Keeping Your Wits When Others Are Insane- Psalm 133

I made this into a song in 2024- you can hear it here:

Unified (Psalm of Ascent 133)

We enter into Holy Week- I start this morning by listening to the album,"Known by the Scars" by Michael Card

The marks of death that God chose never to erase
The wounds of loves eternal war
When the kingdom comes with its perfected sons
He will be known by the scars

For a time He sought to tell the world 

He was the Way

That God the father had a human heart

With His own holy hands He sought
To touch and heal their scars
But they chose to tear those gentle hands apart

We climb to Zion, but this is the week Jesus crawled a cruel hill bearing a cross.

Here is our next to last Psalm of Ascent:

PSALM 133

Behold, how good and pleasant it is
when brothers dwell in unity! 

It is like the precious oil on the head,
running down on the beard,
on the beard of Aaron,
running down on the collar of his robes! 

It is like the dew of Hermon,
which falls on the mountains of Zion!

For there the Lord has commanded the blessing,
life forevermore.


Our last reading delved into thoughts of keeping passion is spite of routine.

I think it is important to see this Psalm in light of this context as well. We are deep into a journey and the end is near. What keeps us fresh and energetic?

I think NEWNESS imagery is as important in this Psalm as the call for UNITY. We see both of these in this short but important song and we need both of these to climb well!

The image of oil running from the head of Aaron has multiple applications. This was the annointing oil that set apart the priests for their ministry. Imagine the newness and excitement of the occasion commemorating the start of such an endeavor- smiles and energy, hope and anticipation of what lay ahead!

The oil softened and, as the sun beamed down, warmed the recipient. Having oil was symbolic of grand provision, using it was a mark of great celebration!

The same metaphor applies to the 'dew of Hermon'. On this high mountain peak, the dew was pervasive and fresh. I imagine again, sun beams, shining through the wispy smoke of dew clouds. It is a fresh new day! Everything is alive and the anticipation of what lay ahead is electric!

So what could kindle and refresh us in such a way that we have the excitement and energy of newness so late in the journey?

It is the youthful energy that comes from RICH RELATIONSHIPS!

"How good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell together in unity!"

I just finished my 29th year as a high school football coach and I already yearn for the beginning of year 30. What has sustained my passion to continue to draw it up and dig in yet again? It is the people I get to labor with.

The last few years I have coached a fishing team and I am back working with quarterbacks in football. The older I get, the more I enjoy the relationships more than the strategy.

There is no better time on a team than right after a big win. Big smiles and loud laughter. Smiles and high fives, hugs and fist pumps. But it is also built upon the experience of hurts and losses. We suffer together and we need one another to muster the courage to get up and try again.

Is it easy to 'dwell together in unity'? And the obvious answer is NO! Our default mode as humans is to dwell by ourselves and we divide more easily than join together. We splinter and become frayed more readily than we mend and stand as one.

This is the largest challenge right now as we shelter in place for many weeks. That is why I am looking forward to my zoom conference with quarterbacks this evening.

I wanted to list some key components about what it takes to find a healthy unity among men:

DEEP GOSPEL AWARENESS AND APPLICATION: It took the gospel going deep into my heart before I found a heart to love and forgive others. It starts with a true understanding of my depravity. If I hold a high view of myself, it is easy to count shortcomings of others against them.

But the gospel constantly represents three important realities: (1) my desperate sin, (2) God's gracious gift, and (3) the recognition that since God has forgiven me, I should forgive others.

BEARING WITH: I had a call from a coach years ago who was working with our younger grades. I listened for about 20 minutes as he listed all the things that frustrated him about a coach he was working with. It was an impressive list! These two were not alike and it was a textbook definition of what politely I would call a 'personality clash'!

The hardest part of the call was that there was no easy solution. It was too critical in the timing of a season to slash and re-arrange who coached where. These two were going to have to be together. Was there any way to reach the 'dwell in unity' threshold?

The only hope was that both of these men knew the Lord.

So I asked this coach to meet with me and we set out a plan of action:

Step 1- Scripture and Prayer. I asked this coach to spend one week meditating on Colossians 3:1–17, especially, the 13th verse.

[1] If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. [2] Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. [3] For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. [4] When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

[5] Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. [6] On account of these the wrath of God is coming. [7] In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. [8] But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. [9] Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices [10] and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. [11] Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.

[12] Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, [13] bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. [14] And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. [15] And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. [16] Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. [17] And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. (ESV)

I also asked that he pray for this other coach and his family everyday.

Step 2- I asked this coach to list good qualities of this other coach. It wasn't easy, but he eventually found a nice list: organized, humble, good temperament.

Step 3- This next step was important, and hard. The two needed to have a conversation. I felt like it was important for me to NOT be in that conversation to begin with. But did tell this coach that he needed to use me as a peacemaker IF the initial conversation went poorly.

I suggested he open up the conversation this way: "We are going to be working together in stressful situations, so I feel like we need to talk about strategies to help us be as unified as we can be. So let us talk about our strengths and weaknesses and imagine what the chemistry of that dynamic may look like".

I got a call the next week and the meeting was a huge success. The biggest key was that this coach was willing to roll up his sleeves and make an effort. I praised him for that and the two had a nice season together. They were not going to be 'best buds' but they could be unified. Unity is not unanimity.

PULL IN THE QUILLS: I was once told that porcupines can sleep together because they pull in their quills. Part of dwelling together in unity is a conscious decision to not be offensive. We don't have to push those buttons that create dissension.

ALL I CAN CONTROL IS ME: Often, our desire to dwell together in unity is a contingency plan. I will get along if he.........________.  No- it does not work that way. We have to decide that we will do right REGARDLESS if the other person notices or tries. I think a key to this is to see this as service to the Lord. HE SEES! Give yourself to acts of unity and don't give up, even if it doesn't seem to be working.

