93:4    More than the sounds of many waters,
Than the mighty breakers of the sea,
The Lord on high is mighty.

My wife and I have an alarm clock in our bedroom that also plays sound effects. I can awaken or go to sleep to a roaring waterfall, a soothing rain, the chirping of birds, crickets on a summer night, rolling thunder, the solitude of a rain forest, or my personal favorite, the rhythmic pounding of waves against the shore. I like the waves for several reasons. The hypnotic cadence is so unique. Nothing compares to the steady, predictable tempo—splashhh, wait, splashhh, wait, splashhh wait. I can close my eyes right now and imagine the white foam pounding the rocks, such as I saw recently in Mexico. Waves are like the pulse of the ocean, steadily pumping life out and in; back and forth.

The sound of the waves also reminds me of my own mortality. The waves have been coming in and going out for thousands of years, just as they are now. They were here before me, and they’ll be doing their job long after I’m gone. But for now they and I share a place in God’s creation. When my pulse stops, theirs won’t miss a beat.

But as beautiful as the waves are, there’s a very dangerous element to them as well. Their power should be respected.  A couple of years ago I was body-surfing in Florida. The waves were really rolling that day. My family and I were having lots of fun. Between waves I looked toward the beach with my back to the ocean. The water was only about waist-high. Then a wave broke just right across my back and shoulders. It plunged  me under the water and drove me to the sandy bottom. What happened next scared me. I’d never experienced it before. I became caught in the wave and it churned my body on the bottom like a washing machine would a load of clothes. For a few seconds I couldn’t distinguish between up and down. I was completely disoriented. So I stopped fighting and struggling, and just relaxed. The wave released me and I swam to the shore.

I don’t know whether the writer of Psalm 93 ever had a similar experience, but he considered the Lord on high to have some of the same characteristics as the ocean. Could it be that since God made the ocean, He gave it some of the qualities He possesses so that we would know Him better? In some ways God is as predictable as the ocean. He’s always present, always faithful, and always does right: “Holiness befits your house, O Lord, forevermore” (verse 5). He’s timeless, existing before me and after I’m gone: “Your throne is established from of old; you are from everlasting” (verse 2).

But as beautiful and majestic and comforting as God is, His power should not be taken lightly: “The Lord has clothed and girded Himself with strength” (verse 1). He is to be respected and awed. His power is greater than the ocean’s. He holds the oceans in the palms of His strong hands. When I fight and struggle against Him, I can place myself in grave danger. My best response is to be still and know that He is God.

As much as I enjoy the artificial sound of the ocean on our alarm clock, it pales in comparison to the real thing. And even though the waves of the ocean reflect the awesome nature of God, they can’t really hold a candle to their Creator.

92:1    It is good to give thanks to the Lord
And to sing praises to your name, O Most High.

Sometimes the understatements in the Bible are funny to me; such as this one: It is good to give thanks unto the Lord. Good? It’s just good to give thanks? Is that the best the author could do? He was writing this chapter under the inspiration of God’s Holy Spirit, and the best that he could do was “good”? He also wrote, “To declare your lovingkindness by morning and your faithfulness by night” (verse 2), so why not write, “Giving thanks to the Lord is continual?” Why not say giving thanks is wise, or right, or godly, or holy, etc., etc.

Maybe the psalmist used the word good because good covers so many other adjectives. When God created the world, He looked over His creation and gave His assessment: it was good; another psalm instructs us to taste and see that the Lord is good (Psalm 34:8); David desired for the goodness of God to follow him all the days of his life (Psalm 23); the person who finds a good wife finds something that is good (Prov. 18:22); Jesus is the good Shepherd (John 10:11); and example after example in Scripture include the use of good to describe things that are almost beyond description.

I love to bless my children. To see them enjoy something I provide is part of the reward of being a father. But when they express thanks for the gift, my feelings of affection for them increase to another level. Their sincere expressions of gratitude make me feel warm, proud of them, and thankful to God for allowing me to be their dad. Their genuine thanks is good to me. It’s good.

God’s feelings aren’t the same as human emotions, but we’re made in His image; and somehow He experiences some of the same emotions that we do. When I give thanks to Him, and sing praises to Him, morning and evening, He has a word for that. He says it’s good.

What great promises for the person who trusts in the Lord:

91:1    He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.

91:15-16    He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him. With a long life I will satisfy him and let him see my salvation.

The first promise from God is to allow me to live in His presence 24/7; not just when I’m at church; not just when I’m in concentrated prayer or reading Scripture, but always. When I was growing up in Louisville, Ky., my family had a huge oak tree in the front yard. It was probably only average size, but back then, to a small child like me, it might as well have been a California Redwood; you know, the trees that road crews have to dig tunnels through because of their size. If I stood anywhere in our front yard I was in the shadow of that oak tree. It’s presence was felt all over the property. It’s shade even helped cool our house in the summer. Guests to our home commented to my parents on how massive the tree was. When I close my eyes and envision our old home, I don’t see the house. My memory casts the image of the tree on the video screen in my head.

God promises that kind of presence and more to the one who trusts in Him and dwells in the shelter of the Most High. When I wake up, God’s shadow is over me. When I go to bed, His enormous branches offer protection and comfort. His roots go so deep He’s not affected by tornados. His leaves provide life-giving oxygen to my lungs. His fruit provides nourishment for my soul.

That old oak tree from my childhood was already a mature tree before I came into the world, and it will probably still be there when I’m gone. So will God. And He even has the end of my life on Earth covered. He promises me that if I trust Him He will give me a long and satisfying life, and I will see His salvation. The only reason I’ll outlive the oak tree in the long run is that God has promised me eternal life. That’s one thing not even the towering oak can’t boast about.

90:10, 12   “As for the days of our life, they contain seventy years, or if due to strength, eighty years, yet their pride is but labor and sorrow; for soon it is gone and we fly away… So teach us to number our days, that we may present to you a heart of wisdom.”

This Psalm was written centuries ago, but the psalmist is dead on as he identifiies the average lifespan. Some say the average human lifespan has crept up in the past few years, but when we hear of someone dying, and the person is in his or her eighties, it’s easier to accept than if the person was only fifty or sixty years old. The older I grow, the younger eighty looks, but I still consider anything beyond eighty as almost borrowed time. I’m sure the closer I get to that mark, the less I’ll feel that way. But that’s only part of the point the psalmist is making.

The writer of Psalm 90 is comparing the brevity of our lives to the eternal nature of God. Even if I were to reach 80, 90, 100 years of age, compared to eternity my life is only a vapor, a wisp of smoke in the air—here one moment and gone the next. That reality reminds me of a poem I heard. I don’t remember the whole thing, but basically it leads the reader to picture a tombstone with the dates of birth and death engraved on the headstone. Our lives are represented by the dash between the dates. Then the writer explains the impact of our lives is determined by what we do with the dash.

The writer of psalm 90 desires for God to be his full satisfaction for as long as he lives. And at the end of his life, he wants God to affirm the work he does in his dash. “Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us; and confirm for us the work of our hands; yes, confirm the work of our hands” (90:17).

