Keeping Your Wits When Others Are Insane- Psalm 134- Last One!

It has a blessing for me to go back through these wonderful Psalms. Today is our last one and each time I take the journey, I come out better and stronger. This section of the Psalms in a historic stream of grace and truth. We have walked with pilgrims from ages path.

The rest of the week I am going to write about Holy Week and then will take a break from blogging for a short time

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

Bless the Lord (Psalm of Ascent 134)

Today's reading.......

Psalm 134
Come, bless the Lord, all you servants of the Lord,
who stand by night in the house of the Lord! 
Lift up your hands to the holy place
and bless the Lord! 
May the Lord bless you from Zion,
he who made heaven and earth!

It is hard to have good endings.

Some of my biggest letdowns in life have come at the anti-climatic blah at the end of a special moment. The sun finally sets and the golden hour of fishing is done. You have just hit the tee shot on the 18th hole on an amazing golf course. You wake up and it is the last day of vacation, time to pack.

There is a depression at the end that sours the whole experience if you let it.

Do all good things come to an end? On earth.....yes.

Author's have struggled with this for ages. Someone once said that Mark Twain was frustrated into depression over his inability to bring Huckleberry Finn to an adequate close.

It is also hard to finish well. Very few great men have been able to end at the right time and in the right way. Great athletes hang on too long or find their life tedious after retiring too soon.

Does Psalm 134 fit that mold? 

It is the culminating hymn at the end of the Psalms of Ascent.


I imagine it being sung with the glorious city and temple in full view. The peak has been reached. The journey is done.

Of course, in your Bible, Psalms keep on coming 135 through 150. But traditionally it is understood that 120-134 encompasses that special section of the Songs for the Climb.

Do you ever worry that heaven will be boring?

Years ago there was a survey in which it was revealed that a large number of evangelical youth were worried about that very thing. Who could blame them? I wouldn't care to be in clouds and plucking a harp for 2 minutes, let alone 10,000 years!

Hank Williams, Jr sang, "If heaven ain't a lot like dixie, I don't wanna go."
Billy Joel echoed that sentiment, "I'd rather laugh with the sinners, than cry with the saints."

But the biggest problem is not with heaven.... the biggest problem is a lack of understanding WHO God is, HOW magnificent and powerful He is, and how dark and dreary is our sin and world.

You should know the famous C.S. Lewis quip:

“It would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.”
― C.S. Lewis, The Weight of Glory, and Other Addresses

My experience with the Corona virus has driven home the realization all of the things in my life that cannot sustain satisfactory living.

When life is 'normal' ... our frantic pace hides a stark reality that we are indeed 'half hearted creatures' who live on the vapor fumes of idols that offer mere seconds of distraction, but not a shred of meaning.

It didn't take long for leisure activities to get old, when we were shut in for just a few days. Screens offer a lot of promise, but they deliver very little.

We mistake the THINGS and MOMENTS that God gives us and cling to them like they are the gods who can free us and love us..... shame on me. There are times that I grow weary of the things of God using boredom as an excuse.

But it is MY God who created the capacity for me to love the thrill of a roller coaster and it is HE who has way more in store. More than I have the capacity to dream about!

A memory I miss.....

I took my oldest daughter to the Birmingham Zoo when she was a toddler. It was a beautiful day and when we first walked in the park, the pink flamingos were majestic!

I smiled as she absorbed the visual! Her eyes widened and she pointed and she drank every second in..... it was an act of worship!

After a few minutes I said, "OK, Jules, let's go to see more stuff."
"No daddy, I want to stay."

As much as I tried to pry her away by argument and logic,  she would not move!

And so I did the daddy thing. I picked her up and carried her away from the flamingos. You would have though it was child abuse! She fought, she kicked, she cried, and screamed.

But I knew what I was doing. 23 seconds later, she saw zebras and giraffes and elephants and gorillas...... and the tears were no more!

Aren't we like that?  We fight God. We are mad that the sun sets on our golf course or rain interrupts our baseball or a deadly virus shuts down the whole world!  But this world is only a vapor taste to what is waiting on us.

And that is the hope of this glorious Psalm. It seems so small and benign, we miss the power of its message.

