Liturgical Calendar - Jeremiah's Vow

Lent 2021, Day 37 | Psalm 119:169-172

Psalm 119:169-172

¹⁶⁹Let my cry come before you, O Lord;
    give me understanding according to your word*!
¹⁷⁰Let my plea come before you;
    deliver me according to your word.
¹⁷¹My lips will pour forth praise,
    for you teach me your statutes.
¹⁷²My tongue will sing of your word,
    for all your commandments are right.

* Through these reflections, those phrases that identify God’s word, revelation, or law will be highlighted in the text in the hopes of accentuating the many and varied ways we can visualize what God has given to us for our good.

Reflection

The word of God is the great treasure of the Church. It is the message of hope for the lost and it is the perfect guide for those journeying towards heaven.

In the Scriptures we are given wisdom and counsel for living life. We are shown how to become angry and not sin, how to mourn and not lose hope.

As we turn the pages of our bibles we are able witness the miraculous works of God even among the foolishness of broken men and women.

On virtually every page the fullness of human frailty is on display. But right alongside this inadequacy we find the eternal strength of God.

The tapestry of history has been woven together by the steady hand of the God of heaven. Although the finished product escapes our understanding, we can trust in the vision and direction of the one who is weaving all things together.

Commentary

Verse 169: When we cry out to the Lord, we are expressing those deep needs of our hearts. In those moments we are seeking what only God can provide. While we all would like to be relieved of all the troubles of this world, there is something more important than the absence of pain. Living according to truth is vital to a life that pleases God and satisfies us. Therefore, what we need most of all, especially in times of difficulty is to understand what God is teaching us through his word. This kind of wisdom is clarifying and comforting.

Verse 170: As children of God we can petition the Lord. He has given us access to his presence. This access is a precious gift, and one we can enjoy often. When we bring to God our cares we must accept the deliverance he extends. We can become discouraged when God does not act according to our desires. But our desires do not compare the the infinite wisdom of God.

Verse 171: A grateful heart will give thanks for God’s instruction. Not because we liked what we were being taught, but because we were being taught by God. Not every lesson is easy. Sometimes the lessons we must face are difficult and costly. But if God is the teacher, then the reward is worth the price and the effort.

Verse 172: Not only is thankfulness an appropriate response to God’s faithfulness to his word, so is sing. When sing we are engaging not just the rational faculties of the mind, but also the emotional realities of the soul. The “right”-ness of God’s word only increases our confidence in joy when we sing.

The Complete Lent 2021 Series

Lent 2021, Day 36 | Psalm 119:165-168

Psalm 119:165-168

¹⁶⁵Great peace have those who love your law*;
    nothing can make them stumble.
¹⁶⁶I hope for your salvation, O Lord,
    and I do your commandments.
¹⁶⁷My soul keeps your testimonies;
    I love them exceedingly.
¹⁶⁸I keep your precepts and testimonies,
    for all my ways are before you.

Reflection

The Scriptures are not merely a collection of writings over the course of 1,600 centuries. They are more than that. The Old and New Testaments are the living record of God to his people. They are the testimonies of God’s work in, and through, and sometimes even in spite of his people.

To not see the hand of God in his word is to not see God at all. I know that may appear to be a stretch to some. However, to reduce the Bible to simply the writings of men is to strip God completely away from him.

As Christians, we already believe fantastic things in order to be saved. Why do we then struggle to believe that the Bible is God’s word and that God has said in those writings can be dismissed or ignored? It defies any reason to do so.

Let us trust in God and let us trust in his word. Let us give thanks to God and let us give thanks for his word. Let us live for God and let us live out his word.

Commentary

Verse 165: To walk in alignment with God’s word is to have a confidence and peace not available to others. The reason is not smugness or self-assurance. To walk in God’s word is to walk in God’s wisdom. Knowing this brings peace. There no reason to fear what may come our way because we can call upon God for wisdom and aid.

Verse 166: There is no tension or contradiction between trusting in God to save and walking in obedience to God. As a matter of fact, the Psalmist seems to imply that this is the exact relationship between these two realities. To have hope in God to redeem is not antithetical to living our lives in submission to God’s commands. When we learn this we will be free to enjoy the wonder of God’s love and the reward of sincere obedience.