89:1 I will sing of the lovingkindess of the Lord forever; to all generations I will make known your faithfulness with my mouth.”

See, I told you (please see previous entry).

Psalm 88 is one of the darkest entries in the Bible. The Psalmist is at a depressed, lonely place. He all but believes God has completely abandoned him. In contrast, the writer of Psalm 89 rests and is confident of God’s faithfulness. Did he just have a better life than the writer of the preceding Psalm? Did he have more friends, more wealth, better health? Did God love him more that the author of Psalm 88? Psalm 88 reaches the depths of depression. Psalm 89 rests in the rafters of heaven.

89:14-5 righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; lovingkingdness and truth go before you. How blessed are the people who know the joyful sound! O Lord, they walk in the light of your countenance.

If I were to try to identify with one of psalmists, I would side with the latter; not because I haven’t had some of the same feelings as the former writer. I’ve felt alone. I’ve felt as if God wasn’t listening to my prayers. But I think the difference is that I’ve never stayed in that place. The reason I struggle with reading Psalm 88 is that the writer seems to stay in Sheol, and doesn’t seem to desire to get out. In the South, when someone dwells in one place and almost seems to not want out we say he “Wallowing in it” (or if you’re from Kentucky, as I am, “Wallering in it”).

In some ways my heart goes out to the Psalmist, but there’s a part of me that says, “Hey, man. Everybody has problems. Get over yourself. Snap out of it.” That’s easy for me to say, I suppose. So what do I make of all this? Well, I guess the real lesson for me is that everybody’s place before God is between them and the Almighty. The human spirit is a complex thing. Some days we’re up and some days we’re down. Our own attitudes are largely a matter of choice. With the exception of some mental disorders and chemical imbalances, people do actually have a say in whether they have peace or inner turmoil, joy or heaviness of heart.

89:6 For who in the skies is comparable to the Lord? Who among the sons of the might is like the Lord?”

To say the writer of this psalm was having a bad day would be a huge understatement. He feels as if his friends have abandoned him (“You have removed my acquaintances far from me,” verse 8); as if his soul has been rejected by God (verse 14); and as if his soul is living in a pit (verse 6). Furthermore, he blames God for his awful state and believes God does not hear him when he prays for help. Please read the next entry to discover why I’m grateful God has given us all of Scripture and not just bits and pieces.

87:6    “The Lord will count when He registers the peoples, ‘This one was born there.’”

The people of Israel, or Zion as it’s called in this psalm, considering citizenship in their nation a great privilege. “Glorious things are spoken of you, O city of God” (87:3). And in this psalm, God reminds His people that their citizenship was not arbitrary or by accident.

87:5    “But of Zion it shall be said, ‘This one and that one were born in her’; and the Most High Himself will establish her.”

Evidently God wanted to remind the people of Israel that they weren’t born citizens of Zion by accident. He had a purpose for every single citizen of Israel. This is a great reminder of the intentional providence and will of God, not only for the people of Zion, but for me as well. I love being a citizen of the United States of America. I’m an American by no work or effort or skill of my own. I didn’t make sacrifices to be a member of this nation as many of my countrymen did and still do.  I was born a citizen of the USA because my parents happened to be Americans—plain and simple. I had nothing to do with it. It was solely the choice of God. The same is true of everyone. No one chooses where he or she is be born.

Along with the amazing liberty and freedom I have in this nation, God expects me to be a good steward of the gift He gave me. So I must ask myself some questions: “Do I appreciate and thank Him for my citizenship, or do I take it for granted?”; “Am I generous to people who are under-resourced in other parts of the world?”; “How much do I waste or squander that could be shared with others?”; “Do I take advantage of my freedom to go to other nations to help spread God’s love and gospel?”; “Do I pray for national and local leaders who are making decisions that will set the course for our nation’s future?”; “Do I pray for and support the people serving in the Armed Forces?”; “Do I look care for and serve their family members?”; “Do I exercise my privilege and vote during elections or just complain when I don’t like the way things are going?”.

Part of my response to God’s sovereign act of making certain I was born within the borders of the U.S. is to ask myself these and other questions. And how I answer the questions reveals a ton about whether I’m a responsible, faithful steward of God’s gift.

On a final note, as a follower of Jesus Christ, I’m actually a citizen of Zion; not an earthly, temporal Zion, but a heavenly and an eternal kingdom. I remember as a kid singing the song, “We’re marching to Zion; beautiful, beautiful Zion. We’re marching upward to Zion, the beautiful city of God.” The Israelites sang songs as they ascended the hill of Zion, and it’s a magnificent sight to see. But it’s nothing compared to the beauty of the heavenly Zion. “For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Phil. 3:20).

I love passages of Scripture that teach me about prayer. I’m still such an infant when it comes to that critical spiritual discipline. I used to think of prayer as talking to God. I now understand that’s not prayer. That’s a discourse by me to God. Usually those one-sided discourses include a laundry list of items I want from God or tasks I want Him to do. Now I understand prayer is my on-going communication, fellowship, and intimacy with God. Prayer should consist of listening, talking, meditating, and basking in the presence of God. In light of that definition, Paul’s instruction to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thes. 5:17) makes perfect sense.

86:7  “In the day of trouble I shall call upon you, for you will answer me.”
86:12  “I will give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with all my heart, and will glorify your name forever.”
86:11  “Teach me your way, O Lord; I will walk in your truth.”

In the above three verses, and several more in Psalm 86, David includes some of the elements of true, effective, ongoing prayer. He speaks to God (I shall call upon you); he anticipates God listening to  him (Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer; and give heed to the voice of my supplications!); he expects God to speak back (for you will answer me); he listens for God’s instructions (teach me your way, O Lord); and perhaps most importantly, David obeys God when the Lord speaks (I will walk in your truth).

From now on would you join me and include every component of prayer that honors God? Let’s listen more than we talk; thank Him more than we ask for more; expect to hear from Him, as we are still and quiet; and commit to obey Him before He tells us what He requires us to do. My walk with Christ will go no farther nor deeper than my commitment to the practice of prayer.

85:1    You showed favor to your land, O Lord; you restored the fortunes of Jacob.
85:9    Surely His salvation is near those who fear Him.

The Psalmist is referring to God’s dealing with the nation of Israel; but what’s true of a nation is true of individuals. God promised the Israelites that if they turned to Him and repented of their sin (especially the sin of disbelief) He would receive them with open arms. He promised to show favor to them, restore their fortune, and give them peace. “Righteousness and peace kiss each other” (85:10). In other words, righteous living might not change their circumstances right away, but being right with God gives an inner peace that nothing and no one can take away. I’ve sure seen that demonstrated in my life. Whenever I’ve sinned against God, the more time passed without my honest confession, the farther away God seemed. But when I’ve confessed my sin to God, and others if I wronged them, peace began to return to my heart almost immediately. That’s especially evident when my wife, children, or close friends are involved.

