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A Resource by Mark D. Roberts |
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Inspiration, Volume 2
December 3, 2006 through March
25, 2007
by Rev. Dr. Mark D. Roberts
Copyright © 2006-2007 by Mark D. Roberts
Note: You may download this resource at no cost, for personal use or for use in a Christian ministry, as long as you are not publishing it for sale. All I ask is that you give credit where credit is due. For all other uses, please contact me at mark@markdroberts.com. Thank you.
Sunday, December 3, 2006 
Psalm 80:1-2
Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel,
you who lead Joseph like a flock!
You who are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth
before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh.
Stir up your might,
and come to save us!
Prayer
Dear Lord, You are the Good Shepherd. You watch out for Your people, guiding us, protecting us, nurturing us. With You we are eternally safe from all danger.
And yet, Lord, we there are temporal dangers, temporal sufferings all around us. We worry about the threat of terrorism. We fret about potential proliferation of nuclear weapons. We grieve to see lives destroyed by senseless violence. We see the pain of the hungry and yearn for their feeding. We glimpse the heartache caused by HIV/AIDs and yearn for the day when you will dry every tear.
O Lord, as we begin this new Christian year, and as we begin the season of Advent, we cry out with Your people long ago: "Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel! Stir up your might, and come to save us!"
Postscript
Today is the first day of the season of Advent, which is the first season in the Christian year. During Advent we remember the yearning of Israel for the Messiah's first coming, and we ourselves look forward to His second coming.
In my church and family we use the traditional Advent wreath as a way of focusing our hearts during this season. We light one candle each Sunday (or thereabouts) of Advent, and then the white candle on Christmas Eve night as we begin the celebration of Christmas. (This year Christmas Eve is a Sunday, so we'll light the fourth candle on Sunday morning and the center candle on Sunday evening). |
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If you would like to enjoy a virtual Advent wreath, you can use the picture above. When you click on the correct candle, it will light up. Otherwise, you must be patient. Enjoy! And may you have a blessed Advent.
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If you're looking for more information about Advent, let me direct you to a series I've written over the past couple of years. It's called: Advent and the Christian Year. If you'd like to use an Advent wreath in your devotion and don't know quite what to do, I've written a brief guide to help you: Preparing for the Coming of Christ: A Family Guide for Using the Advent Wreath.
Comment?
If you would like to add a comment on this post, click here.
The Daily Psalm
The Daily Psalm is my devotional website. Each day I put up a psalm, a prayer based on that psalm, and some additional input, like a brief commentary or a quotation. I use material from The Daily Psalm on markdroberts.com for Sunday inspiration.
Sunday, December 10, 2006
Psalm 130:5
I wait for the LORD, my soul waits,
and in his word I hope.
Prayer
O Lord, waiting for You is never easy. I'm such an impatient person. My timetable is so short, and my patience shorter still. It's always hard for me to wait for You, and You know that.
But the author of Psalm 130 isn't waiting for You in ordinary times. He is desperate, crying to You "out of the depths." Yet he waits because You haven't acted. What other options does he have? I suppose he could give up on You entirely, concluding either that You don't exist, or that You aren't gracious. So what keeps Him waiting, even hoping in You though You don't act?
He persists because He knows You. He knows that You are a forgiving God. He knows that with You there is steadfast love. He knows that You have great power to redeem. He remembers Your faithfulness to Israel, Your promises and actions from the past. And so he has hope. And so he waits.
Dear Lord, in this season of Advent, may I also remember who You are and what You have done. May I think back to the longing of Israel for a Messiah and the amazing way You sent Your Son as the Savior. May I remember the many ways You have revealed Your steadfast love, most of all in Jesus who came to reveal Your truth and to die in our place.
Help me, Gracious God, to wait for You and hope in You. And help others, especially those who are crying to You from the depths today. In particular, I want to pray for . . . [mention the names of people in your life who are struggling today].
O God, thank You for hearing my cries from the depths. Thank You for Your forgiveness, for Your steadfast love and redeeming power. Thank You for being a God worth waiting for!
Amen!
Psalm 130
A Song of Ascents.
1 Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD.
2 Lord, hear my voice!
Let your ears be attentive
to the voice of my supplications!
3 If you, O LORD, should mark iniquities,
Lord, who could stand?
4 But there is forgiveness with you,
so that you may be revered.
5 I wait for the LORD, my soul waits,
and in his word I hope;
6 my soul waits for the Lord
more than those who watch for the morning,
more than those who watch for the morning.
7 O Israel, hope in the LORD!
For with the LORD there is steadfast love,
and with him is great power to redeem.
8 It is he who will redeem Israel
from all its iniquities.
Postscript
Today is the second Sunday of the season of Advent. In my church and family we use the traditional Advent wreath as a way of focusing our hearts during this season. We light one candle each Sunday and then the white candle on Christmas Eve night as we begin the celebration of Christmas. (This year Christmas Eve is a Sunday, so we'll light the fourth candle on Sunday morning and the center candle on Sunday evening).
Many hymns have been based on Psalm 130. Though we don't think of these as Advent hymns in particular, they do capture the sense of the season. Here are a couple of examples: |
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If you would like to enjoy a virtual Advent wreath, you can use the picture above. When you click on the correct candle, it will light up. Otherwise, you must be patient. Enjoy! And may you have a blessed Advent.
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A Hymn Based on Psalm 130
by Isaac Watts
Out of the deeps of long distress,
The borders of despair,
I sent my cries to seek thy grace,
My groans to move thine ear.
Great God, should thy severer eye,
And thine impartial hand,
Mark and revenge iniquity,
No mortal flesh could stand.
But there are pardons with my God
For crimes of high degree;
Thy Son has bought them with his blood,
To draw us near to thee.