We bless God and He blesses us................ forever in glorious perfection!

WE BLESS GOD?

This is a strange concept. What do you mean that we bless God? Sounds absurd.

There are a couple of images in the Scripture where our prayers are depicted as a pleasing incense to the Lord. God proclaimed, "This is my Son, in whom I am well pleased!"  We can also grieve the Spirit! Does it not seem plausible that we can also please Him? Did you see how God bragged to Satan about his servant Job?

 "Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil."

Let me walk on the edge of some heresy here...... pure speculation. I see a God in Scripture who smiles, frowns, cries, shows anger, says He is jealous and He has all of this in perfection because He is perfect. And He is in control, no doubt about that. But I imagine that he enjoys the moments, even though He plans it and orchestrates it. Is it possible that even we can surprise Him in joy and disappointment?

If we consider that God is not bound by time, living outside the linear system of Alpha to Omega, then He can come in and out of time as He desires. Is it possible that he can pause, replay, relive, fast forward in details and ways that is beyond our imagination like a Cosmic DVR. Not with imaginary characters but real life souls which he adores and died for? I know this is a pathetic attempt to understand the invasion of the infinite into the temporal, but I am living transparently in His full view. Can I choose to bless Him? I know I have MANY times cursed Him in word, attitude, passive and active deeds of selfish rebellion, weak flesh, and foolish fear.

an interesting note:

 This Psalm says, Come, bless the Lord, all you servants of the Lord, who stand by night in the house of the Lord.

Who are these servants who stand by night? A possible reference to chamber singers- but I see it analogous to a true servant, a true worshipper. A person's true nature is shown in how he conducts himself when no one is looking. What does he do in secret? This is when we can truly bless God. Praise Him when we receive no benefit from doing so.

Let us find inspiration to bless Him, even if our attempts seem feeble and preposterous. We are the toddler and He loves us as the Father and He can be pleased!


GOD BLESSES US

Consider that last verse again, it is an EXCELLENT benediction:  

May the Lord bless you from Zion, he who made heaven and earth! 

What if you received a certified letter today from Tim Cook, Apple CEO. 

"I have been watching you and have decided to bequeath 25 million dollars and as many of my personal resources as I have to bless you and your work." 

Would you not freak out?

But here is a verse: May the maker of heaven and earth bless you!

So which one do we choose? Sadly, we would choose Tim Cook's blessing over God's. But primarily because we have no concept to what God's blessing has been, is now, or even what it WILL BE!

The Biblical word for 'blessed' in the New Testament is μακάριος and the Greek equivalent here in Psalm 134 is 'happy, blessed and even carries a hint of 'Congratulations! Way to go!'

Think of it this way. 

You are on a perilous journey, many have fallen by the wayside. But by God's grace, you never quit. Yes, you got knocked down and pushed around, yes you fell along the way .... but you got back up and took another step. 

You were laughed at, mistreated, ignored, misunderstood, betrayed. Even your body failed you, your supporters left, your loved ones tried but were unable to care enough to succeed- you doubted...... and then- wow- breakthrough victory!   Now see if you can really take in all the blessing! 
Who is worthy of that? 
Am I a beneficiary of even 1 drop of the blood of perfect pardon?

We have finished the race!

Sorry, Hank, Heaven is better than dixie. Poor choice, Billy, the sinners are not laughing.

We will sing at that time like the Apostle Paul:

2 Timothy 4:6–8

[6] For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. [7] I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. [8] Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing. (ESV)

The final song at the end of the climb is not anti-climatic at all! it is the song of ultimate victory!

And we will find that it was totally worth it! 

Keep climbing, battle weary warrior!


If this series has been a blessing, I would love to hear from you. Please send me an email: jayopsis@gmail.com

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 131

PSALM 131

O Lord, my heart is not lifted up;
my eyes are not raised too high;
I do not occupy myself with things
too great and too marvelous for me.

But I have calmed and quieted my soul,
like a weaned child with its mother;
like a weaned child is my soul within me. O Israel, hope in the Lord from this time forth and forevermore.

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

A Child's Trust (Psalm of Ascent 131)

The power of this simple little Psalm has hit me right between the eyes for years. I always seem to stumble upon it at just the right time....providentially.