A dramatic example of an absence of peace and it’s return was demonstrated in the life of King David. He committed adultery with Bathsheba and attempted to cover up his sin by sending her husband Urriah to his death. Some time later, and actually only after a confrontation from a friend and prophet named Nathan, the guilt was too much for the king to bear. He poured out his heart to God and begged forgiveness. He described his feelings when he covered up his sins as his “bones being crushed” (Psalm 51:8).  He asked God to create in him a pure heart and cleanse him from his sin. As God restored the joy of David’s salvation to him, the result was that David offered “righteous sacrifices” to God (Psalm 51:19).

I don’t have to feel anguish to the dept of David’s to feel as if I’m separated from God. Separation from Him can begin with just a little white lie, or a morsel of gossip, or an envious desire, or a resentful attitude. So, I must always be on my guard. And when I fall, God’s desire is not to withhold peace from me. He wants to restore me. So I must humble myself before Him. Then I can identify with the writer of Psalm 85: “Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you?” (verse 6).

76:11   “Make vows to the Lord your God and fulfill them; let all who are around Him bring gifts to Him who is to be feared.”
I wonder how many promises are made to God every day. “Lord, if you let me win the lottery, I’ll give 10% to the church.” If they’re not giving 10% before a windfall, they won’t after.
“God, if you’ll let me get this job, I’ll have my family in church every Sunday.” If they’re not faithful in worship before employment, they won’t be after.
“Lord, if you’ll heal my child (or mom, dad, husband, wife, friend), I’ll serve you for the rest of my life. I’ll do whatever you tell me to do.” If they aren’t obedient before a miracle, chances are they won’t be after.
Those are general statements. There are some rare exceptions.
I’ve made my share of unfulfilled promises. I promised God I wouldn’t drink alcohol, but broke that promise while I was a college student. I’ve also made promises concerning my dedication to time in prayer, reading the Bible and witnessing. At one point or another, I’ve broken most of them. And if I’ve ever not lived up to something I’ve promised Him, that means I haven’t completely kept the vow. This being said, I could react by giving up. I could give up and not make any vows to the Lord at all. That way, I’d never  break one. I wouldn’t have to live with the guilt. But I will say this. In my attempts to keep my vows to the Lord, my faith and maturity have grown more than had I never made those promises.

Several years ago, I challenged the teenagers in a church where I served to take the True Love Waits vow. They actually signed a pledge card, that they kept in their possession, that promised God they would wait until they were married to have sex. I took heat from some parents who thought I was setting up teenagers for failure and guilt if they didn’t keep their promises. I couldn’t believe how low they set the bar for their students. The teenagers embraced the True Love Waits pledge. I don’t know how many of them kept the promise, but if I were a betting man, I’d bet some did because they made a vow to the Lord.

Some may say it’s better not to make any vow to the Lord at all, than to make a vow and break it. In fact, the Bible says, “If you make a vow to the Lord your God, do not be slow to pay it, for the Lord your God will certainly demand it of you and you will be guilty of sin. But if you refrain from making a vow, you will not be guilty. Whatever your lips utter you must be sure to do, because you made your vow freely to the Lord your God with your own mouth.” (Duet. 23:21-23).

So I should be very, very careful before I shoot off my mouth and make a promise to the Lord I won’t keep. My mom used to say, “Don’t let your mouth overload your rear-end” (that’s the rated G version, anyway). But there’s something even better than not making a vow because I don’t want to break it, and that’s making a vow and keeping it. And when I fall, stumble, or just blatantly break the vow, I must keep short accounts with God and go to Him in submission; confess my failure and/or sin; thank Him for the cross and promise of forgiveness; repent; and move on. I thank God for 1 John 1:9: “If we confess our sin, He is faithful and just to forgive us of our sin and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

75:6-7  “For not from the east, nor from the west, nor from the desert comes exaltation; but God is the Judge; He puts down one and exalts another.”

“I’m not where I am by accident. I’ve worked hard for what I have. I busted my tail to live the lifestyle I live.” How many times have I heard people make statements similar to those? How many statements such as those have I made? Plenty. I appreciate a good work ethic in people. One of the hardest working men I’ve ever known is my father. From the time he had his first paper route until he retired almost two years ago at the age of 68, he worked hard. As far as I know, he never asked for anything he wasn’t willing to work for. He led my brothers and me by his example. Plenty of people do the same every day, but the truth of this Scripture is that the good things that happen to us are not arbitrary, and not even solely a result of our hard work. Somewhere in the process, the hand of God is involved.

The psalmist reports accurately that exaltation (success, praise, applause, approval of achievements) doesn’t just come out of the blue (not from the east nor the west). Any notoriety I receive doesn’t blow in from the desert as if by chance. When good things come my way, it’s because the hand of God has been at work in my life. Many people work hard, but are never recognized for it. Some people give their blood, sweat and tears to efforts every day and never see earthly rewards. If I base my sense of worth on how many people recognize my work, or how many know my name, or even whether I believe I’m well-compensated for what I do, I’ve left out the major factor in how my exaltation is determined. “God is the Judge; He puts down one and exalts another” (75:7). I’m also wise to remember that God does bless my effort for Him, either now or in eternity. My service for Him is never in vain. So my trust in Him is not an excuse to be lazy or to not try. But in the end He determines what the reward will be.

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up” (Gal. 6:9).

71:12-14    “For [the king] will deliver the needy when he cries for help, the afflicted also, and him who has no helper. He will have compassion on the poor and needy, and the lives of the needy he will save. He will rescue their life from oppression and violence, and their blood will be precious in his sight.”

In this psalm, Solomon wrote about what the reign of a righteous king should be. The righteous king will use his power to serve his people, not lord it over them. In Solomon’s day, kings had absolute power as far as human beings were concerned. They could seize property and possessions at will. They weren’t obligated to justify their actions to anyone in the kingdom. The king could declare war on another nation and send the men and boys of the kingdom to die. But the sword of power and influence the king wielded had two edges. He could use his power for good or for evil. Solomon’s prayer is that he would use it for good. “Give the king your judgments, O God, and your righteousness to the king’s son” (72:1).

I have a hard time identifying with an ancient king, but this is a psalm on servant leadership, whatever the role. A person in leadership has choices regarding how he or she will lead others. For example, I can lead by position, or I can lead by a relationship based on trust, love, loyalty, and service. One of the best contemporary examples I know of is Christian businessman Truett Cathy. Truett is founder of Chic-fil-a (“Eat more chicken”). He makes no apology for founding his company on principles and core values he learned from Scripture, especially from the life of Christ. Truett believed he could base his company on principles of servant leadership. He wanted to earn the loyalty of his employees (and customers for that matter) by serving them. He’s passed these values down throughout his company. I once attended a conference and heard Truett’s son Dan speak on the principles of servant leadership. Dan is the current president of the company. During Dan’s talk, he asked an employee of Chic-fil-a to join him on stage. Dan proceeded to get on his knees and shine the man’s shoes. As he performed the task he talked to the audience about that being a modern-day way of washing someone’s feet, and talked about how Jesus set an example of servant leadership to his twelve disciples by washing their feet (usually the task of the least important servant in the household).

