“My God, My God, Why Have You Forsaken Me?” (Psalm 22:1)

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning?
Psalm 22:1

Enter the very heart-cry of our Savior upon the cross. The words of king David became the words of King Jesus as he hung bloody, beaten, and bruised.

Do you realize what it meant for the Son of Man to utter these words? The Scriptures say darkness covered the land in those last hours (Mk 15:33). What the onlookers saw around them was only a shadow compared to the internal darkness Jesus experienced on the cross. The wrath of our sin. Placed on him. Who knew no sin. He should have never uttered these words.

But see his great love! Jesus bore the punishment we deserved. There must be punishment for sin. We should have been the ones hanging there, experiencing the hell of being utterly forsaken by God. Yet Jesus chose to be our substitute. The only One free from corruption, blameless in his thoughts and deeds—the only One who should have never paid the due price for sin!—this Jesus stood in the sinner’s place.

Do we realize the ugliness of sin? Do we recognize what it costs us? Look no further than Jesus on the cross. Here is a marred, disfigured, grueling picture of sin’s price. Every thorn that pierced his brow reminds us of the shame of every sin. Every lash relinquished on his back reveals the uncountable record of debt we owe. The nails in his hands, the suffocating breaths, the crushing weight of gravity suspending him by a crucifix — here is the pounding guilt we feel in our deepest sins. Yet all of this was placed on him.

Do you see the beauty of grace? Jesus forsaken became our salvation. Justice demanded the cross, but so did mercy. If Jesus did not take your place, you would still owe the punishment for your sin: you would eventually say, “God, why have you forsaken me?” But Jesus owned these words for you. Out of mercy, the Father provided a perfect substitute. Jesus was spotless, pure, innocent. Yet on the day of his crucifixion he was also silent, led like a lamb to the slaughter. He did not defend himself. This was a willing surrender. When he could have called down angels with a loud voice, he instead allowed sinners to verbally abuse him. When he could have waved a hand in power to dismantle his enemies, he willingly stretched them out to be pierced for our transgressions. When he did speak, it was because he bore the weight of our sin: “God, why have you forsaken me?”

Let his words be the assurance of your salvation. When you are guilty, flee to this moment. Your sin was laid there upon him. You have been crucified with him. If he has done this “once for all,” O sinner, then he cannot undo his sacrifice. Believe this by faith: Jesus will never go back on these words. He was forsaken in your place. Therefore you will never have to be.

Dear Pastor: Jesus Hold You in His Right Hand (Rev 1:16 & 20)

In his right hand he held seven stars (v.16)…

…the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches (v.20)

-Revelation 1:16 & 20

There is ample evidence that the “angels of the seven churches” mentioned here by John do not refer to angelic beings, but to the pastors and elders of the seven churches to whom John writes. If I can demonstrate this briefly, then verse 16 takes on a glorious depth, which I will explain below. Two reasons for this interpretation will suffice:

First, the Greek word traditionally translated as “angel” [angelos] also has the semantic range of “messenger”—for that is what angels are: “ministering spirits sent out to serve those who are going to inherit salvation” (Heb 1:14, CSB). This is equally true for the Hebrew term for angel, [malak]. In the Old Testament, angels were always sent to bear a message, bring comfort, protection, or divine aid. The term can mean a heavenly being or a human messenger.

The second reason why the angels of the seven churches refer to human leaders and not angelic beings is that John writes letters to the churches, but he specifically addresses them “to the angel of the church at _______” (e.g., Rev 2:1). In these letters, Jesus (through John) commends the churches, but he also rebukes them sharply. These rebukes and commendations make the most sense if the “angels” referred to here are the human pastors and elders of the respective churches who have the authority to shepherd and lead their flocks—but have failed to do so on many accounts. He calls them to repentance, to return to their first love, and to examine their works. These letters are written to the seven churches along with their leaders.