As we climb, our egos grow.

Two hard circumstances to handle in life is long term defeat AND long term success. Remember that losers lean we had at the beginning of the journey- cast out, beat down, and discouraged depression?

Then we start to make our way out and up and before you know it we are loud and proud.

Rudyard Kipling wrote a poem celebrating Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee in 1897. It captures so much of this as he observes all of the revelry.

He prophetically titled the poem: Recessional

G0D of our fathers, known of old,
Lord of our far-flung battle-line,

Beneath whose awful Hand we hold
Dominion over palm and pine
Lord God of Hosts be with us yet,
Lest we forget - lest we forget!

The tumult and the shouting dies;
The Captains and the Kings depart:
Still stands Thine ancient sacrifice,
An humble and a contrite heart.
Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet,
Lest we forget - lest we forget!

Far-called, our navies melt away;
On dune and headland sinks the fire:
Lo, all our pomp of yesterday
Is one with Nineveh and Tyre!
Judge of the Nations, spare us yet,
Lest we forget - lest we forget!

If, drunk with sight of power, we loose
Wild tongues that have not Thee in awe,
Such boastings as the Gentiles use,
Or lesser breeds without the Law
Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet,
Lest we forget - lest we forget!

For heathen heart that puts her trust
In reeking tube and iron shard,  
All valiant dust that builds on dust,
And guarding, calls not Thee to guard,
For frantic boast and foolish word
Thy mercy on Thy People, Lord!


Kipling knew the human heart! Here was Great Britain whose kingdom spread from 'palm to pine', making a reference to a famous quip during that day- "The sun never sets on the British empire"- a reference to the wide expanse of lands and people under her dominion.

Kipling also knew the danger- POWER/VICTORY unleashes 'wild tongues, drunk with power'.

And the only hope fo remedy or antidote? Never forget God, the source of our protection and provision.

The ancient sacrifice: An humble and contrite heart.

I see Psalm 131 as a break in the action. The people look down and say WOW- look at what we have done! Look how far we have climbed!

And a wise man in the crowd says.... "Be still and bow before the King. Recognize Him and humble yourself in His sight. It is what HE HAS DONE!"

And we also know the formula:

Humble ourselves and God will lift us up.
Don't humble ourselves and He will take us down.


Psalms 25:9 He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble his way.

1 Peter 5:5 Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for“God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble".

Mark 1:7 (John the Baptist) And he preached, saying, “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie.

Psalms 18:27 For you save a humble people, but the haughty eyes you bring down.

Psalms 149: 4 For the LORD takes pleasure in his people; he adorns the humble with salvation.

Proverbs 11:2 When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom.

Deuteronomy 8:2-3 And you shall remember the whole way that the LORD your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not. And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD.

2 Chronicles 7:14 if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

James 4:10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

I Peter 5:6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.

The biggest problem is that we KNOW this- but will FAIL this over and over. When our pride gets the stuffin' knocked out, it is OK to humbly come back to Him. And he does not break a bruised reed.

Here are a few 'tips' to help keep us out of the cycle of 'Puffed UP and POPPED'

• ACKNOWLEDGE GOD IN ALL YOUR SUCCESS- Not in a flippant way, He is NOT an expedient. He refuses to be one.

• DON'T BOAST- Be confident without bragging. The wild tongue must be bridled by sober words.

I Corinthians 1:31 Therefore, as it is written: "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord."
Proverbs 27:1 'Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring.'

• SCRIPTURE, PRAYER, WORSHIP: Practice the disciplines of the Christian life.

• SERVE: Go and do things for others, say thank-you, give a cup of water in Jesus' name 

FINALLY- It is a beautiful picture in this Psalm... a little child resting in his mother's arms. When we are humble, we are at peace. Fully satisfied in our God.  He is all I need!

Keeping Your Wits When Others Are Insane- Psalm 130

We only have 5 devotions left in this series. I'm not sure what I will do after we finish next Tuesday. I'm trying to work through a consistent schedule and a varied task list everyday including prayer, exercise, professional tasks, personal tasks, and scheduled off time activities.
Please send me an email: jayopsis@gmail.com
and let me know how I can pray for you! This has been such an unprecedented time!






