I am reading More Precious than Gold by Sam Storms. It’s a book of meditations on the Psalms. This weekend what I read focused on the imprecation Psalms, those are the ones where David shows his anger at sinners and desire for God to “sic ‘em.”
We as Christians struggle with the anger in these Psalms, it seems to go against the message of the NT to love our enemies, turn the cheek, etc. And yet Jesus showed real anger at the Pharisee’s, I’m sure when He was welding the whip in the temple He was a bit fierce about it.
How does this all fit together?
Peter C. Craigie says, of these Psalms,:
“these passages are the real and natural reactions to the experience of evil and pain and thought the sentiments are in themselves evil, they are a part of the life of the soul which is bared before God in worship and prayer.”
“The psalmist may hate his oppressor; God hates the oppression. Thus the words of the psalmist are often natural and spontaneous, not always pure and good.”
He sums up by saying, “ these Psalms are not the oracles of God.” I would add that they are the true cry of the soul.
Same points out that, “They are calculate petitions, not spontaneous explosions of a bad temper. Certainly there are examples in Old Testament history and prose narrative of actions and attitudes that are sinful and not to be emulated. But the Psalms are expressions of public worship to be modeled.”
Sam made a statement that has challenged me and given me much to ponder:
“Imprecations are expressions provoked by the horror or sin. David prayed this way because of his deep sensitivity to the ugliness of evil. Perhaps the chief reason why he wasn’t bothered by prayers of imprecation, and we are, is that he was bothered by sin, and we aren’t! It is frightening to think that we can stand in the presence of evil and not be moved to pray as David did.”
I am pleased to say that the next meditation deals with what it means to delight yourself in the Lord, which is all part of this amazing thing of loving God and hating sin.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Monday, September 21, 2009
God's love
Sam Storms has a book of devotionals on the Psalms. "More Precious than Gold."
In his words on Psalm 32, after talking about the total forgiveness of confessed, sin he says:
"God's love is the bulwark of our lives, the bodyguard of our souls, the atmosphere of immutable affection in which we move and live and breathe."
As I am learning to enjoy God's love more I found this a beautiful picture to hold on to.
In his words on Psalm 32, after talking about the total forgiveness of confessed, sin he says:
"God's love is the bulwark of our lives, the bodyguard of our souls, the atmosphere of immutable affection in which we move and live and breathe."
As I am learning to enjoy God's love more I found this a beautiful picture to hold on to.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
He Sees the Downcast
I found a new book that is going to be one of my favorites. The Sheep of His Hand by Suzanne Davenport Tietjen.
She and her family are modern day shepherds in Illinois and she uses their sheep as examples of following, or sometimes not following too well, our Shepherd.
One of the sheep is Deborah, very heavy with child and stuck on her back. That position is called being cast down and this gave me a new understanding of David's words in Psalm 42 "why are you downcast O my soul." This poor sheep was stuck and would have died in that position if the shepherd hadn't driven by and seen her. He tenderly and gently helped her on to her side and then on her feet, holding her the whole time. He held on to her until she was sturdy on her feet again and OK. What a wonderful picture of God tenderly and gently holding on to us while He uprights us when we are "downcast."
And we don't have to wonder if He will drive by and see us, His eyes are always on us!
She and her family are modern day shepherds in Illinois and she uses their sheep as examples of following, or sometimes not following too well, our Shepherd.
One of the sheep is Deborah, very heavy with child and stuck on her back. That position is called being cast down and this gave me a new understanding of David's words in Psalm 42 "why are you downcast O my soul." This poor sheep was stuck and would have died in that position if the shepherd hadn't driven by and seen her. He tenderly and gently helped her on to her side and then on her feet, holding her the whole time. He held on to her until she was sturdy on her feet again and OK. What a wonderful picture of God tenderly and gently holding on to us while He uprights us when we are "downcast."
And we don't have to wonder if He will drive by and see us, His eyes are always on us!
Monday, September 07, 2009
Sacrificial Love
From Meet Me at the Well by Virelle Kidder:
"I soon learned that sacrificial love isn't fun. It's like standing still and getting beaten up. I wanted to defend myself. How did Jesus keep doing that? He loved us with supernatural power, especially when He got beaten up. Could ordinary people love like that?"
"Nowhere is perfect love more clearly seen than in Christ's love at the cross. He showed a spiritually dead world what love really is when He died on our behalf.
Has anyone ever loved you more?"
We have His Spirit within us and thus can love the same way, when we rely on Him, not our own ability. I'm so thankful for this because my love quotient is quite limited.
"I soon learned that sacrificial love isn't fun. It's like standing still and getting beaten up. I wanted to defend myself. How did Jesus keep doing that? He loved us with supernatural power, especially when He got beaten up. Could ordinary people love like that?"
"Nowhere is perfect love more clearly seen than in Christ's love at the cross. He showed a spiritually dead world what love really is when He died on our behalf.
Has anyone ever loved you more?"
We have His Spirit within us and thus can love the same way, when we rely on Him, not our own ability. I'm so thankful for this because my love quotient is quite limited.
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