I wait for thy salvation, Lord,
With strong desires I wait;
My soul, invited by thy word,
Stands watching at thy gate.
Just as the guards that keep the night
Long for the morning skies,
Watch the first beams of breaking light,
And meet them with their eyes;
So waits my soul to see thy grace,
And, more intent than they,
Meets the first openings of thy face,
And finds a brighter day.
Then in the Lord let Isr'el trust,
Let Isr'el seek his face;
The Lord is good as well as just,
And plenteous is his grace.
There's full redemption at his throne.
For sinners long enslaved;
The great Redeemer is his Son,
And Isr'el shall be saved.
"Out of the Depths" (orig. Aus tiefer Noth)
by Martin Luther (trans. Catherine Winkworth)
Out of the depths I cry to Thee;
Lord, hear me, I implore Thee!
Bend down Thy gracious ear to me;
I lay my sins before Thee.
If Thou rememberest each misdeed,
If each should have its rightful meed,
Who may abide Thy presence?
Thou grantest pardon through Thy love;
Thy grace alone availeth;
Our works could ne’er our guilt remove;
Yea, e’en the best life faileth.
For none may boast himself of aught,
But must confess Thy grace hath wrought
Whate’er in him is worthy.
And thus my hope is in the Lord,
And not in my own merit;
I rest upon His faithful Word
To them of contrite spirit.
That He is merciful and just,
Here is my comfort and my trust;
His help I wait with patience.
Comment?
If you would like to add a comment on this post, click here.
The Daily Psalm
The Daily Psalm is my devotional website. Each day I put up a psalm, a prayer based on that psalm, and some additional input, like a brief commentary or a quotation. I use material from The Daily Psalm on markdroberts.com for Sunday inspiration.
Sunday, December 17, 2006
Psalm 126:6
Those who go out weeping,
bearing the seed for sowing,
hall come home with shouts of joy,
carrying their sheaves.
Prayer
This world is filled with weeping, Lord,
of a father for a son who has given his life in battle,
of a mother whose child was killed as an innocent bystander in a drive-by shooting,
of orphans who have lost this parents to AIDS,
of parents who don't have access to medicines for their sick children,
of villagers who have seen their lives destroyed by violence in Darfur,
of millions of people throughout our world who are hungry and hopeless,
and on, and on, and on.
In Advent we pay attention to the pain of our world as we long for the new creation, when weapons will be turned into tools for growing food, when the powerful will lie down in peace with the weak, when You will wipe away every tear. Yet on the third Sunday of Advent we focus especially on the joy that is to come, the joy beyond the weeping, the joy made even more precious by the sadness it replaces. Today we get to taste a bit of that joy, Lord, and it is delicious. Indeed, it increases our hunger for the feast yet to come.
So we rejoice today, Lord, as we think of what You have already done for us, most of all through Jesus, whose birth we are soon to celebrate. And we rejoice in confident hope of that joy that is set before us. We yearn for the day, gracious God, when those who have gone out with weeping will return with shouts of joy. Maranatha! Come, Lord Jesus!
Psalm 126
A Song of Ascents.
1 When the LORD restored the fortunes of Zion,
we were like those who dream.
2 Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
and our tongue with shouts of joy;
then it was said among the nations,
“The LORD has done great things for them.”
3 The LORD has done great things for us,
and we rejoiced.
4 Restore our fortunes, O LORD,
like the watercourses in the Negeb.
5 May those who sow in tears
reap with shouts of joy.
6 Those who go out weeping,
bearing the seed for sowing,
shall come home with shouts of joy,
carrying their sheaves.
Postscript
Today is the third Sunday of the season of Advent. In my church and family we use the traditional Advent wreath as a way of focusing our hearts during this season. We light one candle each Sunday and then the white candle on Christmas Eve night as we begin the celebration of Christmas.
It is tradition to light a pink candle on the third Sunday of Advent. The color significes joy, and helps us to remember the joy in our waiting.
Giving Joyfully |
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If you would like to enjoy a virtual Advent wreath, you can use the picture above. When you click on the correct candle, it will light up. Otherwise, you must be patient. Enjoy! |
As we rejoice in God's goodness to us, and as we remember those who have "gone out" with weeping, our hearts are moved to be generous in giving. I have been encouraging several channels of giving in this season of Advent and Christmas:
• Your local church. (Yes, of course I have a bias in this direction! But I'm very aware of the needs and opportunities of local churches.)
• World Vision. No organization in the world does a better joy caring for the poor in the name of Christ. See World Vision's "Ways to Give" page.
• Injured Marines Sempre Fi Fund. Here's a way to care for those who have given much in service to our country, and also for their families. See their "How You Can Help" page.
• If you have a favorite charity, by all means give an extra gift in this season.
Comment?
If you would like to add a comment on this post, click here.
The Daily Psalm
The Daily Psalm is my devotional website. Each day I put up a psalm, a prayer based on that psalm, and some additional input, like a brief commentary or a quotation. I use material from The Daily Psalm on markdroberts.com for Sunday inspiration.
Sunday, December 24, 2006 
Psalm 89:46
How long, O LORD? Will you hide yourself forever?
Prayer
Dear Lord, on this last day of Advent we join the psalmist in asking "How long?"
How long before You will wipe away every tear from the millions of children in this world who have lost their parents because of AIDS?
How long before You will provide food for the hungry?
How long before You bring down the oppressor and raise up the victims of injustice?
How long before You heal broken bodies and mend shattered hearts?
How long before the innocents won't be killed in drive-by shootings?
How long before hatred is consumed by Your love?
How long before You reveal Your glory to those who defame You?
How long before the kingdoms of this world become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ?
How long before Your peace encompasses this world?