Since this has been established, do you notice what Jesus says about these “angels,” these pastors and elders? In verse 16, following the glorious vision of the risen Son of Man who holds all authority (vv.12–16), John saw that Jesus, in his right hand, held the “seven stars…” who “are the angels of the seven churches.”

Now this is a wondrous truth: Jesus holds his ministers in his right hand. His right hand signifies power and kingly rule. What a sweet consolation for ministers of the gospel: King Jesus will never let you out of his grasp. Let me encourage you with a few radiant beams from this truth:

Pastor, do you feel discouraged by the slowness of your ministry? Jesus holds you in his right hand. The work is his to begin with. He gave you this ministry, and he holds it all to begin with. Let him work, in his time and in his way.

Pastor, do you feel the threats of your enemy inside and out? Jesus holds you in his right hand. You live to please God, not man (Gal 1:10). Set your face like a flint upon your mission, your call: to glorify God by preaching the gospel. When you face the heat of offended sinners, or the relentless assault of satanic forces, hold your peace, for Jesus the King rules his church.

Pastor, do you feel overwhelmed with sorrow and pain? Jesus holds you in his right hand. His is a gentle yet tight grasp. He himself has said: “my soul is very sorrowful, even to death” (Mt 26:38). He knows your pain. The Son of Suffering is the only one who fully understands you, yet promises to comfort and uphold you by his mighty right hand.

Pastor, do you feel crippled by your own sin or weakness? Jesus holds you in his right hand. The promise of forgiveness which you so often preach to others is just as true for you. If he holds you this close, will he not now forgive you, cleanse you, and set you back on paths of righteousness? Do not forget that the wonderful truths of the gospel are for you too.

Pastor, do you feel your faith is thin? Jesus holds you in his right hand. He has promised his sheep that “no one will snatch them out of my hand” (Jn 10:28). Your Shepherd-King has a firm hold on your salvation, for it is he who bought you with his blood. He will keep those whom he died for. He will keep you until the end.
Pastor, if Jesus holds you in his right hand like this, you have every reason to press on. Keep going. Fight the good fight of the faith. King Jesus has all authority over your life and ministry, and he won’t let one bit of it slip out of his hand.

King Jesus Shall Never Be Moved (Psalm 21:7)

For the king trusts in the LORD,

and through the steadfast love of the Most High he shall not be moved.

-Psalm 21:7

Just as we saw in Psalm 20, Psalm 21 is written on behalf of the king. We should see this psalm fulfilled in Jesus Christ, messianically applying to him—the only King of kings.

Applied to Jesus, this verse brings great comfort to the Christian. I will show you two comforts: King Jesus trusts in the Father for us, and King Jesus stands forever fixed over us.

First, King Jesus trusts in the Father for us. Have you ever thought about the faithfulness of God to God? God exists as Three in One—Father, Son & Holy Spirit, from all eternity. They have always been in perfect unity: what the Father appoints, the Son accomplishes and the Spirit applies to our hearts. This verse reminds us how Jesus, very God of God, trusts completely in the Father’s will. You may not have thought about it this way, but our salvation rests completely on God being faithful to Himself. And because that is his nature, we can be confident in who God is for us.

Do you know why this is good news? If Jesus is always faithful to the Father, then the promises we find in Scripture are 100% guaranteed—even if our faith is frail. Listen to 2 Timothy 2:13: “if we are faithless, he remains faithful—for he cannot deny himself.” Did you catch that, believer? Jesus cannot deny himself. If he has chosen to save you, he will never turn his back on you (Heb 13:5). If he started his work in you, he will bring it to completion (Phil 1:6). He will never break the bruised reed or snuff out the whimpering flame of your faith (Isa 42:3). Take heart today: every promise of Scripture is secure because King Jesus trusts in the Father for you. May your heart be lifted in humble adoration at the faithfulness of Jesus.