I’ve observed leaders from many walks of life, from the President of the United States, to managers of grocery stores, and I’ve concluded that servant leadership is the best and most effective model there is, not to mention the most Christ-like.

The first verse of this proverb reads, “The words of King Lemuel, the oracle which his mother taught him.” The old saying is still true, “The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world.” King Lemuel’s mother knew the profound influence she had on his life, and because these words have been recorded in Scripture, her influence has been handed down to every generation since. Even the statements in Proverbs 31 are true for every generation, the family is much more complicated and complex today than when the proverb was written. Now it’s not unusual for both parents to work outside the home. Today many children are raised by single parents. The mom or dad often has to be both for their children. Blended families also present unique challenges and struggles. While the precepts of Proverbs 31 are just as true as they ever were, they describe traits of both godly women and men. Especially applicable to both is verse 27: “She looks well to the ways of her household, and does not eat the bread of idleness.”

In ancient days, the primary role of women was to manage the household while the men governed affairs outside the home. Today, although different cultures have their own unique ways of divvying out responsibilities, in American culture moms and dads are both more involved in managing their households than ever before. This is possibly due to the number of moms who work outside the home. Hopefully it’s true, at least in part, because men desire to share in home responsibilities rather than put all household duties on the ladies. More than ever, running a household is a two person job. Although roles and expectations vary from house to house and person to person, some generalities still exist. On the whole, woman are better nurturers, and men bring other traits to the table. But it’s critical that they both “look well into the ways of the household.” And when neither eats the bread of idleness, there’s a special synergy and harmony in the home. People use their God-given gifts to complement one another. When things are really clicking, husband and wife, mom and dad, seem to almost be in a competition to see who can outserve the other. In that kind of environment, both will rise up and call the other one blessed.

30:8-9  “Give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is my portion, that I not be full and deny you and say, ‘Who is the Lord?” Or that I not be in want and steal, and profane the name of my God.”

I don’t have a problem praying the first part of this prayer: “Don’t give me poverty.” That’s an easy one. For me to pray that prayer can be compared to praying the part of Jesus’ model prayer that says, “Lead us not into temptation,” or “forgive us our trespasses.” It’s a no-brainer. It’s the second part of the statements that are much tougher. “As we forgive those who trespass against us.” Similarly in this proverb, after the request to keep poverty from him, the writer prays, “Don’t give me riches either.” That’s the part I struggle with. Why not? It’s not as if God will have to do without if he pours riches out upon me. The writer gives his own rationale for his requests. “I don’t want poverty, because I don’t want to be tempted to steal.  I don’t want riches, because I don’t want to be tempted not to rely on God.”

As bad as I hate to admit it, I understand his concern. I don’t know what it’s like to be really hungry; hungry enough to steal to feed myself or my family. In the movie, Cinderella Man, there’s a touching scene where the main character, boxer James Braddock, played by Russell Crowe, chastises his son for stealing some meat from the Butcher’s Shop. During the Depression Braddock and his family fell on hard times. Jobs and money were scarce. Braddock squats down to gaze into his son’s eyes and says, “We don’t steal, no matter what.” The scene is intended to show the character of Braddock even in the hardest of times. The writer of the proverb asks God to help him avoid even the temptation to steal by providing what he needs.

In my opinion, his second request is most needed in the culture I live in. When times are good and prosperous, my default is not to turn to God in desperation, but to trust in my ability to provide. I would never audibly say, “Who is the Lord?”, but my fear is that I say it with my actions, attitudes, or feelings of self-sufficiency. On a day-to-day basis, do I seek God for everything I need. Do I maintain a spirit of dependence upon on Him? I mentioned the Lord’s Model Prayer earlier. Jesus prayed, “Give us this day our daily bread.” Daily. Not riches to stockpile for the days to come. Daily provisions to take care of today’s needs. It was enough for Jesus. I guess it should be enough for me, too.

29:18   “Where there is no vision, the people are unrestrained, but happy is he who keeps the law.”

My understanding of this verse is based on a different reading than the one I grew up with. Traditionally I’ve heard this verse read, “Where there is no vision the people perish.” The application was usually that people in a country, an organization, or a church need leadership and direction or they will perish for lack of both. I’ve seen plenty examples in my life of directionless people due to poor leadership. But a closer look at what the verse says leads to a different application. The word for vision is actually “revelation;” specifically divine revelation to human beings. This is apparent in the last part of the verse. In contrast to those who know no restraint, people are actually happy when they’ve been given clear parameters, ideally by God Himself.

When there is no divine revelation (in other words, no law), there is chaos—no restraint. When people live in chaos, they’re anxious and afraid. They’re controlled by paranoia, not peace and wisdom. They’re more concerned with survival than following God’s will for their lives. I read Lord of the Flies in school. I didn’t like the book. I didn’t want to believe that a group of normal boys could resort to such cruelty and violence in the absence of law, accountability, and authority. But now, thirty-five years and a lot of experience later, the outcome of Lord of the Flies seems a lot more plausible to me. When people don’t have the law and don’t have accountability, their world can be a very dangerous place to live.

For example, I can choose to ignore the law of gravity. If I jump out of an airplane with no parachute, temporarily it will seem as if I’m experiencing freedom, but I’ll realize very soon I’m trapped by a force pulling me to the earth. I can ignore the force, but the outcome with be a huge thud as my body hits the earth. Casting off restrain would cost me my life. But if I choose to live within the law of gravity, I can use the law to my advantage. If I use a parachute and jump out of the plane, I’ve respected the law. Then I can experience the freedom of flying. The parachute, along with gravity will take me safely to the earth.

Fortunately we have God’s revelation. He’s revealed Himself through a book (the Bible) and through a person (His Son, Jesus Christ). God’s word in print and in the flesh reveal His character and mine. He’s been very clear in setting parameters for my behavior. When I follow His law and live within His parameters as a disciple of Christ, I live a life of incredible freedom. I’m free to ignore His revelation to me and to cast off the restraints, but the truth is the truth, even if I choose to ignore it. And the results of ignoring it can be deadly.

28:26   I recently read a biography on the life of Pistol Pete Maravich. The Pistol holds the NCAA men’s basketball scoring record. He set the record while playing for the LSU Tigers in an era when freshmen weren’t even allowed to play. Neither did he have the advantage of a three-point shot. He did it the old fashioned way, and the record will probably never be broken. Athletes capable of that kind of prolific scoring usually go the the NBA before they play three or four years in the NCAA. Pete’s life is a collection of contrasts. He was disciplined in his practice of basketball skills, but reckless and careless with his personal life. He wouldn’t eat red meat because he thought it was bad for him, but he’d drink himself into oblivion. One sleepless night, Pete woke with a sense of desperation and helplessness, his sheets soaked with his own sweat. He cried out to God, begging the Lord to take what was left of his life and to save Him. Pete became a devoted disciple of Jesus Christ. Friends and family observed an immediate change. He was like a different person. He was a different person. He remained a growing disciple until the day he died, a day that came way too early for those close to Pete.

