Tag: praise

How Can Young People Keep Their Lives Pure? (Psalm 119:9-16)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year BLeave a comment

How can young people keep their lives pure?
    By obeying your commands.
With all my heart I try to serve you;
    keep me from disobeying your commandments.
I keep your law in my heart,
    so that I will not sin against you.
I praise you, O Lord;
    teach me your ways.
I will repeat aloud
    all the laws you have given.
I delight in following your commands
    more than in having great wealth.
I study your instructions;
    I examine your teachings.
I take pleasure in your laws;
    your commands I will not forget. (Good News Translation)

Every historical age, and every generation of people has its own struggles. Of course, the challenges vary widely depending on who you ask – young adults of different races, income levels, and geographic locations often have different concerns or prioritize the same concerns differently.

Young people today have particular challenges concerning money, school, violence, sex, climate change, social media, and many other issues. And they face them in different ways than I had to deal with them (back when I was considered young).

Yet, no matter the struggle, nor the concern, the ability to remain set apart for godly purposes is perhaps the main challenge for a spiritual young person. How can a young person keep their life pure?

The psalmist asked the question, and gave a straightforward answer: By obeying God’s commands.

Knowing the answer, however, is only part of attaining and maintaining purity of life. One must put in the hard work necessary to achieve it and hold onto it. And the psalmist helps out with that, as well.

An engagement with the following spiritual practices is how the young person can live into obedience to God and be pure. It’s necessary to frame them as “I will” statements, so that we continually understand that these spiritual practices are vital, and not optional, to a successful life of purity.

I Will Put Energy Into Prayer

It’s one thing to throw up a few prayers in the heat of the moment. But it’s an altogether different thing to devote oneself to prayer and intentionally put the time and energy into praying.

Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. (Colossians 4:2, NIV)

Let there be no excuses in developing a robust prayer life – with the content of those prayers including petitions to avoid falling into disobedience.

I Will Hold God’s Word In My Heart

This is the primary means of keeping sin at bay and maintaining purity and holiness. The Scriptures are meant to be read, ingested, meditated upon, ruminated on, contemplated, and lived. Bibles are not intended to adorn coffee tables; they are designed for their contents to be known.

We can only hold what we have. To keep God’s Word in the heart, it must be taken into that heart.

I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. (Psalm 119:11, NLT)

I Will Praise God

Praise to God arises organically whenever we truly take in the words of God. That’s because God’s Word is life. Praising the Lord is a consistent theme throughout Holy Scripture, as people experience the grace and goodness of God.

I will praise you, Lord!
    You always do right.
I will sing about you,
    the Lord Most High. (Psalm 7:17, CEV)

I’ve thrown myself headlong into your arms—
    I’m celebrating your rescue.
I’m singing at the top of my lungs,
    I’m so full of answered prayers. (Psalm 13:5-6, MSG)

I Will Repeat Aloud God’s Word

It’s a good thing to read the Bible and know the commands of God. It’s an even better thing to read, out loud, and read it more than once.

“…Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, which was made up of men and women and all who were able to understand. He read it aloud from daybreak till noon… in the presence of the men, women and others who could understand. And all the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law.” (Nehemiah 8:2-3, NIV)

Ezra Reads the Law to the People, by Bernadette Lopez

This, in fact, is how we actually get God’s Word impressed on our minds and into our hearts. It’s important for Scripture to move from our short term memory into our long term memory. Then, we can draw from it, especially in those times when we need immediate wisdom or comfort or help.

Just as praise is organic, so God’s Word can spontaneously come out of us – that is, if we have prepared ourselves by filling up the soul to the full of Scripture. Then, helpful words and theology begin to overflow out of us, and benefits everyone.

I Will Delight in Obedience

Submission doesn’t come naturally to most people; it requires intentional development. We need a plan for getting the commands of God inside us. Then they can be familiar to us. And we can follow those commands with all the grace and ability the Lord grants us.

This is more than woodenly following some rules. Keeping to the letter of the Law only engages the mind. The heart needs to be involved, as well. We must also keep the spirit of the Law. And that can happen by learning to delight in obeying God.

Trust in the Lord and do good;
    dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
Take delight in the Lord,
    and he will give you the desires of your heart…

The Lord makes firm the steps
    of the one who delights in him;
though he may stumble, he will not fall,
    for the Lord upholds him with his hand. (Psalm 37:3-4, 23-24, NIV)

I Will Study God’s Word

Learning to delight in God’s commands logically leads toward wanting to examine those commands more closely, to take a good hard look at the biblical teachings available to us.

We don’t necessarily need to become Bible scholars in order to study. We just need the desire and a way to take a closer examination at Scripture. A good way to begin is engaging in a practice known as Lectio Divina.