O Lord, as we consider the suffering and sorrow of this world, our hearts yearn for You to make things right. We look forward with aching hearts for Your coming in the fullness of Your kingdom.
As we wait, dear Lord, help us
to wipe away the tears of orphaned children,
to feed the hungry,
to seek Your justice and minister to the oppressed,
to be instruments of Your healing,
to stand against senseless violence,
to offer love instead of hate,
to reflect Your glory in this world,
to seek for Your kingdom and righteousness,
to be peacemakers in every aspect of our lives.
By Your grace, may we live as Your Advent people in this world, not just in this season of the year, but every day. To You be all the glory! Amen!
Postscript
Today is the fourth Sunday of Advent, which also happens to be the last Sunday of Advent, which also happens to be Christmas Eve. Most Christians remain in an Advent mode of expectation until evening, when Christmas celebrations begin. In my church, for example, we light the fourth candle of the Advent wreath in the morning, and then the fifth, Christ candle in our evening services.
Comment?
If you would like to add a comment on this post, click here. |
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If you would like to enjoy a virtual Advent wreath, you can use the picture above. When you click on the correct candle, it will light up. Otherwise, you must be patient. Enjoy.
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The Daily Psalm
The Daily Psalm is my devotional website. Each day I put up a psalm, a prayer based on that psalm, and some additional input, like a brief commentary or a quotation. I use material from The Daily Psalm on markdroberts.com for Sunday inspiration.
Monday, December 25, 2006
Psalm 96:8
Worship the LORD in holy splendor;
tremble before him, all the earth.
Prayer
Where is Your holy splendor, Lord Jesus? There You lie, wrapped up in cloth, just like every other newborn. Yet Your bed is a feed trough, about as far from splendor as its gets. Or so it seems.
Yet in Your humility You reveal even more of the astounding glory of God, a God who hasn't remained far above and beyond human suffering, but who has entered into our reality, experiencing our weakness, our frailty, our temptation, and everything else we face, except what it's like to sin. Your splendor, Lord Jesus, is indeed a holy splendor, a splendor set-apart. It's not the glory we human expect, but the glory of God Incarnate.
Seeing You in the manger, what can we do but worship You?
But would the earth tremble before You, a helpless baby, a baby who even lacks a suitable bed? Hardly. The earth would ignore You, or perhaps scorn Your low estate.
The earth has yet to realize who You are and what You have come to do. The One who holds all power in heaven and on earth has become powerless for our sake. The One who created the earth itself has come to restore His creation. The earth should tremble in reverent fear, beholding the mystery of the Incarnation, the beginning of the new creation, the presence of God in its midst.
Help us, Lord Jesus, as we worship You, to glimpse Your unexpected glory, to feel Your power clothed in weakness. Help us to tremble before You this day, in holy fear, in passionate adoration, and in joyful praise. All praise be to You, Jesus, Son of God, Word of God made flesh!
Amen!
Postscript: Psalm 96
1 O sing to the LORD a new song;
sing to the LORD, all the earth.
2 Sing to the LORD, bless his name;
tell of his salvation from day to day.
3 Declare his glory among the nations,
his marvelous works among all the peoples.
4 For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised;
he is to be revered above all gods.
5 For all the gods of the peoples are idols,
but the LORD made the heavens.
6 Honor and majesty are before him;
strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.
7 Ascribe to the LORD, O families of the peoples,
ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.
8 Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name;
bring an offering, and come into his courts.
9 Worship the LORD in holy splendor;
tremble before him, all the earth.
10 Say among the nations, “The LORD is king!
The world is firmly established; it shall never be moved.
He will judge the peoples with equity.”
11 Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice;
let the sea roar, and all that fills it;
12 let the field exult, and everything in it.
Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy
13 before the LORD; for he is coming,
for he is coming to judge the earth.
He will judge the world with righteousness,
and the peoples with his truth.
The Lighting of the Christ Candle
Finally, after waiting through the week of Advent, we get to light the Christ candle. Go ahead and click on the wick of the center candle to finish the Advent Wreath and celebrate the birth of Jesus.
The Daily Psalm
The Daily Psalm is my devotional website. Each day I put up a psalm, a prayer based on that psalm, and some additional input, like a brief commentary or a quotation. I use material from The Daily Psalm on markdroberts.com for Sunday inspiration. |
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Tuesday, December 26, 2006
Psalm 104:1-2
Bless the LORD, O my soul.
O LORD my God, you are very great.
You are clothed with honor and majesty,
wrapped in light as with a garment.
Prayer
Wrapped in light? Indeed, You are, dear Lord. Yet in this season of Christmas we remember another wrapping: "And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn." You were wrapped up, dear Jesus, just like any other baby born into Your culture. Just like any other baby, except, of course, for the unsettling humility of Your bed.
How I honor You, my Lord, for Your willingness to put one human clothing, indeed, human nature! You took off Your radiant glory and put on a different glory, a humble glory, a gracious glory.
All praise be to You, Lord Jesus, in Your amazing and surprising glory!
Postscript
And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth. . . . No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father’s heart, who has made him known.
John 1:14, 18
This marvelous painting by Giotto portrays the "Crib"
of St. Francis: one of the first Nativity scenes/pageants on record.
Sunday, December 31, 2006
Psalm 136:26
O give thanks to the God of heaven,
for his steadfast love endures forever.
Prayer
On this last day of the calendar year, it seems only right to give You thanks, dear Lord, for You have made Your steadfast love known to me in so many ways this year.
You have given me purpose for living,
For Your steadfast love endures forever.
You have forgiven my sin and renewed me in Your love,
For Your steadfast love endures forever.
You have surrounded me with loving family and friends,
For Your steadfast love endures forever.