Second, King Jesus stands forever fixed over us. The psalm declares how the king “shall not be moved.” How is this true? Only through the steadfast love of the Most High. The word for “steadfast love” is God’s covenant, faithful, binding love [ḥeseḏ in Hebrew]. This word is canvassed all over the Old Testament. It describes God’s covenant promise for his people: what he has promised, he will secure. This is based on his grace, mercy, longsuffering, and zeal to redeem his people. Be assured of this: if God’s covenant love is at work, “neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us” from it (Rm 8:37–39). Likewise, we have the utmost confidence that Jesus is firmly fixed as our Savior forever: by God’s covenant love he shall not be moved.

Again, why is this good news? If Jesus will never be moved, then it means—right now—he sits at the right hand of the Most High, interceding on our behalf. It means the work is finished, for “after making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high” (Heb 1:3). In the Old Testament, the high priest never sat down because there was always another sacrifice he had to make. In other words, he was always moving. Jesus never moves. He sits down because the work is complete. There is no more need for a sacrifice for sins. Jesus is the once-for-all, all-encompassing, every-sin-paid-for Savior. He shall never be moved.

This means that on your worst day—your most sin-ridden day—you can look up to heaven and see the Son of God still firmly fixed at God’s right hand, assuring you, reminding you, and calling your heart to remember the power of his sacrifice. You’re forgiven. You’re clean. You’re justified. Why? Because through the steadfast love of the Most High, Jesus will never be moved.

Nothing can tear you away from his victory over sin. He’s triumphant. He’s firm. Do you believe it?

Neither death nor hell can undo the work of the cross. Your sin is covered. The tomb is empty. Do you believe it?
He’s never turning back from what he has said. Believe it today, Christian—he can’t turn back on you now. King Jesus stands forever fixed over you.

Long Live the King! (Psalm 20:4–5)

May he grant you your heart’s desire and fulfill all your plans!… May the LORD fulfill all your petitions!

– Psalm 20:4-5

Photo by Sebastian Voortman on Pexels.com

Before we assume these verses apply to us, we must look at the broader context of this psalm. Psalm 20 is a Royal Psalm, written to the king, and this is evidenced clearly by verse 9, which says: “O Lord, save the king!” So when we read verses 4 and 5, we cannot insert ourselves into the “yous” and “yours.” No, the psalmist is speaking about the king, asking God to grant all of the king’s desires, petitions, and plans. Of course, this does not prohibit us from asking God for our heart’s desires (see Ps 37:4): only that this psalm specifically is written for the king.

My heart is so anxious to show you how these verses point not to ourselves—but to Jesus. All Scripture finds fulfillment in Him (Lk 24:27). What the psalmist addressed to an earthly king, the Holy Spirit spoke of our eternal King—Jesus, the Son of David, come into the flesh, as one of us. When we see Jesus as the true Messianic ruler promised to the line of David, these verses become wonderfully full. Through the Holy Spirit, the author of this psalm asks God the Father to grant these requests to God the Son. Let us see how Christ fulfills each of these:

Jesus, may God your Father grant you your heart’s desire!

What was the heart of Jesus? Compassion for sinners: “When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd” (Mt 9:36).

What was the desire of this beating heart? For us to come to Him: “Come to me…and I will give you rest…for I am gentle and lowly in heart…” (Mt 11:28–29).

What does He do when we come to Him? He heals us: “and with his wounds we are healed” (Isa 53:5).

Jesus, may God your Father fulfill all your plans!

What were the plans of Jesus? To do the Father’s will: “For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me” (Jn 6:38).

What was the Father’s will? To save us: “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mk 10:45)

How did He save us? By giving His life freely: “No one takes [my life] from me, but I lay it down of my own accord” (Jn 10:18).

Jesus, may God your Father fulfill all your petitions!

How did Jesus pray while He was on the earth? With fervent tears: “In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears” (Heb 5:7).

Who did our High Priest pray for with loud cries and tears? You and me: “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word” (Jn 17:20)

What did He pray for in His most trying hour? Our eternal salvation: “Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world” (Jn 17:24).

How does Jesus intercede for us now? As our Mediator in heaven: “Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.