Lectio Divina is an ancient Latin term which means “spiritual reading.” It is to read Holy Scripture not just to know its contents, but to experience its power to restore, heal, transform, and draw close to God. 

This is a simple way to prayerfully read the Bible, meditate on its message, and listen for what God may be saying for us to do. The goal is to become more Christ-like.

Lectio Divina is based upon reading a selected text of Scripture three times. Each reading is followed by a period of silence after which we respond to God with what we are hearing as we listen.

First Reading

During the first reading, read the text aloud twice. Read slowly and carefully. The purpose of the first reading is to hear the text and listen for a word, phrase or idea that captures your attention. Focus your attention on it, repeating it within your mind several times.

Second Reading

During the second reading, read the text again. This time, focus your attention on how the selected word, phrase or idea speaks to your life. What does it mean for you today? How is Christ, the Word, speaking to you about your life through this word, phrase or idea? After reading, observe a period of silence, then express a brief prayer to God.

Third Reading

Read the text again. This time, focus on what God is calling you to do or to become. Experiencing God’s presence changes us. It calls us to something. During this final reading, focus on what God is calling you to do or to be. Again, observe a period of silence, then pray to God about what you believe you are being called to do or to be.

I Will Take Pleasure in God’s Word

It is probably a foregone conclusion, that when we commit our energy to prayer, hold the Word near and dear to our heart, praise God, speak aloud the words of God, delight in and study divine instruction, we will find ourselves enjoying every moment of it – and living a pure and holy life.

We will discover that God takes pleasure in us. This enjoyment of God over us is so compelling and gracious, that it’s almost as if we cannot help but reciprocate with praise, adoration, and devotion to holiness of life.

There is no arm-twisting in this realm of enjoyment. No need to gin-up motivation, nor to try and get obedience and purity out of others.

The sooner we all learn that the world truly spins on an axis of mercy, the quicker folks will realize a better way to live than endless rules and pronouncements.

For the Lord is always true to the basic divine character of pure steadfast love through what is right, just, and good. Amen.

“I Choose You!” (Ephesians 1:3-6)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year BLeave a comment

Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms in Christ. For he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and blameless before him in love. He did this by predestining us to adoption as his legal heirs through Jesus Christ, according to the pleasure of his will—to the praise of the glory of his grace that he has freely bestowed on us in his dearly loved Son. (New English Translation)

There is perhaps no greater sense of worth, security, and love, than stating with sincerity and conviction to another, “I choose you!”

That is exactly what God has done for us. In fact, the Lord chose us and included us before we were even born into this world. Our identity is secure in belonging to God because it isn’t based in any of the screw-ups I did yesterday or the bad decisions I made years ago. Christian identity is based solely and completely by the choice and action of God, in Christ, through the Spirit.

People tend to live up to how they view themselves, to how they self-identify. So, it is critical to our well-being how we truly understand self, others, and God.

If we see ourselves as never getting ahead and needing to lie, cheat, and steal to obtain anything in this life, then we will view ourselves as common thieves.

If we think the only way to have love and security in this life is to hustle for it – to make ourselves as presentable as we possibly can, then we will view ourselves as basically unlovely and search for love in all the wrong places by trying to keep up appearances.

If we look at ourselves as stupid, then we will tend to make poor decisions even when it’s in our ability to make good choices because we see ourselves as unable to compete with those smarter than us. 

The common theme in all these scenarios are people living apart from God. Without the Lord Jesus, we are like lost street children trying to survive from day to day. What we need, what we search for and long for, is to have a good, blessed life in a loving home, a place to belong in a world of disconnection.

To be “blessed,” to have “blessing” in the Holy Scriptures, is to have God’s stamp of approval on your life. It is to know, experience, and feel Divine favor resting upon you.

The picture being painted at the very beginning of Paul’s letter to the church at Ephesus is of wayward children roaming the streets as orphans. The Ephesians were ensconced in their idol worship of Artemis, the fertility cult goddess. They were going about life without a whim about the true and living God.

Out of sheer grace, God plucked them from their worthless condition and adopted them. God placed blessing upon them because of love and gave them a reason to rejoice and praise.

What’s more, the Ephesians were chosen and predestined for holiness and purity. God set them apart for divine blessing. It’s as if God brought them into the kingly palace, provided lavishly for them, and let them have the run of the place. They get to enjoy every privilege that comes with being children of the king.

The focus and orientation of today’s New Testament lesson is about how tremendously special the believer in Jesus really is. And it has nothing to do with how presentable we are to a holy God. Instead, out of the vast storehouse of blessed grace, God chose and adopted. The Lord looked upon you and me with googly divine eyes and said, “I choose you!”

