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My God, my God, why have you deserted me? Why are you so far away? Won’t you listen to my groans and come to my rescue? Psalms 22:1 (CEV)
There’s an old saying that ‘when a plane is going down, there are no atheists’. When death stares us in the face; when the crisis seems too big to bear; when we feel completely alone, abandoned and helpless, our thoughts turn to God, or at least to some supreme, higher power.
The words of Psalm 22 are referred to as a ‘Messianic Psalm’. This means that the words of the Psalmist, words written hundreds of years before Christ was born, look forward to his coming and to his suffering in our behalf.
While this is true, it’s important that we remember the original context of the words. This was a Psalm of confession. This was a Psalm of honesty and desperation. After all, where is God in our deepest need? It’s easy to find him when things go well. It’s easy to sense his presence when the bills are paid, our children’s grades are good and the report from the doctor is positive. But where is he when none of those things apply? Even in the midst of his despair the Psalmist acknowledged his faith in God. Even during the darkest night he reaffirmed his confidence that God would see him through.
At times God seems distant and unconcerned about our plight here on earth, but that is not true. He loves us and as any loving father desperately wants a love relationship with us. There are times however when his distance is not because he has moved but because we have moved away from him. Sin is the primary culprit when we feel God’s distance.
While Jesus had no sin in him these words were some of the final words Jesus spoke from the cross. During those final hours he addresses his father as ‘My God’. There is no other place that I can think of in scripture where Jesus addresses God as ‘My God’. Everywhere else he talks about ‘His Father’. But when sin enters the picture (not his but mine) the intimate phrase of ‘Father’ is replaced by the term ‘My God.’
It was sin that kept the fathers back turned to his own son. Not because of his lack of love but because his holiness doesn’t allow him to look on sin.
It was sin caused the feelings of utter despair and separation within the very soul of the savior. Sin drives a wedge in the relationship. Sin replaces our feelings of love with fear and emptiness, just as it did with Adam and Eve in the garden.
Sin does the same thing today. Sin, but whatever name we call it can not be a part of a healthy, secure relationship with the living God. While sin separates us from God, it doesn’t have to be that way. The feelings of separation Jesus felt in his dying moments paved the way to a deeper relationship with God.
Jesus felt the separation sin caused because he knew the Father and he knew when the Father’s presence was missing. You may remember a time in your life when God seemed real, but time and circumstances have taken that from you. There’s still hope. God hasn’t forsaken you. Sin may have clouded your vision of him. Forgiveness is still there for you. The relationship can be restored. And it’s all because of Jesus.
PRAYER: God, I remember a time in my life when you were real to me. I felt your power. I knew your presence. Like the little boy in ‘The Polar Express’, I heard the bells. But today I feel distant from you. Examine my heart. Show me where I’ve sinned. Forgive me now and restore our relationship through Jesus Christ. Amen.
I am innocent, Lord, and I will see your face! When I awake, all I want is to see you as you are. Psalm 17:15 (CEV)
Adam and Eve tried to hide among the trees with a few fig leaves hastily positioned in vital places.
Moses ran into the wilderness and opted for tending sheep rather than being ruler of the most powerful nation of the time.
David made a few choices intended to clear his situation by murdering one of his own men.
Peter hid in the shadows and pretended he didn’t know his very best friend.
Judas hung himself.
What do all these people and countless others have in common? Their sin drove them away from God. Their failures caused them to despair of life itself. These kinds of actions continue to this very day.
Even people who claim to have no relationship with or interest in God struggle to find the peace and contentment that comes from a vital, passionate, personal relationship with God. Call it sin, poor choices of whatever you want. When you live apart from God, you live without peace because true peace and contentment can only be found in him.
Too often we see sin as choices and decisions that make God angry at us. While God can’t stand sin, his anger is towards the sin, not us. When we live in sin, rather than relationship with him he has no choice but to turn his back on us.
The Psalmist longs to see the face of God. He longs for the restored relationship that will allow the love of the Father to permeate to his very soul. It’s only this passionate relationship that can soothe the pain of our waywardness and stop the bleeding of the wound hidden deep inside all of us.
The Psalmist also knows that the only way to see the face of the Father is to be innocent of all sin. “Impossible” you may say, and you would be right. None of us have any hope of innocence before God regardless of how spiritual, religious, moral or pure we are. Innocence of our soul only comes through the forgiveness of Jesus Christ.
