposed to the rule of God and HIs grace. So the question is urgent: how can a young man (a young woman) keep his way pure?

It is the question that touches every single generation. Every generation from the beginning to now faces this huge challenge. Every responsible teacher and adult must ask: what will distract them from God and what will draw them to the Living God?

Two words to show us the urgency of the crisis we are facing: “Jerusalem. Jerusalem”. Do you know the reference? Do the youth in your family, in your church know this reference? It is Matthew 23:37, Jesus mourning over the people of Jerusalem for failing to recognize the love of God stands incarnate before them in the person of Jesus.

We recognize fleeting references to music or things like MAGA [Trump’s slogan “Make America Great Again]. Yet our biblical literacy seems to be failing. As believers we are called teach the Word to our children. As adults we need to model a great love for the word of God—Ephesians 6:17 calls the word of God “the sword of the Spirit”. By the word lies are cut down. By the word temptations are shown to be the way of death. By the word we recognize the intensity of the battle Satan is waging for our heart and mind. Yes, the only way a young person can keep his way pure is by the Word of God. Read it. Feed on it. Tell others about it.

Mighty God, our King, rule us by Your Word and Spirit. Retrain our tastes so that we will hunger and thirst for Your Word. As the Word takes hold of our thoughts and hearts let us then use it as the sword of the Spirit to divide truth from lies, and slice through the temptations to evil so when the temptation have been cut away we will clearly see the pathway of death they are hiding. Let the Word reveal to us the Living Word: Jesus Christ. In Him, Spirit of God, make us aware of His salvation and HIs protection through all the thick of battles we will face. Amen.

September 2, 2019 -- Psalm 119:8 -- When God says something!

I will keep your statutes;

do not utterly forsake me!

Psalm 119:8 English Standard Version

For a while I was listening to acapella groups—there is something incredible about the variety of sounds and tones that the human voice can make! One came up on my play list again and it was so fitting. Pentatonix, did a cover of a Great Big World and Christina Aguilera song “Say Something [I’m giving up on you]”. As far as I can tell one person is calling out to her lover this refrain “say something, I’m giving up on you”. It is melancholy and the desolate singer is pining for someone who is refusing to answer. The lover is admitting to love and failure, learning to give deeply and mourning, agonizing about the silence on the part of her beloved. What a lonely experience, to be so open and vulnerable, broken and hoping only to have no response whatsoever, not even pity.

What a glorious contrast we have in our Psalm. The writer of this Psalm is vowing to be faithful to the Living God—though his service may falter and at times fail. He is asking, pleading with God: “do not utterly forsake me”. We are beautifully reassured that our Father in heaven heard this plea—God said something.

God responded by His Word. The Bible is His love letter. The remaining 168 verses of this very psalm show the psalmist continued to be in conversation with the God Who says something glorious.

As New Testament Christians we are comforted: God said something. He sent His Son to rescue us from our sins and failures and bring us to Himself.

God acted on our behalf by sending His Spirit to live in our hearts so that we have the profound assurance we will call out and never have to wonder whether or not we’ll be heard. In fact, the prophet Isaiah, declaring to the people the rock solid promises of God spoke these words: “Before they call I will answer, while they are still speaking I will hear…says the LORD” (Isaiah 65:24).

The Gospel of John reminds us that You loved the world so much You made an open declaration of Your love through Jesus Christ. The letter to the Ephesians reminds us, that though You know the very worst of our behaviour, the evil of our heart and thoughts, the meanness we are capable of and still You have cleansed us. You have, in fact, given us Your Holy Spirit so that we will have the power to know how much You love us, how wide and long, high and broad is Your love for us in Jesus Christ. Oh, blessed be Your Name Great God of Mercy and Compassion. Let our lives say something of the praise and wonder we feel. With the Psalmist we vow to keep Your statutes and with great anticipation look forward to the many ways in which You will respond to us in love. Amen.

August 31, 2019 -- Psalm 119:7 -- What are you praising?

I will praise you with an upright heart,

when I learn all your righteous rules.

Psalm 119:7 English Standard Version

This seems like such a foreign concept to us—praise. The fact of the matter is this we are always expressing praise. Our lips and hearts speak praise about whatever we think is worthy. If it is your car that your life centres around, you will constantly speak of its acceleration, the leather interior, the great value of it. If your life centres around your grandkids, you will show anyone and everyone pictures and tell them the latest exploits. If it is the LORD your God Who has captured your heart and imagination, you will not be able to stop speaking of Him, honouring Him, telling others of His great works.

His righteous rules will make more sense to you as the only way to live in a world that is crushed by the weight of its own death-producing evil.

Our culture celebrates abortion—the murder of babies in their mother’s womb. Yet the righteous rules of God celebrate life because we are fearfully and wonderfully made. Suddenly life, even the life of an infant is of inestimable worth.

Our culture celebrates and promotes euthanasia—giving poison to the people deemed worthy of death, saying “those who should may do so and “die with dignity”. The righteous rules of God tell us every stage of life, and every trial of our lives, fit us for eternity. No part of day or night is free from sacredness. People are not inconvenient. People are not disposable. The righteous rules of God tell us we are precious—worthy of prayer, help, investment, time, and attention.