God chooses from a place of divine pleasure. Yes, that’s right. God chooses, predestines, and adopts with a willing heart because it brings great pleasure and divine joy to do so!

There was no arm-twisting from the Father to the Son in securing redemption for lost humanity. And there was no persuasion necessary for the Father and Son to send the Spirit for our ongoing benefit and help in this life. Each redemptive event of Jesus was done out of the grace and love of God in Christ through the Spirit.

Do you see how God views you? Do you know how special you truly are?  Have you an understanding of the incredible position and majesty you have as a human being in God’s image and likeness?

As a child of the king, you live up to the position you know you possess. Freedom from worry and anxiety don’t come from willpower, but from an understanding that God owns all things, and we will never be in need. 

Deliverance from the power of darkness doesn’t come by trying to do better; it comes through the knowledge that God has redeemed us and chosen us to live in the gracious realm of divine love forever. There is no need to hustle for love with God because you and I already have it.

The believer has every spiritual blessing in Christ. God has your back. We belong to God. And to belong to Jesus Christ is to be blessed. It makes all the difference in the world. It is our reason for gratitude and praise, and for settled peace and glorious rest.

Gracious God, your loving activity has snatched me from the barren streets of sin and brought me into a realm of incredible blessing. Thank you for blessing me and giving me a place to belong forever; through Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior, who with you and the Holy Spirit reign forever and ever in a celebration of redeeming love.  Amen.

Mary’s Magnificat (Luke 1:46b-55)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year BLeave a comment
The Magnificat, a woodcut by Sr. Mary Grace Thul

Mary said,

“With all my heart I glorify the Lord!
    In the depths of who I am I rejoice in God my savior.
He has looked with favor on the low status of his servant.
    Look! From now on, everyone will consider me highly favored
        because the mighty one has done great things for me.
Holy is his name.
    He shows mercy to everyone,
        from one generation to the next,
        who honors him as God.
He has shown strength with his arm.
    He has scattered those with arrogant thoughts and proud inclinations.
    He has pulled the powerful down from their thrones
        and lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things
    and sent the rich away empty-handed.
He has come to the aid of his servant Israel,
        remembering his mercy,
    just as he promised to our ancestors,
        to Abraham and to Abraham’s descendants forever.” (Common English Bible)

Mary, the mother of Jesus, was able to wrap both her head and heart around an incredible reality – that God had done great things for her. And it was enough for her to erupt into a great song of praise. Indeed, the Lord shows mercy to everyone who worships and adores the mighty acts of God.

It strikes me that Mary, instead of being full of worry and afraid of the future, and as an unmarried teen with child, is full of the Spirit and faith. Mary neither complained nor fretted for the nine months of her pregnancy; she praised God and was clear-headed about the grace shown to her.

Mary’s canticle gives us insight into the mystery of the incarnation: God chooses the weak, those of low esteem, and the powerless. Mary was quite ordinary for her day. She had no wealth and nothing which would cause anyone to pick her out of a crowd.

Yet, Mary is the one chosen by God. And her wonderful response to grace demonstrated that there is so much more to any person than what we can see with our eyes and perceive through our earthly glasses of high positions and strength of personalities.

What’s more, Mary had the wisdom to discern that her situation typified the Lord’s egalitarian work of leveling the field so that all persons have what they need. Her son, the Messiah, would carry this into his own life and ministry – declaring good news to the poor, comforting the brokenhearted, proclaiming freedom for captives, telling those who mourn that the time of the Lord’s favor has come.

We may tend to think that the work of God is surprising, only because we might often experience so little of grace and mercy in this old world. But God is always full of grace, mercy, and power to those who are powerless and in need of help. The Lord has our backs. 

Perhaps if we all, both individually and corporately, continually used our words to identify and declare the great things God has done, we would then realize the consistent blessing of the Lord. 

I encourage you to take some time today and either journal and/or speak with another about the ways in which God has been good to you in this Advent season, and like Mary, offer praise for each act of mercy. Mary exhibited no helplessness but had her heart calibrated to detect the grace of God when it was present.

May the joy of the angels, the eagerness of the shepherds, the perseverance of the wise, the obedience of Joseph and Mary, and the peace of the Christ child be yours this Christmas. And may the blessing of God almighty – Father, Son, and Spirit – be among you and remain with you always. Amen.

To Be, or Not to Be (Psalm 28)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year ALeave a comment

Only you, Lord,
    are a mighty rock!
Don’t refuse to help me
    when I pray.
If you don’t answer me,
    I will soon be dead.
Please listen to my prayer
    and my cry for help,
as I lift my hands
    toward your holy temple.

Don’t drag me away, Lord,
    with those cruel people,
who speak kind words,
    while planning trouble.
Treat them as they deserve!
    Punish them for their sins.
They don’t pay any attention
    to your wonderful deeds.
Now you will destroy them
    and leave them in ruin.

