Category: Psalm 25

  • Israel    One-a-Day Friday  2/9/24

    Israel    One-a-Day Friday  2/9/24

    Redeem Israel, O God, from all their troubles (Psalm 25:22).

    Good for Israel!

    They are God’s chosen people, after all. It makes sense that He would look out for them.

    Beloved, do you realize that you are also Israel?

    Remember what Paul says to the Romans? He talks about Israel as an olive tree, and says that we have been grafted into the tree and so have become part of the tree.

    And so we have become part of Israel.

    We have joined God’s chosen people.

    And he has redeemed us from the greatest trouble ever imagined.

    Shalom, Beloved

    Happy Friday

  • Only in Him   One-a-Day Thursday  2/8/24

    Only in Him   One-a-Day Thursday  2/8/24

    May integrity and uprightness protect me, for my hope, Lord, is in you (Psalm 25:21).

    Pssssssst–

    He’s talking about God’s integrity and God’s uprightness. Because if we were relying on our own integrity and uprightness to protect us…well…

    some thoughts are better left unexplored, eh Beloved?

    Happy Thursday.

  • Refuge One-a-Day Wednesday  2/7/24

    Refuge One-a-Day Wednesday  2/7/24

    Guard my life and rescue me; do not let me be put to shame, for I take refuge in you (Psalm 25:20).

    Why?

    Because I work so hard?

    nope

    Because I know so much?

    huh uh

    Because I give my 10%?

    um…no

    Because I offer wise advice?

    not so much

    Because I have the Jumbo Study Bible with built in concordance?

    Ooooohhh…swingandamiss

    Because, in the end, I’m such a groovy guy?

    seriously

    Because I’m his.  Hear that, Beloved. Because I’m his, I have the right to claim refuge in him, the right to run to him when I am in distress. Because I’m his I have confidence that the yuck will never get too deep, the mountains never too high, the stress never too much. You have a whole Thursday full of stuff to deal with today. Don’t be afraid to run to your Father and claim the shelter that is rightfully yours.

    Because you are the Beloved of Christ.

    Happy Wednesday

  • Enemies  One-a-Day Tuesday   2/6/24

    Enemies  One-a-Day Tuesday   2/6/24

    See how my enemies have increased and how fiercely they hate me! (Psalm 25:19).

    OK, so I don’t literally have people out to kill me.

    To the best of my knowledge

    Although I do teach middle school, so…

    Still, there are days when finances and job stress and finances and traffic idiots and finances and people and finances and house repairs and finances and car issues and finances leave me feeling that I am surrounded on all sides by people with bad attitudes and pointy sticks. Beyond that, I live in a society that is moving further and further away from the values that I hold and into a nether region of stupidity and sin. It may not attack my body, but it daily attacks my sense of right and wrong.

    Not to mention my logic

    So, yeah, I can identify in a very small way with David’s plight here. Far more importantly, I can identify with David’s rescue. The Psalmist knew he would be saved, because he knew his savior.

    As do I

    As do you

    Take a deep breath, Beloved of Christ.

    Happy Tuesday

  • Priorities One-a-Day Monday  2/5/24

    Priorities One-a-Day Monday  2/5/24

    Look upon my affliction and my distress and take away all my sins (Psalm 25:18).

    I don’t think I’ve ever really read this verse before.

    I mean, I’ve read over it, but…

    David is alone and afraid and hurt and under attack and what does he ask God for?

    A clean heart

    Forgiveness

    A right relationship with his Lord

    David is a man who understands priorities.

    Me? My prayers would probably be more along the lines of, “Heal my body and crush my enemies to powder.”

    “Please”

    Let’s see if we can keep first things first today, ya?

    Happy Monday, Beloved.

  • Turn to Him  One-a-Day Friday  2/2/24

    Turn to Him  One-a-Day Friday  2/2/24

    Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted. The troubles of my heart have multiplied; free me from my anguish (Psalm 25:16-17).

    Perhaps as you read this you are on a mountain top,

    literally or figuratively.

    Life is sweet and every breath is delight.

    If so, I rejoice with you, Beloved–enjoy the view.

    Perhaps the mountain has fallen on top of you, and you identify with this verse far more than you would like. If so, I’m praying for you, and I’m here to remind you that the God you cry out to is real and is powerful and is listening.

    You feel lonely, but you are never, ever alone.

    You feel empty, but His Spirit fills you.

    You weep, but one day you will laugh with the angels.

    Look, I know that those words can feel empty and useless and meaningless in the face of all you’re dealing with today.

    But they’re true.

    You are loved by the One who knows you better than anyone else.

    Seriously,

    He knows you

    and

    He loves you.

    Pretty amazing, ya?

    So, if nothing else, rejoice in that today.

    Because that’s a lot.

    In fact, when you get right down to it

    that’s pretty much everything.

