From Inside Out

It’s hard to tell what a person is thinking if they are quietly resting somewhere. If they were dancing, singing, or waving their hands we might guess they were happy. If they wore earbuds, we might think they were listening to some moving music.    

Some people are more outgoing than others; I’m one of the quieter people. My friends like to tease me about my phlegmatic attitude, but I’m not without opinions. They see me riled up now and then.

What we carry on the inside matters. Sometimes angry people seem calm until something sets them off. Have you ever been the shocked recipient of such an outburst?

Psalm 119 is the longest chapter in the Bible. Read it sometime. While writing about the value of God’s word, David said, “I have hidden Your word in my heart that I might not sin against You” (Psalm 119:11). 

How much time have you spent reading, studying, or meditating on God’s word this week? We make time for things that are important to us. A daily devotional is good, but it’s more like a spiritual snack. You need a more nourishing scriptural meal sometime each day.

Here’s another question: Have you listened to any Godly music lately? Paul said we could encourage one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, while at the same time giving thanks to God in our hearts (Ephesians 5:19-20). Remember Psalm 100? Praise and thanksgiving help us enter into God’s presence.

There is a time for everything (Ecclesiastes 3:1). Sometimes I meditate quietly on the goodness of the Lord, and sometimes I join with others in outward worship.

At church, I want to be actively involved, not just stand there and never move my lips even if I don’t know the song well. The amazing thing is that I often have one of the worship songs come to mind at home. And here I thought I wasn’t learning anything!

*All Scriptures from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible (BSB), Published by Bible Hub, Pittsburg, PA, USA, Copyright 2022; Used by permission.

Pixabay Photo: Seagull, Man, Sea; sahinsezerdincer.

 

The Weight of Waiting

In many ways, we live in a society of instant gratification. We can use drive-throughs for food, banking, and med pickup. Even groceries can be called in and ready for us when we arrive.

I don’t know about you, but I’m thankful for cell phone instant communication, even if it takes 40 texts to cover a conversation that might have taken five minutes by phone. Of course, that’s if we didn’t have to wait for a return call after leaving a voicemail.

The weight of waiting affects us all. For me, waiting for a breast cancer diagnosis and treatment plan seemed pretty weighty. I had a year of treatments, and, thanks to God, they worked!

Twice I was a caregiver. Two and a half years for dad, and two years for my husband. Days dragged by for all of us. My waiting weight was lifted daily by Lamentations 3:22-24. Fresh NEW Godly mercies, what could be better?

I study the Book of Psalms quite often. Today, in Psalm 40, David poured out his heart to God from a miry pit of despair. Oozing mud bogs you down. 

David declared that God lifted him out of his emotional pit, steadied him, and gave him a new song (v. 1-3). We know it’s usually happy people that sing. I remember when I first got engaged and we were driving from California to Arizona to tell my family. While driving, my fiancé burst out in song about us, and it made me happy to know he was happy.

There is joy in trusting in the Lord and in doing His will (v. 4, 8). David declared this to be true because of God’s mercy shown by His unfailing love and faithfulness (v. 10-11).

God is as available to us as He was to David. The LORD is good, and His loving devotion endures forever; His faithfulness continues to all generations (Psalm 100:5 BSB).

Like David, let’s trust in God and pour out our hearts to Him. With renewed hope, don’t be surprised to feel some relief from the weight of waiting.

*All Scriptures from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible (BSB), Published by Bible Hub, Pittsburg, PA, USA, Copyright 2022; Used by permission.

Pixabay Photo: Business Man, Men's Suit; gy geralt/GerdAltmann

  

Who Cares?

Loneliness is a given in the human condition. Wm. C. Martin might have been experiencing such feelings when he penned a hymn made famous by George Beverly Shea and other great vocalists. It’s a personal favorite: *My Heavenly Father Watches Over Me.

Here’s how it starts: I trust in God wherever I may be, upon the land or on the rolling sea. For come what may, from day to day, my heavenly father watches over me. He later mentions God’s care whether in the lion’s den or prison pen, through flood or flame, and, last of all, he declares through the gloom He’ll lead me home.

David believed in a God who cares. Take for example **Psalm 27:13. It says he believed he would see God’s goodness in the land of the living. This was in contrast to Psalm 23:6 where he said he would live in God’s house forever. We can only conclude that God was his hope for time and eternity.

Psalm 31 gives us a few more of God’s caring qualities. He always does what is right, He’s a rock of refuge and a stronghold of deliverance, faithful to rescue His followers because of His unfailing love.

David poured out his heart in prayer because, in his life experience, God heard and answered them. He served a living God, not some worthless idol of no help when needed.

There are many reasons for loneliness. In Psalm 31 David was hurting not only because of his enemies, but neighbors and friends were also treating him with disdain. He said they turned the other way when they saw him on the street, he was being slandered, and plots were being made against him.

David praised the Lord for all the times He had already shown the wonders of His unfailing love. Later on, he declared, “My health may fail and my spirit may grow weak but God remains the strength of my heart. He is mine forever.” (Psalm 73:26)

Who cares? God cares. When we’re lonely and/or frustrated with life, let’s put our hope and trust in God, speaking freely from our hearts to Him in prayer. And listening to uplifting songs such as the one by Wm. C. Martin may be encouraging, also.

*Hymnary.org; lyrics: My Heavenly Father Watches Over Me; Wm. C. Martin, Author (1864-1914); Copyright: Public Domain.

**All Scriptures from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible (BSB), Published by Bible Hub, Pittsburg, PA, USA, Copyright 2022; Used by permission.

Pixabay Photo: Man, Moon, Silhouette; milaoktasafitri.

  

Love and Loyalty

I’m always intrigued by the Book of Psalms. Today I read an interesting psalm that read like a self-inventory, but it also reminded me of Emily Browning’s “How Do I Love Thee---Let me Count the Ways.”

Do we ever talk to God about how we love Him, or do we just say, “I love you, Lord” and let it go at that?

In Psalm 26 (*NLT), David listed about a dozen ways he tried to show his love and loyalty to God. One was the importance of living according to God’s truth (v. 3). We are blessed to have the Bible in our language, but do we read it, meditate upon it, and apply it to our daily choices? Hebrews 10:5-7 reminds us that Christ came to do God’s will. Should we do any less?

This psalm also says David was choosy about whom he spent time with. For example, he didn’t spend time with liars or go along with hypocrites (v. 4, 5). Close friendship with evildoers was not on his list. We live with people of all kinds and interact with them on various levels, but pleasing God should be our priority.

Here's another important action: Giving praise and thanks to God (v. 6-8,12). We need to do it both privately and publicly, or in a group setting. Psalm 100:4-5 says we are to enter into God’s gates with thanksgiving, then move on into His courts with praise. Why? Three reasons are given: 1) The Lord is good, 2) His love is unfailing, and 3) His faithfulness is to all generations.

You can’t miss the fact that David was aware of the differences between the godly and the wicked. Twice he declared he lived and acted with integrity (v. 1, 11). Such a person lives true to their moral principles. Their honest lives can be attested to by both the people around them and by God.

Remember, it's important to consider how we show our love and loyalty in relationships . . . both earthly and heavenly. A little self-check might do us some good, too.

*All scriptures this week are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2013 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Pixabay Photo: Pedestrians, People, Busy image; B_Me