PSALM 130

Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord! O Lord, hear my voice!
Let Your ears be attentive to the voice of my pleas for mercy! 

If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities,
O Lord, who could stand? 

But with you there is forgiveness,
that you may be feared. 

I wait for the Lord, my soul waits,

and in his word I hope; 

my soul waits for the Lord
more than watchmen for the morning,
more than watchmen for the morning. 

O Israel, hope in the Lord!

For with the Lord there is steadfast love,
and with him is plentiful redemption. 

And he will redeem Israel
from all his iniquities.

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

Deep Depths (Song of Ascent 130)

There was an old Steve Camp song that began, "Looks like the boy's in trouble again, living much to close to the edge of sin."

No matter how hard our intentions, no matter how surely we say we have learned our lesson- we often find ourselves sliding back on our climb up.

My own experience in this process we call 'sanctification' seems like 1 step forward, 2 steps back, 3 steps forward, 1 step back, 1 step forward, 3 steps back- and it can grow exceedingly frustrating and demoralizing.

Remember where we started this climb? Way back in Psalm 120.... 11 Devotions ago. And it seems like we can't shake the shadow of sin. I have been anemically trying to walk with Jesus for almost 40 years and I still find those times where I have simply blown it.

But the beauty of this Psalm is hope in the midst of despair!

If God counted sin.....  who would pass? NO ONE
But with God there is forgiveness.

So we wait and we hope- eager to see the break of dawn.

 Dostoevsky had this hope:

“I believe like a child that suffering will be healed and made up for, that all
the humiliating absurdity of human contradictions will vanish like a ‘painful’
pitiful mirage….that in the world's finale, at the moment of eternal harmony,
something so precious will come to pass that it will suffice for all hearts, for
the comforting of all resentments, for the atonement of all the crimes of
humanity, for all the blood that they've shed; that it will make it not only
possible to forgive but to justify all that has happened.” 

My question is- how do we keep waiting and hoping when it seems the relentless attack of the enemy is raging or we are constantly floundering?

All of these things are easy to say and impossible to do. But here are some tools that do help me hold on when all hell seems to be breaking loose and I am in a free fall.

#1 Returning over and over and over to the gospel of grace- Notice the words here in the Psalm: mercy, forgiveness, steadfast love, redemption- these words are rooted in the story of God's redeeming love and His offer of forgiveness based on the sacrifice of His son. I don't know how people live life without knowing this message. Our salvation is a gift. It cannot be earned; it is not deserved. It is not an excuse to fail, but I am free to fail and free to begin again and again.

#2 Reading God's Word- "in his word I hope". The Psalms have become my camping ground when I am in a downward spiral. Here is real/raw human emotion. But God is also here.

#3 Serve, support, and encourage others- I know of no better healing balm than to help others when you are hurting. Something about sharing in the suffering of others and staying positive is supernatural. A lot of times it helps me to walk around and say meaningful words of encouragement to others. I love sharing the gospel to those who are weighed down by life. The last few weeks I have been able to pray for others just over the phone and hearing them being lifted up helps! Seeing human beings in small Zoom conferences has been encouraging!

#4 Cling to your family- My wife and children are solid and sturdy supports in the storms of life. Yesterday, Lisa and I shared our 32nd wedding anniversary... Oh Lord, where would I be without her!

#5 Worship- Going into God's house and worshiping the Lord is always a hope and help. I am looking forward to a day where we can return and cry out in corporate worship!

But none of this alleviates the fact that it is a wearying process to hang on as we wait for help. Hope is sometimes hard, but it never pays off for us to give up.

Pastor Rick Warren:

"People ask me, What is the purpose of life? And I respond: In a Nutshell, life is
preparation for eternity. We were made to last forever, And God wants us to be
with Him in Heaven.
One day my heart is going to stop, and that will be the end of my body--But not
the end of me. I may live 60 to 100 years on earth, but I am going to spend
trillions of years in eternity.  This is the warm-up act - the dress rehearsal.
God wants us to practice on earth what we will do forever in eternity.  We were
made by God and for God, and until you figure that out, life isn't going to make
sense.

