Numbering My Days

Tag: daily

  • Psalm 89:38-52

    How long, Lord?
    Will you hide forever?
    Will your anger keep burning
    with fire?

    This Psalm, that began with such confident declarations of faith, now turns – and in the pain and destruction of judgment, the Psalmist asks a question that has often been on my heart and lips.

    How long, Lord?

    I get it. You are leveling us with your judgment, your power.

    You have removed safeguards and blessings.

    You are allowing us to suffer the consequences of sin – and rightly so.

    There’s no reason for you to have compassion, to extend your faithful love.

    But Lord, I know you. You care about me – us.

    You love us.

    You hear.

    You see our repentant lives.

    How long will your judgment last?

    We need your rescue, your power, your redemption, your forgiveness. We know know that all comes only from you as a blessing and as an undeserved gift.

    We need you, Lord!

    Your are our only hope.

    Lord, save!

  • Psalm 89:1-37

    Righteousness and justice are
    the foundation
    of your throne;
    faithful love and truth go before you.

    My Lord, God, you are a powerful and miraculous creator. Sustainer of life.

    By your faithful love you establish the heavens and the earth;

    you fill it with your wonders;

    you make covenants with those who serve you.

    Your kingdom is known for:

    • Righteousness: rulers who lead people to do what is right – to live with others in honorable, godly ways.
    • Justice: you bring judgment on those who violate the just, righteous ways of your kingdom.

    Faithful love and truth proceed before you as you work in your kingdom.

    Lord God, who can stand – live – with you in this land?

    Be our shield, our righteousness, our salvation. For we cannot abide here without you, Lord God.

  • Psalm 88

    But I call to you for help, LORD;
    in the morning my prayer meets you.

    I have to admit, there are days when I feel like the author of this Psalm, Heman the Ezrahite. I continue to cry out to God, even first thing in the morning. And at times, it feels like God is not listening. Doesn’t hear. May not care.

    I have had enough troubles. I agree with the Psalmist

    I call out to God, though, from a place of faith. I still pray, early in the morning. I cry out to him “day and night.”

    Someone will ask: why? If he’s not listening, or doesn’t care, doesn’t respond, what good does it do?

    This Psalm doesn’t overtly reflect it – but here is my reply.

    Because: where else should I go? Can I go?

    He has always been faithful in the past. I haven’t deserved it, but He has worked on my behalf. I don’t see it today – but I believe.

    My God is at work, and it will be for His glory – that is my good!

    Lord, glorify yourself!

    Sunrise, on another beautiful day.

  • Psalm 87

    Singers and dancers alike will say,
    “my whole source of joy is in you.”

    The source – the “spring” of joy – comes from the presence and blessings of God. He establishes the source and He fills it with Himself and His blessings.

    Then, He allows us to know the source, to find it, to enjoy it, to live in it – and to be filled with its joy.

    This was the city of Zion. It is the kingdom of God in Christ Jesus.

    He is the presence and blessing of God. He is the one worthy of our worship. He is the source of all joy and He invites us to enter into His presence, to discover the life He offers there, to enjoy it in the presence His people, and to sing and dance – to celebrate the source of joy.

    He is my whole source of joy!

    A day for joy!

  • Psalm 86

    Teach me your way, LORD,
    and I will live by your truth.
    Give me an undivided mind to fear
    your name.

    This is the challenge of life – and the great gift of God. An undivided mind, focused, centered, held solely on Him and revering only His name.

    Lord, grant me this same gift. A mind, a life, a desire, a heart only sold out, only focused, undivided trusting you.

    Knowing you.

    You are compassionate, kind, forgiving.

    There is none like you.

    The Psalmist declared all this and what a glorious reminder it is to me.

    Lord, give me that undivided mind. Not torn apart by desire or deceit, but completely resting in you.

    “Protect my life,” – the Psalm says. I repeat.

    I’m yours Lord.

    Be mine.