THE IMPOSSIBLE FORGIVE: Two stories that will forever have impact on my life deal with P.O.W.s in WWII who endured brutal treatment by the Japanese. Both Ernest Gordon and Louis Zamperini drew upon their Christian faith and found forgiveness toward their torturers.

I was told that the father of Jim Elliot went to the jungles of Equador to forgive the Indians who had murdered his son.

And yet, as I write this, I still find myself fighting to forgive others who have wronged me. It is hard to pray for them. It is easy to harbor angry thoughts.

But it is so important to do right in this case. Forgiveness ultimately protects my heart from the destruction that bitterness can cause.

My willingness to forgive is fruit that I have rightly embraced the truth of the gospel. To fight forgiveness means that I don't appreciate what Jesus did for me. That is why Jesus so clearly states in Matthew 6:15 But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

The beauty of this Psalm is that if we make these virtues a habit and a trend- we will find a youthful vigor in life as we draw energy from the community of believers who dwell together in unity.

Jesus suffered much for us to have this opportunity.... we must climb, and we can't do it alone! It is time to make peace with your co-climbers in the Lord!

Lord, give us a renewed effort to find such harmony!

Keeping Your Wits When Others Are Insane- Psalm 132

I made this into a song in 2024- you can hear it here:

Lord of Promise

Thank you for reading along on the Lord's Day, April 5, 2020.  There are only 3 more Psalms left in this section known as the Psalms of Ascent.

Sorry for the disjointed verse today... but I had to interrupt Psalm 132 from the testimony in 2 Samuel and 1 Kings- this is one amazing story!

The One we climb to meet is a covenant keeping God who has a plan, a purpose, and a blessing for us.

One day, our climbing will be done, and gravity will finally have to power over us. All of the things that weigh us down and knock us off course will be done away with. And we will see every promise He made to us be fulfilled. Even though we are faithless, He keeps His Word, generation to generation!

PSALM 132

Remember, O Lord, in David's favor, all the hardships he endured, 

how he swore to the Lord and vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob, 

 (David's oath) Then David said to Nathan the prophet, “Look, I am living in a palace made of cedar wood, but the Ark of God is in a tent!” (2 Sam. 11)

 (David's hardship) David’s army had won the battle that day. But it became a very sad day for all the people, because they heard that the king was very sad for his son. 3 The people came into the city quietly that day. They were like an army that had been defeated in battle and had run away. 4 The king covered his face and cried loudly, “My son Absalom! Absalom, my son, my son!” (2 Sam. 19)

“I will not enter my house or get into my bed, 

I will not give sleep to my eyes or slumber to my eyelids, 

until I find a place for the Lord,

a dwelling place for the Mighty One of Jacob.” 

Behold, we heard of it in Ephrathah (Bethlehem);

we found it in the fields of Jaar (land of the Philistines)

“Let us go to his dwelling place;
let us worship at his footstool!” 

Arise, O Lord, and go to your resting place,
you and the ark of your might. 

Let your priests be clothed with righteousness,
and let your saints shout for joy. 

For the sake of your servant David,
do not turn away the face of your anointed one. 

The Lord swore to David a sure oath
from which he will not turn back.

“One of the sons of your body
I will set on your throne. 

Since it was almost time for David to die, he gave his son Solomon his last commands. 2 David said, “My time to die is near. Be a good and strong leader. 3 Obey the Lord your God. Follow him by obeying his demands, his commands, his laws, and his rules that are written in the teachings of Moses. If you do these things, you will be successful in all you do and wherever you go. 4 And if you obey the Lord, he will keep the promise he made to me. ( I Kings 2)

If your sons keep my covenant
and my testimonies that I shall teach them,
their sons also forever
shall sit on your throne.” 

Then Solomon said, “Praise the Lord, the God of Israel. He has done what he promised to my father David. The Lord said, 16 ‘Since the time I brought my people Israel out of Egypt, I have not chosen a city in any tribe of Israel where a temple will be built for me. But I have chosen David to lead my people Israel.’

17 “My father David wanted to build a temple for the Lord, the God of Israel. 18 But the Lord said to my father David, ‘It was good that you wanted to build a temple for me. 19 But you are not the one to build it. Your son, who comes from your own body, is the one who will build my temple.’

 “Now the Lord has kept his promise. I am the king now in place of David my father. Now I rule Israel as the Lord promised, and I have built the Temple for the Lord, the God of Israel. 21 I have made a place there for the Ark, in which is the Agreement the Lord made with our ancestors when he brought them out of Egypt.” ( I Kings 8)

For the Lord has chosen Zion;
he has desired it for his dwelling place: 

“This is my resting place forever;
here I will dwell, for I have desired it. 

I will abundantly bless her provisions;

I will satisfy her poor with bread. 

Her priests I will clothe with salvation,
and her saints will shout for joy. 

These are the last words of David.....

“This is how God has cared for my family.
God made a lasting agreement with me,
right and sure in every way.
He will accomplish my salvation
and satisfy all my desires. (2 Sam 23)

There I will make a horn to sprout for David;
I have prepared a lamp for my anointed. 

Then Solomon stood facing the Lord’s altar, and all the Israelites were standing behind him. He spread out his hands toward the sky  and said:

“Lord, God of Israel, there is no god like you in heaven above or on earth below. You keep your agreement of love with your servants who truly follow you. 24 You have kept the promise you made to your servant David, my father. You spoke it with your own mouth and finished it with your hands today."

His enemies I will clothe with shame,
but on him his crown will shine.”