For the last few years of his life, Pete was a new man. He was a devoted husband and dad. He returned to the game he loved, but had abandoned in bitterness and pain. When his older son, Jaeson was six-years-old, he learned about his dad’s basketball exploits from some friends at school. At that time Pete never discussed basketball with his family. Jaeson came home and innocently asked his dad, “Did you used to be Pistol Pete?” When Pete returned to the game, he took the love of Christ with him. He started leading and sponsoring basketball camps. Pete was usually found spending one-on-one time with the overweight kid, or the shy, or the untalented. That was Pete.

At the age of 40, while playing a pickup basketball game with James Dobson and some other friends, Pete fell to the floor and died. Doctors later discovered a rare heart defect, present from birth, but undiscovered until his death. Victims of that defect usually didn’t live past 20. Pete lived 20 years beyond the average, putting his body through things most people with healthy hearts would never try.

“He who trusts in his own heart is a fool. Gut he who walks wisely will be delivered” (Prov. 28:26). Pete Maravich was no fool. He was just unaware of his flawed heart.   But if he had known his heart was unhealthy, and if a cure was available, but he ignored the cure, that would have been unwise. The Bible says apart from God I have an unhealthy heart. The book of Jeremiah says an unchanged heart is deceitful and without hope. There is no earthly cure for what ails it. But God made it possible for me to have a new heart. In the book of Ezekiel, God promised a new heart and a new spirit.

I don’t have much in common with Pistol Pete Maravich, but we share two things: a love for the game of basketball and a changed heart because of Christ. The person I want to see most in heaven is the Lord Jesus Christ. No one else even comes close. But we’ll spend eternity enjoying a new Heaven and a new Earth, and eternity is a long time. Maybe one day—possibly 1000 to 2000 years after I’ve been there, I’ll look up Pete. He might even teach me some moves.

27:5    “Wounds from a friend are better than many kisses from an enemy.”
27:17   “As iron sharpens iron, a friend sharpens a friend.”

No matter how attentive I try to be to the people around me each day, I rarely take a serious inventory of the friends in my life. Yet they’re some of the most valuable possessions I have. True friends are worth more than their weight in gold. When joyful experiences are shared with friends, the joy is multiplied. When friends share my burdens, the load is lighter and easier to bear. Friends speak truth to us. Sometimes the truth is like honey. It’s sweet, and it goes down smoothly. Sometimes the truth hurts. Like surgery, the pain is necessary for healing.

As I mediate on verse 17, several images come into my mind about what happens when iron rubs against iron. One is stated by the author. The other two are personal observations. When iron is rubbed against iron, the tools or weapons are sharpened. They’re better prepared to do what they were created to do. Every follower of Christ was created for a purpose. When someone comes alongside me to challenge and sharpen me, my life is moving toward fulfilling my God-given purpose.

Iron also heats up as it’s rubbed against another iron object. Sometimes the friction between friends can lead to heated debate and costly conflict. The wise person receives constructive criticism without coming to a slow burn and without losing his cool. Criticism is hard to accept, even from a friend who serves as iron, but iron is tempered by the heat. I’m usually stronger if I keep an open mind and receive the criticism without being a hot-head and without becoming defensive.

Lastly, rubbing iron objects against one another keeps the rust off both. When iron isn’t used for what it was made for, it collects rust and corrosion. The storms of life, the rain of trial, and the sticky humidity of day-to-day pressure can dull a tool, break down the composition of the iron, and render it utterly useless. But when the object is used daily, the constant movement keeps away the rust. It may wear out, but it won’t rust out. As a tool in our Father’s hands, I choose the former.

Several of the proverbs in this chapter concern my speech: whether to address a fool or remain silent; whether to offer an opinion in a quarrel that’s none of my business; the dangers of gossip; the results of a flattering or lying tongue, etc. These are all reminders of my potential for good or for harm when I speak. Concerning quarrels between people, my words may serve as a bucket of water or gasoline. They may quench the fire or cause it to spread and do serious damage. When another person has fallen, my words may offer healing or drive the final nails into the casket.

Sometimes when I go to the doctor he places a oversized popsickle stick (I know the actual name is a tongue depressor, but when I was a kid I thought it was a big popsickle stick) on my tongue and tells me to say, “Ahhhhh.” There are several reasons for that action, but one is that a coated tongue reveals some insight into my overall health. An unhealthy tongue indicates there’s a deeper problem under the surface.

The same is true of speech. An unhealthy tongue indicates a deeper problem in my heart. Jesus said, “Out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken.” (Matt. 12:35-37). The half-brother of the Lord wrote, “With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be” (James 3:9-10).

So how can I use my speech in a positive way instead of a negative manner? Well, some are no-brainers. I’m to refrain from gossip, resist the temptation to lie, and even remain silent when it’s wise to do so (see Job 13:5). In addition, I’m on solid ground when I encourage, comfort, and build up others, praise the Lord with my speech, or witness to other people about a relationship with Christ. And if I’m doing all that as I should be, I won’t have time for the other stuff.

25:14   “Like clouds and wind without rain is a man who boasts of gifts he does not give.”
In the South periodically we go through dry seasons. In the last few years, we’ve even had a couple of summers that would classify as bona fide droughts. During those dry days, it was so disappointing to see clouds overhead that looked as if they were full of rain, but no moisture ever fell.

Likewise, it’s disappointing when someone makes a promise that gets people’s hopes up and then they don’t follow through. And it’s not just a matter of not giving gifts that are promised. The same is true for people who say they’re going to do a task, but they don’t keep the commitment. Promises of “I’ll be there for you.” “I’ll call you later.” “I’ll go by and check on that person.” “I’ll be glad to serve in that role.” “I’ll be back in plenty of time.” It’s easy to make promises, but talk is cheap.

There’s another application for this proverb. What about the person who feels as if he or she has to tell everyone about an achievement or about a certain personal character trait? The Bible says, “Let another man praise you and not your own mouth” (Prov. 27:2). Babe Ruth is reported to have said, “It ain’t braggin’ if it’s true.” With all due respect to the dearly departed Great Bambino, it is braggin’, whether it’s true or not. The fact is if something’s true of me, I won’t have to announce it. The people who matter will find out or know on their own. Certainly God knows, and He’s the one who matters most. So I shouldn’t have to tell people that I’m the leader, or I’m in charge, or what I say goes. If I have to announce to people that I’m the leader, then I’m probably not.

24:17   “Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles, lest the Lord see it and be displeased, and turn away his anger from him.”

I can’t explain why, but it’s been ingrained in many of us to rejoice when others fall, especially if the fallen one is someone of prominence or someone who’s reached a level of success. Maybe it’s because the failure of someone else makes my own failures a little more palatable; or perhaps it’s because I view life as a race. When someone slips back in the pack, I move ahead of him or her, or so I think. Maybe subconsciously I believe that as others watch someone fail, they’ll cut me a little slack when I blow it or make bad decisions.

But I notice that there are some people who don’t rejoice when others fail. Their hearts goes out to the fallen. They try to console them if they can. If a public figure stumbles, they’re not the first to pick up stones. They empathize and may even defend the person. Why can some people forgive so easily, or just give someone the benefit of the doubt, when others quickly believe the worst, perhaps even before knowing all the details?