Because of Jesus I echo the words of the Psalmist. I can’t wait to see your face my Father! You are all I want to see. The hope of seeing your face is all that keeps me going!
PRAYER: Father, I thank you for the innocence I have gained through your Son, Jesus Christ. Because of him I look forward to seeing you. Amen.
Can an Ethiopian change the color of his skin? Can a leopard take away its spots? Neither can you start doing good, for you have always done evil. Jeremiah 13:23 (NLT)
It really shouldn’t surprise us, but it does. News reports come across every day of parents brutally abusing children; of domestic violence; of people we put in political office because of their integrity only to find out they lied to us.
Professional athletes fail as role models for our children while those who are out in left field attract them. Marriage is made a mockery and faith has become a ‘personal thing’ based on personal feelings and ideologies.
We ask, the question, ‘When will this all stop?’
The answer is, sadly, never. Sorry to burst your bubble, but we as humans are doomed when it comes to making the world a better place by our own initiatives. All the protest rallies and government intervention and foreign aid won’t solve the problem.
Scientific research may be able to pinpoint certain things to alleviate the symptoms of our disease. But the sad reality is, science has never been able to cure the wound of the human soul.
A brave preacher may on occasion stand before his people and preach a moving sermon against homosexuality, or divorce or pornography and be applauded for his call to repentance.
On the other hand, a preacher that stands before the congregation and speaks out against gluttony or critical spirits or intolerance will be roasted along with the beef at the dinner table.
We who are believers in Jesus Christ like to point fingers at those who don’t believe as we do. We shake our heads at those who follow after a life of sin. We create entire denominations to take a stand against this sin or that sin. But we fail to remember that we are all the same; all humans; all victims of the same disease.
When Jeremiah speaks to God’s people he reminds them that there is nothing good about them and there is nothing they can do to change. Nothing. They were evil from birth; they will be evil until the day they die.
Hopeless situation you may think? Not so. That’s why Jesus came into the world. Galatians 3:13 reminds us that Jesus didn’t take our sin away. He became our sin for us. There is nothing you can do to change your DNA. There is nothing you can do to change your past. There is nothing in your own power you can do to change your desires. Only Jesus Christ can do that when you accept his forgiveness.
Don’t be surprised at the evil around you. Don’t be surprised by the evil you fall into yourself. You are simply doing what humans do. But fear not. In Jesus Christ there is freedom in spite of yourself!
PRAYER: Lord Jesus, I’m appalled at the evil that surrounds me. I’m equally appalled at the evil I do in word, thought or deed. I praise you for the fact that even though I can’t change, you have changed me and taken my sin upon you. Praise you Lord, Amen.
They dig a hole to trap others, but they will fall into it themselves. Psalm 7:15 (NCV)
Remember the old roadrunner cartoons? I imagine you can still find them somewhere on the TV dial. Crafty Wile E. Coyote spends his entire life trying to trap the speedy roadrunner. In the process he blows himself up on numerous occasions, drops anvils on his head, goes headlong over cliffs and flies into rock walls and endures a multitude of other catastrophes in an effort to get the Roadrunner.
We can laugh at his antics but in reality each of us has probably fallen victim to a far more sinister version of old Wile. People in our lives who seem intent on bringing us down by luring us into thoughts and activities that pull us away from God; or continue to bring up our past failures; or remind us of why they are the better person for any given job.
For many of us this may have started in middle school or junior high. Just at a time when we were most vulnerable to attack we’re tempted to shun the family values our parents have instilled in us. We start to question the lessons of the Sunday School teachers, youth leaders and Pastors God has brought into our lives. Even religion can play a role when it strays from teaching the relationship with Jesus and focuses on the rules of dogma, and doctrine.
King David likens the trap set by our enemies to a big pit which was dug to entrap unsuspecting animals. The hole was large enough to trap the animal of choice and deep enough so they could never get out. Then, the hole was cleverly disguised and the victim drawn to the hole. Often it was chased so that it didn’t have time to really survey the area.
When it reached the hole it would drop through the covering, becoming trapped and at the mercy of its enemy. This ploy was used against animals as well as enemy soldiers in ancient times.
