Saturday, September 6, 2008

Psalm 68: God of power, God of the poor


Lessons from David- Psalm 68

We've all seen people on the street, pictures of starving children in Africa, and we've all felt a certain level of helplessness. Tim Chester, author of 'Good News to the Poor', defines modern poverty as not simply about material wealth (or lack of it), but exclusion from society. To be poor is to be helpless, disadvantaged, lacking in education or other means with which to provide for yourself and integrate into society. When we look at the world we see big problems with poverty of various kinds, and it's hard to know, as a Christian, what difference we can make.

Well a good start is here in this Psalm- God. David's Psalm rejoices in God's magnificence- His triumph over enemies (1-2) and His amazing wonders, displaying His power over creation (7-10). He has tens of thousands of chariots (17) and is worthy of praise from princes (27). He rides the ancient skies above, and thunders with a mighty voice (33). All the kingdoms of the earth should praise Him (32).

Great, but how is that relevant to the homeless guy in the bus shelter? Well, the Psalm gives an unexpected twist. God cares for the very opposite of His power- for the social outcasts and rejects. He is
'A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows... (He) sets the lonely in families, He leads forth the prisoners with singing' (5-6).

He provides for the poor (10). He daily bears our burdens and saves us from death (19-20). David knew all about this, being a poor shepherd boy, chosen by God to be the next King of Israel, and having to depend on God to provide food and shelter for him as he ran away from Saul's jealousy.

This is the nature of God's character: He is kind, loving, merciful, caring, not proud or distant from our lives. He can provide for our every need. It is never God's pride that separates us from Him, but our own. We need to open our eyes to see our complete poverty before Him. What can we offer Him? Nothing but broken hearts. And that's exactly what He wants from us.

We need to check ourselves- if we are materially wealthy, has that become a barrier for our dependence on God?

And we also need to realise that if God cares so much for the poor, then so should we! Even if we just go and have a cup of tea with a lonely neighbour, we can play a vital role in our communities to comfort the poor, and in doing so show God's care and love for the marginalised.

Friday, September 5, 2008

Psalm 70-71: True hope


Lessons from David- Psalms 70-71

True hope in a situation of despair, like David's, can be found only in God. Note how David:

a) knows God can rescue him from ANY situation v1

b) knows God will protect him in any situation-
'Be my rock of refuge, to which I can always go' (3)

c) knows that God will definitely save him from hell and give him eternal life-
'You will again bring me up' (20)

d) accepts that God knows what He's doing, and his job is to trust and praise Him-
'But may all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You' (4)
'You have been my hope, O Sovereign Lord, my confidence since my youth. From my birth I have relied on You.' (5-6)
'My mouth will tell of Your righteousness, of Your salvation all day long, though I know not its measure.' (15)
'Though You have made me see troubles, many and bitter, You will restore my life again' (20).

Thursday, September 4, 2008

Psalm 34: Experiencing God's goodness


Lessons from David- Psalm 34

'I will extol the Lord at all times,' David cries (1), because 'I sought the Lord, and He answered me; He delivered me from all my fears.' (4)

The context for this Psalm (David's encounter with Abimelech, when he feigned madness and managed to escape) shows that it is a testimony of a time where David sought God and God answered. It is an experience of God's goodness that leaves David jumping for joy with praise to God, despite his otherwise troublesome situation (being on the run from Saul).

And what is the point of our faith unless we experience God's grace for ourselves? Unless the joy of being in a relationship with Jesus penetrates our attitude and daily life, we can have no true faith.

This psalm calls us to experience God's goodness personally:
'Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him' (8).

Note that it says 'takes refuge'- that implies that things will be difficult for us. We will have troubles, and we will need refuge. Experiencing God's goodness is not, then, about having a sunny problem-free existence, but about coming to God in the bad times as well as the good, and still praising Him- because there is always something to praise God for.

The Bible gives us great promises that are REAL! We can know God's grace now and even this side of heaven, we can discover that 'those who fear Him lack nothing... no good thing' (9-10).

We need to turn from evil and do good (14) if we want to know true blessing, but the best thing is that the Lord redeems us. No matter how sinful we are, 'no-one will be condemned who takes refuge in Him' (22). This is the amazing truth of the Gospel.

Wednesday, September 3, 2008

When God doesn't intervene


Lessons from David- 1 Samuel 21-22

It seems that this whole situation has really brought out the worst in Saul. While David is reduced to nibbling on consecrated bread and feigning insanity, 85 priests are killed by Saul's sinful rage. This could all have been prevented if God had killed Saul and made David King. But God did not intervene in this way. Why not?

He had good reasons! He is perfectly good and all His ways are just. He wanted to teach David more about trusting in Him, and whilst we may not always understand His ways, we need to trust that He is in control and knows what He's doing.

The scenario with the priests gives us two important lessons:
1. Don't be spiritually complacent- Saul was anointed by God... and now he's a killer.
2. Don't obey an evil request- the king's officials were right to disobey him.

Overall, there may be many times in life when we don't understand what God is doing. He may allow things to happen that we don't like. But we need to trust that He is doing everything for our benefit, because He loves us, and for His glory, because He is great and good.

Tuesday, September 2, 2008

Psalms 6-7: Turning to God in a crisis


Lessons from David- Psalms 6-7

Even in his darkest moments of gut-wrenching sorrow (6-7) David turns to God and asks for mercy and healing (2). He does this because he trusts in God's unfailing love (4), and affirms his belief at the end that God will answer his prayer.