Christians speak praise to God and tell others of His righteous rules not because we want to beat others up with the Bible. No! We have become aware of that God speaks life over us. He rejoices over us with singing. He has prepared for us the way of living which conquers death and unites us with the resurrection power of Jesus. We see the world in a whole new way. We live with profound peace in the world, though the heavens and the earth are passing away and in the throes of death, as Christians we know and are assured we are being prepared for eternity in the presence of Him Who loves us. We know life has taken hold of us—life that begins now and will stretch through the glory and blessing and wonder of eternity celebrated under the just and loving reign of Him Who is the source of every blessedness. Therefore we know the righteous rules of God are the pathway of life, the place of joy-filled obedience and the celebration of our sure hope.

With the saints and angels, the living creatures and the elders in heaven, we pray to You, knowing You are worthy of all honour and blessing.

Praise God, all you His servants, great and small.

Praise God, all you who know Him and walk in His righteous rules.

Praise God, for He reigns and His mighty splendour and glorious acts will soon be revealed to all.

Let our lives bring You praise, Great and True LORD of All. Amen.

August 28, 2019 - - Psalm 119:6 -- Focused on our Father

Then I shall not be put to shame,

having my eyes fixed on all your commandments.

Psalm 119:6 English Standard Version

Throughout the previous five verses the psalmist has been declaring the blessedness that falls on the life of the believer who walks in joy-filled obedience to the laws of God. What he is recognizing here is every time he disobeys and rebels against God, it is to his shame. The glorious promise of our Father is this: we are His not by a husband’s will or human decision—we are His by the blood of Jesus Christ. As His children we don’t want to bring dishonour to His Name.

What keeps the believer in path of obedience? It is fixing our eyes on the commandments of God—this phrase is a euphemism for saying the believer fixes his eyes and all his attention on the God of his salvation. Whatever it is you stare at you drive towards. Whatever fills your thoughts—even if it is very negative—this is what you’ll walk towards. Those whose hearts and minds are filled with the glorious knowledge of God find their heart and feet head towards Him in wonder and worship.

If you find you are walking in shame—your words and actions are odds with the holy life you claim in Christ—then turn to Jesus. Confess your sins. Ask Him to forgive you. Ask that He will be exactly what He promised in John 4—the water of life that wells up to salvation within you. As you grow closer to Him it’ll be like the gravity of sun—He will pull you closer and closer and in the light of His glory and grace sin loses its lustre.

Great are You LORD, worthy of all praise and blessing! With the psalmist we pray that our lives will bring honour to Your Name. Thank You for the victory that is given us in Jesus Christ. Thank You that we don’t need to earn our salvation—in fact we can’t earn our salvation—instead, all is done by Jesus and we are the beneficiaries of His sacrifice and accomplished work. Spirit of God whenever our eyes would begin to wander let the light of God’s glory once again redirect our focus so that I will always see and therefore walk towards the blessedness of God our Father. Amen.

August 27, 2019 -- Psalm 119:5 -- Faith-filled living

Oh that my ways may be steadfast in keeping your statutes!

Psalm 119:5 English Standard Version

Statutes are the laws laid down by God—the Divine Law-Giver. All the words for the laws of the LORD which we find in Psalm 119 like: testimonies, ways, commandments, statutes and so on, are also in Deuteronomy—the words of Moses declared to the people just before he died and the people of Israel entered the Promised Land. Deuteronomy is a confirmation of all the laws of God the Deliverer. He is the Sovereign LORD Who rescued His people from Egypt. That rescue is a foreshadowing of the greatest rescue of all: God delivering us from our bondage to sin and setting us free in Jesus Christ.

The psalmist is longing to live out that freedom of God’s great rescue. As Christians we have a perspective that the psalmist does not—we know the testimonies of Scripture and know that Jesus Christ has brought freedom from our slavery to sin, has given us new life, and has poured His Spirit into us so that we can live for Jesus in our thoughts, words and deeds.

I John 5: 4 - 5: Every God-begotten person conquers the world’s ways. The conquering power that brings the world to its knees is our faith. The person who wins out over the world’s ways is simply the one who believes Jesus is the Son of God. —The Message

The longing of the psalmist’s heart is answered in Jesus. Our sins are conquered. When we cry out to God and ask for our sins to be forgiven, the thundering answer from the throne room is: “Yes! Amen in Jesus Christ!” And as forgiven sinners we learn to love God and walk in step with Him. Our sinful habits become repugnant as we take on a new identity in Christ. The world is awed by the power of faith—what Jesus is accomplishing in us and through us. And this is anchored in the truth: Jesus is the Son of God—fully God and fully Man.

As we read the Bible—the Word You have given us, Mighty King—we realize no prayer or holy desire ever falls to the ground unfulfilled. And so it is here in Psalm 119—You have provided the way in which believers can be steadfast in keeping Your statutes—Jesus Christ—Who is the Way, the Truth and the Life. Ah, Living God, blessed be Your Name. Strengthen our faith in Jesus. By the power of the Spirit You have planted in our hearts, build us up in holy, dedicated living for Your Name and Honour. Amen.

August 26, 2019 -- Psalm 119:4 -- The Concert of Life

You have commanded your precepts to be kept diligently.