The pilgrims who made the journey to Jerusalem did it on more than one occasion every year. Some made it for every festival, thus creating a pattern of duty and delight. I liken it a little bit like those who travel on Saturdays in the fall to tailgate and keep going to basketball and baseball games as well (man, I am longing again for those days!). It is quite a commitment of time, energy, and finances for those types of fans.

At some point, it all becomes routine. You know the road, you know how to pack, you know the resting places- it is old and new at the same time.

The first time you do it, there is a level of anxiety. But after a while, you can do it in your sleep.

Be careful! The perplexity of normalization can be a trend toward monotony. When you were unsure and it was new- you were filled with the adrenaline of adventure. Now that you know the road, and the routine doesn't create the same excitement. What a tough predicament! You want to accomplish and experience, but doing the routine over and over creates ritualism, fatigue, and boredom. Sadly, this can happen in good marriages and in good pursuits!

This current crisis is no difference.... we are slowly entering a strange routine, though it is so different that even a few weeks ago!

This Psalm probes the solution to this quandary. How can I capture David's passion? What gave him the driving resolution to pursue the return of the Ark and the building of the Temple is such a way that the fire never died?

Here are a few important points of note:

Passion is not about activity- it is the power of personal relationships: Yes, we go on the same road- but the variety in the experience is the people we intimately share it with. Even if it is the same people, people are variations within themselves.

Go ahead and run with the routine, embrace day to day discipline: If we keep up the pace, we will run into what I call 'freshenings' and the slow addition of time builds stability and endurance. Most of the godly men in Scripture walked in obedience even though their face to face with encounter had ended 20 years previous. Some people chase the wind, others wait and know that it will come back to them if they are patient.

The power of the promise resides in God, not in men: This Psalm is Solomon's tribute to the ultimate fountain of blessing; David's passion meeting God's promise in providential perfection of space, time, and history. In the end, it was God who held the power to do as He had already promised. The Davidic Covenant was secure in God's promise- the beauty of it was that it shone brilliant in David's passionate response! God already knew it was going to be His Son who would pay the penalty of the broken covenant. He alone had taken on the terms of the contract (or bond in blood, sovereignly sealed as O. Palmer Robertson called it), He alone was to bear its penalty. Even David fell short in his ability to fulfill his promise. He broke God's law and was not allowed to build the temple.

Realize that it is never clean or easy: I think that idealists and perfectionists are always facing sad circumstances. A word that rises out of the page is 'resting place'- a longing that we have, but one that will never become an ultimate reality until the new Jerusalem is established.

But we can find rest in this realm if we are willing to see it and wait for it.

I love the parallel perspective:

No sleep for David- he had a life long passionate pursuit.
No rest for men- weighed down by the persistent patterns in life

Prayers/Desire in vs 9 Let your priests be clothed with righteousness,
and let your saints shout for joy.

Promise/Hope is vs 16 Her priests I will clothe with salvation,
and her saints will shout for joy.

Ultimately- This is ALL ABOUT THE PRESENCE OF GOD HIMSELF. That is WHO we worship on this grand day!


Yes, God is omni-present- but this Psalm is WHY the journey and WHY the ark and WHY the temple- it all represents a meeting of man and his Creator.

The Psalm is asking for God to GO to Jerusalem, a cry to "Meet us there in provision and peace" and so we climb because "Where He is, we want to be as well". It is the ultimate culmination of life itself.

In God there is the union of accomplishment AND relationship, passion and steady purpose, a hope that will never be in vain.

Until then, it is the tension of the NOW AND NOT YET. Faith and not sight.

AND IT IS ALL FULFILLED IN THE LIFE, DEATH, AND RESURRECTION OF OUR LORD:

Christ is always present in The Davidic Covenant:

vs. 6- Reference to Bethlehem (Ephrathah)
vs. 7- Footstool is reference to Christ as King
vs. 10- Anointed one in the line of David
vs. 12- a son of David will sit on the throne forever
vs. 17- the horn of David
vs. 18- the lamp for the Anointed One
vs. 19- enemies subdued by the King of Glory


We have been long enough on the journey to already be 'worn down'- but David never gave up his desire to build God's temple...even prevailing on the Lord Himself! Ask yourself these questions that David had no problem answering,

Can we stay on this journey without wearing down or wearing out or pulled into distractions?
Can we focus on the prize and not get lost in the journey?
Can we take time to enjoy the journey?
When the Son of Man returns, will He find faith on the earth?

Summing it up: This Psalm is a cry to God to continue His kingdom based on His covenant promise keeping in the past, the evidence of His blessing in the present, and His covenant promise and reward in the future.

"Psalm 132 develops a strong sense of continuity with the past and a surging sense of exploration into the future. It is the kind of thing we sing to stay normal without becoming dull, to walk upright in the middle of the road without getting stuck in a long rut of mediocrity. Its words prod us to reach into the future without losing touch with the daily reality. Its rhythms stimulate us to new adventures in the Spirit without making us lunatics. For Christian living demands that we keep our feet on the ground; it also asks us to make a leap of faith. A Christian who stays put is no better than a statue. A person who leaps about constantly is under suspicion of being not a man but a jumping jack. What we require is obedience—the strength to stand and the willingness to leap, and the sense to know when to do which. Which is exactly what we get when an accurate memory of God’s ways is combined with a lively hope in his promises."- Eugene Peterson

So, I keep asking the Lord- HELP! Don't let me lose my passion for you! Keep me walking on that steady climb with joy and endurance! Don't let me get bogged down in empty ritual or routine- keep blowing that wind of renewal and power to obey. And thank-you for the grace to recover when I fail.