    Thinking about Psalm 90, I considered this image of Sarah and Bree playing on the beach – making the most of each day.

  • Psalm 85

    Will you not revive us again
    so that your people may rejoice in you?
    Show us your faithful love, LORD,
    and give us your salvation.

    Revival – to be brought back to spiritual life, liveliness – this doesn’t spring forth from myself, ourselves. Though we must, may, place ourselves into a posture of repentance, longing for revival – revival itself is a gift from God.

    As life is a gift of God, so too, revival to the life of God is His to grant.

    His life, the revived life of the disciple is characterized by:
    – faithful love
    – truth
    – righteousness
    – peace.

    These blessings must flow to us from God above. I can’t manufacture them on my own.

    Yet I want them! Desire them.

    Lord, revive us again!

    Pour out your faithful love through the Holy Spirit – revive that we might live in joy for you!

    (Just a bit of the illustration to come for later in the week!)

  • Psalm 84

    My heart and flesh cry out
    for the living God.

    There is a longing for the presence of God!

    It is a common trope among evangelists that in every person is a God-shaped space that is waiting to be filled. It causes deep yearning – a desire that can only be completely satisfied, perfectly filled by God Himself.

    We (I) may look for satisfaction elsewhere. In fact, I do all the time.

    Drawn away, distracted by the shiny baubles of the world that promise joy, fulfillment, peace, satisfaction – but always, always – they fail to deliver.

    My only joy, true joy, peace, satisfaction, is in the presence of the LORD.

    Happy is the person who trusts in you, Lord of Armies.

    Lord, I long for you, and my heart cries out for you. Help me live with the integrity that honors you and no other.

    Better a day in your courts!

  • Psalm 83

    . . . so that they will seek your name, LORD.

    How interesting – surprising and enlightening: the Psalmist is praying for the destruction of the enemies of God, the enemies of Israel. He prays, asking God to wipe them out.

    OK – clear enough. The Psalmist wants God to rise up and destroy those who harbor and do evil against the people of God, against God Himself.

    But then, in the midst of this prayer, he states a purpose: so that they will seek your face. ? ? What is this? The Psalmist longs for his enemies to seek God.

    The only way to true peace, to full transformation of my enemies, is if they turn from their destructive ways and seek God. I must join the Psalmist and pray for those against me, against God and His people.

    Lord, act against them so that they discover who you are and seek you.

    Lord, save!

    Save us and save them – that together we may seek you.

  • Psalm 82

    God stands in the divine assembly;
    he pronounces judgment
    among the gods:
    “How long will you judge unjustly
    and show partiality to the wicked?”

    Today’s reading – this Psalm, as well as Ezekiel, John, 2 Peter, Job (other passages I read this morning) – all are about judgment.

    God stands!

    He is not blind to the injustice of the world.

    He sees the wickedness of earthly rulers who prefer the wealthy and mighty.

    He sees those who take advantage or ignore the plight of the vulnerable, the needy, fatherless, oppressed, the destitute.

    Judgment comes for all, especially so it seems, on these earthly, powerful people who could be instruments of God’s grace, but instead ignore the plight of the poor to live as kings of the earth.

    Lord, bring judgment.

    Remember the godly.

    Rescue and restore those who long for your kingdom, your justice.

    Your glory!

  • Psalm 81

    I am the LORD your God,
    Who brought you up from the land
    of Egypt.
    Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.

    God longs for the relationship with us that He established.

    A unique, one-God only relationship.

    He longs for us to worship Him, and Him alone; to forsake all other gods and influences as the false gods, images, forces they are. And in the unique relationship with God almighty, in a posture of complete dependence on Him, He will meet every need, longing, and hunger that we have.

    Lord, I long for you, and you alone, to fill up my longing.

    Be for me the source, the supply of spiritual food that others may falsely offer, but only you have,

    Lord, I sing to you, for you are my strength, joy, hope, life!

    Praise God almighty.