Life is a series of problems: Either you are in one now, you're just coming out of
one, or you're getting ready to go into another one.  The reason for this is that
God is more interested in your character than your comfort.

God is more interested in making your life holy than He is in making your life
happy. We can be reasonably happy here on earth, but that's not the goal of life.
The goal is to grow in character, in Christ likeness.
This past year has been the greatest year of my life but also the toughest, With
my wife, Kay, getting cancer, I used to think that life was hills and valleys - you go
through a dark time, Then you go to the mountaintop, back and forth. I don't
believe that anymore. 

Rather than life being hills and valleys, I believe that it's kind of like two rails on a
railroad track, and at all times you have something good and something bad in
your life.
No matter how good things are in your life, there is always something bad that
needs to be worked on. And no matter how bad things are in your life, there is
always something good you can thank God for.  You can focus on your purposes, or you can focus on your problems. 

If you focus on your problems, you're going into self-centeredness, "which is my
problem, my issues, my pain."
But one of the easiest ways to get rid of pain is to get your focus off yourself and
onto God and others. 

We discovered quickly that in spite of the prayers of hundreds of thousands of
people, God was not going to heal Kay or make it easy for her. It has been very difficult for her, and yet God has strengthened her character, given her a ministry
of helping other people, given her a testimony, drawn her closer to Him and to
people.  

We need to ask ourselves: Am I going to live for possessions? Popularity?  Am I
going to be driven by pressures? Guilt? Bitterness? Materialism?  Or am I going
to be driven by God's purposes?
When I get up in the morning, I sit on the side of my bed and say, God, if I don't
get anything else done today, I want to know You more and love You better.
God didn't put me on earth just to fulfill a to-do list. He's more interested in what I
am than what I do.
That's why we're called human beings, not human doings.
In:
Happy moments,
Difficult moments,
Quiet moments,
Painful moments,
Every moment, THANK GOD. "

The Psalmist's Desperation

As I read the Psalm, something jumped out that I has never noticed before. All of the 'Oh Lord' and the repetition regarding 'the watchmen' has a pace and rhythm of someone really desperate. This man is CRYING out to God and pleading for mercy. He is so overwhelmed by his sin.

I think back at his anger in Psalm 20- eyes at all of the world's wickedness. But now he has a different view- at all  of his wickedness.

And he does the right thing. He cries out to the Lord.

There is a point in redemption where we stop counting everyone else's failures and we start seeing our own. It is the problem that Jesus spoke of... specks and planks in Matthew 7.

When we speak of other's faults, we are justifying ourself by way of comparison.
When we cry out to God because of our sin, we are seeking mercy and forgiveness from the One we have offended.

And it is then we discover justification through Christ.

And then our song changes... you can see it in this Psalm.

The Psalmist ends with a hope for salvation to all.

That is why we plead to all we can.....

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. [17] For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.” (Romans 1:16–17 ESV)

Keeping Your Wits When Others Are Insane- Psalm 129

The Goal:

I am marching uphill to the Holy Mountain of Zion with a song in my heart and joy in my spirit because I am loved by the King of the Universe. All I need to care for is this day's walk. May I be found obedient today. I start my day with a gospel help: "I am crucified with Christ" and I will end the day with a gospel hope: "There is therefore now no condemnation in Christ Jesus."
The journey continues.......

PSALM 129

“Greatly have they afflicted me from my youth”—
let Israel now say— “Greatly have they afflicted me from my youth,
yet they have not prevailed against me. 

The plowers plowed upon my back;
they made long their furrows.” 

The Lord is righteous;
he has cut the cords of the wicked. 

May all who hate Zion
be put to shame and turned backward! 

Let them be like the grass on the housetops,
which withers before it grows up, with which the reaper does not fill his hand
nor the binder of sheaves his arms, nor do those who pass by say,

“The blessing of the Lord be upon you!
We bless you in the name of the Lord!”

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

Afflicted (Psalm of Ascent 129)

It is so important to see this Psalm in the context and position within the Psalms of Ascent. This Psalm is NOT at the beginning of the journey- this is a song that is being sung as the pilgrims have attained some altitude. There is distance now from the valley and progress, though hard and wearying, is in clear view.