"Lord, the feelings are not the same. I guess I'm older. I guess I've changed. And how I wish it had been explained, that as you're growing, you must remember- that nothing lasts, except the grace of God, by which I stand- and Jesus, my whole life would surely fall away- except the grace, by which I'm saved." Keith Green

We only have a few Psalms left in our climb... Have I even helped you?

If so... let me know! jayopsis@gmail.com

Keeping Your Wits When Others Are Insane- Psalm 127

Note: I would like any reader, especially my international readers to send me an email: jayopsis@gmail.com. I would like to know more about how these devotions may be helping you and how you are holding up in the crisis.

Psalm 127

Unless the Lord builds the house,
those who build it labor in vain.
Unless the Lord watches over the city,
the watchman stays awake in vain. 

2 It is in vain that you rise up early
and go late to rest,
eating the bread of anxious toil;
for he gives to his beloved sleep.

3 Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord,
the fruit of the womb a reward. 

4 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior
are the children of one's youth. 

5 Blessed is the man
who fills his quiver with them!

He shall not be put to shame
when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.

I made this onto a song- you can hear it here:

Unless the Lord (psalm of Ascent 127)

I have always loved this Psalm, but for years had a hard time reconciling the two stanzas.

On first glance, it seems to be about two different things that don't really work together. But as you meditate on it- it makes sense in a variety of applications.

What is your primary call of discipleship? 

If you have children.... they are your primary mission field. and you labor to train them to be warriors and laborers for the kingdom of God.

And believe me.... it is an IMPOSSIBLE task... one that you will never regret working on and one where you are completely dependent on the Lord to accomplish.

If you are stuck at home with children right now... young or old.... begin praying about what you can do with them and how you can love them and help move them in a direction to love God and love others.

I think this is what the Psalm is most about.... not professional labor primarily- but the broken call we feel like we have fallen so short in... and we really want to give up many times!

Working in vain is one of the great disappointments in life. To invest time and energy in a project only to see it 'vanish' in the wind builds a flood of frustration and stinging anguish. And it doesn't matter if the project is BIG or small.

Just think back to a time where you wrote a paper, or project (or blog post) and experienced a computer crash without saving it. See what I mean?

Are there relationships you spent your life cultivating only to see them vanish like vapor?

One of the most heartbreaking conversations I ever had was with a retired basketball coach. He was thought to be one of the finest men and expert coaches to ever work locally in the sport.

He spent two decades building a quality JUCO (Jr., college) program, even taking it to national prominence. It was a showpiece of the school.

This well respected coach retired, and soon after that, the school disbanded the entire program!

It hurt him for years. He told me that it was difficult to see all the recruiting trips, sleepless nights, fund raisers, and battles end up as a handful of sand.

We have experienced this as well recently with the sudden stoppage of life. I am still hurting for seniors who had a chance to chase a championship or experience the wonderful memories of competing together as a team.

Is it possible to keep singing in the aftermath of such a circumstance?

We have an entire book in the Bible around this theme,  Solomon exclaims in Ecclesiastes that all of life under the sun is in vain.

The overall principle in today's Psalm helps us.

All endeavors connected to the Lord in acknowledgement, worship, and sacrifice are NEVER in vain.

All endeavors NOT connected to the Lord in acknowledgement, worship, and sacrifice are ALWAYS in vain.

Let's look at these two scenarios in both a negative light and a positive light.

THE LIFE LIVED WITHOUT A PROPER RECOGNITION AND RESPONSE TO THE CREATOR AND THE RICHES OF HIS MERCY AND HIS GRACE.

The Psalmist says that without Him, all efforts and achievements are ultimately worth nothing. Jesus says it is like a man building a house on sand. Even if we have great talent. Even if we work to high standards of excellence. Even if we receive the acclamation of the world.

Eventually the crash will happen- and it is swift and sudden.

Look at selected verses of another great Psalm (Psalm 37) and pay attention to what it says:

Fret not yourself because of evildoers;
be not envious of wrongdoers!  

For they will soon fade like the grass
and wither like the green herb. 

For the evildoers shall be cut off, In just a little while, the wicked will be no more;
though you look carefully at his place, he will not be there. 

 The wicked plots against the righteous
and gnashes his teeth at him,  but the Lord laughs at the wicked,
for he sees that his day is coming. 

I have seen a wicked, ruthless man,
spreading himself like a green laurel tree.  But he passed away,  and behold, he was no more; though I sought him, he could not be found.

One of the big issues of people who live a life rejecting God is that they accept all of God's gifts without gratitude, humility, or obedience. They are actually throwing it right back into God's face. The greatest insult is a rejection of God's Son- which I believe is the 'unpardonable sin' in Mark 3 and Matthew 12.

CHARACTERISTICS OF THOSE WHO LIVE IGNORING GOD AND REJECTING HIM

• Frantic work without productivity, joy, or peace. 
• Anxiousness- it can all be taken away.
• Selfishness- you think that you earned it and deserve it
• Improper priorities- the sacrifice or worthwhile things for worthless pursuits.
• Ruined relationships.
• No impact for the kingdom of God.

CONTRAST THIS WITH ......

THE LIFE LIVED WITH A PROPER RECOGNITION AND RESPONSE TO THE CREATOR AND THE RICHES OF HIS MERCY AND HIS GRACE.

PSALM 37 AGAIN.......

Trust in the Lord, and do good;
dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness. 

Delight yourself in the Lord,
and he will give you the desires of your heart.

Commit your way to the Lord;
trust in him, and he will act. 

 He will bring forth your righteousness as the light,
and your justice as the noonday.

Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him;

Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath!
Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil.
But the meek shall inherit the land
and delight themselves in abundant peace.
Better is the little that the righteous has
than the abundance of many wicked. For the Lord upholds the righteous.