Verse 167: God’s word is spiritual. It is something we do not always remember. But it is something we should strive to remind ourselves of. While what God says may be enacted through physical activity, the true purpose is to conform us into the image of Jesus Christ. This transformation is one of the primary goals of our redemption. Also, because the word of God is of a spiritual nature, we can appreciate its worth by how it draws us deeper affection to them. As our love for God’s word grows so will our love for God. For the point to him and reveal him to us.

Verse 168: Nothing we do escapes God’s gaze. Therefore, we are better off to live our lives keeping God’s “precepts and testimonies.” To do any less is to deny the place of God’s word in our lives, and by extension God himself.

The Complete Lent 2021 Series

Lent 2021, Day 35 | Psalm 119:161-164

Psalm 119:161-164

¹⁶¹Princes persecute me without cause,
    but my heart stands in awe of your words*.
¹⁶²I rejoice at your word
    like one who finds great spoil.
¹⁶³I hate and abhor falsehood,
    but I love your law.
¹⁶⁴Seven times a day I praise you
    for your righteous rules.

Reflection

As we begin what is commonly called Holy Week, we enter one of the most important times of celebration in the Christian faith. What makes this week important is it affords us an intentional opportunity to remember the gift of salvation we have been given.

In the busyness of life we can become quite distracted. The number of things that draw our attention can be overwhelming. Not that all of them are evil or sinful. The problem we have is that we find it hard to refocus back on what God is calling us to.

This is why I appreciate the season of Lent. It is a time of preparation. But it also affords me the space to consider what takes up too much time in my life.

The discipline of taking stock of our lives is one we should not take for granted. In fact, we should take advantage of these times in the year when we can look at what we are doing and make important decisions. Decisions about what we want to change or adjust to maintain our focus on Jesus and our spiritual growth.

Commentary

Verse 161: The source of persecution may take the form of officials in high places, but even then the admonition is to stay true to God’s word. Here we see the Psalmist describe this commitment as “awe.” There is something inspiring about God’s word. It is simple enough for a child to read and yet profound enough to keep our attention for years. The depth of God’s word is miraculous.

Verse 162: To see the word of God as a treasure is one of the best ways of thinking about. The imagery here is that of discovery. The writing is minding their own business and come upon the “great spoil” of God’s word. One option is to ignore what you have found. But, when you know the value what you now have before you, it is difficult not to rejoice.

Verse 163: The law of God is juxtaposed with falsehood. This means that the word of God is the measure of all claims. If what we are being told is not consistent or congruent with God’s word, then we have to be cautious in entertaining it. We cannot live in accord with God’s purposes if we are adopting falsehoods as a part of our lives.

Verse 164: Thankfulness for God’s gracious gift of his word is an everyday event. Or at least it should be. The phrase “seven times a day” is a poetic way of saying continually. There ought not be an end to our appreciation for all God has revealed to us.

The Complete Lent 2021 Series

Lent 2021, Palm Sunday | Psalm 119:157-160

Psalm 119:157-160

¹⁵⁷Many are my persecutors and my adversaries,
    but I do not swerve from your testimonies*.
¹⁵⁸I look at the faithless with disgust,
    because they do not keep your commands.
¹⁵⁹Consider how I love your precepts!
    Give me life according to your steadfast love.
¹⁶⁰The sum of your word is truth,
    and every one of your righteous rules endures forever.

Worship

The King in All His Beauty • The Glorious Christ Live

Reflection

On the Sunday before Jesus’s arrest, trial, and ultimate crucifixion he entered the City of David for the final time. In a few short days, the earthly sojourn of the Son of God would achieve its purpose.

The redemption of humanity was a task that only God could accomplish. In the span of three years, Jesus of Nazareth went from obscurity to notoriety. Those who loved him, saw the hope of the world. Those who despised him, saw an interloper in their plans. Those who misunderstood him, betrayed him. Those who hated him, sought to kill him.

How could Jesus do it? How could he enter the city knowing what was to come? The question confounds us because if we knew what Jesus knew, we would do everything in our power to escape.

But Jesus was not a prophet like Jonah, who ran in the other direction.

Jesus was not a king like David, who stayed home when he should go to fight.

Jesus was not a man like me, weak and timid in the face of great challenges.