…
How wonderful the truths our Savior has fulfilled! Do you see how this psalm is made complete in Him? Lord Jesus, may we see your glory as you now reign as the King of kings and Lord of lords. May your name be glorified in us. May the desires of your heart to seek and save the lost be accomplished among us with great glory and power. We praise you for being our Great High Priest who always lives to intercede for us. Long live the King! Amen.

Meditations of the Heart (Psalm 19:14)

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart

be acceptable in your sight,

O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.

– Psalm 19:14

If David knew one truth about God, it was that God considers the inner man before He looks at the outer. When God first called David to be king, he famously told Samuel, “For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart” (1 Sam 16:7). Thus David’s prayer here in Psalm 19: God, let the thoughts that run through my heart and the words that come out of my mouth be pleasing to you!

Here’s the reality: what matters most to God is your inner life. Jesus told the religious leaders of His day: “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people’s bones and all uncleanness” (Mt 23:27). They had all the religious ceremony, yet lacked a repentant condition. They were high on self-righteousness, but low on self-reflection. They had everything they wanted for temporary satisfaction, yet lacked everything they needed for eternal salvation. They praised God with their lips, but their hearts were far from Him (Isa 29:13).

Notice this: David didn’t separate the inner life from the outer like the Pharisees did. He says in the same sentence, “let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight.” He knew that an inner life of wonder and meditation on God’s grace led to an outer proclamation with his mouth. There was no dichotomy, no separation. Indeed, as Jesus taught, it is always “out of the abundance of the heart [the] mouth speaks” (Lk 6:45). Your words will show you what’s in your heart, and your heart is the source for what comes out of your mouth. What you treasure, value, esteem, idolize—it all starts in your heart. It’s a question of worship.

What a sad thing it would be to live your whole life only to have Christ reveal at the end of time that the “meditations of your heart” were far from Him, focused inwardly, selfishly, and pridefully. We can externally appear righteous and clean, but God knows the inner thoughts of our hearts and minds. This is why this prayer is so important. In effect David is asking: God, change my heart and my mind! Let your goodness and grace be such a present reality in my life that every thought and word is lifted up to You!

The truth is that the murmurings of our heart often flit by too rapidly and undetected for us to accurately diagnose our own condition. That is why we need the Word of God. It is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path (Ps 119:105). It is a sharp, double-edged sword, able to pierce into the inner thoughts of our hearts (Heb 4:12). We cannot pray David’s prayer earnestly unless we also let the Word of God search us. By God’s grace, we need the divine spotlight to disclose our inner sin—the meditations of our hearts which are too often fixated on ourselves, our possessions, our dreams, achievements, relationships, worries or wants. Then, by the power of the Holy Spirit, we need new hearts. And herein lies the good news of the gospel: our hearts can be transformed through the power of His sacrifice for our sins, the inner workings of His love, and the day-by-day renewal of our minds as we meditate on the grace that is now ours in Christ Jesus. The question is, has the gospel sunk down so deep into your life that the very meditations of your heart are transformed? I challenge you, pray this prayer and see what God will do in your life.

Drawn out of Many Waters (Psalm 18:16)

He sent from on high, he took me;

he drew me out of many waters.

Psalm 18:16

The reality of our salvation is well captured in this one verse. Here we will reflect on two truths: God’s condescension to us, and God’s rescue of us.

First, God’s condescension to us. The verse says that God “sent from on high.” We must let God be in His proper place. He is high and exalted, holy and excellent. He is Creator, Lord, King, Sovereign, Ancient of Days, I AM, and Yahweh. There is no one like this God. He is on high.

Yet here is the wondrous truth: he has condescended to us. God, the Almighty and exalted One, is not remote and distant from us. No, he has sent from on high. Here is the divine initiative: God is on the move. In fact, the entire Bible carries this theme. God is the initiator, the actor, the first mover of our relationship to him—in every way. He gave us life by creating us, he provided animal skins for Adam and Eve when they sinned, he came down upon Mt. Sinai in glory and power, he dwelt in the tabernacle as a picture of his presence, he spoke through the prophets… the list could go on.