Maybe it’s because of the environment. The political world seems less forgiving than some other arenas.
Perhaps it depends on the actions of the one who’s fallen. Some people are easier to forgive than others.
But I suspect, the biggest factor is the heart of each individual and an understanding of how much we’ve been forgiven by God. In the New Testament, a lady wiped the feet of Jesus with her tears and her hair. Some who were present chastised Jesus for allowing a sinful women to touch him in this way. But Jesus corrected them. He said, “Her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little” (Luke 7:47).

So, I guess here’s the bottom line. When I understand how much I’ve been forgiven, I’m more willing to forgive others. The Bible says that at one time I was an enemy of God. “But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved” (Eph. 2:4-5).

Yes, God holds me to a high standard, but He never tells me to do anything that His grace will not enable me to do. With God, all things are possible.

23:4    “Do not wear yourself out to get rich; have the wisdom to show restraint. Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle.”
In each stage of my life, I’ve learned some lessons about money and possessions. Some of those lessons I’ve learned the hard way. When I was a kid  I learned that some people have money and some don’t, and most of my friends were some where in the middle. My dad made a good living, but he wasn’t wasteful. When we took vacations, we stayed in motels, not hotels. There’s a difference. I remember thinking how awesome it would be to stay in a Holiday Inn, where all those rich folks stayed. But we got to go to the beach, and we did Disneyworld, so we didn’t have it all that bad. I also learned to be generous. When my allowance was fifty cents a week, my dad taught me to give at least ten percent to my church, to advance the cause of Christ.

When I was in high school I learned how expensive stuff is. Gasoline was expensive, fast food was expensive, and nice clothes were expensive. Some of those years were a lot leaner for my family. Things I took for granted when I was younger became a luxury during those years. I didn’t always get a new pair of tennis shoes when I wanted them. I couldn’t go to the movies whenever I felt the urge. My family ate out on Sundays after church, but usually not at all during the week. And I learned that I had better work hard and prepare myself to earn a living for the future. I also learned that even if I didn’t have a lot, God still wanted me to be generous. Faithfulness in giving is not about the dollar amount, but it’s about obedience with what I have.

As an adult, I’m still learning lessons about money and possessions, and I’m still learning some of them the hard way. I’ve learned that I’d rather do without most things than go in debt to have them. I’ve learned that if my priorities are out-of-whack, I don’t own my possessions; they actually own me. I’ve learned that riches are fleeting, and that no matter how much I have, it’s really never enough if I don’t learn contentment. I’ve learned that no matter how much I have, someone always has more. And I’ve learned that I can’t outgive God. He still expects my obedience in the area of giving, now more than ever. But He will never owe me. He has blessed me more than I could ever repay.

Proverbs 22:1   “A good name is more desirable that great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.”

My name is Les, and I have a great name. I haven’t always thought so. When I was a kid I thought Leslie sounded like a sissy-name. My friend’s called me Les, but every year on the first day of school I cringed when the teacher called the roll: “Mark Hodges, Jill Huggins, Leslie Hughes.” My friends laughed, especially the guys. My inner voice said, “You have a girl’s name.”

Why couldn’t I have a cool name like my friend Rock Cassidy? “Rock” sounded so cool? No wonder he was an awesome athlete and great with the girls. How could he miss? He was Rock.

I would’ve settled for a plain, common name. I had friends named Mark, Mike, and John. Nothing flashy about those names, but they were better than Leslie.

The first guy I ever met named Leslie was Les Evans (like me, he used the short form, Les). We were best buds, until my family moved, and I attended a different school. Again I was the only Les.

I learned Bob Hope’s real name was Leslie Townes Hope, but I wasn’t consoled by that fact. He was an old guy. He didn’t count.  So, for most of my school years I braced myself for the roll calls and paid attention for other guys named Leslie.

Why did my parents give me such a rotten name? The answer is simple—but I didn’t like it. I’m Leslie Glenn Hughes, Jr. My dad is Leslie Hughes, Sr. For most of my life I took for granted that I carried my father’s name. I didn’t understand the significance of what parents name children until I had children of my own. Usually a lot of thought goes into a name. My parents probably considered other options before they settled on Leslie for me.

As I grew up I didn’t consider myself honored to possess my dad’s name. He wasn’t a celebrity; he didn’t make a ton of money; he wasn’t a “tough guy.” He wasn’t taller than my friends’ fathers. My dad didn’t drive an eighteen-wheeler like my friend John’s dad. John’s dad had a cool job. My dad was a schoolteacher; then a pastor. He coached my little league team, served in our church, and spent most evenings at home.  He was also flawed. He lost his temper, raised his voice, and sometimes acted selfishly, just like his oldest son.

I realized I have a great name only about two weeks ago. A couple of friends and I were on a golf trip and after one of the few drives that landed the middle of the fairway, they said, “Good shot, Les.” “Yeah, great shot, Les.” That’s when it dawned on me—I have my father’s name, and it’s a great name.

Of the thousands of times I’ve heard others speak my name, why did I immediately think of my dad on that day? Maybe I thought of him because I’ve golfed with dad and his buddies and heard them say the same words to him: “Good shot, Les.”  That explanation sounds plausible, but I know it’s not the reason I thought of my dad on that day.

The week before the golf trip, my family learned that Dad has Mantle Cell  Lymphoma. At the time I’m writing this he’s in stage four and it’s very aggressive. Dad was taking his first chemotherapy treatments in Kentucky while I was playing golf in Florida, and I felt guilty. For the first time in my life I was forced to face the fact that one day my dad’s going to die. I’ve known intellectually that eventually everyone dies, but I’ve known people who learned they had Lymphoma and died within a year. God may heal my dad, but He may not; and even if he makes it through the cancer, one day something else will take his life, and I’ll be left to carry his name.

My name hasn’t been dragged through the mud. When I hear my name I don’t think of some scandal or illegal business venture. When my dad introduces me people smile as if to say, “So, there are two of you?” My name is great, not because of what I’ve done, but because of my father’s life. He’s been a faithful father, friend, and mentor. He serves people. He shows love to his family; and he’s handed down his love for Christ to the next generation.

Someone greater than my dad gave me his name as well. His is Jesus Christ. As a follower of Christ I have a great name. The Bible says people first called followers of Jesus Christians in the city of Antioch (Acts 11:26). Paul wrote, “Therefore God exalted [Jesus] to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father,” (Phil. 2:9-11, NIV).

When my earthly father named me, I hadn’t done anything to deserve his favor. I hadn’t made any good grades in school. I hadn’t done any chores around the house. I hadn’t made him the first clay ashtray for Father’s Day. He gave me his name because he loved me, and at that time his name was one of the greatest gifts he could give.