I sense a completely different tone in this Psalm than I do in the anger and hurt of Psalm 120.
The truth has not changed in the journey, but our attitude and perspective changes.

Sin is not less sinful and consequences are still a reality- but the Christian who has suffered mistreatment looks back in time and has a strength and resolve to remain patient and trust in God for his timing and process.

What are some differences that show up when we add the perspective of time and experience?

• LESS PERSONAL, MORE COMMUNAL

Once we realize that we live in a community of faith and have all shared in these types of situations, we see the bigger picture of this being, not about us, but about two kingdoms in conflict. Often, in reviewing these cases, we realize that our attack is nothing compared to what others have had to endure in the name of the Lord.

That is why the admonition in vs 1 "Let Israel now say"- in other words, don't react too personally when these things happen. It has less to do with you and more about rebels of the flesh and of the spirit who are at war with the Father.

Don't misunderstand me, it hurts. "The plowers have made long furrows on my back"! But we can endure the circumstance knowing what it is really about and help one another as we go in and out of these types of events.

• RECOGNITION OF OUR SIN AND INCONSISTENCIES

The gospel is about our failures. It is the story of our rebellion. And sadly, we participate in the pain  by way too often ADDING to it. Though I know better.... I sometimes gossip or make a wrong assumption. I have had times in my life where others suffered under my selfishness or apathy. I have withheld good, born a grudge, or improperly rejoiced in the stumble of others.

If I truly understand the depth of God's forgiveness toward me, it helps me extend that same reach toward others. It helps me to say, "People are not the enemy". My enemies are sin, Satan, and his kingdom of twisted lies and idolatry.

Again, I have to be careful here- there will be evildoers who experience all the fury of God's wrath- but it is in His hands and I will not question Him in His decision to wait and worship Him in His decisions of mercy.

He is not fair.... If He were fair, I would be signed, sealed, and delivered to the dungeon of doom- but He is good and merciful- His justice being assuaged by the blood of His own Son.

This gospel realization allows me to endure the frustrating actions and sin of others.

• PEACE AND WILLINGNESS TO WAIT

Mileage on the road of discipleship allows me to understand that God operates on His own time clock- it is slow, methodical, purposeful, and inevitable.

He is NEVER late... but He is SELDOM early. He doesn't waste this opportunity to grow us up in our endurance.

I stopped wearing a wristwatch about 9 years ago. It was a reaction to a quote I read- "Westerners have wristwatches, Africans have time" meaning that we tend to be a slave to clock. Of course, I still need to know time- it is on my phone, computer, etc- but I am less frantic than I used to be.

• CONFIDENCE IN FUTURE AND FINAL VICTORY

In waiting, however, never be fooled into thinking that God will not act. The Bible is full of the enemies of God mocking Him for His delay. They get fooled into believing that no sudden punishment means they beat the rap.

There is not a statute of limitation on individual sin. The only escape is an eternal pardon in the mercy of God's grace paid in full on the cross of Jesus Christ. Without that, the sinners in hell will eternally wish that they had sinned even ONE sin less, though the violation be 200,000 years old.

There will be a day where the Lord will say, "No more delay". Faith will become sight and the door of mercy will be closed. Very few can doubt that it seems more close than far away.

Never forget what Peter said in 2 Peter 3- The Day of the Lord Will Come

[1] This is now the second letter that I am writing to you, beloved. In both of them I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder, [2] that you should remember the predictions of the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles, [3] knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires. [4] They will say, “Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.” [5] For they deliberately overlook this fact, that the heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed out of water and through water by the word of God, [6] and that by means of these the world that then existed was deluged with water and perished. [7] But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.

[8] But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. [9] The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. [10] But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.


[11] Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, [12] waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! [13] But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. (ESV)

We need to be patient as God is patient- taking advantage of the age of grace to share God's love and forgiveness. Part of that patience is suffering the persecution of others.

By the way- the Scriptures seem to indicate that it will get worse before the final curtain falls. There will be an intense time where Satan is unleashed and it will look like we are on the losing side.

So briefly review this Psalm- I like how Peterson translated it in the message:

“They’ve kicked me around ever since I was young”    —this is how Israel tells it—“They’ve kicked me around ever since I was young,    but they never could keep me down. 

