Scripture:
Psalm
19
19:1 The heavens are telling the glory of God; and
the firmament proclaims his handiwork.
19:2 Day to day pours forth speech, and night to night declares knowledge.
19:3 There is no speech, nor are there words; their voice is not heard;
19:4 yet their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In the heavens he has set a tent for the sun,
19:5 which comes out like a bridegroom from his wedding canopy, and like a strong man runs its course with joy.
19:6 Its rising is from the end of the heavens, and its circuit to the end of them; and nothing is hid from its heat.
19:7 The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the decrees of the Lord are sure, making wise the simple;
19:8 the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is clear, enlightening the eyes;
19:9 the fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever; the ordinances of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.
19:10 More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey, and drippings of the honeycomb.
19:11 Moreover by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.
19:12 But who can detect their errors? Clear me from hidden faults.
19:13 Keep back your servant also from the insolent; do not let them have dominion over me. Then I shall be blameless, and innocent of great transgression.
19:14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.
19:2 Day to day pours forth speech, and night to night declares knowledge.
19:3 There is no speech, nor are there words; their voice is not heard;
19:4 yet their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In the heavens he has set a tent for the sun,
19:5 which comes out like a bridegroom from his wedding canopy, and like a strong man runs its course with joy.
19:6 Its rising is from the end of the heavens, and its circuit to the end of them; and nothing is hid from its heat.
19:7 The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the decrees of the Lord are sure, making wise the simple;
19:8 the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is clear, enlightening the eyes;
19:9 the fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever; the ordinances of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.
19:10 More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey, and drippings of the honeycomb.
19:11 Moreover by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.
19:12 But who can detect their errors? Clear me from hidden faults.
19:13 Keep back your servant also from the insolent; do not let them have dominion over me. Then I shall be blameless, and innocent of great transgression.
19:14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.
On this
third Sunday in Lent, we again find the world around us in turmoil. There seems no let up. And the more we watch TV news, read the
newspapers, call up the Internet bloggers, the news just seems to get worse and
worse. Is there to be no peace of mind
for us at all?
While
Americans pray for an end to war and conflict, our President bypasses Congress
to order 100 Special Forces soldiers to Uganda.
In El Paso,
Texas, Christians who signed a petition against same-sex decisions by their Mayor
are now under criminal investigation for signing.
Those words
of our own U.S. Constitution intended to protect the practice of religion from
government interference are now being turned upside down to attack the free
practice of religion by individual Christians and their churches.
Interference by government in the traditional
free market system in America has crippled our economy, led businesses to move
their operations out of America, so that there are no longer enough jobs to go around,
too few tax dollars as are needed.
As jobs are
lost, homes are lost, and families are shattered and scattered.
Foreign
nations threaten our economy and our security.
Those
charged by God to share the gospel of Jesus Christ have abandoned the very
first commandment and embraced strange gods, even in their sanctuaries of
worship.
Across the
United States of America, through the medium of the Internet, through social
networks and "Twitter" messages limited to 140-words, the message has
been spread to pray 2nd Chronicles 7:14, "... if my people, who are called by my name,
will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked
ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal
their land."
It's not as if
those who would follow in the footsteps of Jesus Christ are deaf and dumb to
what is happening to our nation, and they avail themselves of prayer and
fasting on behalf of our beloved nation.
Nevertheless,
the nation seems bent on continuing its economic, moral and ethical downward plunge. It promises to soon be an issue of damaged
security and loss of freedoms and liberties, as well. The only solace for Christians is the sure
knowledge that God is still in charge, He has His own plans, and neither men's
machinations nor agendas will disrupt those plans that have stood throughout
all time.
The first four
verses of today's scripture reminds us of exactly that.
There is a verse in Luke 19:40, often
repeated by Christians when told by unbelievers that they "talk too much
about this Jesus." It comes from
when Jesus rode down past the Mount of Olives on a colt, and "the whole crowd of disciples began
joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen: 'Blessed
is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!
Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” And some of the Pharisees in the crowd said
to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke Your disciples!”
Jesus replied to them, “I tell you, if they keep quiet, the stones will
cry out.”
And
so it is with us today, in spite of all our difficulties, if we do not
recognize His many blessings and praise His name, one way or another the joy
and praises in His holy name will find their way out. So they may as well come through us. As Psalm 19 tells us, the heavens are telling the glory of God; and the
very earth proclaims His handiwork.
It's all around us, but not understood by everyone. Throughout our days the words pour forth, night
to night declaring knowledge, and yet for many there is no speech, nor are
there words; their voice is not heard.
And still the knowledge, the praises of Almighty God goes out through all
the earth, even to the very ends of the world.
If we who follow the Christ would have
peace, even as evil and turmoil spins all about us in the world, we would do
well to pay attention to verses 7 through 10.
"The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the decrees of
the Lord are sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the Lord are
right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is clear, enlightening
the eyes; the fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever; the ordinances
of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, even
much fine gold; sweeter also than honey, and drippings of the honeycomb."
In the same way one descending or
ascending steep stairs grips onto the handrail, which the builder has provided,
the very creator of all that is has provided a guiding handrail for our
spiritual guidance, uplifting, cleansing our mind and heart, keeping us upright
and on the proper track.
It's in contemplating, learning, and
appreciating the Lord God, Who is perfect, Whose peace permeates our life and
the soul is revived; through understanding of His decrees that wisdom begins to
illustrate the simplicity of God's simple plans for us, as we begin to see our
own life, and the activities of those around us through enlightened and
righteous eyes. Such a calmed life,
beginning to take root in His security, soon becomes more to be desired than
the colorful, enticing temptations around us..."more to be desired than
much fine gold, and sweeter also than honey."
Soon, even though we live in the midst
of an evil squalor that is touted as the highest of human civilization, and
even as the terrible toll of evil around us gives us pause, the confidence of
what was once termed "that of a Christian with four aces" begins to
take hold in our soul, and we can confidently trust our future to God and
concentrate on that which He sets before us to handle.
Once we have removed the misdeeds of
the world from our back, once we have placed in God's hands all that once
occupied our life, worried us from day to mishandled day, we can sit in the
middle of the storm and enjoy the calm with which God assures us of His involvement. Sometimes He calms that storm, and sometimes
He lets the storm rage and calms His child.
But always, He is here.
Week of Worship
March
11, 2012
Invocation: O God, Whose
promises are true, help me never to stagger in disbelief at Your promises but
to claim them as my own. In the name of
Christ. Amen.
Read: Psalm 119:33-48
Daily
Scripture Readings
Monday
1st Kings 8:22-30
Tuesday
Nehemiah 9:6-25
Wednesday
Romans
4:16-25
Thursday James 1:1-15
Thursday James 1:1-15
Friday
2nd Corinthians
1:12-22
Saturday 2nd
Peter 3:5-13
Sunday
Genesis 17:1-10; Romans
4:16-25; Psalm 105:1-11; Mark 8:31-38
Reflection: (silent and
written)
Prayers for the church,
for others, for yourself.
Hymn: "O God Of
Every Nation"
Benediction: How good it
is to know You, my Lord, as the One Who ever lives to make Your promise
good. In this confidence I go now in
Your name. Amen.