But we cannot move on from God’s condescension to us without speaking about God’s incarnation for us. The ultimate act of God drawing near is in the 2nd Person of the Trinity, the eternal Son, who became man to dwell among us. John literally says Jesus tabernacled among us, pitching his tent with sinful humanity (Jn 1:14). He touched the sick, the outcast, the blind and the poor. He stooped down on our level, looked us in the eyes, and loved us. His compassion burned for his sheep, his people, the very ones he created. And in the ultimate act of humiliation he took the cross, condescending into the punishment we deserved for our sin. What a great God! Immanuel, God with us!

Second, God’s rescue of us. The purpose of God’s condescension is always double-faceted: relationship and rescue, for we cannot have the first without the second. God knows our great need: “he [knows] what [is] in man” (Jn 2:25). He knows the “heart is deceitful above all things” (Jer 17:9) and “what comes out of a person is what defiles him” (Mk 7:20). In fact, our sinful condition is much like what David pictures in the psalm: trapped within the torrent of “many waters.” Waves pounding over our heads, our souls gasping for breath—for relief—under the whirlpool of our sin and guilt, we cannot rescue ourselves. We are drowning, sinking to the ocean floor of our debt. Only one thing can save someone who is in this condition: a Savior from the outside.

And this is where we get this beautiful picture: David declares that God drew him out of the many waters. This is the same word, only used three times in the Bible, that describes how Pharaoh’s daughter drew Moses out of the Nile River as a baby; in fact, Moses’ name means “drawn,” denoting God’s divine rescue when he was helpless. Isn’t this us in our condition, drowning and helpless? But isn’t this our great God in his condescension, gracious and powerful? He has taken us out of the torrent, calmed the storm of sin in our souls, and rescued us from the rapids of our rebellion.

Once again, we see the ultimate picture of this rescue in the Person of Jesus Christ. For he himself dived into the deep waters to draw us out, dying in our place. Jesus drowned under the weight of our sin on the cross, just to give us new life. He fell to the depths of the ocean floor, burying our sins with him. Then he resuscitated us in the process, raising us from the darkness of our deadness through his resurrection. He knew this type of rescue would take his life, but he gave it willingly. What a wonderful Savior! What love!

As men and women saved by grace alone and drawn out of the depths by a merciful God, we have nothing to give him except our lifelong worship and devotion. Does your life reflect a humble and grateful acknowledgement of how he has rescued you?

The “Apple” of His Eye (Psalm 17:8)

Keep me as the apple of your eye;

hide me in the shadow of your wings.

Psalm 17:8

Here David presents God with two requests for protection, drawing on two analogies which rely on God’s focused, compassionate protection. Let us explore each in turn today.

For the first analogy, David asks God: “keep me as the apple of your eye.” This is a common idiom in the English language to convey affection, pursuit, love and devotion. However, the Hebrew phrase is more strange to modern ears. It can be translated as “keep me as the pupil of the eye.” The CSB is one of the few modern translations that picks up on the Hebrew use of “pupil,” but most modern translations do not address how the word for “daughter” is attached to the word for “eye” in a noun construct, forming the phrase, “the daughter of the eye.” Most English translations are simply trying to convey the figurative idiom which resonates with most English speakers: “keep me as the apple of your eye.”

But what is this talk of “pupil” and “daughter of the eye”? What could this possibly refer to? Similar to English, this is the Hebrew way of talking about someone’s deep devotion and intense protection for another. The pupil is the central point of focus for the eye: whenever you desire to convey closeness to someone you love, your pupil gazes directly into theirs. In some sense, the pupil is one of the most personal parts of your body.

We all know the feeling when someone in a conversation avoids eye contact with us. What does that convey? Distance, shame, embarrassment, or possibly a perceived barrier between you and the other person. So for David to plead with God to keep him as his pupil, he is in essence saying: “don’t turn your gaze from me; hold me in your line of sight, no matter where I go!” David’s confidence is not in a God who gets distracted, like the person who has bad eye-contact. No, he knows God is focused, devoted and always guarding him. So it is the same for us. How comforting it is to know the Creator of the universe has his concentrated, beaming devotion on us at all times!