In Ps 7, a more detailed picture is given of God- showing us why David (and we) should trust Him. God is someone to take refuge in, because He can save and deliver us from deadly foes (1-2). God is a God of justice (6), who is righteous and searches minds and hearts, to bring an end to the violence of the wicked and make the righteous secure (9).

He saves the upright in heart (10). We should echo David in saying:
'I will give thanks to the Lord because of His righteousness and will sing praise to the Name of the Lord Most High.' (17)

Monday, September 1, 2008

Pursued but not alone


Lessons from David- 1 Samuel 19-20

David's situation in these chapters is not good. In fact, it is dire.

For a while he lives precariously in Saul's house (again evading Saul's deadly spear), and runs away to find Samuel- the prophet who anointed him. Why? To reaffirm his calling? To ask what God was doing? To be with someone Saul feared and respected? Maybe all these things.

It is understandable that so many Psalms speak of anguish, but affirm a trust in God. Even in dark times, David saw evidence of God's hand providing for him and protecting him:
-the warnings he received from Jonathan and Michal
-Jonathan's intervention
-the Spirit working on those who came to capture David, even Saul himself
-the arrows signal

God provided Samuel and Jonathan to comfort, reassure and help David to escape Saul's wrath. They were able to affirm his innocence ('He took his life in his hands when he killed the Philistine. The Lord won a great victory for all Israel... Why then would you do wrong to an innocent man like David' 19.5) whilst still giving glory to God.

Jonathan particularly stands out as a model of sacrificial friendship, placing his relationship with his father on the line to save David. He doesn't think of his own satus and power, but of David's- he evidently believes and supports God's anointing (20.15).

Jonathan loves God, and his care for David is an outworking of that. David has to face a time of lonelienss and persecution, but Jonathan will be praying for him.

Sunday, August 31, 2008

100 things to do before you die... the search for fulfilment


Dave Freeman, the 47 year old author of '100 Things to do before you Die', died this week from hitting his head at his home in California. John Harlow & Roger Waite wrote an article in 'The Sunday Times' entitled 'Life as a List', discussing why the concept of 100 Things became so popular. Freeman opens his book saying:

'Life is a short journey. How can you make sure you fill it with the most fun and that you visit all the coolest places on Earth before you pack your bags for the very last time?'

That is very much an attitude treasured in modern culture. We want to live life to the full while we can.

Well the Bible talks about living life to the full too- but in a different way. The Bible tells us that life is not just the 80 or so years you have on earth. Every human being has an eternal soul, and the life you have after death is actually a lot more important than the life on earth, because it is eternal.

Jesus said,
'I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.' John 10:10-11

In dying on the cross, Jesus was laying down His life in order that human beings could enjoy life to the full. You see, all of us are born with an invisible ball and chain around our feet. We go through life pretty unaware of it, but when we die, it's because the ball and chain finally caught up with us.

The ball and chain is sin. We are weighed down by our guilt for turning our backs on God, and the only way to live life to the full is to have the ball and chain removed.

On the cross, Jesus took the punishment for our guilty rebellion. He has the key to unlock your chain... but you have to ask Him. You have to acknowledge that the ball and chain exist. You need to realise how much you need Jesus.

Once you come to Jesus and ask for forgiveness, you experience true freedom. The ball and chain are taken off and flung away, and you are free to live life to the full now, and in eternity. The Bible talks about heaven, not as a fluffy white-clouded place, but about a real home for God's people where we can be with God forever with no suffering or pain (see Revelation 21). It puts our earthly life into perspective.

You see, the paradox of Freeman's 100 Things philosophy is that you can't ever get real fulfilment from doing really amazing things here on earth. Simon Reeve is quoted in this article as saying:

'because we all have such limited free time we rely on planes to whisk us to a place where we've been told we can have an extraordinary experience. Usually that just involves standing alongside a thousand other tourists.'

My family recently went to Lake Garda in Italy and this is certainly what they said! (Although of course it is very beautiful there.)

Even Freeman himself admitted that spending all your time hunting for Eden can ruin paradise for you.

The message of the Bible is that you can't find fulfilment anywhere else except in God. He offers us everything we need- Jesus explained this once by using a metaphor of water:

'whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.' John 4:13

We were created to have a relationship with God. Only when that relationship is restored through our forgiveness in Jesus, can we truly be made whole. That is where true fulfilment lies.

Psalm 16: The joy of knowing God


Lessons from David- Psalm 16

'apart from You I have no good thing' (2)

David here shows a single-minded devotion to God, treasuring Him above all else and recognising Him as the source of all goodness.

Next to God, David delights in the saints (3) as the people of God. Christians have an unshakable bond with other believers, because we all share the same secure lot and delightful inheritance in heaven (5-6). We have all come to realise that there is nothing but sorrow in pursuing other gods (4). How much do we cultivate deep relationships with people at church, regardless of their age, job or background?

David praises God and sets Him before himself (7-8). His heart is glad and he is secure (9), because of the hope of resurrection (10). How much more (post-Jesus) can we rejoice in this hope!

'You have made known to me the path of life; You will fill me with joy in Your presence, with eternal pleasures at Your right hand.' (11)