    Happy Friday, Beloved

  • Freedom One-a-Day Thursday  2/1/24

    Freedom One-a-Day Thursday  2/1/24

    My eyes are ever on the Lord, for only he will release my feet from the snare (Psalm 25:15).

    You are trapped

    hurt

    alone.

    It doesn’t matter whether the Hunter has trapped you

    or you have put yourself here–you’re doomed.

    Then he arrives.

    He stretches out his hands

    and you

    are

    free.

    Look to your rescuer today, Beloved

    and be free.

    Happy Thursday

  • Confident Confidant  One-a-Day Wednesday  1/31/24

    Confident Confidant  One-a-Day Wednesday  1/31/24

    The Lord confides in those who fear him; he makes his covenant known to them (Psalm 25:14).

    You know.

    Wow.

    You

    know

    You know the story–beginning to end, Alpha to Omega, you know how it all turns out.

    You know the secret to eternal life.

    You know who wins.

    This is better than getting the Lotto numbers the night before they’re picked, better than getting the answers to tomorrow’s test today, better than knowing that the idiot driver is going to stop in the middle of the intersection while there’s still time for you to stop.

    Why do you get to know this?

    Because you’re amazing?

    No, although you are amazing.

    Because I’m amazing?

    Aww, thank you so much, that’s really sweet, but still a no.

    Because you’re his.

    That’s it. You’re his, and he wants you to know all you can about him.

    That includes his plans.

    Not bad for a person who can’t even find their car keys half the time.

    Happy Wednesday, Beloved.

  • Inheritance   One-a-Day Tuesday  1/30/24

    Inheritance   One-a-Day Tuesday  1/30/24

    Who, then, is the man who fears the Lord? God will instruct him in the way chosen for him. He will spend his days in prosperity, and his descendants will inherit the land (Psalm 25:13).

    Verses like this one bug me.

    Yep, I just said that there are portions of Scripture that bug me. Feel free to grab your pitchfork, light your torch, and head over to my house–you won’t be the first.

    (Actually, you would be the first. Please do not do that. If you’re offended, you probably should just stop reading…but I hope you won’t do that either.)

    You see, I’m a hard core believer in the inerrancy of Scripture, so it bothers me when I read something that I can’t reconcile with the world I see out there. So many believers trust God, fear God, serve God, and yet are destitute. Why?

    But Michael, you point out, this Psalm is from the Old Testament. The promises were for Israel; they don’t always apply today. Maybe so, but this really seems to be a general principle of trust and provision, not a specific time-and-place promise. If it is a general principle, the implication is that those who are poor just don’t fear God enough–and that doesn’t fit with what I know about our Lord.

    But Michael, you next propose, this is a general rule. It isn’t meant to apply to every single person at every single  moment. Perhaps, but what a bummer for you if you’re the exception to the rule.

    But Michael, and here you bring out the big guns, you have to look at it spiritually. We are prosperous in the Spirit, and our inheritance is in Heaven. I hear you, and you’re probably right. We are, of course, children of the King of the Universe, and nothing can compare to that. It’s just that I always feel as if I’m copping out a bit if I classify text as spiritual simply because it doesn’t fit what I see. It’s the kind of thing non-believers point to and say “Ah-HA!”

    And I hate it when they say “Ah-HA!”

    Fret not, Beloved. My faith remains solid, my stand for inerrancy unchanged. I just like to be honest with you, and this is frustrating. If you have insight on this verse, please share it. In the meantime, I will place it on the shelf with other verses that my mind can’t fully grasp…yet. I will hold on to the fact that I am his, and he is mine, and that is eversomuchmore than enough.

    Happy Tuesday, Beloved.

  • Fear One-a-Day Monday  1/29/24

    Fear One-a-Day Monday  1/29/24

    Who, then, is the man who fears the Lord? God will instruct him in the way chosen for him (Psalm 25:12).

    Fear can be a good thing.

    In our culture, we act like fear is something to be avoided at all costs.  Maybe it’s our rebellious, pioneer, Westward Ho! roots.

    Perhaps we just don’t understand the healthy side of fear.

    Fear is an acknowledgment that something is beyond our scope, beyond our ability to command.  It doesn’t have to be blind, cowering terror; it’s more a healthy respect for power. I fear lethal doses of nuclear radiation.  I fear rabid dogs. I fear really bad haircuts—as a middle-school teacher, this is by far the most dangerous of the three.

    I fear God.

    But I am not afraid of God.

    Of course, nonbelievers have every reason to be afraid; indeed they’re foolish not to be, when considering the consequences of an eternity without Christ.

    But I believe.  My name is written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.

    I fear God’s power, because I know that he could erase me with a thought.

    I am not afraid, because I know he won’t.

    He has given us many promises that we who are his are his forever.  Still, that power is there, and he has no qualms about using it to keep me in line should I stray.

    Which makes me want to stay very close to him.

    And that, Beloved, is the beginning of knowing him.

    Fear him today.

    But do not be afraid.

    Happy Monday, Beloved.