We know the struggle of the Mount of Olives would come. We know that the request for reprieve would be made.

But we also know the surrender of obedience was perfectly fulfilled.

We have the benefit of looking back. Of seeing across the pages of Scripture the events unfolding like a perfect drama.

However, few knew then what we know now. In truth, only Jesus knew what awaited him. Only Jesus.

This is the challenge of Palm Sunday. And it is the beauty of it as well.

Commentary

Verse 157: The challenges of life would rob us of of the will to hold fast to God’s testimonies. We must not surrender to them. In the midst of struggle and strife, of challenges and challengers, we must continue resolved to what we have seen and come to know about God.

Verse 158: In one of the more raw expressions in the Psalm, we see the rancor of the Psalmist toward those who have rejected God’s commands. Why does he feel this disdain? We cannot be sure. However, we can make a comparison. Based on the writers love for and trust in God’s word, we can catch a glimpse of the value he places on it. So, to see others not valuing what they perceive as being of infinite worth causes feelings of disgust to rise in the writer.

Verse 159: As a continuation of the previous verses sentiments, we see a clear declaration of love for the precepts of God. We again see an admonition for God to give the Psalmist life according to God’s steadfast love. This is the basis of the writers confidence. There is no other reason for either making the request or expecting an answer. If God’s love is not present, life will not flow toward us.

Verse 160: Every word of God is truth. What is interesting of the phrasing here is that “truth” is in the singular. The totality of God’s revelation can be seen as one unified whole. This is an important perspective as it forces us to reevaluate how we interact with the Scriptures. In one sense they are a library of texts. But, in another, more profound way, they are one text. The interplay between these ideas is vital to a healthy understanding of God’s revelation.

The Complete Lent 2021 Series

Lent 2021, Day 34 | Psalm 119:153-156

Psalm 119:153-156

¹⁵³Look on my affliction and deliver me,
    for I do not forget your law*.
¹⁵⁴Plead my cause and redeem me;
    give me life according to your promise!
¹⁵⁵Salvation is far from the wicked,
    for they do not seek your statutes.
¹⁵⁶Great is your mercy, O Lord;
    give me life according to your rules.

Reflection

For the people of God, the miracle of holy writ serves as the foundation of faith and life. Without God’s wisdom codified, we will have to difficult time transitioning to God’s wisdom personified.

If we desire to live in a manner worthy of God’s love, we have to understand what God’s love creates in us. What I do not mean is that we are trying to earn God’s favor, as if by good works. But that we, recognizing the beauty of God’s free gift, want to do all we can to show our appreciation to God.

These realities do not need to be confused. We can live in obedience, but not in an effort to manipulate God. And we can live in a posture of thankfulness, and not take what God has done for granted.

If we could recapture the balance and the tension of this, we may well understand what has been missing in the Church in recent years. Our efforts to simplify have become oversimplifications. There is a difference. And not knowing what it is can be hazardous to our faith.

As the old hymn captured it: “Trust and obey, for there’s no other way / to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.’ [Source]

Commentary

Verse 153: There have been several instances where the effect of affliction has been tied to not forgetting God’s law. The implication of this theme is that when we are under duress, the initial inclination will be to abandon what God has commanded. This tendency must be anticipated and it should not be a surprise when this feeling emerges. Remembering God’s word is an important discipline to develop before times of great stress and difficulty.

Verse 154: The kind of life we live will be impacted by the many choices we make in life. If those choices are made without the counsel of God and the wisdom of his word, we put ourselves at risk. As we grow in our understanding of God’s promises, we can better appreciate the life God is leading us to live. Over the course of our lives, we become more sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s work in us. This increased sensitivity is what supports and fortifies our trust in God’s direction.

Verse 155: The Psalmist points to the relationship between salvation of the soul and obedience to God’s statutes. It should not be said that obedience guarantees salvation. That is not the direction of the text. Rather, the lack of obedience reveals that an individual has not reckoned honoring God’s commands as worthy of their efforts. This lack of submission indicates an absence of relationship. Without a relationship with God there can be no salvation. So, according to the author, our seeking of God’s statutes serves as a barometer of what we believe about God and our relationship to him.