The steps of a man are established by the Lord,
when he delights in his way; though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong,
for the Lord upholds his hand. 

I have been young, and now am old,
yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken
or his children begging for bread. 

He is ever lending generously,
and his children become a blessing. those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land.

NOW.. Here is where the 2nd stanza of this Psalm 127 comes in.

Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward.  Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one's youth.  Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them!He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.

CHARACTERISTICS OF THOSE WHO LIVE ACKNOWLEDGING GOD AND LOVING HIM

• Work with productivity, joy, AND peace. 
• Peace-- He gives and takes away for our good and His glory
• UN-Selfishness- It is His and I can share
• Proper priorities- They love people more than things
• Restored relationships.
• Huge impact for the kingdom of God.

THE HOME AS YOUR MISSION FIELD:

Unless The Lord builds your house... you can't start some new 15 step program today to create God- loving children... You have to wait on the Lord. 

You can't 'whack a mole' and beat them to holiness.....

You can't change their heart......

The key is to seek the Lord and beg Him to change your heart.

The fear and panic we are seeing over this virus is small compared to the panic I see in parents at times that fear their kids are going to run to a life of ruin. And that is me many times as well. This is a mountain of a climb and one that we HAVE to wait on the Lord - unless God builds the house.... we are working (and worrying) in vain!

Parenting is the most heart-breaking, sleepless night- soul disturbing task in the universe!

Go back up through what I wrote: What is more true of you right now?

CHARACTERISTICS OF THOSE WHO LIVE IGNORING GOD AND REJECTING HIM

CHARACTERISTICS OF THOSE WHO LIVE ACKNOWLEDGING GOD AND LOVING HIM

Which of these two do you WANT to be?

start TODAY- it is never too late- stop toiling in vain... you can't fix your kids, they have the same sin you have... NO,  love them (and yes, that means discipline) and let them see you struggling well to love God and love them. Let them see you acknowledge where you have failed.

Ask for their help to build your home in a way to honor the Lord. 

Pay attention to your marriage... when your kids see you love your spouse, it helps them! When they see you admit that you don't do that well, they appreciate the honesty!

Don't DEMAND respect.... love them well, love God, be authentic in your failures,  and you will earn that respect. Even when you discipline them, don't do it in anger- tell them that though they can't understand why you want them in your house by (time) or that you say 'NO', it is because you love them and God expects you to be the one to hold them to clear and reasonable boundaries. (Hebrews 12).

I was helped by this devotion in a weird way. I actually have time these days to watch movies!

And I watched a movie called "Blinded By the Light" based on a true story of a young Turkish muslim trying to find his way in the suburbs of London in the 1980's.

As hard as the young man fought his family, and felt ANGER toward his dad.... deep down, there was always a longing for unity. Love covers a multitude of sin!

Could it be that the Lord shut all of us down for a time to re-evaluate where our pursuits are headed?

We ALL have dysfunctional families.... unity does not mean unanimity...  you may be worried about where your son is heading , don't freak out... have an honest discussion and LOVE him. He may be really angry at you right now because you are gone all the time.... tell him you love him and that you understand his pain. It will not be an instant cure.... it is simply a seed,

Your daughter may be doubting her self worth right now, and you keep badgering her about how messy her room is. It may be time to discuss it and make sure she knows that yes, you do want to keep a clean house, but that you love her way more than a perfect house. Keep beating that drum long enough and you will have a perfect house one day and it will be all empty as well.

I'm not casting shame.... I am sounding an alarm.... my children need to see me running after God, loving their mom, and make sure they know I love them and I am proud of them.

AND THESE THINGS CAN BE TANGIBLY SEEN IN A STABLE, FORGIVING, AND GROWING FAMILY.

Of course, we all know the difference in idealism and sin tarnished reality. But I have seen godly men endure life with a song BECAUSE they devoted themselves to their marriages and their children as a direct response to God's presence and grace.

May we all have the courage to forsake worthless pursuits that can disappear in a microwave moment and invest in those things that really matter.

If we do that- we have more songs to sing on our journey upward and onward!

That is why my life song is this verse....I Corinthians 15:58

Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.

Keeping Your Wits When Others Are Insane- Psalm 126

PSALM 126

When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion,
we were like those who dream.

2 Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
and our tongue with shouts of joy;
then they said among the nations,
“The Lord has done great things for them.”

3 The Lord has done great things for us;
we are glad.

4 Restore our fortunes, O Lord,
like streams in the Negeb!

5 Those who sow in tears
shall reap with shouts of joy!

6 He who goes out weeping,
bearing the seed for sowing,
shall come home with shouts of joy,
bringing his sheaves with him.

This post was made into a song- you can hear it here:

Dreamers Awake (Psalm of Ascent 126)

I have an incredible blessing to have some championship rings.  Three football state championship rings, three state fishing championships, and three national fishing championship rings are in my office. They gather dust, are sometimes a conversation piece, and represent seasons where it just all fell right. It was the right mix of players, right match-up of opponents, good fortunes with injuries, weather, calls, and funny bounces of the ball, or a fish that just decided to bite.

But it is good to point back to those times- it helps. Not only were these grand memories, these were times of celebration and prosperity. Tangible victories.

But these are fleeting things as well. I coached 7 years before experiencing the first one. I worked and waited 5 years before the next one. The last football state championship was 2003, coming close to two decades now. There have been a lot of close misses along the way. And some seasons where it was a grind. We waited 8 years before we had any fishing success, and then it all happened dramatically in a short time.

Psalm 126 is an interesting tool for those who walk the path of long term discipleship. Past victories soothe us and propel us to find that time of celebration again.