Psalm 119:4 English Standard Version

Precepts are the rules and laws which God has appointed to be done. The first three verses of this Psalm started with general statements—there is blessedness which accrues to those whose way is blameless. Now there is a significant shift in the pronouns—the writer is addressing the LORD of heaven and earth directly. In a sense he is praying back to the King of the Universe a prayer affirming how right and true are the commands of the LORD.

The LORD has commanded us to follow what He has appointed as right and to run from what He has told us is wrong. We live in a world where it seems what is wrong is celebrated as right and what is right is mocked. It is odd that such immoral thinking does not spill over into other areas of life. For example, no architect will build a skyscraper without a huge foundation. No conductor will allow his orchestra to play any notes, at any pace at any time they choose when the program specifically states the order, say something like: Beethoven’s Symphony No. 1 in C Major Opus 21.

My family heritage is Dutch. They are famous for all kinds of sayings. There is a very silly saying that was commonly posted in homes of family members: “In the concert of life no one gets a program.” My response: that is a pure porcelain crockery! All of us received the program—it was given us by the Creator and Conductor of the Universe—it is called the Bible. So many choose to throw out the program and the notes of instruction found there…and then are surprised at how discordant are their lives.

Not so this psalmist—for 176 verses he extols the wonderful order of the program our Concert Master has set into motion. The stars and galaxies, quarks and protons, creatures and angels follow all His directions. Those who know and love God the Source of All blessedness delight to follow His baton and allow His instruction to set the pace and movement of their lives. Ah what joy is ours.

God of revelation and majesty thank You for the commands You have given to us, Your people. Thank You for the peace and harmony which result from a life lived in obedience to You. Forgive us the rebelliousness of our discordant notes and willful stepping out of meter of the music to which You have set our lives. Restore to us ears that hear and hearts that sing in praise to You. Amen.

August 24, 2019 -- Psalm 119:2-3 -- Our Father adds blessing to obedience

Blessed are those who keep his testimonies,

who seek him with their whole heart,

who also do no wrong,

but walk in his ways!

Psalm 119:2-3 English Standard Version

Matthew Henry, in his commentary on these verses notes:

The tempter would make men think they are at liberty to follow the word of God or not,

as they please. But the desire and prayer of a good man agree with the will and command

of God. If a man expects by obedience in one thing to purchase indulgence for

disobedience in others, his hypocrisy will be detected; if he is not ashamed in this

world, everlasting shame will be his portion.

Matthew Henry Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible page 553

Those words are an incredible insight into the words of verse 3 of our passage today. How many of us engage in this false kind of spiritual accounting. We will be so dedicated in not sinning in a particular area of our life—just so we can indulge in another area of our life. It is the dieter’s dilemma—if I exercise this morning I can have that ice cream treat this afternoon. The problem is tomorrow when I weigh myself I wonder why nothing has changed. Our sins find us out and our false spiritual accounting shows we cannot indulge in any sin. There is no room for this.

The Psalmist desires to yield himself wholeheartedly to God and he pledges to “do no wrong”. He is not thereby storing up for himself a free pass to sin at some later time in an other area of his life. No! He is acknowledging the blessedness that accrues to a man who is serving God whole-heartedly. In view of the divine order of things—blessedness being poured out for obedience—he is pledging himself to finding joy in obedience as a son of the Living God.

Blessedness reminds us that we do not keep the rules for the sake of rule-keeping—we do so in order to know God Who is both the Creator of Order and the Father of all believers. Our Father—He is our Father—obedience reminds us of this glorious truth.

Anyone who has ever started a fitness routine knows all the aches and muscle soreness that accompany the unfamiliar movements required of the body. So it is with obedience. We are not conditioned for it. We will feel it—the ache and soreness of the unfamiliar. However, as we become spiritually fit walking in His ways, the soul becomes familiar with what is required of it and the spiritual muscles want to be stretched and worked according to obedience. And such spiritual workouts become a deeply integrated part of our living—affecting everything we think, say and do. That is why the psalmist claims to “do no wrong” because it is out of character of his spiritual fitness routine. It takes effort to do wrong.

As the Christian is conditioned to walk in obedience to God the focus moves from concentrating on the exercise of doing right to the experience of delight in the Presence of the One before Whom such spiritual exercises are completed. Our Great and Glorious God delights in the praises of His people and we experience the tremendous glow of knowing, feeble though we are, we are bringing pleasure to the Sovereign of Heaven and Earth.

Spirit of God condition my spiritual muscles in such a way that obedience in keeping with spiritual fitness is the rhythm of my days and nights. Spirit of All Wisdom lift my eyes so that in all things I see Jesus Christ as both Savior and the Captain of salvation Who still now directs me. How generous and extravagant it is, LORD of Heaven and Earth, that You should demand obedience and give the strength for obedience and on top of it all so mercifully and wonderfully add Your blessings to those who walk in Your ways. Great are You God and worthy of praise and life-long service. Amen.

August 23, 2019 -- Psalm 119:2 -- Somebody Testify

Blessed are those who keep his testimonies,

who seek him with their whole heart…

Psalm 119:2 English Standard Version

The testimonies of God are the word of the Creator of Heaven and Earth which teach us right from wrong. His Word is the true testimony about how things are. We live in a strange time where people talk about “your truth” and “my truth” but refuse to acknowledge there is “the Truth”. In many ways this secular doublespeak is so dangerous.

