A Life Worthy

All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations will bow down before him, for dominion belongs to the Lord and he rules over the nations (Psalm 22:27-28).

Every knee

Every tongue

Everywhere

And David gets to be part of that by praising God and sharing the story of his rescue.

And we get to be part of that by praising God and sharing the story of our rescue.

And the word will spread

And the praise will spread

Shall we join in, Beloved?

Happy Monday

From you comes the theme of my praise in the great assembly…  (Psalm 22:25)

We sing songs that he has put in our hearts.

We praise him with words that he has formed on our lips.

We remember his faithfulness with brains that he has made and proclaim it with tongues he has crafted.

It’s pretty much all him.

Always 

Praise our God today, Beloved.

It is, quite literally, what you were made to do.

Happy Thursday

But you, O Lord, be not far off; O my Strength, come quickly to help me. Deliver my life from the sword, my precious life from the power of the dogs. Rescue me from the mouth of the lions; save me from the horns of the wild oxen (Psalm 22:19-21).

Well, it’s about time.

I mean, we’re nineteen verses in, and this is the first time David has actually asked God to help. We certainly get the impression that David has asked for help in the past–and God has been silent–but so far in this Psalm he has been more focused on the problem than on the Solution.

You and I never do that, do we?

Ask him, Beloved. He knows what you’re facing.  You don’t have to build a case; just 

Deliver me!

Rescue me!

Save me!

He is not far off–he promised.

You’re his Beloved, after all.

Happy Tuesday

Many bulls surround me; strong bulls of Bashan encircle me. Roaring lions tearing their prey open their mouths wide against me. I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint. My heart has turned to wax; it has melted away within me. My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth; you lay me in the dust of death (Psalm 22:12-15).

I totally get David here.

After all, I teach middle school–the Bulls of Bashan are coming for me in about two weeks.

You could read this Psalm and think, “Well, no matter how bad things get for me, David had it worse!” And, that may be true, but I don’t think that’s the direction we’re supposed to go here. That way lies comparison and spiritual one-upsmanship. No bueno.

I think these verses are less about comparing our troubles to his than about comparing our God to his.

Same God

Same God!!

The One David cried out to is the One who hears you this morning. The One who called David the apple of his eye calls you Beloved.

And he will come for you.

This Psalm isn’t over.

Neither is yours.

Happy Friday, Beloved.

Yet you brought me out of the womb; you made me trust in you, even at my mother’s breast. From birth I was cast on you; from my mother’s womb you have been my God (Psalm 22:9-10).

David had never not known God.

How cool is that?

Notice the pattern here. David is fearful because God does not seem to be responding to his situation. Then, David remembers how faithful God has been to his people through the years, and that knowledge gives him comfort. Then David looks at his own unworthiness and is again tossed into the proverbial Pit of Despair.

And then he remembers God’s faithfulness, this time to him personally.

Peace

I came to Christ at age nineteen. Before that, God was there; I just didn’t recognize him. I can look back and see that he protected and provided and cared for me long before I realized what was going on. That’s a rock I can hold onto in the ugly times.

And trust me–I do.

How’s about you, Beloved? Do you remember a time when you did not know God? Can you look back now and see him at work, even before you realized he was working? Can you walk into your Wednesday secure in the knowledge that from the womb you have been loved by the One True God?

Then do so.

Happy Wednesday, Beloved