Moses told the people of Israel, “The Lord did not set his affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples. But it was because the Lord loved you and kept the oath he swore to your forefathers that he brought you out with the mighty hand and redeemed you from the land of slavery,” (Deut. 7:7-8, NIV). God chose the Israelites as His people just because He chose them.
God didn’t give the Israelites a long explanation of His love. Did you ever ask your parents to give you a reason for their actions and they said, “Because I said so”? Didn’t you hate that? But that’s basically what God told the Israelites: “I chose you because I chose you.” And He loves us because He loves us. He gave no additional explanation. When we do something good, He doesn’t love us any more. When we blow it, He doesn’t love us any less. He just loves us. He’s given us His name.

Like most analogies, the comparison between my earthly father’s name and my heavenly Father’s name breaks down. My earthly Father gave his name to only one person. Our heavenly Father promised to give His name to anyone who calls upon it. “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved,” (Rom. 10:13).

I haven’t always honored my father’s name; but he certainly knew I wouldn’t when he named me. My perfection wasn’t a condition for the name. My dad’s never threatened to take his name back, and neither will my heavenly Dad. I’ll take my earthly father’s name to my grave; but I’ll take my heavenly Father’s name even beyond the grave into heaven. And when I’m gone my prayer is that I’ve given a great name to my son. His name is Leslie Glenn Hughes III.

This proverb begins and ends with the same message:
21:1    “The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord; He directs it like a watercourse wherever he pleases.”
21:31   “The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but victory rests with the Lord.”

I tend to take a lot for granted. I flip a light switch and the room is illuminated. I turn the key in my vehicle and the engine starts (most of the time). I turn on the tap and receive a refreshing glass of water. Our modern day conveniences weren’t convenient during ancient times. Lanterns were a little more labor intensive than light switches, and I’d rather change the oil a few times in my vehicle than deal with the issues they had with horses, if you get my drift. For a city to receive water presented unique challenges as well. When a city’s access to water was remote, the king would often construct an aqueduct, or a waterway, to take water from the source to the city. The king and his engineers determined the course the water took by their unique design of the aqueduct. The water didn’t have any choice but to follow the waterway’s course.

Human beings may believe they call their own shots and make their own decisions and control their destinies; but not according to Scripture. According to this proverb, God directs even the hearts of kings to do as He pleases. Like kings directed watercourses, so God controls their hearts. The implication is that since the heart of the king is in God’s hands, this is certainly true of mere citizens. In many ways that thought is very comforting. Evil dictators may wreak havoc on a people, but they can only go as far as God allows. The Lord caused a king in the Old Testament named Nebuchadnezzar to lose his mind and graze in a field like a cow.

There is also a danger in accepting the fact that God controls the hearts of human beings. If I believe God controls everyone and everything, I may decide to do as I please with no regard of personal responsibility. In other words, if God’s going to do what God’s going to do, I can do whatever I want. I could have the attitude, “He’s going to trump what’s not within His will anyway.” That’s where the last verse is relevant. Even though victory rests with the Lord, I am to make the horse ready for the day of battle. There’s an old saying that goes something like this: “Pray as if everything depends on God (because it does), but take actions as if it depends on you.” During the Revolutionary War, American soldiers said, “Pray hard, but keep your powder dry.” Both sayings affirm the proverb. I’m to trust God for everything, but take personal responsibility for my actions as well.

20:7    The righteous man leads a blameless life; blessed are his children after him.
20:11-12    Even a child is known by his actions, by whether his conduct is pure and right.

Two thoughts stand out to me in these verses. First, whether an adult or a child, a person’s righteousness is demonstrated by his or her actions. In other words, talk’s cheap.  Second, the children of a righteous person are more likely than not to follow in their parents’ footsteps.

There’s plenty to say about both of those true statements, but I’d like to embellish just a bit on the first one. Jesus said, “Every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit… Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them” (Matthew 7:17, 20). James wrote, “As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead” (James 2:26). I actually visited two families, at two different funeral homes, in the last two days. There were some differences in the settings, but there were several similarities as well. The major similarity was the presence of a body at both places. Neither body moved while I was there—not even once. Neither spoke. They didn’t flinch nor bat an eye. Neither chest arose or fell as air entered and left the lungs. The bodies were absolutely motionless. The previous statements aren’t intended to be morbid or calloused. They’re just the cold, hard facts.

Furthermore, not one person in either place, out of the hundreds who went to pay their respects, expected one of the bodies to move. On the contrary. Had one of the dearly departed sat up in his respective casket, the room would have cleared out in a hurry. Dead bodies don’t do anything, and no one expects them to. Our heavenly Father doesn’t expect someone whose soul is dead to act as if He or she is alive, but He does expect the one who’s alive in Him to demonstrate life by his or her actions; namely a blameless life.

One final note worth mentioning: our righteousness is not determined by our deeds, but manifested by our deeds. There is a difference. The Bible says the only way a person can be truly righteous is to receive from God the righteousness of His Son, Jesus Christ. That takes place by a supernatural transaction made possible by the sacrificial death of Jesus on the cross. He was the only one who’s ever been completely blameless. In Romans, Paul writes, “This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe” (Romans 3:22). If my righteousness was based only on my ability to do good, I’d have no hope. But God offers me the righteousness of His Son. A long time ago I accepted that offer. It was too good for me to pass up.

67:1    “May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine upon us, that your ways may be known on earth, your salvation among all nations. . . For you rule the peoples justly and guide the nations of the earth.”
I used to get excited during presidential campaigns. When I was younger I believed that with a new leader, the right leader, the United States could be a righteous nation. The right person, I thought, would lead our nation back to God. I sense the same enthusiasm in many of the supporters of the presidential candidates today. The prospect of an African American or a woman in the White House represents needed, radical change for tens of thousands of people. I actually heard one woman say she was voting for Hillary Clinton because she “wanted to see a woman in the Whitehouse before she died;” not because she was the most qualified candidate, but because she was female.

I still have a sense of hope when there is a possibility of change. But the writer of the 67th Psalm understands who is the only ruler absolutely trustworthy and capable of leading people in a righteous way. Only the Lord rules people justly and can guide the nations of the earth. Israel had learned that lesson the hard way. When they were a nation of tribes, joined together by a common faith in Almighty God, they prospered as a people. But they were jealous of the nations around them who had human kings. So they told Samuel, God’s prophet who led the nation as God directed him, to appoint a king for them. They wanted to be like the nations. Samuel reported their request to God and the Lord tried to discourage the appointment of a king. God told them a king would the things kings do, such as send their sons and fathers off to war and tax them, but they insisted. Samuel was frustrated, but God told him not to take their dissatisfaction personally. God said, “They’re not rejecting you, Samuel. They’re rejecting me.” So God gave them what they asked for.

King Saul began well, but overall he was a terrible king. His hunger for power and paranoia led Israel astray and he died a horrible death.

I’m not certain who wrote the 67th Psalm, but maybe it was David. He knew firsthand how flawed human kings are. He witnessed Saul as he lost his mind; and he was also aware of his own weaknesses and shortcomings. So, no matter who our earthly leaders are, God is our king. He’s the only one who always is motivated by His own glory.

