I started to see a rythmn to how Psalms are written today. Some chapters are up and some are down. Some exalt how great God is. Some are really sad, and almost lament the struggle of living, and trying to live up to God. It seems this mood can swing from chapter to chapter. Then I read 93 this morning. It talk about the seas and how rough the water is. Maybe there is a deeper meaning there than I am picking up on, but it struck me how this is reading like life. It reads like my life. Some days are good, and I'm on fire for God. Some days are bad and I'm struggling. Then, "oh crap!, I forgot to put out the trash this morning". I think the author here, presumable David....is writing these chapters according to how he is doing that day. The things that are catching his attention...but all the while he is constatly relating everything back to God and his relationship with him. Somewhere it's written that David was a man after God's own heart. I can hear that in how this is all written. In all things David sees God. The good, the bad, the tough, the water, the enemies who are trying to destroy him. It all points back to the creator of the universe.
Some pretty important to emulate.
tp
Wednesday, July 29, 2015
Monday, July 27, 2015
Psalms 90-91
1 Lord, you have been our dwelling place
throughout all generations.
First verse....right off the bat! I don't have any great thoughts or insights. But, I really like this verse. I think it contains a great challenge for me. To make God my true "dwelling place". We talk about not being sucked into the worldly stuff. Keeping our focus on God. To "dwell" is so much more than just focus.......that's what I'm striving for.
tp
throughout all generations.
First verse....right off the bat! I don't have any great thoughts or insights. But, I really like this verse. I think it contains a great challenge for me. To make God my true "dwelling place". We talk about not being sucked into the worldly stuff. Keeping our focus on God. To "dwell" is so much more than just focus.......that's what I'm striving for.
tp
Thursday, July 23, 2015
Psalms 88-89
Well, as 88 is my favorite number..... I was excited when I saw that's what was up for today. BOY! Debbie Downer! Sheesh!
14 Why, Lord, do you reject me
and hide your face from me?
I do understand the frustration, to a point. There are times when I have really earnestly asked God to show up, or to reveal himself to me. And, sometimes he doesn't. I know he has a much better plan than me. And so I'm ok when he doesn't do exactly what I ask. But, it does tend to feel like what the author is writing about. Maybe not to the same level of desparation. But, its there.
Even though, it's definitely a negative slant today. There is a tid-bit buried in there that I think is good. The author seems to really understand that eveything good comes from God, and he is desperate to be in the light. He just can't find it. Having strong enough faith to stay on mission, even when God isn't answering all of your prayers, is a really good thing!
Wow! I'm the captain of run-on sentences this morning, in my writing, that I'm doing here, just like this one, for the blog.
14 Why, Lord, do you reject me
and hide your face from me?
I do understand the frustration, to a point. There are times when I have really earnestly asked God to show up, or to reveal himself to me. And, sometimes he doesn't. I know he has a much better plan than me. And so I'm ok when he doesn't do exactly what I ask. But, it does tend to feel like what the author is writing about. Maybe not to the same level of desparation. But, its there.
Even though, it's definitely a negative slant today. There is a tid-bit buried in there that I think is good. The author seems to really understand that eveything good comes from God, and he is desperate to be in the light. He just can't find it. Having strong enough faith to stay on mission, even when God isn't answering all of your prayers, is a really good thing!
Wow! I'm the captain of run-on sentences this morning, in my writing, that I'm doing here, just like this one, for the blog.
Wednesday, July 22, 2015
Psalm 86-87
86:11 Teach me your way, Lord,
that I may rely on your faithfulness;
give me an undivided heart,
that I may fear your name.
that I may rely on your faithfulness;
give me an undivided heart,
that I may fear your name.
The undivided heart caught me attention, yet I'm having trouble writing a thought around it. I think I'm just wondering what an undivided heart looks like? I think its having God involved in all parts of my life not just in certain situations or with certain friends. my thoughts are running low this morning, I look forward to your insights.
knut
Tuesday, July 21, 2015
Psalm 84-85
84:10 Better is one day in your courts
than a thousand elsewhere;...
than a thousand elsewhere;...
The power of song is amazing. As I read these two chapters, nothing in particular was jumping out at me, except the Redman song Better is one day. I love that song and its interesting to me how powerful this simple verse is, especially if you really focus on it like a song causes you to do. If I read it in my text book reading voice I probably blow right by it, but when the song comes in my head it creates an emotional impact that I want to feel one day in his courts.
How many other gifts are in scripture that I miss simply because I read as a text book but I don't slow down to take them in?
knut
Monday, July 20, 2015
Psalm 82-83
83:18 Let them know that you, whose name is the Lord—
that you alone are the Most High over all the earth.
I didn't get a lot from these two chapters. But in this day when it seems God is being pushed out of the US society this verse reminds me that one day every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord.
knut
that you alone are the Most High over all the earth.
I didn't get a lot from these two chapters. But in this day when it seems God is being pushed out of the US society this verse reminds me that one day every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord.
knut
Friday, July 17, 2015
Psalm 81
13 “If my people would only listen to me,
if Israel would only follow my ways,
14 how quickly I would subdue their enemies
and turn my hand against their foes!
Seeing all the evil actions in the world tells me we are not listening to him. This must include Israel today as well right, their enemies are not subdued. We try to handle it ourselves making political arrangements with Iran, but in the end this is not the way to subdue them and the intentions to destroy Israel.
not sure this is the intended application but its where my mind was taken.
knut
if Israel would only follow my ways,
14 how quickly I would subdue their enemies
and turn my hand against their foes!