David teaches us two truths in this verse tucked away in Psalm 7. First of all each of us needs to be wary of our enemies tactics. Those people or activities that seem harmless but really are traps to pull us away from our relationship with Jesus. Being aware of the enemies trap is the fist step in avoiding being ‘captured’ by the lie.
Secondly, David assures us that in the end our enemies will fall victim to their own traps. They may think they are winning over us. They may think they are superior in their actions. But their fate is doomed.
One more thought. Perhaps you have fallen victim to the trap of the enemy. You look around at walls you don’t see anyway of climbing. You feel you are at the mercy of those who are intent on hurting you. Jesus came to lift us out of the trap the enemy sets for us. Think of Jesus as a ladder let down to the bottom of your pit. See him climbing down to carry you out. That’s grace. That’s forgiveness like only he can give.
David finishes Psalm 7 by reminding us that we serve a God who does what is right. He’s not intent of trapping us, or reminding us of our failures. His intention is to release us from the trap so that, like the roadrunner, we can run free!
PRAYER: Father, I pray for protection from the enemy today. Reveal his traps to me so that I don’t fall in. Empower me with your Spirit to lead others around the pit that may entrap them. Lift me up through your forgiveness when I fall victim to the enemy’s ploys. Amen.
“I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me, John 10:14 (NLT)
I’m not a farmer. I enjoy the country. I have several friends who are farmers. I live in great farm country. But I’m not a farmer. So I may be about to show some of my naivety but to me, all sheep look alike. I know, I know. I’ve been on farms where the sheep are named, some of the chickens are named, the cows are named. But to me they all look pretty much alike. Especially sheep.
Tradition says that in Jesus’ day shepherds would take their flocks into the hills to eat. At some times of the year they may gather flocks together for the night. This was a great idea. Multiple shepherds could keep the sheep safer from attack, allow the shepherds to take turns standing guard, and give them opportunity for company. Being alone in the hills can be mighty lonely.
In the morning the sheep were divided up. The shepherd knew his sheep (how I don’t know) and the sheep knew their shepherd (even more amazing to me since sheep aren’t known for their intelligence).
Imagine what it must have been like for a sheep to get up in the morning and try to figure out which one of the shepherds to follow. Their lives depended on the decision after all. The shepherd made sure they were fed well, led to quiet pastures, protected from thieves, natural calamity and wild animals. Shepherds that didn’t own the animals weren’t likely to take care of them very well.
When you think about it, life is a lot like that today. We have all sorts of voices telling us to follow this cause or that cause. Politicians telling us we need more programs and more taxes or less programs and less taxes. Religionists telling us we need to stand firm in our beliefs or that we need to be more tolerant of all beliefs. Back and forth it goes. Voices calling out to your heart to go this way or that way to find the relief you are looking for.
Jesus calls himself the Good Shepherd. What does a Good Shepherd look like?
- A Good Shepherd will never compromise the wishes of the owner. He’ll not lead you in a way that is contrary to what God’s Word says. There are no ‘new revelations’ Does God still speak? Yes. But his words will never compromise the Holy Scriptures we already have.
- A Good Shepherd will never compromise the safety of the sheep. There may be times when we go through dangerous times. Times when the enemy will be lurking, waiting to attack. But our Good Shepherd will never lead us there and leave us there. His protection lasts forever.
- A Good Shepherd will never ask the sheep to compromise their Holiness. We are referred to as the sheep of his pasture. Temptations will come our way. There will be times when those things put before us seem like God’s leading, but are directly opposed to scripture. Holiness is based on God’s sinless plan for our lives. We will never be sinless this side of heaven, but we should always strive to do so.
Perhaps one of the most stunning things about our Good Shepherd is that he will go to extraordinary measures to draw us to himself. I heard a story once. I haven’t been able to verify it, but it goes something like this. If a lamb continued to stray from the flock, as a last resort the shepherd would gently break the leg of the wayward lamb and then set it. As the leg healed the lamb was carried by the Shepherd. The result? The healing of the lamb’s leg also caused a bond to the shepherd’s heart. That lamb, once healed, would never stray again.
The word picture is an amazing reminder that Jesus will do whatever needs to be done to draw us to his close, loving, gracious and merciful arms.
PRAYER: Lord Jesus, I thank you that during these uncertain times I can know you will lead me in paths for my own good and God’s glory. Give me wisdom to discern your voice and strength to follow. Amen.
Mike Fisk & Built with Grace 