The secular emphasis on “your truth” and “my truth” is actually a deceptive, calculated lie. Should a Christian speak of “the Truth” as Jesus Christ—this is immediately derided and mocked. The secular person will not allow the Christian to publicly acknowledge the Truth. It matters not. Whether or not anyone else acknowledges it, the Truth is always true. However, what is exposed is the world’s own illogical stance on truth and non-truth.

When the lie is promoted as truth in our radically secular society, then strange and twisted things happen. In March of this year the B.C. Human Rights Tribunal ordered Mr. Whatcott to pay $55,000 to a B.C. politician, Morgane Oger, who is biologically male, but identifies as female. The reason given by the tribunal, according to the write up of the Vancouver Sun, is “The three person tribunal ruled that Whatcott had discriminated against Oger based solely on her gender.” You can see the link to this article below. Now that is highly ironic. What is “her gender”? Oger’s chromosomes will declare something biologically. Medically Oger is susceptible to things like “prostate cancer” but never uterine cancer, so medically Oger must be treated as a male.

It gets stranger. In what are basically campaign type speeches, on August 22, our Prime Minister declared he is proud of the fact he is exporting Canadian values, such as feminism. That is more than incongruous since this is the same government that is promoting gender confusion. So what is the meaning of the word “feminism” in our day and age? Isn’t that the promotion of one gender above another?

Add to that the bizarre fund the government has set up for Women’s Entrepreneurship. Announced on August 19th of this year, the federal government has earmarked hundreds of millions of federal tax dollars will be spent to promote women business ownership. You can see the link below. The material all shows cisgender women (women who seem to be biologically female and pictured as confident, and content in this identity). My question is: “What if a transgendered person were to apply?” More importantly, what if a man were to apply, saying according to my truth, this is discriminatory completely in favour of one particular gender construct?” How does the current “your truth” and “my truth” being equally valid apply in that hypothetical situation?

At issue is the fact that the Living God, Who by right of His having created all things, He alone is the Arbiter of Truth. Therefore His testimonies—His determinations of right and wrong—these stand firm through the ages and the vicissitudes of our tumultuous age. No wonder then that the Psalmist expressed the fact that those who keep His testimonies are blessed.

They are blessed because they know right from wrong.

They are blessed because they know Him Who loves them.

They are blessed because truth does not have be re-measured every month, or biannually.

They are blessed because they can give their whole hearts to Him and know He will keep them in perfect peace on the path of salvation

They are blessed because there is the eternal promise, fixed in the heavens, that Jesus Christ is true (John 5:36) and He is the Truth and the book of the Revelation of John emphasizes that Jesus is ‘the Faithful Witness’ (Revelation 1:5). Therefore, those who give their lives in service to Him will not be told six months from now or a decade from now or a century from now “sorry, the truth is altered or changed because of this new thing”. Those who serve Jesus Christ know He is True and they will never be ashamed before God for their wholehearted service in the Name of Jesus.

Blessed Jesus, You are the Truth and You teach us all truth. By the powerful presence of Your Holy Spirit help us, as believers, to love the Bible more and more. Direct our living in this world so that all those around us can see the beauty and the blessedness of walking according to the testimonies of the Bible. As Christians together seek God the Father through their obedience to His testimonies, may the world around us encounter Your magnificent Truth. Amen.

https://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/anti-gay-activist-ordered-to-pay-55000-to-b-c-trans-activist-in-fight-over-hateful-flyer

https://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/107.nsf/eng/home

August 21, 2019 -- Psalm 119:1 -- What laws should we keep?

Blessed are those whose way is blameless,

who walk in the law of the LORD!

Psalm 119:1 English Standard Version

The One Who created the heavens and the earth is communicating to us, those reading this Psalm. And the Lord of Glory speaks through this Psalm to all who believe in Jesus, His Words are crucial if we want live in the blessings of His creation. Walking in His laws is the pathway of the life.

Which laws? Well, in the Old Testament there are laws for the nation of Israel, there are laws for ceremonial observances and there are moral laws. In the Old Testament times a person reading this would be called to keep all the laws in all these categories. However, as New Testament Christians we read this knowing the accomplished work of Jesus Christ.

In Jesus Christ the ceremonial laws for sacrifice are done. Christians no longer keep the Passover and the Day of Atonement, the Feast of Weeks and the Unleavened Bread. In Christ Jesus we have the Lamb of God Who has taken away the sin of the world. All those Old Testament practices pointed to Him and His Work.

In Jesus Christ we have the true descendant of King David. He is our King. We do not keep the old laws of Israel because those were for a particular nation to preserve the people and the line of David until Jesus came as the final, everlasting King. This King Jesus has given us His rule for life as citizens of His Kingdom in the New Testament.

So for us, as New Testament followers of Jesus Christ we keep the Ten Commandments and Jesus summarized them in this way: we are to love God with all we have and all we are. We are to love our neighbour as we love ourselves.

To be blameless does not mean we will be without sin. What it means is when the mirror of the 10 commandments are held up before us we know the extent of our sins. We realize how much we need Jesus to cleanse us from our sins and we have in these laws the pathways of thankful living. This is what it is to lead a blameless life.

To fully appreciate Psalm 119 the reader has to understand God makes Himself known to us. The Infinite stoops down and reveals Himself to the finite creature—us. The Infinite shows us the wisest and the most joy-filled way of living in His world.