Every championship brought on that same idea- immediately, by the way:  this is awesome... I want to do it again! And the enjoyment makes the desire to experience it again even greater.

I think that fire burning in our belly is a secret to youth and vitality.

I am always reminded of G.K. Chesterton:

A child kicks his legs rhythmically through excess, not absence, of life.

Because children have abounding vitality, because they are in spirit fierce and free, therefore they want things repeated and unchanged. They always say, “Do it again”; and the grown-up person does it again until he is nearly dead. For grown-up people are not strong enough to exult in monotony. 

But perhaps God is strong enough to exult in monotony.

It is possible that God says every morning, 

“Do it again” to the sun: and every evening,

“Do it again” to the moon. 

It may not be automatic necessity that makes all daisies alike; it may be that God makes every daisy separately, but has never got tired of making them.
It may be that He has the eternal appetite of infancy; for we have sinned and grown old, and our Father is younger than we. 

The repetition in Nature may not be a mere recurrence; it may be a theatrical encore.

—”The Ethics of Elfland,” chapter 4 in Orthodoxy.

When we get the victory (and we still have a long journey to get there) the excitement will be uncontainable.

When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion,
we were like those who dream.

2 Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
and our tongue with shouts of joy;
then they said among the nations,
“The Lord has done great things for them.”

You have experienced this before, the problem is that we forget.

And it is OK to LONG for the restoration of these things... we want the water to flow like streams in the desert (Negeb).

Now let me ask a deeper question.... What if the restoration we desire seems too long ago and we cry out for dreams long past.

I want to be young again... I want to run free, I want my scars and days of tears cast away!

I have good news for you!

5 Those who sow in tears
shall reap with shouts of joy!

6 He who goes out weeping,
bearing the seed for sowing,
shall come home with shouts of joy,
bringing his sheaves with him.

Do you dare to lay hold of this?

And yes, there are good days ahead.... but there is an even greater reality waiting on me.

I will burst forth one day like an atomic explosion and find a new body, a new world, an eternal energy, and eternal bliss.

I will see my Savior, I will see my mom totally free and beautiful, my brother has been basking in God's glory many years now. I plan to play golf with Mr. Stegall, talk football with Coach Farris, and go on a boat ride with Terry Warren singing praises to God. I will wrestle Hardy Walker, and my grandmother will wipe away my tears of joy!

I miss them all so much!

That is why Paul never flinched:

Yes, and I will rejoice, [19] for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance, [20] as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death. [21] For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. [22] If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. [23] I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. [24] But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account. (Philippians 1:18–24 ESV)

We found out yesterday evening that our days of social distancing were going to be extended... another two weeks!

But we can do it and WE HAVE TO do it! And we will have a day to play ball again, go out and eat, travel, work..... but we don't have to ever give in to hopeless angst!

As we climb today.. never forget the past days of true victory, hope, and celebration. Days of singing and dancing! Days where the goodness of God was so good we tasted it. We smelled it!

So that in the dark days we remember that times were good.

And we know God does not change.

We know that the dry streams will flow again.

I WANT MY CHILDREN TO SEE GOD DO IT AGAIN!

And I want to see Jesus now more than ever!

Note: I would like any reader, especially my international readers to send me an email: jayopsis@gmail.com. I would like to know more about how these devotions may be helping you and how you are holding up in the crisis.

Keeping Your Wits When Others Are Insane- Psalm 125

PSALM 125
Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion,
which cannot be moved, but abides forever.

2 As the mountains surround Jerusalem,
so the Lord surrounds his people,
from this time forth and forevermore.

3 For the scepter of wickedness shall not rest
on the land allotted to the righteous,
lest the righteous stretch out
their hands to do wrong.

4 Do good, O Lord, to those who are good,
and to those who are upright in their hearts!

5 But those who turn aside to their crooked ways the Lord will lead away with evildoers!
Peace be upon Israel!

I made this into a song- hear it here:

Stand Firm (Psalm of Ascent 125)


“If you can keep your wits about you while all others are losing theirs, and blaming you. . . . The world will be yours and everything in it, what's more, you'll be a man, my son.” RUDYARD KIPLING "IF"


 The opening of this Psalm is so interesting to me. If you think about the climb to Jerusalem, there were so many unknowns. For an ancient Hebrew seeking to travel that path, everything posed a life changing hazard. A sprained ankle, or robbers, or severe weather, or illness all meant that the journey might not end well.

As they are walking precipitously, with the mountains in full view, the goal also becomes a symbol. A symbol of security and strength.

How do we act when all chaos breaks out?

Notice two different Biblical dispositions:

I Corinthians 15:58 Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

Ephesians 4:14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming.

How steady are you?

If there is a lost virtue in our culture today, it seems to be what the Fathers called 'fortitude'.

Here is how C.S. Lewis defined it:

Fortitude includes both kinds of courage—the kind that faces danger as well as the kind that ‘sticks it’ under pain. ‘Guts’ is perhaps the nearest modern English. You will notice, of course, that you cannot practice any of the other virtues very long without bringing this one into play.  

So how can we 'keep our wits', while everything else seems to be spiraling out of control?

I think it is developed, over time, as we continue to sing and continue to climb. You learn that trials fester in a hurry and flash a bright fire of panic- but they do not last.

The Psalm here says it so well- God is so committed to justice and the security of His children that He will destroy the destroyers. We just have to stay steady and patient. Justice delayed in NOT justice denied.

The more we learn to wait- the more we become strong in the waiting. The more we trust in His strength, the more we acquire His strength.

I am quick to share many of my faults- but here God has given me a strength. He has given me a calm demeanor that has served me well in the fires of life.