What about “the daughter of the eye”? The sense is similar here. When you look into someone’s pupil up close, you can see your own reflection in it. In a way, you are contained in their line of sight. When David speaks about a daughter of the eye, this is an affectionate analogy for how a father holds his precious daughter in his sight. If the daughter looked into her father’s pupil, face-to-face, she would see herself. What does this convey? Warmth, protection, love, devotion. When the daughter wanders or is in danger, though the father may be feet away, his watchful eye is on her. Having a daughter of my own has made me understand this: my watchful care over her is only a paltry shadow of the sovereign care the Heavenly Father has for me. How comforting to know he will never let us out of his sight!

Now for the second request. David asks, “hide me in the shadow of your wings.” This analogy is much easier for us to understand in modern times. We’ve all seen how a mother bird envelops her chicks with her wings: she guards them, protects them, and never lets them fall out of the nest. Jesus himself drew on this analogy when he mourned over Jerusalem: “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem…How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!” (Mt 23:37). Of course we must be quick to say that God does not have wings—He is spirit (John 4:24). So the use of this is simply to illustrate God’s tender, fierce care over those who are his.

To end, let’s focus on when David talks about the shadow of the wing. The shadow of a wing conveys the sense of covering. The best way I can describe it is like the feeling of a huge air jet flying over your head, creating a shadow you hide under for a brief moment; or perhaps like being under a waterfall, the roar of the waves crashing over your head. In both scenarios the rumbling, thundering sounds create a sense of awe, maybe even fear.Yet the enveloping shadows of such great things also, in a strange way, brings comfort. This is the same way a baby bird feels under the great wingspan of his mother. When an enemy comes near, the mother bird flaps her great wings, booming away the threat. The shadow of the wingspan creates a canopy of safety.

In the same way, when we are in the covering presence of God, his strength, power, and love all fight for us with such ferocity that no threat can thwart his sovereign will for our lives. The great promise is that, when we are in Christ, we are “hidden with” him (Col 3:3), now protected under the shadow of his sovereign grace. He will never desert us; he will never take his Spirit away.
So like David, when we are afraid, worried, or simply aware of our great need, let us pray: God, keep me in your watchful gaze and remind me of your covering grace. There is never a moment you fail to overshadow me with your care, so allow me rest in your sovereign will. Amen.

Who Can Dwell with God?(Psalm 15:1)

O LORD, who shall sojourn in your tent? Who shall dwell on your holy hill?
Psalm 15:1

This psalm begins with a question of presence: who is able to dwell with God? David harkens back to the time when the Israelites were in the desert: when God dwelt among them in the tent of the tabernacle, guiding them by a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. He also refers here to the city of Jerusalem: the “holy hill,” the Mount Zion which is the place of God’s presence.

Now the rest of the psalm seeks to answer this question, and this is something we should think about carefully. Most of us assume entering God’s presence is something like meeting a friend for coffee: it’s casual, carefree, and conversational. But in the Bible we never see a mere human approaching God in this manner. Now listen, I’m not saying God isn’t our friend, or that we cannot come to Him with everything…hear me clearly. Instead, all I’m saying is that we do not take the presence of the Almighty God as seriously as we should.

Listen to just a few of the requirements David goes on to make for the person who is able to dwell with God:

Walks blamelessly (v.2)
Does what is right (v.2)
Speaks truth in his heart (v.2)

Does not slander with his tongue (v.3)
Does no evil to his neighbor (v.3)
Nor takes up reproach against his friend (v.3)

If I’m honest, I fall short at the very first one! And you do too. For who can truly walk blamelessly all their days before a perfect God? Who among us is without sin? How can we really say we have measured up to loving the Lord with all our heart, soul, strength and mind—all the time?