Creator of the Heavens and the Earth, God of Glory, our Father—help us to delight in Your law as the path of thankful living. Thank You that Jesus has fulfilled all the law’s demands and that in Him we have the credit of His righteousness. Let our lives so shine for Jesus that the people around us will see Jesus in us. By Your Spirit living in us, make us bold to be witnesses for Jesus, our Saviour and King! Amen.

August 20, 2019 -- Ephesians 4:1-2 -- Worthy Faith Walkers

I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love…

Ephesians 4:1-2 English Standard Version

No doubt we can all name the exceptions to this command of Paul. “You don’t know my particular circumstances, Paul, or you’d have written in the Bible—except for that day in August 2019 when you, Richard, will endure such frustration that letting off a little steam won’t matter at all.” Even as I write this I can’t keep from smiling and realizing how lame that sounds.

First off, Paul is writing as a prisoner whose sentence is unjust. A governor and a king (Acts 26:30-32) both declared Paul had done nothing worthy of death or imprisonment. Though his accusers did not relent of their false accusations, Paul had been declared innocent. The only reason his imprisonment continued was because he’d appealed to Caesar for justice against his accusers. Yet, Paul was modeling what he was commanding, to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which he’d been called and he showed great humility and patience and continued to declare the love of God to any and all who would listen to him. He wrote to churches, from his prison cell, hoping to encourage the saints in holy service.

Secondly and infinitely more importantly, Jesus is the example. Jesus is the Victor over sin and death. He went before the courts and never once lost His temper. He was more innocent than Paul ever could be—for Jesus had never in His life sinned. And when He was falsely accused He could have said “I don’t need to submit to this!” So why did He?

Jesus was our representative. He served as the new Adam. Where Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden and chased temptations bringing all of humanity under the curse of sin Jesus, in a sin-sickened world, remained steadfastly loyal to God. Therefore He is the Only One Who can stand in our place and bear the punishment of God against our sins. Jesus is the second, greater Adam, in Whose Name the curse of sin and its punishment are lifted for all who believe in Him.

No one—not one single person ever has endured what Jesus endured. No one ever has had as great an excuse to be arrogant or rude. Yet He, the innocent man, withstood all the assaults of evil men and false accusations and a broken court system.

So great is His salvation that to the wronged and to the wrong-doer, He extends the way to peace and reconciliation. No wonder the people of God have declared through the ages “Hallelujah! What a Savior!”

Weak and weary sinner, raise your head and look to Jesus. Find in Him the refreshment that soothes your fevered head and restores Your soul. Find in Jesus the way of salvation, full and free which turns this world upside down.

Source of the wells of the salvation, we ask You: cleanse us from the inside out. Wash away the sin and festering wrong-doing that brings rot to our bones. Jesus, Who has taken away the sin of the world, remove our sins far from us and give us the new life promised in the Bible. Thank You that no sin is so great it is beyond Your healing, thank You that no sin is so small You ignore it leaving us impaled by it, helpless and conscience-smitten. Lead us, captives to Your mercy, in triumphal procession on the ways of life and healing so that the world around us is blessed by the blessings You pour into our lives. Amen.

August 17, 2019 -- II Corinthians 3:2-3 -- Big Impact

You yourselves are our letter of recommendation, written on our hearts, to be known and read by all. And you show that you are a letter from Christ delivered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the Living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts..

II Corinthians 3:2-3 English Standard Version

Everything you do has an impact on the lives of those who are closest to you. I remember so clearly the time I let “it” slip. A swear word. Our young son was nearby and seemed to be absorbed in some activity or another. I didn’t mean to swear in front of him—in fact, normally I do guard my tongue much better than that. After holding my breath and looking in his direction, he hadn’t seemed to change his level of concentration nor was there a break in his level of actively playing. Phew, crisis averted—or so I thought.

Carolyn and I were shopping a few hours later and our little boy, just a toddler, was seated in the grocery cart in front of us. For whatever reason he decided to call out to the people he met in the aisles. From his perch in the cart: “Hello” he called. And when he had their attention he added the swear word he learned that very morning! Oh, how humiliating. He received a reaction from people and that seemed to prompt him all the more. At that moment he was not a complimentary letter reflecting our parenting skills!

Our passage this morning reminds us that the words we speak, the actions we take, the routines of our day, the way in which we work, the way in which we treat others—everything about us declares our allegiance to Christ—or our drifting from complete faithfulness to that allegiance. When we are careless, it can be at that moment our children, or those over whom we have a lot of influence, can be most impacted. It is so important that the words of our mouth and the actions which flow from our heart display the grace of God to the people around us.

Equally important is how we handle our failures. Inevitably we will make mistakes. Our temper will flair. Or our attitude will be less than kind. Whatever sin we commitment this too is important: “If we mess up, we need to fess up.” That act of confession will have a very big impact on the lives of those around us. Our willingness to admit our wrongs is such a sharp contrast to the world around us, where people will backpedal, obfuscate, or blame others rather than admit their sins. Therefore confession honours the work of Christ. We reveal our need for Him and the glorious impact of His work in us.