This is NOT the song of a green, soft, immature person of faith who is on the ground SHOCKED that someone was mean to them.

NO- this is a mature believer who understands that evil is real, but God is in control. He knows that though Satan may win battles, he has lost the war. He doesn't hesitate to get back up, put dirt on his wound, and keep walking upward.

This Psalm is a warrior song of a champion of the King. We are climbing as battle tested, fierce competitors for the glory of God alone!

Where are we in this journey?

Today is April 2.... the month appropriately penned by the American poet, T.S. Eliot...

April is the cruelest month, breeding

Lilacs out of the dead land, mixing

Memory and desire, stirring

Dull roots with spring rain.

Yes, this mitigation and isolation is NOT easy... but it it what we do for those who a fiercely battling for life and franticly serving the sick.

I dare not take a gluttonous leisure in this time where so many are struggling in their finances and in their health.

I read the posts, I see the tweets.... there are many who mock this time, who sneer at the leaders, and even disobey the requests... you are not helping us. 

Those of us who proclaim Christ should be the ones who lead in following, in giving, in praying, in serving, who purposely adopt an austere approach to this time, and display a willingness to follow and not throw stones.

God is not distant, He is not slow.... let's keep being a light of faith and hope.

I am proud of your walk!

Keeping Your Wits When Others Are Insane- Psalm 128

These are unprecedented days....

This is Day 10 of writings to encourage us to CLIMB out of pits of despair, worry, and hopelessness. It starts hard... but like any time of improvement, we will get better. Slow down and ponder what the Lord has for you today....

These writings are inspired by an amazing book- 

A Long Obedience in the Same Direction: Discipleship in an Instant Society by Eugene Peterson

You can get it on Amazon

PSALM 128

Blessed is every person who fears the Lord, who walks in his ways! 
You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands;
you shall be blessed, and it shall be well with you.

Your wife will be like a fruitful vine
within your house;
your children will be like olive shoots
around your table. 

 Behold, thus shall the man be blessed
who fears the Lord. 

The Lord bless you from Zion!

May you see the prosperity of Jerusalem
all the days of your life!  
May you see your children's children!
Peace be upon Israel!

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

Blessings Full (Psalm of Ascent 128)

In theological circles, we spend a lot of time warning people to not be deceived by the 'prosperity gospel'- one that tells people to trust God and watch their 401-k's blossom and their homes and cars multiply. Yes, we have to be careful about that one. There have been too many wolves fleece too many sheep to the dishonor of Christ over that false reaching.

But we also have to be careful that we don't go too far the other way as well. This Psalm is LOADED with blessings....  where do we find the balance?

The greatest misconception about the road of Christian discipleship is that it is dour and sour. Too many, including Christians, see God as the COSMIC KILLJOY who works overtime to make sure his followers don't have any fun.

Many stay away from Christ with the fear that following Him means giving up the 15 things you like to do and having to start doing the 15 things you hate doing. My old friend, Pastor Keith Pugh used to say, "I thought becoming a Christian meant you had to marry a girl that doesn't kiss, go to a far away country, and die of mosquito bites."

Now, we do have to be very careful here... we do not come to Christ to get an easy life. We don't come to Him under the guise of a commercial- "Party with Jesus".

But at the same time, there is NOTHING wrong about the motivation to receive all the benefits of following God. Reward and blessing IS an incentive to carrying on when the climb seems tough.

Some followers of Christ are too monastic- they think that turning down a time of rest, leisure, or joyful experiences is a mark of their rugged commitment to the King. No doubt, my tendency is more likely to get worldly, lazy, and distracted. But there are God-ordained moments where we are encouraged to dance and celebrate and enjoy the fruit of life when it is presented under the allowance and pleasure of the King Himself.

It is so interesting the timing of this Psalm.

Psalm 120- distress
Psalm 121- crying to God for help
Psalm 122- worship
Psalm 123- cries for mercy
Psalm 124- past struggles and hope in God
Psalm 125- staying steady in the storm
Psalm 126- bring back the blessings
Psalm 127- labor in the Lord

and now- Blessed- fruit- olive oil- full table- prosperity.