You have called me to a wonderful church,
For Your steadfast love endures forever.
You have graced me with wise counselors,
For Your steadfast love endures forever.
You have reached out to me when I have been discouraged,
For Your steadfast love endures forever.
You have blessed me with good health and great adventures,
For Your steadfast love endures forever.
You have drawn me closer to Yourself, helping me to walk with You each day,
For Your steadfast love endures forever.
And so much more . . . ,
For Your steadfast love endures forever.
How I give You thanks, O God of Heaven,
For Your steadfast love endures forever!
Postscript: Psalm 136
1 O give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,
for his steadfast love endures forever.
2 O give thanks to the God of gods,
for his steadfast love endures forever.
3 O give thanks to the Lord of lords,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
4 who alone does great wonders,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
5 who by understanding made the heavens,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
6 who spread out the earth on the waters,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
7 who made the great lights,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
8 the sun to rule over the day,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
9 the moon and stars to rule over the night,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
10 who struck Egypt through their firstborn,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
11 and brought Israel out from among them,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
12 with a strong hand and an outstretched arm,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
13 who divided the Red Sea in two,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
14 and made Israel pass through the midst of it,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
15 but overthrew Pharaoh and his army in the Red Sea,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
16 who led his people through the wilderness,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
17 who struck down great kings,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
18 and killed famous kings,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
19 Sihon, king of the Amorites,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
20 and Og, king of Bashan,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
21 and gave their land as a heritage,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
22 a heritage to his servant Israel,
for his steadfast love endures forever.
23 It is he who remembered us in our low estate,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
24 and rescued us from our foes,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
25 who gives food to all flesh,
for his steadfast love endures forever.
26 O give thanks to the God of heaven,
for his steadfast love endures forever.
The Daily Psalm
The Daily Psalm is my devotional website. Each day I put up a psalm, a prayer based on that psalm, and some additional input, like a brief commentary or a quotation. I use material from The Daily Psalm on markdroberts.com for Sunday inspiration. |
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On the last day of the year, here are my favorite sunset and sunrise pictures.
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Sunday, January 7, 2007
Luke 2:32
. . . a light for revelation to the Gentiles
and for glory to your people Israel.”
Prayer
O Lord Jesus, You are the light of the world, "a light for revelation to the Gentiles." God, in His love and mercy, sent You not only for Israel, but also for the whole earth. In You all people find healing, truth, and salvation. You are the clearest revelation of God, the very embodiment of God in human form, the Word made flesh.
How we praise You, Light of the world, for Your radiance, Your glory, Your truth! How we thank You for the generosity of Your appearing among us!
| Let Your light shine upon us, dear Lord, not only so that we might see You and see how best to live, but also so that we might reflect Your light into the world. Help us to live in such a way that our words and works reveal Your presence. Teach us how not to hide our light, but rather to let it shine so that You might be glorified through us. |
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Summer sky above Palm Desert, California
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Postscript
5 And now the LORD says,
who formed me in the womb to be his servant,
to bring Jacob back to him,
and that Israel might be gathered to him,
for I am honored in the sight of the LORD,
and my God has become my strength—
6 he says,
“It is too light a thing that you should be my servant
to raise up the tribes of Jacob
and to restore the survivors of Israel;
I will give you as a light to the nations,
that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.”
Isaiah 49:5-6
Here I Am To Worship
by Tim Hughes
Light of the world
You stepped down into darkness
Opened my eyes let me see
Beauty that made
This heart adore You
Hope of a life spent with You
So here I am to worship
Here I am to bow down
Here I am to say that You're my God
And You're altogether lovely
Altogether worthy
Altogether wonderful to me
King of all days
Oh so highly exalted
Glorious in heaven above
Humbly You came
To the earth You created
All for love's sake became poor
And I'll never know how much it cost
To see my sin upon that cross
And I'll never know how much it cost
To see my sin upon that cross
CCLI Song No. 3266032 © 2000 Thankyou Music (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing)
Comment?
If you would like to add a comment on this post, click here.
Pray the Gospels
Pray the Gospels is one of my devotional website. Each day I put up a portion of a gospel, a prayer based on that text, and some additional input, like a brief commentary or a quotation. I use material from Pray the Gospels on markdroberts.com for Sunday inspiration.
Thursday, January 11, 2007
Psalm 10:1
Why, O LORD, do you stand far off?
Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?
Prayer
Dear Lord, these are the million dollar questions. These are the ones that just don't make sense to us. There is perhaps no greater challenge to our faith than when terrible things are happening, and You seem to be standing far off. Why, dear God, do you seem to be hiding?
It's hard to believe in You when Your actions don't measure up to our expectations. We confess You to be a good, loving, kind, and gracious God. And so often we experience these aspects of Your character. But then there are the other times, when Your goodness seems to have vanished, when innocent children suffer with cancer, when Your ordained servants abuse children, when tsunamis, hurricanes, and earthquakes devastate millions of lives. |
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Victims of the tsunami that struck in the
Indian Ocean in December 2004
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What choice do we have, Lord? To give up on You? That's really no choice since it betrays so much of what we have known of You. To hold on in spite of what seems to us so inconsistent with Your nature? To trust you, even when we doubt? To cry out, "Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner?" Yes, this is our choice. Help us, Lord!
Psalm 10
1 Why, O LORD, do you stand far off?
Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?
2 In arrogance the wicked persecute the poor—
let them be caught in the schemes they have devised.
3 For the wicked boast of the desires of their heart,
those greedy for gain curse and renounce the LORD.
4 In the pride of their countenance the wicked say, “God will not seek it out”;
all their thoughts are, “There is no God.”
5 Their ways prosper at all times;
your judgments are on high, out of their sight;
as for their foes, they scoff at them.