God had to give me that disposition. Most of my professional life has put me in the midst of conflict. Teacher, student, parent issues can create quite a spark and intense fire. I have been on the phone with people blistering me with criticism and anger and I have been in meetings where it looked like two parties may come to blows with each other.

My calm in the midst of chaos (most of the time) helps to diffuse the emotions and then begins the process to find common ground.

What have I learned from years of practicing this:

1) People vent, and in the venting there is an addition of drama that MOST people later correct when the emotion subsides.

2) If you take the venting without reacting, most people will settle down more quickly than if you bow up and fight fire with fire.

3) Really listen to the complaint and try to see their point of view.

4) In your measured response, try to communicate a sense of understanding their position and empathize with their emotions. Sometimes I say, "If I understood the situation as you see it, I would feel the same way." At that point you can begin to sort through the details.

5) Be willing to own up to mistakes and admit wrongdoing. There have been times I have looked a parent in the eye and said, 'Mr. Smith, I am sorry. I did not handle this well at all' and if I am sincere, it is amazing how quickly it disarms even the angriest of people.

Now, all of this sounds good- a list of what to do- but not much help as to how to do it.

There is an ultimate winning edge is in this Psalm. God is my refuge, my help, my strength. He is more secure and steady than even Mount Zion. And if I abide in Him, I begin to take on characteristics of the mountain itself. I become like the thing I am pursuing. And if it is God I am climbing to, I actually begin to reflect His countenance.... though it be imperfect and fleeting at times.

Because I KNOW that he is good and in control... I NEVER have to push the panic button.

There is a dark side to this Psalm. The evil doers will be destroyed. We don't wish it- we don't rejoice when it happens- but trust God's promise here... It will happen.

It may not happen for days, weeks, months, or years... but there is sudden destruction for those who continually do evil, especially those who are hostile to God's people.

And peace can reign in that quiet confidence in God's authority and power. This becomes a great fortress of security and builds fortitude within.

Walk upward today in peace and strength my friend!

Keeping Your Wits When Others Are Insane- Psalm 124

1 If it had not been the Lord who was on our side,

let Israel now say

2 if it had not been the Lord who was on our side
when people rose up against us,


3 then they would have swallowed us up alive,
when their anger was kindled against us;

4 then the flood would have swept us away,
the torrent would have gone over us;

5 then over us would have gone
the raging waters.

6 Blessed be the Lord,
who has not given us
as prey to their teeth!

7 We have escaped like a bird
from the snare of the fowlers;
the snare is broken,
and we have escaped!


8 Our help is in the name of the Lord,
who made heaven and earth

Psalm 124


I made this into a sone- listen to it here:

If Not For the Lord (Psalm of Ascent 124)

Have you ever had the privilege to look back and see proof that the Lord had come to your rescue?

Psalm 124 is a look back at a terrible conflict where it looked like all hope was lost, but the Lord showed up and gave the gracious victory.

The CONFLICT:

People rose up against those who had chosen to live by faith. These were angry people and the circumstances posed great peril. The images used by the Psalmist conjures up being swallowed alive, a sudden sweeping flood, facing the teeth of an enraged predator, in a snare set by a trapper- the conflict is planned and the destruction appears as if it will be swift and sure.

Have I been there? Interesting question....... I think a mistake I tend to make in my self-absorbed journey is to think of this too much as my personal journey, when the major gist of this Psalm is the rescue of a Nation or a group.

The Psalms of Ascent seem to be a story of an upward journey of a group of Pilgrims. We add to our number as we climb.

Psalm 120-  I called in my distress
Psalm 121- I lift my eyes up
Psalm 122- " I was glad when they said Let us go to the house of the Lord"- "Our feet"
Psalm 123- "Have mercy on us"

So, I ask again have I been there? Well I should be- If the attack is not on me, it is definitely on the church. When I read or see the venom that can be unleashed towards the people of God, I need to know that unless God rescues US, we have no hope to survive in a world that is hostile to all that we are about.

The blood of the martyrs still flows fresh around the globe. I do not walk this path alone, I am part of the universal Church of Christ and had the Lord not been on our side, we would have been crushed a long time ago.

THE SONG:

This is a corporate song...."Let Israel now say"- we too belong to spiritual Israel and their enemies will hate me as well.

THE GOD WHO NEVER GIVES UP ON US:

We think that we don't deserve to be rescued. But even if we give up on ourselves, He NEVER gives up on us.

THE NAME:

This Psalm is distinctive in the way it says that our help is in the NAME of the Lord. It is His name on the line and it is to His glory that we survive.

THE CRISIS:

This is not simply a time where the Lord came through when you were having a bad day. The metaphors here are stark and seemingly hopeless.

When the Psalmist says.... the flood and torrent... he is not exaggerating!

Because these verses were fresh on my mind, I meditated on them for awhile the last few days.

I looked very close at raging waters yesterday as I watched tons of water per second pour through the spill ways of the Logan Martin dam. I couldn't help but think and pray about the fisherman who lost their life earlier this year at Pickwick and I had read reports of another boat that went through the Lake Mitchell spillway on Thursday, and though they lost their boat, all of the members survived with but few scratches.

I also have vivid memories of the power of the raging floods in Nashville flood in 2010. The force and devastation of those floodwaters will never be forgotten.

When the crisis is raging.... nothing is more helpless. So when God rescues in those circumstances... you have to cry out in praise!

THE RESPONSE:

If God has done this in the past, will He not continue to do it in the future?

Why then should I ever fear?

I SHOULD WALK IN THE COMPANY OF OTHERS AND THE SECURITY OF THE CREATOR!

