David cries out, “Hear my cry, O God, listen to my prayer” (Ps. 61:1), a prayer that includes at least six petitions. But before he petitions the Lord, he describes his predicament, “from the end of the earth,” where his “heart is faint” (61:2). It is possible, that he is describing a literal distance from Zion, but more than likely he is experiencing a seeming distance from God’s presence. He feels far from God, perhaps even vulnerable, weak, and weary. And maybe you do too. Have you ever cried out to God, feeling as if he isn’t listening? Have you ever petitioned the Lord in prayer so many times that you don’t think you can pray it again? Has your heart felt so heavy that you felt like you were on the other end of the earth from the Lord? You’re not alone.
Category Archives: Psalms
When the Wicked Rule
1 and 2 Kings contain primarily the royal history of Israel’s rulers, the good, the bad, and the ugly. Most were bad, and if by ugly we mean vile, then many were that too. In fact, it’s easy to list the good ones, because there were so few. But if we were to rank the bad ones, where would we start?
In Return for Love
Jesus’ triumphal entry provides a picture of contrasts. As the crowd lined his path with palm branches, crying out, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!” (John 12:13), the Pharisees were indignant. They were appalled that Jesus would even allow such praise (Matt. 21:16), demanding that Jesus rebuke them. Jesus’ response was, of course, priceless:
The Loving Discipline of our Father
The purpose of God’s discipline is not alienation but reconciliation, that our restless hearts may find contentment not in our circumstances but his presence. And in his presence, our hearts are kindled in grateful praise of the One who loves us most. And so, as we gather to worship the Lord in spirit and truth (John 4:24), as the children of God, we trust the loving discipline of our Father, because “the Lord disciplines the one he loves” (Heb. 12:6a).
Look to the Lord
In other words, if you’re concerned that there will be a day when the church will not be, don’t be. But if you’re concerned that there will be a day when a local church could degenerate into “synagogues of Satan,” do be. It’s happened before.
The Prosperity Conundrum
If you forget that we live in a world under God’s curse, amongst the fallen in sin, you can get discouraged in a hurry (Many of us do from time to time, don’t we?). Sometimes I wonder about Noah, whom Scripture says, “was a righteous man, blameless in his generation” who “walked with God” (Gen. 6:9): What did it feel like then for Noah to live surrounded by the wicked, where “every inclination of the thoughts of their minds was only evil all the time” (Gen. 6:5 NET). Was it discouraging for a man who walked with God to witness mass faithlessness?
Amidst Persecution
The seventh psalm is one of the imprecatory psalms, psalms that invoke God’s judgment upon his and our enemies. The seventh psalm is also a personal lament of David, who is being persecuted….
A Godly Example
If God provides for the child dedicated to him, through you, what does this supporting role look like? It’s rooted in dependence upon the Lord’s provision. Parenting is tough enough, but raising a covenant child in a fallen world to the glory of God is impossible but for divine grace. By divine grace, you will faithfully pray for your child. By divine grace, you will teach your child the doctrines of Christianity. But if you are to bring your child up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord but do not set before your child a godly example, your teaching will fall on deaf ears and your praying will avail naught.
Pierced for Our Transgressions
And so it did, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). The gospel does not promise us a life free from snorting bulls, roaring lions, and chasing dogs but tells us the good news of our greatest need, that a worm, such as I, has been reconciled to God by the death of his Son and saved by his life (Rom. 5:10), that I might glorify and enjoy him forever!
Soul Thirst
As the Lord has revealed himself and his will in his Word, we know his character and his covenant to keep us. Knowing that “he who began a good work in [us] will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ” (Phil. 1:6), we have confidence that in Christ we will persevere to the end. But in the day of trouble, it’s easy to lose sight of this truth, feeling as if God is hiding, only to reveal himself after death. But just as our feelings do not dictate the truth, so God does not hide from us but always preserves us, not for our merits but his righteousness. For, in his steadfast love for us, he has not only crushed our ancient foe but redeemed us as his own.
Planter, Pastor, Preacher 