6 They think in their heart, “We shall not be moved;
throughout all generations we shall not meet adversity.”
7 Their mouths are filled with cursing and deceit and oppression;
under their tongues are mischief and iniquity.
8 They sit in ambush in the villages;
in hiding places they murder the innocent.
Their eyes stealthily watch for the helpless;
9 they lurk in secret like a lion in its covert;
they lurk that they may seize the poor;
they seize the poor and drag them off in their net.
10 They stoop, they crouch,
and the helpless fall by their might.
11 They think in their heart, “God has forgotten,
he has hidden his face, he will never see it.”
12 Rise up, O LORD; O God, lift up your hand;
do not forget the oppressed.
13 Why do the wicked renounce God,
and say in their hearts, “You will not call us to account”?
14 But you do see! Indeed you note trouble and grief,
that you may take it into your hands;
the helpless commit themselves to you;
you have been the helper of the orphan.
15 Break the arm of the wicked and evildoers;
seek out their wickedness until you find none.
16 The LORD is king forever and ever;
the nations shall perish from his land.
17 O LORD, you will hear the desire of the meek;
you will strengthen their heart, you will incline your ear
18 to do justice for the orphan and the oppressed,
so that those from earth may strike terror no more.
Postscript
One of the things I love about the Psalms is their honesty. The psalmists don't mince words. They don't tidy everything up for God. They don't pretend. Rather, they open their hearts. They say what they really think, even when it seems too brash, even theologically questionable. By their openness the psalmists give us permission and courage to tell the Lord exactly what's on our minds and hearts, without holding back or cleaning up the messiness of our souls.
Comment?
If you would like to add a comment on this post, click here.
Sunday, January 14, 2007
Luke 5:15-16
But now more than ever the word about Jesus spread abroad; many crowds would gather to hear him and to be cured of their diseases. But he would withdraw to deserted places and pray.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, even as Your popularity grew, You repeatedly backed away from the crowds and their adulation in order to pray. You intentionally sought out places of quiet and solitude in order to focus, not on human agendas, but rather on the agenda of Your Heavenly Father.
O Lord, if You needed to get away to pray, then so do I . . .desperately. I need to imitate You by finding times and places where I can be alone with the Father, where I can pour out my heart freely in prayer and open my heart to receive the Father's will. Yet in my busyness and, frankly, in my own spiritual inertia, it's easy for me to neglect this need. Of course then I wonder why I have such a hard time discerning Your will, or why You seem so distant from me.
So help me, dear Lord, to do as You did, and to get away from the racket and demands of my life so that I might spend time in prayer. May this become a priority for me, so that I might draw near to You with a ready, open, and quiet heart.
Postscript
Of course we don't know exactly where Jesus went to find "deserted places." Luke places Jesus in the area near the Sea of Galilee, which he calls the lake of Gennesaret (Luke 5:1). Jesus ministered in the towns along the northwestern side of this body of water, in a large, flat area called the Plain of Genessaret. Somewhere in this area he found solitary places to pray.
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Pray the Gospels |
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This picture is from Holy Land Photos, a fantastic website for people interested in the Bible and its lands. |
Pray the Gospels is one of my devotional websites. Each day I put up a portion of a gospel, a prayer based on that text, and some additional input, like a brief commentary or a quotation. I use material from Pray the Gospels on markdroberts.com for Sunday inspiration.
Sunday, January 21, 2007
Luke 6:41
Why do you see the speck in your neighbor’s eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye?
Prayer
Why do I see the speck in my neighbor's eye, but do not notice the log in my own eye? I can answer that question, Lord, though I'm not proud of what I'm about to say. For one thing, it's simply a matter of habit. I'm so used to seeing the mistakes of others rather than my own. But, more deeply, when I focus on the flaws in those around me, I feel better about myself. "At least I'm not like them!" I think.
More deeply still, by paying attention to what's wrong with my neighbor, I'm distracted from dealing with my own "stuff," my own sin. If I've been in a conflict with somebody, I don't want to confront what I've done wrong. Rather, I want to point a finger of blame at the other person, thereby letting myself off the hook.
As I said, gracious Lord, I'm not proud of what I've just confessed to You. But it's the truth. So I ask You to forgive me. Even more, I ask for the courage to confront my own sin, my own shortcomings. Help me, merciful Lord, to take the log out of my eyes, so that with humility and grace I might then help my neighbor. Amen.
Postscript
As a pastor I get involved in church conflicts, especially when they involve lots of people and lots of hurt feelings. Inevitably, the primary combatants have focused 100% of their energy on the specks in their neighbors' eyes. Sure, they might say, "Oh, I made mistakes," but rarely have they taken these mistakes seriously. Even more rarely have they come before the Lord in humble confession and submission. One of the greatest challenges I face as a pastor is helping folks in the midst of conflict to deal with their own "logs." Sometimes they will; often they refuse. And, in the saddest of situations, sometimes they'll even leave the church because they aren't willing to acknowledge their own flaws.
Yet I have seen many occasions, thank God, when people on both sides of a dispute begin to examine their own mistakes, when they come on their knees before the Lord. When this happens, genuine reconciliation is near. |
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My son demonstrates his spiritual depth by attempting to take the log out of his own eye before dealing with the specks in mine.
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Pray the Gospels
Pray the Gospels is one of my devotional websites. Each day I put up a portion of a gospel, a prayer based on that text, and some additional input, like a brief commentary or a quotation. I use material from Pray the Gospels on markdroberts.com for Sunday inspiration.
Sunday, January 28, 2007
Luke 8:15
But as for that in the good soil, these are the ones who, when they hear the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patient endurance.