I think some of issues in my life are magnified because of my natural inclination to shrink away from people and try to walk the path alone. The current culture helps me in this problem because it is so easy to hide in communication technology. Solitude is good for hours, but we need one another for days or weeks. That is what is the hardest part of this current practice of social distancing. When my wife was finally approved to work from home... it was a GREAT help! But I also worry about people who live alone!

The old analogy is still true- take a log out of a fire and set it off by itself and it will burn out quickly. Keep it in a bundle and it will burn bright. We need to be more bundled in our struggles and in our victories.

You can't truly be bundled via twitter or facebook- you need old fashioned time together in the flesh with open, vulnerable, transparent, authentic conversations. I suggest that we make phone calls during this time and I have been more encouraged by Zoom conversations, at least there is a human there to see and interact with.

The enemy doesn't give up- God doesn't give up- so I never need to give up.

Lord, help me to sing my song in a way that others will walk with me. I need them and they need me.

HEBREWS 10:23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds,25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. 

Keeping Your Wits When Others Are Insane- Psalm 123

We have had many days of social distancing and self quarantine. We have had many days of graphs and projections. We have had many days of conflicting reports and partisan rancor.....

And I was really saddened by the news from Gov. Ivey yesterday that athletics will be finished for the year. My heart broke for our seniors!

We are in an early phase still in the Psalms of Ascent. The early mood is gone.

Psalm 123

To you I lift up my eyes,
O you who are enthroned in the heavens!  

Behold, as the eyes of servants
look to the hand of their master,
as the eyes of a maidservant
to the hand of her mistress,
so our eyes look to the Lord our God,
till he has mercy upon us. Have mercy upon us, O Lord, have mercy upon us,
for we have had more than enough of contempt.   

Our soul has had more than enough
of the scorn of those who are at ease,
of the contempt of the proud.

This is now a song- hear it here:

Eyes of Mercy (Psalm of Ascent 123)

Ever had burnout? Even quarantines get old quick!

All journeys reach that stretch called the 'lull'.

The beginning of the journey had such strong motivation and direction. Whether it was the draw of beauty or fleeing pain- something made me move.

But each day represents a passing of time and humans tend to forget what we felt like at the beginning.

The older I get, the more the burnout can visit and stay. Perhaps it is a little of a jadedness where I almost see young enthusiasm with a splash of contempt. "So you think you will change the world", you say to that young, excited idealist. "You'll learn." However, I miss that youthful part of me!

One of my mentors got a job in a factory when he was a college student to help with tuition and expenses. He was boxing items that had just come off of an assembly line.

He attacked his new job with a passion and boxed, and boxed, and boxed.

At the first break, he experienced the rebuke of the elder worker.

"Slow down, son, you're making us look bad. Besides that, our union contract stipulates that we only do so many an hour."

Is there a way to keep that youthful fire on our path up the hill?

Yes and no.

It would be idealistic to say that you can make that climb without ever feeling fatigue, discouragement, distraction, boredom, listlessness, or depression, or doubt.

But the hard part is not staying in that negative spin cycle.

Is there a route out?

This Psalm holds keys to the principle involved in getting off neutral and re-engaging the pursuit.

1) Eye on the prize. This is such a simple fundamental but we lose our longing for a journey when we take our eyes off the destination.

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:2

We should fix our eyes on Him and He fixed His eyes on us. It was the prize of winning the redeemed that kept Him going!

But when he (Peter) saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!" Matthews 14:30

When Peter saw Christ, he fearlessly stepped out on the water. When he took his eyes off Christ, he began to sink.

So this Psalm starts off with our eyes:

To you I lift up my eyes,
O you who are enthroned in the heavens! Behold, as the eyes of servants
look to the hand of their master,
as the eyes of a maidservant
to the hand of her mistress,
so our eyes look to the Lord our God,
till he has mercy upon us.

Are you fighting depression? Where are your eyes?
Tired of the fight? Where are your eyes?
Feel like you are behind? Where are your eyes?

You know the gospel song: Turn your eyes upon Jesus- look FULL in His wonderful face- and the things on earth will grow strangely dim- in the light of His glorious grace.

2) MERCY-MERCY-MERCY

Have mercy upon us, O Lord, have mercy upon us,
for we have had more than enough of contempt.  Our soul has had more than enough of the scorn of those who are at ease,
of the contempt of the proud.

The 1st stanza said- let us look to God and keep looking until He has mercy.

There is a treasure hidden in this 2nd stanza.

If I am honest, I will say that when I get knocked down on the journey it is due to evil and sin. What are my sins that plague me on this upward climb? Selfishness, laziness, anger, greed, envy, idolatry, gluttony..etc.

And I also experience the sin and evil of others: accusations, betrayal, dishonesty, selfishness, criticism, gossip, theft, violence, persecution...etc

Even if I am knocked down by sickness...it is a part of the universal curse of sin.

And there is only cure- MERCY

But mercy is an intersection. If it is to flow to me, it has to flow through me. If I expect it to come to me, it has to also come from me.

Yes- I get aggravated at the God mockers in this world who make my journey difficult. But listen to Scripture:

And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. I Corinthians 6:11 

But for that very reason I (Paul) was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life. I Timothy 1:16 

Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." Luke 23:34

A QUICK PICKER UPPER:

The next time you get down in life and feel ready to chunk it all, try this.

1) PRAY

Lord, I am burned out. Help me take my eyes off myself and look to you.

I am waiting for your mercy, so help me show some mercy.

And then pray for sinners and the downhearted

2) SEE

Look for those who need encouragement or help


3) SERVE

Go and do something for someone else- not even to be noticed. Help someone out.

And I will guarantee that you will take another step with that song in your heart!