With the Psalmist I pray, “create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.” Forgive me, God of steadfast love, for the ways in which I sin and wander from dedicated commitment to Your ways. There are times when I see my wrong-doing magnified in the lives of those whom I love. Forgive my sin. Polish me so that I will be a better, clearer reflection of Who You are. Fill me with the courage I need to make things right with the people whom I have wronged. Thank You for those who have a holy influence on our lives. Blessed are You, God of Love. Amen.

August 15, 2019 -- Proverbs 21:12-13 -- He Who Hears Prayer

The Righteous One observes the house of the wicked;

he throws the wicked down to ruin.

Whoever closes his ear to the cry of the poor

will himself cry out and not be answered.

Proverbs 21:12-13 English Standard Version

This morning I joined with my friends in the chapel service and we cried out to the LORD, The Righteous One. For the last number of weeks it is a joy to preach Thursday morning chapels at Harvest House Atlantic here in Moncton. A number of the folks who attend the chapel are in treatment for addictions. There are a number of rules that must be kept so that HHA the rehab area is safe for all who are seeking relief in Jesus. Well, 5 men, all at once, broke the rules. They knew the consequences. The conditions for living in the House are all spelled out in advance. They are regularly repeated. So this morning the chapel was tough as it was obvious there were empty seats representing those who are out. The remaining men of the house and others who attended the chapel felt the weight of grief. What on earth could I say? What comfort could I possibly bring? Let’s be honest, I have nothing in my toolkit and nothing of myself which would be of any use. The only hope is that which is found in Jesus.

I have been preaching on prayer—leading the men and women on this bible study since so many of them are very new Christians—it is important for them to know how to take up a conversation with the Living God and know He hears and answers. This morning there was such a longing for the God of Mercy to answer the prayers of His people and bring what only He can deliver: peace and comfort.

One of the texts that is part of this preaching series is this one, Proverbs 21:13. God hears. God knows the cries of the poor and the afflicted. In fact, God raises up men and women in Christ who have the resources to help, spiritually, financially, emotionally, and so on according to the gifts He gives us by His Spirit. And if these who are rich in the LORD close their ears to the cry of the poor, they too will cry out and they will not be heard.

At this service one of the men testified how God has set Him free—God heard his cries for help.

I realized what an indictment this verse is against many of our middle class and rich Canadian Christians and their churches, and I include myself, how often we have heard someone cry out and perhaps had thoughts like: “Well, Salvation Army can help” or “She got herself into that mess, let her get herself out.” Forgetting how often we have been the recipients of amazing grace at the hands of other believers sent to us in Jesus’ Name.

This verse is a tremendous comfort for all gathered this morning. They were reassured as we cried out to God, as we prayed together, He was definitely hearing us. He was bringing to bear all the resources of heaven. And, those gathered at chapel this morning acknowledged this—whether or not they have any money—they have the capacity for kindness towards others who are feeling broken. They have the ability to pray with or to pray for those who are in need. That is, in fact, the most powerful weapon of all.

Today, Righteous God—Who sees the rich and poor, the well-fed and needy, the proud and the humbled—we are asking for these five men who are bearing the consequences of their actions. Bring them to the place of true repentance and healing in Jesus Christ. Today, Merciful God, we freely admit we are one step, one sin, one temptation away from joining those who were expelled and we have no strength except that which You bring in Jesus’ Name. Faithful Father, pour out Your Spirit so that each of praying before You now will be given the strength we need to believe on Jesus and to act in keeping with this confession of His Name. In the strength of the Spirit let sin be hateful to us and compassion for stumbling brothers and sisters mark our thoughts and responses to their cries. Make us aware of this great fact: when we were lost in our sins and crying out in the poverty of our dereliction—You heard us, You answered us, You provided the Rock of Refuge we needed in Jesus. As we remember what we were and who we now are in Christ, let us be an army on our knees pleading for others and prepared to use up whatever resources You give us in order to bring many sons and daughters to glory. Amen.

August 14, 2019 -- Romans 6:21-23 God's Pensioners

20-21 As long as you did what you felt like doing, ignoring God, you didn’t have to bother with right thinking or right living, or right anything for that matter. But do you call that a free life? What did you get out of it? Nothing you’re proud of now. Where did it get you? A dead end.

22-23 But now that you’ve found you don’t have to listen to sin tell you what to do, and have discovered the delight of listening to God telling you, what a surprise! A whole, healed, put-together life right now, with more and more of life on the way! Work hard for sin your whole life and your pension is death. But God’s gift is real life, eternal life, delivered by Jesus, our Master.

Romans 6:21-23 The Message

For those of you who read these devotions on the regular basis you’ll immediately notice the language is so different today than the language of the bible translation which is usually posted. The Message is the translation done by Eugene Peterson—it is a modern translation that seeks to capture the idiom of the language—the stark originality of the underlying Greek. Normally the English Standard Version is the “go-to” version for these devotions. The ESV is a translation that seeks to be more of a word for word translation.

What is striking today is the contrast between the former way of life for Christians and the new life that is ours in Christ. The former way of life is a dead end. The person who is not living for Jesus is earning this pension: death. The Christian and the non-Christian both work hard in life. Both have to pay bills. Both have to make choices. Both have to be in various relationships with family and neighbours and friends, juggling the complexities of hurts and joys these bring. You get the idea, but only the Christ-follower has fullness of life now: the delight of knowing God now and the eternal life which begins now and is real life.