Prayer
O Lord, may I be "good soil" for Your Word. As I read the Scripture, as I hear the gospel preached, as I receive teaching from Your servants, may Your Word be planted deeply within me. May its roots touch the bottom of my soul, never to be loosened by heresy or adversity or temptation. May Your Word flourish in my life.
And then, dear Lord, may it bear rich and plentiful fruit for Your kingdom. May there be many who know You in part because of my witness. And may many others grow in their faith because of Your Word active in me.
Postscript
I've done a bit of planting in my life. Nothing complicated. I'm no farmer. But I've planted quite a few flowers and vegetables and the like. One thing I've learned over the years is to prepare the soil. The extra time it takes to work in soil amendments pays off richly in plant growth and flowers or fruit.
So what are the "soil amendments" that will help us to be "good soil" for God's Word? I think of things like: honesty, study, prayer, silence, Christian community, worship, obedience, and humility. I'm sure there are many more that could be added to the list. But even this small list of "amendments" gives me plenty to work on so that I might be fertile soil for the Lord. |
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Now that's what I call a tree rich in fruit.
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Pray the Gospels
Pray the Gospels is one of my devotional websites. Each day I put up a portion of a gospel, a prayer based on that text, and some additional input, like a brief commentary or a quotation. I use material from Pray the Gospels on markdroberts.com for Sunday inspiration.
Sunday, February 4, 2007
Luke 9:23
Then he said to them all, "If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me."
Prayer
Dear Lord, this verse leaves me with mixed feelings. I want to be one of Your followers, truly. I would really like to follow You more faithfully each and every day. But denying myself is both hard and confusing. It's hard because, quite frankly, I don't like to deny myself. It's contrary to nature, at least my fallen nature. And it's confusing because sometimes I'm not at all sure what this really means. Just how much should I deny myself? What are You really asking? Should I have no pleasures, no joys? Hardly. You're the giver of all good gifts. So what exactly should I do if I'm to deny myself?
What is clear to me, Lord, is that You are calling me to a new way of being, a new consciousness. Rather than living for myself, rather than seeking my own advancement and happiness and security, I'm to seek You, to be like You and to do like You above all. I'm to offer my life to You as a living sacrifice, so that You might be glorified in me and so that I might be used in the work of Your kingdom.
When it comes to the matter of self-denial, though I may not understand completely what this means, may my heart be open to Your guidance each day, so that I might discern what You're asking of me. And may I give up myself for Your sake, seeking to "take up my cross" in obedience to You.
Postscript
I have often wondered what the disciples thought when Jesus spoke of their taking up their cross. As we read this, of course we think in terms of Jesus's own crucifixion and its meaning. But, even though Jesus had predicted His death, it's unlikely that His disciples had any sense what He was really talking about. They would have associated taking up one's cross with the ultimate in humiliation and torture. My guess is that this is one of those sayings of Jesus that was at first remembered for its oddness, and only later understood as Jesus intended it.
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The third of the stations of the cross at Serra Retreat Center in Malibu, California
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Pray the Gospels
Pray the Gospels is one of my devotional websites. Each day I put up a portion of a gospel, a prayer based on that text, and some additional input, like a brief commentary or a quotation. I use material from Pray the Gospels on markdroberts.com for Sunday inspiration.
Sunday, February 11, 2007
Luke 10:41-42
But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.”
Prayer
O Lord, I am such a Martha! (It makes sense, given that my mother and grandmother are named Martha!) But, seriously, I hear what You once said to Martha–"you are worried and distracted by many things"–as if You are saying this to me right now. Indeed, I am worried and distracted by many things. Some are silly things, trivial things. Some are important, having to do with pastoral concerns or tomorrow's Bible study or next weekend's sermon.
Your point isn't that these things don't matter at all. If indeed Martha was busy preparing food, this wasn't a waste of time. We do need to eat, after all. Even You needed to eat. Yet Martha was worried by these things. They weren't a source of joyful service to her, but a burden. More importantly, they distracted her from the "one thing" that really mattered: spending time with You.
In my tradition, Lord, we think of Mary as one who listened to Your teaching. Surely this is true, startling so given the cultural context in which rabbis rarely taught women. But I wonder if Mary's "one thing" wasn't merely listening to Your words, but being with You, sitting at Your feet. In this relational setting she heard Your teaching, to be sure. But Mary's "better part" was not simply taking in Your content, however wonderful that might have been. Rather, she was spending time in Your presence.
Help me, dear Lord, to choose the "better part." When I am worried and distracted by many things, help me to set aside time for being with You. Keep me from cutting short my times of prayer, or even neglecting them altogether. Keep me from rushing through so I can get back to my work. Help me, gracious Lord, to be like Mary.
Postscript
In the time of Jesus, most Jewish teachers did not teach women. Some even rabbis even condemned the practice. One said, ""One who teaches his daughter the Torah, it is as though he taught her obscenity" (Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh Deah 246:6). Jesus, on the other hand, both taught women and included them among his close followers (Luke 8:1-3).
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Pray the Gospels
Pray the Gospels is one of my devotional websites. Each day I put up a portion of a gospel, a prayer based on that text, and some additional input, like a brief commentary or a quotation. I use material from Pray the Gospels on markdroberts.com for Sunday inspiration.
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Jan Vermeer Van Delft, "Christ in the House of Martha and Mary," c. 1654-55
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Sunday,
February 25, 2007
Luke 13:19
"[The kingdom of God] is like a mustard
seed that someone took and sowed in the garden; it grew and became
a tree, and the birds of the air made nests in its branches.”
Prayer
O Lord, sometimes it's hard to wait for Your
kingdom to grow. After all, You are the great God, the Creator
of all things, King of kings and Lord of lords. It seems as if
Your kingdom should be more obvious and, frankly, more overwhelming.