Verse 156: This refrain of “give me life” happens several times in the Psalm and twice in this selection of verses. It is an acknowledgment of God’s unique place as the source of true life. This call from the Psalmist to God is instructive. By connecting the power of God to give life to the rules of God (and all the other synonymous phrases used), we can see how God uses his word to cultivate our faith and hope in him. What God says leads us to know who God is and what he has done for our redemption.

The Complete Lent 2021 Series

Lent 2021, Day 33 | Psalm 119:149-152

Psalm 119:149-152

¹⁴⁹Hear my voice according to your steadfast love;
    O Lord, according to your justice* give me life.
¹⁵⁰They draw near who persecute me with evil purpose;
    they are far from your law.
¹⁵¹But you are near, O Lord,
    and all your commandments are true.
¹⁵²Long have I known from your testimonies
    that you have founded them forever.

Reflection

When we approach God, an important consideration is whether we understand how God has revealed he will act. The reason we have to keep this in mind is when we don’t we run the risk of mischaracterizing who God is. When God says, “This is who I am,” we should take God at his word.

God’s character is what God says it is. Not what I wish it was. That means if God does anything contrary to his character, he could be accused of being a liar. And if God is a liar, then he cannot be trusted. And if God cannot be trusted, then he is not worthy of worship or allegiance.

Our study of God through his word is one of the surest ways we have to better understand how we build our relationship with God. When we do not know what God has done or what God has said, we cannot really know how we should behave around God.

The longer I live, the more I think about this. If I want to know God, I have take what God has said about himself more seriously. I have to hold God’s “feet to the fire” so to speak. And God is not afraid of my approaching him on these terms.

Commentary

Verse 149: The Psalmist pleads with God to hear and to give them life according to God’s love and justice. These two realities are the ultimate expressions of God’s grace. We are loved like a child by a good father, and we are shown mercy when what we deserve wrath from a holy judge. The tension these realities create could only be reconciled by God. This is why they should inspire awe and give us the courage to request both from God.

Verse 150: Our distance from God’s law is an indication of what we are capable of. This is true in us, and it is true in those who seek to do us harm. The language of persecution reveals the intensity of the opposition. When we are under such attack we must remember the promises of God’s word as they are expressed in God’s law.

Verse 151: The Psalmist has expressed several times that the veracity of God’s commandments can be best seen in our nearness to God. This nearness is not a physical proximity. What is being described is a nearness of character. As we are conformed to God’s character, we see more clearly why what God says is true. This verse is also an extension of the thought in previous verse. Particularly in the idea that our nearness to God is a blessing to us, but for those that persecute us, the distance distorts their moral compass.

Verse 152: What God has revealed will never fail and they cannot be revoked. This is the simplest way of understanding the writers idea here. The reason? Because they are grounded in God’s own being. “You founded them forever” connects what God says with who God is, as we have seen before.

The Complete Lent 2021 Series

Lent 2021, Day 32 | Psalm 119:145-148

Psalm 119:145-148

¹⁴⁵With my whole heart I cry; answer me, O Lord!
    I will keep your statutes*.
¹⁴⁶I call to you; save me,
    that I may observe your testimonies.
¹⁴⁷I rise before dawn and cry for help;
    I hope in your words.
¹⁴⁸My eyes are awake before the watches of the night,
    that I may meditate on your promise.

Reflection

As we approach Holy Week, I am reminded of how ill-prepared the disciples felt they were for what was about to happen. The difficulties they were about to face were many.

I find it interesting to see how they were able to rebound. I do not have a naive view of the situation. It’s just that when I look at all that happened, the reality of Jesus resurrection restored their hope and renewed their strength.

It is a rare occurrence where we know what will happen in life. Sometimes we can have a good idea of what will happen. If we are honest, most of the time, we are just doing the best we can with the information we have available.

That is why being grounded in God’s word is so helpful to living in this world. God has given us some tools for living well. Those tools provide us of countering the downward pull of sin and hopelessness. But we have to receive this wisdom from above. We have to trust it. We have put into practice.

The disciples of Pentecost were the same disciples of Good Friday. They just had some new information. What Jesus said had become what God did. This shift is so important to live lives that are pleasing to God and satisfactory to ourselves.