This “real life” is honouring to Jesus in these ways. The Christian’s sins have been punished on the body of Jesus at the cross. He voluntarily took the place of the Christian in receiving God’s punishment. So there is a freedom for the Christian to know death is done with and eternal life is started here now. Those who are living a dead end life, are about to receive a pension in hell where they’ll be wishing for death that will never come, such persons can not honour Jesus by their living because with Jesus it is all or nothing. Either you are wholly submitted to Him and leave the dead end ways of living, or you are under Satan’s thumb. You can’t be ‘sort of Christian’. You can’t serve more than one Master—none of us can.

“Real life” is honouring to Jesus in that the Christian is not perfect, still sins—but sin is becoming more and more hateful. The Christian confesses his sin to God and is forgiven. Jesus takes the life of the Christian and prays to God the Father on his behalf saying: ‘Father, credit to him My perfection, as I lived in holiness before You on the earth, credit him with that holy living, because You have punished all his sins when You punished Me in his place.” You can see what freedom Christians enjoy to live for God and to live free from the fear of punishment and the fear of what happens after we die.

The real life is one where Jesus’ honour increases and the Jesus follower focuses less and less on himself and his own accomplishments. The Jesus follower knows all his possessions are gifts from God the Father, given because of the work of Jesus. The Jesus followers knows that his circumstances, when they’re easy they are for God’s glory. When the circumstances of life are tough, these are still for the benefit of believers given so that believers are stretched and have greater capacity to know God and trust Him. Our lives are not meaningless, our suffering is never lost—it is used of God for holy ends and reasons that we know nothing of now will be revealed to us in eternity—so real life now is filled with confident hope no matter what happens here God is working in the life of the children He loves.

Thank You God our Father that in the trenches of our every day existence You know us completely. Thank You God for the work of Jesus which is applied to those who believe in Him 100% as their Savior and Lord. Spirit of the Living God continue to conquer our hearts for the glory of Jesus and toss out every inclination to sin. As Jesus-followers we ask for those who do not love Him as we do—show them the emptiness of sin living and its pension of death and hell—so that while there is still time they may turn from their sin, and instead anchor their life in Jesus. Thank You, God, for the men and women you put in our lives who clearly show a love for You and show that a life of following-Jesus is truly a delight. Amen.

August 13, 2019 -- Genesis 3:8-10 - - Fully Known

And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?” And he said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.”

Genesis 3:8-10 English Standard Version

Adam and Eve sinned. They ate the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of Good and Evil and realized they were sinners, realized they were naked, realized for the first time ever: shame. God their Creator knew all of this Nothing was hidden from His sight. In so many ways this is laughably-sad. Think of the times you’ve played “Hide and Seek” with a young child. You can see her feet sticking out from under the bulging curtains where she thinks she is well-hidden. Or you can hear the barely suppressed giggles of your grandson from behind the couch. They are not fooling anyone—their location is obvious to all.

So it was, and infinitely more: the LORD God had witnessed Adam and Eve rebel against Him. He knew they listened to lies rather than reject the words of the Father of Lies—all the while Adam and Eve were sated by the good produce of the Garden, they’d had the luxury of walking with God and being naked before each other and not ashamed. God saw all their sin and knew their folly in trying to hide from Him. Yet He still pursued them.

He went after them in the Garden of Eden in order to confront them with their sin and show them their need for the Saviour and to show them His tender mercy. Such mercies which would sustain them until the Day of Salvation.

 Our secular world accuses God of being an ogre. Those who think they know the LORD God have so many slanderous thoughts against the Merciful One. Recently I heard a quotation from J. I. Packer, and it was such a sweet antidote to poisonous, fatally flawed words about God:

There’s a difference between knowing God and knowing about God. When you truly know God

you have energy to serve him, boldness to share him, and contentment in Him…there is

tremendous relief in knowing that His love to me is based at every point on prior knowledge

of the worst about me.

J. I. Packer In God’s Presence (2000)

This is to the glory of God, this is the wonder of Genesis 3: sin doesn’t triumph. The loving-kindness of God triumphs. He Who knows the absolute worst about us, our darkest secrets and our vilest thoughts and our great fears—He Who is terrible in beauty and awesome in splendor and lives in fiery, unapproachable light—He fully knows us and rescues us from the death sentence of our sins and brings us to new life. Widely yet His mercy flows.

Don’t let your knowledge of God be the half-truths of our rebellious world. Do not settle for the lies the devil tells about the LORD God. Dive into the Bible. Read. Drink deeply of the refreshing well-waters of salvation and know this Glorious, Merciful God for yourself. Receive the gift of being fully known by God and fully loved by God Your Father. Unconditionally accept Jesus and be made new and completely clean.

Ah, Who is a God like You, forgiving our iniquity and passing over the transgressions of Your children? Who is a God like You—delighting to show steadfast love and having compassion on us, again, and again, and again. Thank You Faithful Father, that You have rescued us from the clutches of hell and have saved us from ourselves—through the inestimable cost of the blood of Your Own Son. Spirit of God move us from our hiding places and prompt us to look up to the Presence of our Merciful Father. Amen.

August 12, 2019 - - Psalm 14:6 -- Delivered from Shame

You would shame the plans of the poor,

but the LORD is his refuge.