It's especially hard to wait for the fullness
of Your kingdom when we hurt, or when we look upon gross injustice,
or when we consider the sufferings of others. We yearn for more
of Your kingdom now. May Your kingdom come, Lord, now! May Your
will be done, now!
Yet You have chosen to plant Your kingdom as
a mustard seed. It is present and growing, to be sure, but still
only in process. The full glory of Your kingdom is yet to come.
For this we wait with hope, and sometimes with impatience.
O Lord, give us faith when we doubt You. Give
us vision when we can't see Your ways. Help us to live faithfully
as citizens of Your kingdom, rejoicing in the small "mustard
seed" even as we look forward to giant "tree" that
is to come.
In this season of Lent, help us to be like
planted mustard seeds for Your kingdom, sending roots down deep
into Your soil, and growing up in faith and discipleship. Help
us to thank You for Your presence and mercy, even as we long
for what lies ahead.
Postscript
Mustard in foreground and background, in Crystal Cove State Park, Orange County,
California
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22 Thus says the Lord
GOD:
I myself will take a sprig
from the lofty top of a cedar;
I will set it out.
I will break off a tender one
from the topmost of its young twigs;
I myself will plant it
on a high and lofty mountain.
23 On the mountain height of Israel
I will plant it,
in order that it may produce boughs and bear fruit,
and become a noble cedar.
Under it every kind of bird will live;
in the shade of its branches will nest
winged creatures of every kind.
24 All the trees of the field shall know
that I am the LORD.
I bring low the high tree,
I make high the low tree;
I dry up the green tree
and make the dry tree flourish.
I the LORD have spoken;
I will accomplish it.
Ezekiel 17:22-24
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Pray the Gospels
Pray
the Gospels is one of my devotional websites. Each
day I put up a portion of a gospel, a prayer based on that
text, and some additional input, like a brief commentary
or a quotation. I use material from Pray the Gospels on markdroberts.com for
Sunday inspiration.
Sunday,
March 4, 2007
Psalm 62:8
Trust in him at all times, O people;
pour out your heart before him;
God is a refuge for us.
Prayer
O God, our refuge, how good You are to me!
You invite me to pour out my heart to You,
holding nothing back. You are willing, no, even wanting, to hear
all that is in me: my hopes, my wishes, my fears, my doubts,
my anger, my discouragement, my confusion, my praise, my gratitude.
I am astounded by the freedom You give me to be honest with You.
And I am filled with humble gratitude to think that You actually
care for me, even the tiny, niggling, selfish, faithless parts
of me.
Thank You for being my refuge, the One to whom
I can always turn when I'm in distress, the One who will not
let me down, the One in whose arms I am safe. I can't imagine
living this life apart from You, gracious God. Thank You for
making Yourself so available to me.
O God, our refuge, how good You are to me!
Psalm 62
To the leader: according to Jeduthun. A Psalm
of David.
1 For God alone my soul waits in silence;
from him comes my salvation.
2 He alone is my rock and my salvation,
my fortress; I shall never be shaken.
3 How long will you assail a person,
will you batter your victim, all of you,
as you would a leaning wall, a tottering fence?
4 Their only plan is to bring down a person of prominence.
They take pleasure in falsehood;
they bless with their mouths,
but inwardly they curse. Selah
5 For God alone my soul waits in silence,
for my hope is from him.
6 He alone is my rock and my salvation,
my fortress; I shall not be shaken.
7 On God rests my deliverance and my honor;
my mighty rock, my refuge is in God.
8 Trust in him at all times, O people;
pour out your heart before him;
God is a refuge for us. Selah
9 Those of low estate are but a breath,
those of high estate are a delusion;
in the balances they go up;
they are together lighter than a breath.
10 Put no confidence in extortion,
and set no vain hopes on robbery;
if riches increase, do not set your heart on them.
11 Once God has spoken;
twice have I heard this:
that power belongs to God,
12 and steadfast love belongs to you, O Lord.
For you repay to all
according to their work.
Postscript
The verb "pour out" (shafakh in
Hebrew) appears several times in the Psalms. Sometimes it refers
to God's pouring out His wrath on the wicked (for example, Psalm
69:24). Elsewhere, the psalmists pour out their soul (42:4) and
their complaint (142:2) in addition to their heart. Truly, we
can pour out many different aspects of prayer to God, though
in the Psalms, pouring out seems to be reserved for hard things
and hard times. This verb reminds us of the freedom we have before
God to hold nothing back in our prayers.
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The Daily Psalm
The
Daily Psalm is one of my devotional websites. Each
day I put up a portion of a psalm, a prayer based on that
text, and some additional input, like a brief commentary
or a quotation.
Sunday,
March 11, 2007
Luke 18:34
But they understood nothing about all these
things; in fact, what [Jesus] said was hidden from them, and
they did not grasp what was said.
Prayer
Sometimes hidden things bring special delight, as in the case of Hidden Canyon
in Zion National Park.
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O Lord, so often we fail to understand You.
Your ways are indeed hidden from us, much as they once were from
Your disciples. I freely confess my own dullness, my inability
to see what You're doing in my life. Yet sometimes I do wish
You'd be clearer. I'm more than willing to obey You if I only
knew what You want me to do. But, for Your reasons, You often
give us Your will in bits and pieces as something You expect
us to assemble rather than to receive fully built.
I wonder why You work this way when You could
so easily be more direct and expansive in Your communication
with us. It seems as if You want relationship with us to be more
of a two-way partnership in which our investment truly matters.
After all, You have chosen to care about our prayers and even
to act in response to them. Similarly, You call us into a process
of getting to know You and Your will slowly. You seek our persistence,
our faithfulness, and, indeed, our faith. Why? Because You seek
us.