Commentary

Verse 145: We should approach God with a sincere heart. Not with half-hearted measures. To seek the counsel of God with our whole heart is key to our faith journey. Why? Because when we fully commit to this pursuit, we can know that God was the one who came through. We did not put our trust in ourselves, but in God.

Verse 146: If we desire to be living witnesses of God’s grace, we desire a good thing. The writer shares their desire for deliverance so that they might continue in service to God. Our service to God can be both an opportunity for glorifying God, but also a time where we see the word of God come to life in us.

Verse 147: The discipline of taking time throughout the day for focused attention on God’s word is not new. It is a practice that has been around for a long time. There has been much discussion over what time of the day this activity should be done. Here the Psalmist suggests that before the dawn of a new day is good. A practical reason for this early allocation of time is it precedes all other activity in the day.

Verse 148: Continuing on the theme of the previous verse, the Psalmist reiterates the practice of early meditation on God’s promise. Remembering and reflecting on the promises of God is a good way of orienting our days. This kind of perspective can have a calming effect on our minds when we know of specific challenges we have to face.

The Complete Lent 2021 Series

Lent 2021, Day 31 | Psalm 119:141-144

Psalm 119:141-144

¹⁴¹I am small and despised,
    yet I do not forget your precepts*.
¹⁴²Your righteousness is righteous forever,
    and your law is true.
¹⁴³Trouble and anguish have found me out,
    but your commandments are my delight.
¹⁴⁴Your testimonies are righteous forever;
    give me understanding that I may live.

Reflection

Of the many attributes of the psalms in the Bible, one that I greatly appreciate is the honesty we find there. The sharing of private thoughts and fears, of the struggles and frustrations of life. There are few emotions that are not explored. And some of them are uncomfortably raw.

But life is like this. So many of our private thoughts never find expression. As a result, they are buried and can have a negative effect on our minds and hearts. The regular reading of the Psalms is a practice we should all take up.

One of the oddities of life is how little we are able to express, without judgment, some of the darker thoughts we have. We need to cultivate a habit of this with a trusted friend. The idea is not to burden another person with our struggles, but to share our burdens with one another. In the process, we learn to live together in the hills and valleys.

It can be scary to be this honest. But God is neither afraid nor ashamed of hearing about the deep hurts and worries we have.

Commentary

Verse 141: As the days and years of life accrue, the opportunities to be reminded of our condition apart from God increase. We are lost without God. We have no real reason for eternal hope if we do not fellowship with God. However, when we have been reconciled to God; when we have experienced the grace of God in the cross of Christ; when we have been filled and empowered by the Holy Spirit, our frailty is no longer an obstacle. Our reception of God’s precepts gives us the ballast we need so we do not succumb to the tempests of life.

Verse 142: The writer calls us to ponder: How long will God’s goodness last? While the question may appear non-sensical, how we answer it matters. God will be good for as long as God is God. This is axiomatically true. So, what does that say about God’s law? It says that as long as God is God, his law shall be true. God’s character is the guarantee of his law’s veracity.

Verse 143: In the midst of the toils of life, it is good to have a safe harbor in which to rest. God’s commandments have not always been seen in this light. However, the implication of the Psalmist’s joy in spite of the trials of life should give us pause. To delight in God’s commandments does not require a trouble free life. It does require a us to put our focus on the gift of God’s word.

Verse 144: The testimonies of God shall be good and for our good as long as God lives. What a glorious truth. Our confidence in living according to what God commands is not in our ability to execute what God says, but in trusting God to lead us into greater understanding and deeper commitment.

The Complete Lent 2021 Series

Lent 2021, Day 30 | Psalm 119:137-140

Psalm 119:137-140

¹³⁷Righteous are you, O Lord,
    and right are your rules*.
¹³⁸You have appointed your testimonies in righteousness
    and in all faithfulness.
¹³⁹My zeal consumes me,
    because my foes forget your words.
¹⁴⁰Your promise is well tried,
    and your servant loves it.

Reflection

It is difficult to trust in God’s word when we do not always trust in God. I am not sure what other conclusion we can draw.

If we say that we believe that the Scriptures are God’s revelation to humanity, but we do not seek to understand its meaning or conform our lives to its mandates, questions must be asked. Do we actually believe what we claim?

One of the initial challenges to the Christian life is accepting the whole of God’s word as God’s word. To begin to grapple with all that the sacred texts contain.

