July 15, 2023 — Psalm 84 

“How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of hosts! My soul longs, indeed it faints for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh sing for joy to the living God. Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, at your altars, O Lord of hosts, my King and my God. Happy are those who live in your house, ever singing your praise. Happy are those whose strength is in you in whose heart are the highways to Zion. As they go through the valley of Baca they make it a place of springs; the early rain also covers it with pools. They go from strength to strength; the God of gods will be seen in Zion. O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer; give ear, O God of Jacob! Behold our shield, O God; look on the face of your anointed. For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than live in the tents of wickedness. For the Lord God is a sun and shield; he bestows favor and honor. No good thing does the Lord withhold from those who walk uprightly. O Lord of hosts, happy is everyone who trusts in you.” Psalm 84 

When G-d created the earth and all of the things in the earth, G-d dwelled among the people, and it was, well, lovely. And all of the things created by G-d were meant to dwell with G-d in an intimate relationship — where the space of creator and creation meet. The question we need to address today is how do we repair the broken relationships between G-d and G-d’s creation? It is sin that has broken that intimate relationship. Even in the midst of the Garden, when sin had finally crept into creation, G-d would seek to repair that broken relationship. G-d seeks to repair that intimate relationship — yet needs to maintain G-d’s holiness and justice. So we have three ways to repair the breach between us and G-d:

Sacrifice (for sin) — Jesus took the punishment meant for us. 

Covenants (for relationship) — the Ten Commandments continue to serve to be hammer (our sins drive us to the cross), mirror (the commands mirror for us the sinners we are) and sure guide for our lives. 

Communication through worship, prayer and Bible reading (for intimacy in relationship).  

The church is not the only place where creator and creation meet. The good news is that you and I are welcome to bring our space (home, nest and family) into G-d’s space — by inviting G-d into our home — and attending to offering up prayer, praise and thanksgiving to G-d. The really good news is that we don’t change in order to come into G-d’s presence. All that is needed is humility, repentance and trust in the power of Jesus and the Holy Spirit. And it doesn’t hurt to have that aching feeling to be in the church. After all, as the Psalmist says, “I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than live in the tents of wickedness.” 

Prayer

O God, our sun and shield, you heard the prayer of Christ, your anointed, and raised him to the lasting joy of your presence. Guide us in our pilgrimage through life, that, loving you and offering praise in your house, we may find a home in your eternal dwelling place and joyfully look upon your glorious splendor, which we behold in Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. 

Amen. 

July 14, 2023 — Psalm 83 

“O God, do not keep silence; do not hold your peace or be still, O God! Even now your enemies are in tumult; those who hate you have raised their heads. They lay crafty plans against your people; they consult together against those you protect. They say, “Come, let us wipe them out as a nation; let the name of Israel be remembered no more.” They conspire with one accord; against you they make a covenant—the tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites, Moab and the Hagrites, Gebal and Ammon and Amalek, Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre; Assyria also has joined them; they are the strong arm of the children of Lot. Do to them as you did to Midian, as to Sisera and Jabin at the Wadi Kishon, who were destroyed at En-dor, who became dung for the ground. Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb, all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna, who said, “Let us take the pastures of God for our own possession.” O my God, make them like whirling dust, like chaff before the wind. As fire consumes the forest, as the flame sets the mountains ablaze, so pursue them with your tempest and terrify them with your hurricane. Fill their faces with shame, so that they may seek your name, O Lord. Let them be put to shame and dismayed forever; let them perish in disgrace. Let them know that you alone, whose name is the Lord, are the Most High over all the earth.” Psalm 83 

I like silence in my life. I seek silence. But not all silence is golden; especially when your wife or partner is angry with you. But when it appears that G-d is giving us the silent treatment, we truly become uncomfortable. But when our G-d is silent, it is always for our good. G-d withholds knowledge, G-d withholds from us things that may be too hard for us to bear at that moment — G-d may be preparing our hearts in quietness and repentance. No matter the reason for the silence, after that period of silence, we are always glad to hear G-d’s voice again — when G-d does eventually speak to us. It is during the period of silence where G-d seeks our obedience to wait. All silence is a testing, if you ask me. And G-d does this to test whether we will persevere in trust and faith that G-d will speak.  

I wonder sometimes where G-d is in the violence of this world — Russia attacking Ukraine, more unrest in the Middle East, and random shootings in our own country. I often sit in silence hoping to hear some wisdom from G-d. Sometimes in serious situations, G-d will show a surprising silence, as if G-d is unconcerned. But G-d does hear our prayers. G-d wants us to cry out — to break that silence often with our prayers and our laments. This Psalm clearly encourages us to pray to God with boldness and purpose, fully knowing that G-d will hear and answer us — in G-d’s time. 

Prayer 

God of the nations, you alone are the Most High over all the world. Dispel from us false pride and illusions of greatness, and drive away all that would threaten our faith, that we may always seek your name and stand in awe of you; through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. 

Amen.