As we wait upon You, Lord, we come to desire,
not only Your will, but You. We look not just for answers, but
for a more intimate relationship with You. We seek Your guidance,
but even more, we seek Your presence. Knowing You, dear Lord, is
what our hearts most desire.
Postscript
Knowing You
by Graham Kendrick
Chorus
Knowing You Jesus knowing You
There is no greater thing
You're my all You're the best
You're my joy my righteousness
And I love You Lord
Verse 1
All I once held dear built my life upon
All this world reveres and wars to own
All I once thought gain I have counted loss
Spent and worthless now compared to this
Chorus
Knowing You Jesus knowing You
There is no greater thing
You're my all You're the best
You're my joy my righteousness
And I love You Lord
Verse 2
Now my heart's desire is to know You more
To be found in You and known as Yours
To possess by faith what I could not earn
All surpassing gift of righteousness
Chorus
Knowing You Jesus knowing You
There is no greater thing
You're my all You're the best
You're my joy my righteousness
And I love You Lord
Verse 3
Oh to know the pow'r of Your risen life
And to know You in Your sufferings
To become like You in Your death my Lord
So with You to live and never die
Chorus
Knowing You Jesus knowing You
There is no greater thing
You're my all You're the best
You're my joy my righteousness
And I love You Lord
© 1993 Make Way Music (Admin. by Music Services)
Graham Kendrick
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Pray the Gospels
Pray
the Gospels is one of my devotional websites. Each
day I put up a portion of a gospel, a prayer based on that
text, and some additional input, like a brief commentary
or a quotation. I use material from Pray the Gospels on markdroberts.com for
Sunday inspiration.
Sunday,
March 18, 2007
Psalm 35:3
Trust in him at all times, O people;
pour out your heart before him;
God is a refuge for us.
Prayer
By your grace, Lord, I do not have enemies
like those of David. So I don't literally need Your spear and
javelin. My enemies are subtler than physical enemies. They're
not flesh and blood, but spiritual in nature. Perhaps this is
why I need Your strength and protection even more than if my
enemies were material. Only You have the power to defeat the
spiritual forces that fight against me.
Bring Your power to bear against that which
tempts me to sin. Strip away its gleam. Let me see it for what
it truly is, so that I might desire You and not that which takes
me away from You.
Overcome my desire for things, Lord, for toys
and tools and all that seems like it will satisfy my soul. May
I receive the gifts of this world with joy, but without grasping
them too tightly or letting them dominate me.
Defeat the pride that so easily creeps into
my heart and takes up residence there. May I be humble before
You, dear Lord. And may I humbly serve others in this world in
imitation of You.
Protect me, Mighty Warrior, from all that would
distract or discourage me. Help me to stay focused upon You and
the work of Your kingdom. May I keep things in proper perspective,
rather than getting ensnared in trivia. Help me to keep my eyes
on the goal that You have set before me, and to seek Your pleasure
and glory above all else.
Fight against my enemies, O God, and not just
my enemies, but Your enemies. Be my strength, so that I might
be effective in Your service. Be my fortress, the One in whom
I am truly safe. Be my true desire, that for which I long above
all else. For You alone are my salvation.
Postscript
On my Daily
Psalm website, from today through the first week
of Eastertide, I will choose Psalms that are appropriate
for the season (Lent, Holy Week, Easter). I'll get back to
the sequential order, with Psalm 76, on Tuesday, April 16.
Between now and then my hope is to focus more deeply on the
meaning of Christ's ministry, especially His death and resurrection.
For more information on the seasons of the Christian year,
click here.
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post, click
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The Daily Psalm
The
Daily Psalm is one of my devotional websites. Each
day I put up a portion of a psalm, a prayer based on that
text, and some additional input, like a brief commentary
or a quotation.
Sunday,
March 25, 2007
Psalm 84:2
My soul longs, indeed it faints
for the courts of the LORD.
Prayer
Nothing in life is sweeter than Your presence.
Nothing gives me greater peace. Nothing fulfills me more than
being with You. Nowhere else do I feel truly safe. When I'm consciously
with You – for, indeed, in a sense I'm always with You
because You're always with me, but when I'm aware of You – I
can feel my burdens being lifted, my fears subsiding, my sins
losing their charm, my love for You growing.
Thank You, dear Lord, for making Yourself
known to me. Thank You for the freedom I have to draw near to You.
Thank You for Your Spirit, who dwells with me. Thank You for being
present to me when I gather with Your people. Thank You for being
my Rock, my Comfort, my Peace.
Postscript
When Psalm 84 was written, "the courts
of the LORD" were, quite literally, the courts of the temple
in Jerusalem. Today, of course, the temple stands no more. For
Christians, however, God's "temple" is with us in a
variety of ways. We naturally think of heaven as God's abode.
Plus, Jesus, above all, is the "temple" of God, God's
presence among us, the place where God dwells, through which
we find forgiveness and fellowship with God.
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The "courts" of
the Lord? |
But in a very real sense, God's "temple" is
also the community of Christians gathered, the place where the
Spirit of God is present and active. In his first letter to the
Corinthians, the Apostle Paul writes:
16 Do you not know that you are
God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?
17 If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy
that person. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that
temple. (1 Corinthians 3:16-17)
So when we yearn for the courts of the Lord
today, we're not just looking forward to heaven, or longing for
a deeper relationship with Christ. We're also looking forward
to joining with the people of God for worship, fellowship, and
mutual ministry. Here, indeed, God is present in His "temple."
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post, click
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The Daily Psalm
The
Daily Psalm is one of my devotional websites. Each
day I put up a portion of a psalm, a prayer based on that
text, and some additional input, like a brief commentary
or a quotation.
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