Seeing all the evil actions in the world tells me we are not listening to him. This must include Israel today as well right, their enemies are not subdued. We try to handle it ourselves making political arrangements with Iran, but in the end this is not the way to subdue them and the intentions to destroy Israel.
not sure this is the intended application but its where my mind was taken.
knut
Monday, July 13, 2015
Psalms 79-80
19 Restore us, Lord God Almighty;
make your face shine on us,
that we may be saved.
This is from chapter 80. It keeps repeating throughout the chapter. I like it. If God's face shines upon us....then we are saved. He is looking at us, and isn't turned away. It sounds a little like a benediction after a Sunday morning service. I think that is a good prayer to say every once in a while throughout the day.
'Restore me, Lord God Almighty; make your face to shine on me, that I may be saved."
We have talked a lot about the need to stay with him during the day, and not slide back into the world. I'm gonna try this and see if it helps keep me on his mission, and not mine.
tp
make your face shine on us,
that we may be saved.
This is from chapter 80. It keeps repeating throughout the chapter. I like it. If God's face shines upon us....then we are saved. He is looking at us, and isn't turned away. It sounds a little like a benediction after a Sunday morning service. I think that is a good prayer to say every once in a while throughout the day.
'Restore me, Lord God Almighty; make your face to shine on me, that I may be saved."
We have talked a lot about the need to stay with him during the day, and not slide back into the world. I'm gonna try this and see if it helps keep me on his mission, and not mine.
tp
Wednesday, July 8, 2015
Psalms 78
Whoa! this one is a long one, compared to the others we have read in Psalms.
I didn't pick out a particular verse today, but more a sense of what God must feel when looking at his people. And probably when looking at us.
The chapter talks about how every time God blesses his people, they wind up turning away from him. They become self-reliant in their riches and wealth. Inevitably God has to tear them back down to bring them back to him. Sound familiar? I see that same pattern in society today. Not just a shade of a similarity.....but EXACTLY! We don't seem to learn where it all comes from.
I didn't pick out a particular verse today, but more a sense of what God must feel when looking at his people. And probably when looking at us.
The chapter talks about how every time God blesses his people, they wind up turning away from him. They become self-reliant in their riches and wealth. Inevitably God has to tear them back down to bring them back to him. Sound familiar? I see that same pattern in society today. Not just a shade of a similarity.....but EXACTLY! We don't seem to learn where it all comes from.
Tuesday, July 7, 2015
Psalm 75-77
77:20 You led your people like a flock
by the hand of Moses and Aaron.
I have to admit I'm a little distracted yesterday and today. So i'm not sure I'm hearing his message for me today. The thought I have is that we can do God's work here on earth by being his hands and feet. Like the work he did through Moses. It was his work but as it says here by using Moses hand. So I pray he uses our hands and feet as well.
Yesterday morning I received the message that my cousin Darrin Sudmann passed away in his sleep. He had muscular dystrophy and it finally weakened him to the point of death. I am not so emotional about this in fact I am happy Darrin is released from the constraints of his broken body. I am saddened for his family to lose him, especially his parents who have cared for him so faithfully all these years. I am reflective of life and how short it is and the summers I spent with my cousins including Darrin.
Darrin was a gentle soul. He had much to be frustrated or angry about yet I never saw anything like that from him. He never ever complained about anything no matter how tough his situation and it was tough. near the end just short of fully paralysis. He would sit at the table at the family gatherings and talk to all the younger cousins and his nephews. He would ask me about racing or share about his peacocks he raised. Never would he complain about an ache, a pain or a frustration. But he would listen to others. Must have made him laugh to hear silly complaints of us blessed with so much more.
So I pray for comfort for God's comforting hand to rest on the Sudmann's for their earthly loss of Darrin. My mind wonders what Darrin is doing right now? What a tremendous release for him, I am thankful for God's saving grace.
knut
by the hand of Moses and Aaron.
I have to admit I'm a little distracted yesterday and today. So i'm not sure I'm hearing his message for me today. The thought I have is that we can do God's work here on earth by being his hands and feet. Like the work he did through Moses. It was his work but as it says here by using Moses hand. So I pray he uses our hands and feet as well.
Yesterday morning I received the message that my cousin Darrin Sudmann passed away in his sleep. He had muscular dystrophy and it finally weakened him to the point of death. I am not so emotional about this in fact I am happy Darrin is released from the constraints of his broken body. I am saddened for his family to lose him, especially his parents who have cared for him so faithfully all these years. I am reflective of life and how short it is and the summers I spent with my cousins including Darrin.
Darrin was a gentle soul. He had much to be frustrated or angry about yet I never saw anything like that from him. He never ever complained about anything no matter how tough his situation and it was tough. near the end just short of fully paralysis. He would sit at the table at the family gatherings and talk to all the younger cousins and his nephews. He would ask me about racing or share about his peacocks he raised. Never would he complain about an ache, a pain or a frustration. But he would listen to others. Must have made him laugh to hear silly complaints of us blessed with so much more.
So I pray for comfort for God's comforting hand to rest on the Sudmann's for their earthly loss of Darrin. My mind wonders what Darrin is doing right now? What a tremendous release for him, I am thankful for God's saving grace.
knut
Thursday, July 2, 2015
Psalm 73-74
73:27
Those who are far from you will perish;
you destroy all who are unfaithful to you.
Those who are far from you will perish;
you destroy all who are unfaithful to you.
I don't have much today but reading through these two chapters it felt like the writer felt a little like we feel today. All sorts of bad stuff is going on in this world and God seems to be getting trampled right our of the US. The writer seems frustrated and is asking got to take action.
At the end of ch73 is the verse above, noting that God will be taking care of everything in the end. So it may feel like he is being trampled now but he is in ultimate control and has a plan, we just need to be close to him and all will be ok. And for those who aren't it will be sad.
knut