Bible League: Living His Word "But I trust in your faithful love, Lord. I will be happy when you save me. Then I will sing to the LORD because He was so good to me."— Psalm 13:5-6 ERV Psalm 13 is a song that concludes with a beautiful proclamation of trust and rejoicing. But the Psalm does not start out that way. The author and songwriter David begins with a series of lamentations. How long will you forget me, Lord? Will it be forever? How long will you refuse to accept me? How long will I wait knowing you forgive me? How long do I have to feel sadness in my heart? How long will my enemies keep having victory over me? Who among us as believers has not struggled with such painful questions from the heart? Yet we know that it takes patience and endurance to live our lives for God. The Bible tells us that patience works perfection in our lives (James 1:4-8). Abraham and Sarah are an amazing example of God's goodness and redemptive purpose through much patience. Abraham gets the promise from God of a great nation coming from his descendants. The problem was that Sarah was barren with no children, and Abraham was 75 years old. They waited patiently for 25 years, and suffered the failures of trying to move ahead of God's timetable. Such sorrow, no doubt, followed many prayers and cries of "How long, O Lord?" But the promise came from the one and only true God, the One who cannot lie. Deep down Abraham did not waiver in belief (Romans 4:20-21), and in the end their patience was perfected as God provided the promised heir. It was, and is, and continues to be the purpose of God that true believers will be saved through faith. Life as a believer will be a journey as we are being perfected in faith the same way God worked His perfection in the lives of Abraham and Sarah. Right now, you may be crying "How long, O Lord?" How long before I get an answer to this or that issue? How long must I endure through this trial? This temptation? This suffering? But God sees it all. He sees even when our patience is waning. But He never forgets or forsakes you. He always accepts and is ready to forgive you. Sorrows will turn to joy, and in the meantime sing! Rejoice for you are saved unto an eternity with the everlasting Lord. Look at all the good He has done in your life and sing. David's Psalm is intended to be sung together by the children of Israel. It speaks to the common experiences we have as believers whereby we find comfort in the presence of others as we sing and share with one another. Rejoice and cry together. Exhort, encourage, and pray with each other. In fellowship, our patience and endurance is strengthened. And let us not forget, God is patiently waiting for the last soul to be saved (2 Peter 3:9). He continues to work and perfect on behalf of those who wait for Him (Isaiah 44:4). So sing, beloved of Christ. Sing out in the midst of the congregation as well as in the quiet times of your meditations and prayers. The Lord has heard the cries of my weeping. The Lord has heard my pleas for help. The Lord has received my prayers (Psalm 6:8-9). By Pastor David Massie, Bible League International Staff, California USA Bible in a Year Old Testament ReadingPsalm 62, 63, 64 Psalm 62 -- My soul rests in God alone. My salvation is from him. NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Psalm 63 -- David's Psalm of Thirst for God (2Sa 16) NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Psalm 64 -- Hear my voice, God, in my complaint. NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading Romans 1 Romans 1 -- Paul Longs to Visit Rome; Consequences of Sin NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion While Jesus was in the Temple, he watched the rich people dropping their gifts in the collection box. Then a poor widow came by and dropped in two small coins.“I tell you the truth,” Jesus said, “this poor widow has given more than all the rest of them. For they have given a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she has.” Insight This widow gave all she had to live on, in contrast to the way most of us handle our money. When we consider giving a certain percentage of our income a great accomplishment, we resemble those who gave “a tiny part of their surplus.” Here, Jesus was admiring generous and sacrificial giving. Challenge As believers, we should consider increasing our giving—whether of money, time, or talents—to a point beyond convenience or safety. Morning and Evening by Spurgeon 1 Chronicles 9:33 And these are the singers ... they were employed in that work day and night.Well was it so ordered in the temple that the sacred chant never ceased: for evermore did the singers praise the Lord, whose mercy endureth forever. As mercy did not cease to rule either by day or by night, so neither did music hush its holy ministry. My heart, there is a lesson sweetly taught to thee in the ceaseless song of Zion's temple, thou too art a constant debtor, and see thou to it that thy gratitude, like charity, never faileth. God's praise is constant in heaven, which is to be thy final dwelling-place, learn thou to practise the eternal hallelujah. Around the earth as the sun scatters his light, his beams awaken grateful believers to tune their morning hymn, so that by the priesthood of the saints perpetual praise is kept up at all hours, they swathe our globe in a mantle of thanksgiving, and girdle it with a golden belt of song. The Lord always deserves to be praised for what he is in himself, for his works of creation and providence, for his goodness towards his creatures, and especially for the transcendent act of redemption, and all the marvellous blessing flowing therefrom. It is always beneficial to praise the Lord; it cheers the day and brightens the night; it lightens toil and softens sorrow; and over earthly gladness it sheds a sanctifying radiance which makes it less liable to blind us with its glare. Have we not something to sing about at this moment? Can we not weave a song out of our present joys, or our past deliverances, or our future hopes? Earth yields her summer fruits: the hay is housed, the golden grain invites the sickle, and the sun tarrying long to shine upon a fruitful earth, shortens the interval of shade that we may lengthen the hours of devout worship. By the love of Jesus, let us be stirred up to close the day with a psalm of sanctified gladness. Daily Light on the Daily Path Ephesians 4:3 being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.Ephesians 4:4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; Ephesians 2:18-22 for through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father. • So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God's household, • having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone, • in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord, • in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit. Psalm 133:1,2 A Song of Ascents, of David. Behold, how good and how pleasant it is For brothers to dwell together in unity! • It is like the precious oil upon the head, Coming down upon the beard, Even Aaron's beard, Coming down upon the edge of his robes. 1 Peter 1:22 Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from the heart, New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org. |
    |