So we find the entrance into God’s presence more impossible than we think. In other words, the answer to David’s question “who shall dwell on your holy hill?” seems to be a rhetorical “no one!”

You see, if you read this psalm and try to put yourself in it, it leads only to despair. But let me now take you to the gospel. Yes, while you are incapable of walking blamelessly—and thereby incapable of entering the presence of a holy God—there is One who is indeed quite capable, One who has always dwelt in the presence of the Father, and One who became a human like you and me to walk blamelessly for us. This blameless One is the Son of God, Jesus the Messiah.

We need to stop and take this in, for it really is good news. According to Psalm 15, you and I are effectively banished from God’s presence, for sin and perfection cannot mix. Not only does our sin make us incapable of dwelling securely with God, but it also makes us rebel and reject the goodness of it. In other words, you and I naturally avoid dwelling with God. We know that if we were placed before God as we were, we would be done. Finished.

But if we read Psalm 15 in light of Jesus, then the chasm of us entering God’s presence is bridged. The door has been unlocked. Indeed, the good news is not only that Jesus lived a perfect life (for if that were all He did, all we could do is admire and fear Him), but He also gave up His very life as a sacrifice (for only a perfect man can make a true sacrifice for sin). This truth cannot be any clearer than in 2 Corinthians 5:21: “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” In simple terms, Jesus allows us to enter God’s presence. And He changes us from the inside out to now desire God’s presence.

Now, if after all this you’re really thinking, well now I don’t even know if I want to enter God’s presence. It sounds too terrifying. Won’t I be walking on thin ice? I believe you have half-understood me. There’s some truth to thinking this way. After all, when Moses saw God in the burning bush, he “hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God” (Ex 3:6). And when Isaiah saw that vision of God on His mighty throne, he said “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips…” (Isa 6:5). So yes, if you enter God’s presence, your sin will be exposed. And yes, if you enter God’s presence, you cannot remain the same. And these are absolutely terrifying things to experience. But they are necessary, for once you have truly met the Almighty God, you know that His presence is where you must be. He is too good, too beautiful, too lovely, to ignore.

So it all rests on Jesus. Because of Him, you can be sure of this: because of His perfect life, you can approach the throne of grace with boldness, knowing God is for you (Heb 4:16; Rm 8:31). And because of the transformation that takes place when you believe in Him, you don’t have to remain the same: you have been crucified with Christ; the old way of life is gone; and behold, the new is here.

So don’t hide. Don’t run. Go up to that holy hill today in prayer today, for Jesus has opened up the way to the Father.

You May Actually Be An Atheist (Psalm 14:1a)

The fool says in his heart, “There is no God”…
Psalm 14:1a

According to the Bible there is only one trait which makes you a fool in this world: denying God. It is a fruitless and futile enterprise, or as Derek Kidner puts it, “intellectual and moral suicide.” ¹

Now, my fear today is not so much that you do not believe in the God of the Bible—indeed, you likely know of the Father, Son & Holy Spirit; you believe Jesus died and rose again for your sins; you believe the Holy Spirit lives within you; and you believe Christ will come back again to redeem you—I am not concerned about you knowing the facts of Christianity. Instead, I am concerned about something much more insidious—namely, the temptation which you and I are faced with every day to functionally live as if God does not exist. We may not be explicit atheists who declare outright unbelief in God, but we frequently live as functional atheists who claim to know Christ yet live as if nothing is different. What exactly do I mean by this?

Perhaps the best way I can get this across to you is to ask you the question: if the truths you find in the Bible really are true, how should it change how you live? In other words, if the God of the entire cosmos is perfectly and terrifyingly holy—and we are utterly and treacherously sinful—then do you really believe it is good news that the Son of God has come in the flesh as Jesus Christ to reunite you with God? If you have tasted and seen that the Lord is good (Ps 34:8)—good in his forgiveness of all your sin, good in his grace to renew you every day, good in his constant provision over your life, and good in his faithfulness to keep you secure forever—then again I ask, how should that change how you live?