66:10   “You have tried us, O God; you have refined us as silver is refined.”
The refining process fascinates me. A raw substance is put though some sort of filtering process, and after the substance goes through the process, it’s more pure than when it began. Impurities and dirt are removed. Ideally, the more and longer the material goes through the process and the more intense the process is, the more pure the final product will be. During biblical times silver is refined by a process of heating and cooling. The silversmith heated the silver in a large vat. As the liquid metal cooled, the dirt and impurities rose to the surface so the silversmith could rake off the film. Then the silver was heated and cooled again. The same process occurred until the refiner could look into the cooled, purified silver and see his own reflection.

I wish there were ways for God to purify me other than sending me through fires, but He knows how effective heat is in getting the imperfections out of my life. Trial by fire has a way of bringing what’s underneath to the surface. Fiery trials don’t put impurities into my life; but they expose what’s in my heart already. Maybe one day, after I’ve been through enough fires, the Lord will look into my life and see His own reflection.

“And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into His likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.”
–2 Cor. 3:18

Just about every time I think of it, I’m overwhelmed. It’s something that’s easy to overlook, but right before my face every day. If it weren’t present, I’d notice it immediately, but for most of the day I ignore it. The goodness of God is constantly before me. Somehow I’m naturally drawn not to what I have, but what I don’t have; not to what’s good with the world, but to what’s bad. If 50 people were in a room and 49 were positive people, eventually attention would go to the negative person.

I’m puzzled at how God gets blamed for so much negative in the world and receives very little credit for all that’s good. Yes, some people in the world are starving, but most have enough to eat. Yes, some have terminal diseases; but most are well or are recovering. Sometimes disaster strikes, but most people on most days live disaster free. And when I think about the bad stuff in the world, especially poverty and starvation, how much of that can be blamed on God? After all, He’s provided for us a planet capable of producing enough food to feed the entire world. The reasons some people are neglected are things such as greed, politics, evil dictatorships, etc.

One of the most amazing things about God’s attention to us is that He actually listens to our prayers and shows us compassion. David writes, “O you who hear prayer, to all men will come. When we were overwhelmed by sins, you forgave our transgressions” (65:2-3). It’s pretty wild that at any time of the day or night I can call upon God and He hears me. Usually even when I call someone on the phone I get their voicemail. It may take a couple of weeks to see a medical specialist. I’d probably never be able to have a sit-down with the president of the United States or a king of any nation. But the King of Kings says I can speak to Him and He’ll listen, and if I listen I can hear Him speak back to me. “You answer us with awesome deeds of righteousness, O God our Savior, the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas” (65:5).

I can’t explain all the bad stuff in the world, no more than I can explain all the good. But I know there’s more good.

David makes a keen observation about enemies and critics. They travel in numbers. Rarely does a critic begin shooting arrows without some backup. David doesn’t describe the actions of a single, but a plurality of enemies. “A crowd of evildoers;” “They sharpen their tongues;” “They shoot from ambush;” “They encourage each other;” “They talk;” “They plot injustice,” etc. Critics gain courage by recruiting more members into their ranks. “They shoot at him without fear” (verse 4).

Then there is God, who stands alone as one Sovereign Lord. He is the majority all by Himself. He’s not intimidated by numbers and crowds. His word is always the final authority. “But God will shoot them with arrows; suddenly they will be struck down” (verse 7). Must be some huge arrow.

64:9    “All mankind will fear; they will proclaim the works of God and ponder what He has done.” The weapons of God are His characteristics and His nature—His righteousness, His justice, His truth. He doesn’t need to devise schemes and deceive. He is right and never falters. David’s final words are, “Let the righteous rejoice in the Lord and take refuge in Him; let all the upright in heart praise Him!” (verse 10).

Critics often operate in secret, especially if they don’t have numbers to back them up. Those who are righteous have nothing to hide. They don’t have to take refuge in the shadows, or hide behind other people or lies. They can take refuge in the Lord, who holds them in the palm of His hands.

David wrote this psalm while he was in the wilderness; evidently a part of the wilderness that was especially dry. He even mentions “a dry and weary land where there is no water.” But more is going on inside of David than a parched tongue and dry throat. The entire verse reads, “O God, you are my God; I shall seek you earnestly; my soul thirsts for you, my flesh yearns for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water” (63:1-2).

As a part of this psalm, David makes an amazing statement: “Because your lovingkindness is better than life, my lips will praise you” (63:3). Either David is exaggerating (I don’t believe he is), or I don’t have an accurate assessment of the lovingkindness (compassion) of God. I love a lot of things: my wife and kids; thick, juicy steaks; chocolate milk shakes, Kentucky Wildcat basketball,  to name only a few; but I don’t love any of them more than life. I love God with all my heart, but if I’m honest, I can’t say I actually love Him all the time more than life itself. As I think about that phrase, the thought that occurs to me is “If I don’t have life, how can I enjoy anything, even the lovingkindness of God?” My ability to enjoy any of the things mentioned above will be stopped if I’m not alive to enjoy them.

Actually, that last statement isn’t completely true. I will enjoy the lovingkindess of God after my life is over. I will enjoy His love and compassion even in the afterlife, when I’ve left virtually everything else behind. With the exception of my family, all the things I love will be left behind, and even my relationship with them will be different in heaven than it is on this earth.
So I guess David’s statement makes sense to me. I want to be at the place where I can truthfully say God’s lovingkindness is better than life to me, but I probably won’t fully know the meaning of that until my life on earth is no more, and I’m in the shadow His wings.
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I’ve heard the reason people climb mountains is because they are there (the mountains, that is), but I think there’s more to it than that. I believe people climb mountains for what they represent–strength, majesty, immovability, steadfastness, stability. Maybe deep down we believe if we scale an object that possesses those qualities, some of them will be absorbed into our skin. When I gaze at a mountain, climbing into clouds, in think, “That rock’s been that way for a long, long time. It will be there for as long as time exists. No one can move it. Some may climb it, but they won’t overpower it. They won’t defeat it. A mountain may break a person, but not vice versa.

62:1-2   “My soul waits in silence for God only; from Him is my salvation. [God] is my rock and my salvation, my stronghold; I shall not be greatly shaken.” When I hold on the the Lord as my stronghold, there will be times when I’m shaken, but I won’t be greatly shaken. There’s a big difference.

The church I serve is in the process of adding parking space. As construction crews graded the property they ran across a substantial area of bedrock that had to be blasted with dynamite. The dynamite was buried in the rock and detonated. The ground literally arose several feet when the blast occurred. Bystanders felt the ground shake, but surprisingly little, considering the magnitude of the blast. Had the dynamite exploded on top of the ground, several people would have been killed. Instead, they only felt a small rumble; because the rock absorbed most of the shock of the blast.

Some things that happen to people leave devastating results. They’re shaken. But God is our rock. Mountains don’t make a lot of noise. They don’t go to great effort to draw attention to themselves. They don’t have to. Their majesty speaks for itself. Even though I may be shaken, I don’t have to be greatly shaken, if I allow the Rock of my salvation to absorb most of the force.

“Trust in Him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us” (62:8).