The life of faith is not merely about performing rote functions at religious meetings. This is not what God desires or expects from us. However, if we do not honestly engage with what God has provided, but rather find reasons and ways of explaining away what is there, we will not find our faith in God growing. It will have been sabotaged before it even has a chance to get up to speed.

Commentary

Verse 137: The righteousness of God is what instills within us confidence in the rightness of the rules he gives to us. When we know God has command us to do something, we do not have to question whether we should do it. By virtue of it having been given by God, we should proceed with urgency.

Verse 138: What God has said will not be overturned. There is nothing that can do it. And there is no one who as the authority to do it. God’s word is unchangeable for God himself is unchanging. While this should cause us concern in our fellow human beings, we ought not have any such fears related to God. Human nature can be fickle and erratic. God’s nature is nothing of the sort. For this we can be ever thankful.

Verse 139: To be zealous, is to have a deep and constant passion for something. In this verse we see the zeal of the writer is overwhelming. They look at what is happening to those who forget the words of God and are motivated to redouble their efforts. To know God’s word is to become passionate about all it instructs.

Verse 140: When a child of God takes God at his word, the result is a fulfilled promise. The Psalmist tells us they have tested God’s promises and they have been found firm and unimpeachable. When our confidence in God is reaffirmed over and over again, it is difficult to lose hope or become distracted by the many trials and temptations of life. God’s faithful fulfillment of his promises gives us all the more reason to rejoice in God.

The Complete Lent 2021 Series

Lent 2021, Day 29 | Psalm 119:133-136

Psalm 119:133-136

¹³³Keep steady my steps according to your promise*,
    and let no iniquity get dominion over me.
¹³⁴Redeem me from man’s oppression,
    that I may keep your precepts.
¹³⁵Make your face shine upon your servant,
    and teach me your statutes.
¹³⁶My eyes shed streams of tears,
    because people do not keep your law.

Reflection

Once you have tasted of the goodness of God, it becomes difficult to forget what you have experienced. This is one of the more surprising aspects of the Christian journey.

The longer I live, the more aware I become of what it means to believe the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The irony is that I am not saying I understand it better. As a matter of fact, I feel like it makes less sense. Not because I am confused, but because I understand what it means!

God the Father made a plan with Jesus the Son to enter into the brokenness of this world. As a part of that plan they formulated a way for lost sinners to be redeemed from their fallen condition and be reconciled with God.

When you really think about it, that just doesn’t make any sense. Why would God do that? And even more to the point, why would I believe that? The answer is both simple and overwhelming. It is simple because if we take God’s word at face value, that he actually means what he has said, then we have to accept that his love is without reservation or boundary.

But, believing the Gospel is also overwhelming. It is so because to acknowledge God’s action to save we have to accept how terrible our sin actually is. If that is what it took to save lost sinners, how could we not want others to know and enjoy this love with us?

Commentary

Verse 133: As we walk the journey of faith, the opportunities to stubble do not decrease. They may very well increase. It does not matter in which direction it is, as long as we keep walking towards God’s will, we can trust in God’s direction. This is the request here. “Keep steady my steps.” An honest prayer, for a certain reality in this world.

Verse 134: The life of faithful obedience will have a cost. That cost, most often, manifests itself in the opposition of those who do not live with a similar conviction. Submission to God’s commands will identify us and mark us for greater scrutiny. Whether that evaluation leads to blessing or hardship cannot be determined before hand. Each person we encounter in life must choose how they will respond. But regardless of their choice, we must continue to keep God’s precepts.

Verse 135: In a poetic sense, almost all references to God’s face is an acknowledgment of an intimate relationship with God. To see God’s face or to speak to God face-to-face is to connect with how God referred to his relationship with Moses. This is what we should aspire to. This is why the link between the request for God to make is face “shine upon your servant” and God’s statutes is interesting. The implication seems to be that the more intimate our relationship with God, the greater our receptivity to God’s commands.

Verse 136: The Psalmist laments how so many others fail to keep God’s law. The sadness comes from a keen awareness of all that the writer has enjoyed as a result of accepting the revelation of God’s wisdom. To see others deny themselves of this, either by ignorance or by choice, is a deeply troubling realization.

The Complete Lent 2021 Series