You see, if you really believed, grasped, comprehended, and mined the riches of the good news of Jesus Christ for you, you would live as a different type of person. You would view your circumstances differently. You would view your relationships differently. You would view the purpose of your life differently. You would be changed.

No, I am not saying that the mere conjuring up of more faith will make your life better—please don’t misunderstand me. Instead, I’m saying that if you truly abide in the never-ending, super-abounding, ever-faithful love of Jesus poured into your heart through the Holy Spirit, then your life will be changed. You see, the work has already been done: Jesus has given you all you need to enjoy the privileges and favor of God as one of his children. This is called grace. Therefore, the question is not “how do I become closer to God?”, as if you doing anything could merit that honor. Instead, the question is, “am I truly living today as if God’s grace for me is a present reality, able to help me in my time of need, change me in the middle of my failures, and strengthen me in the time of my weakness?” The shift in perspective makes all the difference.

I assure you today: God’s grace is real, Christ has given you a new life, and the Lord your God is with you wherever you may go through the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit. So don’t live your life so far away from the realities of the Bible; don’t say in your heart “there is no God.” Live it instead to the fullest—the fullest of a faith-filled life, the assurance that God in Christ Jesus has indeed given us “everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him” through “his very great and precious promises” (2 Pt 1:3-4, NIV). Do you really believe that today?

I assure you if you do, your life won’t be the same.

Derek Kidner, Psalms 1-72, Kidner Classic Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2014), 96.
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What’s the Tune of Your Heart? (Psalm 13:6)

I will sing to the LORD, because he has dealt bountifully with me.
Psalm 13:6

How often do you sing to the Lord in response to who he is and what he’s done for you? A sure indicator of how well you are keeping in step with God’s Spirit is how often and with what devotion praise exudes from your heart. We would do well to emulate David’s response here; in fact, it may very well change our lives.

Allow me to share two examples. First, consider the grouchy man (whom we all know). In the morning he wakes up and complains he must go to work. He is tired, stressed, and bored of his daily life. He complains about the traffic; he complains about his co-workers. He gets home and complains to his wife, only then to be annoyed by his children’s needs and pestering. Trying to escape through some evening entertainment on the couch, he falls asleep and does it all over again in the morning.

But now consider who you know as the grateful man (whom we rarely know). In the morning he wakes up and thanks God for another day. He prays, reads the Word, and memorizes Scripture. On the way to work in the traffic he listens to an encouraging sermon; he then tells his co-workers about what he listened to. After working hard he gets home, eager to see his wife and kids. He knows his real day begins at 5pm when he helps cook dinner, cleans the dishes and does devotions with his family. He prays with his wife before bed and lays his head on the pillow—tired, yes—but thanking God for another day.

Now tell me: what is the difference between these two men? I’ll be quick to tell you it was not their circumstances; indeed, they each had very similar life situations. Rather, it was the constant tune of their hearts throughout the day. You’ll notice the heart of the grouchy man was inward…selfish. The song of his heart was complaint, entitlement, and “woe-is-me.” But for the grateful man? The song of his heart was thanksgiving, servitude, and “God is good.” The grouchy man was singing the blues about his situation; the grateful man was singing to the Lord.

You see, it is never the case of your circumstances which determines your outlook on life. Rather, it is how well you understand (or don’t understand) the grace of God. When the gospel invades your life—when you realize the power of God’s grace to forgive, cleanse, transform and empower you—then you see everyday as a chance to live out that grace. Of course there will be tragedy, temptation, trial and testing. Of course you live in a fallen world. Yet those who continually trust in Christ’s sustaining grace for their lives will always be singing to Him.

O, my soul, what kind of song are you singing today? Is the melody of my mind pleasing to you, O Lord? Is it in response to your mercies and grace for me in Christ Jesus and by the help of your Spirit? O God, do help me realize today how you love me with an everlasting love, how you are for me with ever-powerful force, and how you work in my life with ever-present help.

O Lord, I will sing to you today, for you have dealt so bountifully with me.

Tag: devotion