Psalm 27
The Lord is my light and my salvation;
whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold[refuge] of my life;
of whom shall I be afraid?
2 When evildoers assail me
to eat up my flesh,
my adversaries and foes,
it is they who stumble and fall.
3 Though an army encamp against me,
my heart shall not fear;
though war arise against me,
yet I will be confident.
4 One thing have I asked of the Lord,
that will I seek after:
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
all the days of my life,
to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord
and to inquire[meditate] in his temple.
5 For he will hide me in his shelter
in the day of trouble;
he will conceal me under the cover of his tent;
he will lift me high upon a rock.
6 And now my head shall be lifted up
above my enemies all around me,
and I will offer in his tent
sacrifices with shouts of joy;
I will sing and make melody to the Lord.
7 Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud;
be gracious to me and answer me!
8 You have said, “Seek my face.”
My heart says to you,
“Your face, Lord, do I seek.”
9 Hide not your face from me.
Turn not your servant away in anger,
O you who have been my help.
Cast me not off; forsake me not,
O God of my salvation!
10 For my father and my mother have forsaken me,
but the Lord will take me in.
11 Teach me your way, O Lord,
and lead me on a level path
because of my enemies.
12 Give me not up to the will of my adversaries;
for false witnesses have risen against me,
and they breathe out violence.
13 I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord
in the land of the living!
14 Wait for the Lord;
be strong, and let your heart take courage;
wait for the Lord!
People can aggravate you. Irritate. Annoy. Ridicule.
Words can encourage, knit and tear down. Words can be very powerful.
David as a human being in the Scriptures knew the power of words.
What Words could ever match the incomparable Word of GOD?
whom shall I fear?
of whom shall I be afraid?
an army encamp against me
He will lift me high upon a rock
O You who have been my help!
The Lord will take me in.
be strong, and let your heart take courage.
David tells us people are fickle, in situations. We can rely upon the LORD and His promises in His Word. We are defined by Him. Accept no lesser judgement.
My heart says to you,
“Your face, Lord, do I seek.”
The Lord's will is not always comfortable for the doers. Samuel was adopted out to Eli in the Temple of the Lord. He was orphaned. David was not put before the Prophet when Samuel came. Samuel had to ask David's father to retrieve the overlooked David, from his father's work of shepherding. Hezekiah's father Azah hoped Hezekiah would tear down the Temple and give the gold to the Assyrians to keep Hezekiah as a puppet king. Abraham proceeded to sacrifice Isaac until stopped. And Jesus cried out, "Why have You forsaken me?" Jesus was carrying all the sins of the world, ours, upon Him.
Jesus took the brokenness of that moment - the first person to see Him was Mary Magdalene. He adopted her saying "Your Father and Mine." Mary was seeking the face of Jesus - to be able to be adopted.
My heart says to you,
“Your face, Lord, do I seek.”
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Tonight, at Maundy Thursday, I had the privilege to sit in front of soft-spoken child questioning his father. His questions, if we phrase them biblically, were the height, breadth, width, depth of the service.
Ephesians 3:18
May have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
If you let your imagination run over what a child might ask, these were the typical questions of a child asked to attend a longer Church service, and one that is unfamiliar. The questions were softly asked, trusting the Father, the answer would be provided, with love. Not questions we would hope our child would hold up to God, straight away. The child, knowing the Father, was not going to ask the Cup be taken away. The service would be seen to the conclusion.
The Father spoke lovingly, with infinite patience. Love. Mercy. Questions were answered. As I turned to go home, I saw the child was held lovingly. I was reminded again, how much He bends down to lift us. To sit with us.
This is Our Father. This is why. We have Easter. Infinite Love.
The breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge
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