SUSTAINED BY A SMALL SLIVER- BUT THE SLIVER IS A BOUNTIFUL BLESSING

There have been seasons where my family and I have been through tangible trials by fire. We have felt squeezed in every way imaginable- inward distress and outward pressures. There were times it seemed like God was distant and silent. Was He there? Did He care? It seemed like one trial on top of another. We were tired, depressed, and defeated. Our nerves were frayed and our home was filled with more conflict than comfort.

But we hung in there.

God does sustain- but rarely is it easy and, a lot of the time, victory is in doubt.

It has to feel like a fight or it really isn't a fight. Courage is only shown in the presence of fear. Strength is only gained in the strain against resistance.

In most cases, it gets darkest right before the dawn... and then we see the ray of light. I sense the winds shift. I feel the pressure lift- God has held us in the storm and we made it... albeit by a sliver.

But this Psalm shines a great truth- God's small sliver is a beautiful and bountiful blessing. The crumb of God's table is better than all of the world's best together. And one day, we will be seated at that table of His royal wedding feast and we do not have the capacity to dream large enough in anticipation of that reality.

So for now... when a time of rest from the storms come your way.... CELEBRATE.
He has called a rest break... take time to sip and soak in God's good gifts.

There have been times during our climb together where we are down to the bare bones. But even then, it is so good to share laughter and hope! It doesn't mean that the daily duties and life concerns aren't there. But the Proverbs ring true:

Better to have little, with fear for the LORD, than to have great treasure and inner turmoil. Proverbs 15:16
"Taste and see that the Lord is good". Psalm 34:8

As I look into Psalm 128 I am reminded- God defines blessing and prosperity in different terms and categories than we often do.

This is one of those moments where I think.... do I want to write all of this out and might it make the devotional too long.... but I do believe God wants me to express this.

FEARING THE LORD- WALKING WITH HIM- FEAR THE LORD

The blessings of this Psalm come from a lifestyle..... Fear the Lord which is paralleled as "the person who walks in His ways".

This has always been such a challenge to me, because I am such a Romans 8 guy.... grace, grace, grace, grace, grace....

I am not able to EARN my salvation by good works.... but sadly, my sinful and selfish nature is to act entitled and just live life by every whim of MINE.

Before long, I am NOT a Romans 8 guy.... I am actually a Judges 21:25 guy:

 In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes. 

The two phrases go together.... Fearing God means: He is my king and I actually feel a weightiness to be found faithful and obedient... my fate is in His hands. So I bow to Him and I serve Him.

Walking in His ways: I am not living and serving at MY GOOD PLEASURE, I am walking and serving at HIS pleasure.

In other words.... that 'obedience' thing keeps popping up in there....

So in this shutdown, I was SO HELPED by a Look at the Book video by John Piper on Philippians 2:12–13

Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, [13] for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. (ESV)

And the THEREFORE points back to TWO important truths:

1) The mind and model of Jesus.

2) The result of the mind and model of Jesus

The mind of Jesus: in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Look not only to your own interests, but also the interests of others.

The model of Jesus: emptied Himself, let go of His rights and status, humbled Himself, obeyed even to the cross.

The result: God exalted Him and gave Him the name above every name.

Application:

I need to take on the mind and model of Christ.
That is what is meant by: work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
And I too will experience great blessing.... just like right here in Psalm 128.

But don't miss the POINT here...

By obedience... it isn't really a check off of rules and regulations.

It is a lifestyle.... in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Look not only to your own interests, but also the interests of others.

But God knows that His commandments create the best circumstances to love others.
What is more loving? To steal or not steal? To lie or not lie? To be faithful or not to be faithful?

God's rules aren't there to take away our fun.... NO- they are a canopy of protection and the good soil of blessing to others first and THEN ourselves.

He is NOT A COSMIC KILLJOY- He is our source of salvation and blessing.

That is why I have to keep firing myself as King and keep seeking to bow to Him as King... He is a good King because He is my good father!

Thank you Lord for this 'shut down'... I have been too busy to see that I had started following ME and not YOU. I was living an entitled life... selfish... thank You for Your grace!

Thank you Lord!  Help me climb in joy today, because I am walking with you!