Psalm 14:6 English Standard Version

Shame. The mere mention of the word makes many shiver with fear—what if people knew… (and you fill in the fears and insecurities that bring the spectre of shame’s appearance which would haunt you). According to Psalm 14 it is the evil doer who would raise the possibility of shame. It is the evil doer who seeks to gain power over the anointed and beloved of the LORD.

Shame would drive us into hiding. The more we hide it the greater its power is over us. How is the LORD the refuge in a world that uses shame to sell beauty products (you don’t want people to see how old you really are) and cars (you don’t want your car to be less than what that person is driving) and pet food (are you really going to feed your beloved family member that inferior pet food?! Do you even love your faithful companion?!).

Shame over our failings and sins is even deeper. It makes living in true community nearly impossible. If others knew me as I know myself, who would love me?

How could the LORD possibly be the refuge of the poor?

The LORD our God knows our shame. He knows our public self and He knows and sees what we do in secret. Nothing is hidden from His gaze. He has seen it all. He knows the conversations your brain has with your guilt-riddled heart.

The LORD our God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to take on Himself the punishment for all our sins—those sins all people know about and the hidden things we hope no one knows about. Be assured of this: we can’t be blackmailed by the devil because the LORD already knows the worst about us and He has provided the way of salvation.

The LORD our God sent His Spirit to put us into true community—we live side by side with other men and women who are just as needy as we are and who themselves have a refuge in the Saviour, Jesus Christ. All of should be able to name the moment our sin and shame were washed away—it was the moment Jesus cried out on the cross “It is finished!” (John 19:30). Those words alerted the hosts of hell and their evil-doing leader the Father of Lies that he has been completely disarmed. All our sins, every wrong-doing that deserved punishment are now stamped by God: paid in full.

Those who are loved by God and covered by the blood of Jesus Christ are not subject to the devil’s smear campaigns—”You?! A Christian—don’t make we laugh” he hisses “I know what you did!” In response the Christian boldly replies: “Devil—you don’t know the half of it, and Jesus paid it all!”

For these reasons God is the refuge of the poor. He has claimed us. He calls us beloved. He calls us saints in Christ and for the sake of His accomplished work. He gives us His Spirit to live in the heart and conscience of the believer, the Spirit Who speaks to our weary souls: “Abba, Father” in reference to God at the darkest moments when we need this the most. The Spirit binds us together, as those who know the depths of our sins and the deeper grace and forgiveness of God and proclaim His great love and grace.

Who is like You, O God of Glory?! You delight to show mercy and forgive the sins of Your people. You have given us the Mediator, Jesus Christ, in Whom we have a Defender and Prayer-Warrior. Who shows such tenderness like You do?! You give us the Spirit against the moments the enemy would seek to trample us down in dust, the Spirit lifts our eyes to heaven so that we can see the Father of prodigal sons and daughters running to embrace us and shelter us in His radiant love. Father in heaven, Giver of Every Good Gift, teach us every day again, to live in real, deep community with one another. Banish shame. Fill us with the joy of thanksgiving filled obedience to all You command. Amen

August 11, 2019 - - Psalm 119:7 - - A Renewed Taste for the Things of God

I will praise you with an upright heart,

when I learn your righteous rules.

Psalm 119:7 English Standard Version

Yesterday while we were at the Moncton Market my daughter’s attention was caught by a particular grouping of jams and jellies. The woman who made them encouraged Elayna to try one. The one Elayna chose was a pink jelly that was made from the petals of orange daylilies. You read that correctly—daylily flowers! It was so good and a surprise. The jam maker noted that there are many flowers that are edible. Some edible flowers likely are familiar to us, like chives and roses, but others which are also edible might surprise us: daylilies and echinacea.

Strange isn’t it, our diet is such an important part of our lives. Yet it is so easy to become caught in a routine and eat poorly or mindlessly much on things that are unhealthy for us because we have not taken the time to explore the myriad of other options that are out there. Healthy foods might take a bit of work to find, but once we do we discover it is good to eat and beneficial. If a friend prepares a new recipe for us which includes healthy foods, we can be inspired to try these ourselves and so find ourselves reinvigorated for taking steps towards better eating.

The Psalmist is noting that the righteous rules of the LORD are many and varied and beneficial. When the Psalmist mines the Word of God for ways of showing his devotion he finds his heart soars with new reasons for praise. When the Word of God is examined closely, the beauty of it changes his thoughts and taste buds. Suddenly it is sweet and good, in a whole new way of deeper obedience, to follow the LORD. It makes sense. He Who made the heavens and the earth and created us for life in this beautiful creation would know what paths are right so that we can enjoy creation and the Creator to the fullest.

Today is Sunday. Plan on going to church—learning to savour the goodness of the LORD through His Word and His righteous rules.

God of All Creation, great and glorious are Your works. Thank You for the mysteries and wonders of Your creation and the delight in learning more about creation so that through it we learn more about You! Forgive us for slouching along in our misconceptions of Your radiance and forgive us for shrinking from Your righteous rules which are the pathway of life. By the powerful presence of Your Spirit renew in us a holy zeal to learn more about You. Increase our holy hunger for the things of God. By Your Word and Spirit show us in Christ we have the Bread of Life and the Living Water which wells up in us to eternal life. Amen.