I praise you, Lord,
    for answering my prayers.
You are my strong shield,
    and I trust you completely.
You have helped me,
and I will celebrate
    and thank you in song.

You give strength
    to your people, Lord,
and you save and protect
    your chosen ones.
Come save us and bless us.
Be our shepherd and always
    carry us in your arms. (Contemporary English Version)

Today’s Psalm, in the Revised Common Lectionary, is alongside the Old Testament story of Joseph and his brothers in the book of Genesis. While out caring for the vast flocks of sheep and goats, Joseph’s brothers hatched a cabal against their younger sibling. They tossed him into an empty cistern (a deep water well) and intended to leave him for dead.

But when a caravan came along, heading to Egypt, the brothers decided on yet another diabolical plan. So, they brought Joseph out of the cistern and sold him into slavery. And, if that weren’t enough, the hateful brothers kept rolling out the devious scheming by making it look like a wild animal killed Joseph, so that they could hide their shameful guilt from Jacob, their father.

So, we are invited to view the psalm from Joseph’s perspective of frustration and agony, crying out to God. Then, praising the Lord for listening and saving his life – even if it meant becoming a servant in a foreign country.

Although becoming a slave was certainly not an ideal situation, Joseph faced a desperate need, even death, and the Lord saved him from it. And Joseph was encouraged and emboldened by the reality that God was with him, no matter where, nor what the situation.

Joseph, along with the original craftsman of the psalm, David, gave praise to God for hearing their prayers. Whereas we may get lost in anger and want retribution, perhaps our orientation is best directed toward offering praise to God for being with us and saving us from certain death.

This raises several questions, at least for me, about being in situations where I experience being heard by God, protected from ultimate harm, yet still left between a-rock-and-hard-place:

  • Can I praise God just for being heard and listened to? 
  • Do I really need to be healed or delivered? Or do I actually need to be delivered from the need for deliverance? 
  • What if I don’t get everything I pray for? Am I expecting to receive something God never promised? 
  • Will I offer praise and thanksgiving, even if God is silent? 
  • Is my joy in a relationship with God either conditional, or unconditional?

William Shakespeare’s Hamlet (c.1601 C.E.) put the question this way: “To be, or not to be, that is the question.” Hamlet’s soliloquy went on to say:

“Whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,
And by opposing end them? To die: to sleep;
No more; and by a sleep to say we end
The heartache and the thousand natural shocks
That flesh is heir to, ’tis a consummation
Devoutly to be wish’d. To die, to sleep;
To sleep: perchance, to dream: ay, there’s the rub;
For in that sleep of death what dreams may come
When we have shuffled off this mortal coil,
Must give us pause: there’s the respect
That makes calamity of so long life;
For who would bear the whips and scorns of time,
The oppressor’s wrong, the proud man’s contumely,
The pangs of despised love, the law’s delay,
The insolence of office and the spurns
That patient merit of the unworthy takes,
When he himself might his quietus make
With a bare bodkin [knitting needle]?”

Like Joseph left for dead in an empty cistern, Hamlet was miserable and burdened with a profound lack of power to change his circumstances. So, he reflected on life and death in a morbid and melancholy way. It’s not that Hamlet had suicidal ideation, as much as he meditated on what life truly is, and tried to find some meaning within it.

Unlike Joseph, Hamlet cannot find the courage to deal with his frustration and feels stymied with fear of the unknown. He became lost in the injustice of it all.

If we are blatantly honest with ourselves, we much too often have a particular outcome in mind that we want or expect God to do. 

Our hopes become tethered to God doing something extremely specific so that, if it does not come to pass, or does not come quickly, or doesn’t happen as we want, then discouragement, disillusionment, and even depression may settle down in our souls like a lead weight. 

Like Hamlet, we become lost in the shadows of our thinking and ponder some sort of escape.

So, here is another set of questions I am asking myself: 

  • If my adverse circumstances do not change, can I praise God anyway? 
  • Can I, like David, take joy in simply being heard? 
  • Can I find gratitude in all situations? 
  • Do I only express thanks and praise to God when things are going my way? 
  • Am I open to whatever God wants to do in my life, even if it is not what I would choose? 
  • Do I feel that I am above having to put up with the wickedness of this world? 
  • Am I expecting heaven on earth, or am I willing to suffer as Jesus did? 

I honestly believe the answers to those questions will largely determine the trajectory of our spiritual development, our emotional maturity, our mental thoughts, and our overall religious experience.

I praise you, O God, in the good and the bad, the easy and the difficult, the failures and the victories. You are Lord over all things. You are my strength and shield in every circumstance. When I am weak, then I am strong. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Amen.