First Verse, a journey through the Psalms: Psalm 27

Posted on January 27, 2015 by Jill English Johnston

The Lord is my light and my salvation—so why should I be afraid?
The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble?
(Psalm 27:1, NLT)

The man stared at the woman before him.
“Where are you?” a familiar voice called from a distance.
He could not answer. Neither did she.
A new feeling welled up inside of him. His heart raced. His hands shook. Beads of perspiration formed on his forehead.
He wondered what he would call this feeling. After all, he had been given the task of naming things. First the animals. Then the woman. And then all kinds of different things. She helped him. Plants and other things they discovered, like oaks and daisies, creeks and pebbles. They had spent evenings together walking with their friend, discussing everything. Exploring the garden, talking about ideas. Like family. And friendship. Discussing feelings, naming them. Peace had been his favorite. And joy. Love.
And now, here was a new feeling. He did not like it. He did not like the way it filled his heart. And filled her eyes.
Eve, he called her. Such a delight she had been. Until today. When she had spent time talking with that creature. He had been busy elsewhere. Trimming the fragrant rosebushes. Normally, she worked along side him. But today, today she had wandered off and he had found her by the trees.
Two trees stood at either end of a clearing in the center of their garden.
Beautiful trees. Filled with fruit.
One stood tall, its branches spread wide. The silver leaves shimmered in the sunlight as the breeze gently moved them. A soft lovely fragrance drifted from the leaves. Golden fruit filled the tree. But they had not yet ripened.
The other tree, not quite as tall as the other, with dark, spiky, green leaves, had branches heavy with dark red fruit.
Their friend had told them to stay clear of this tree. They had all kinds of fruit to eat in the garden, but this fruit was not for them.
Eve held one of the pieces of red fruit. So did he. Somehow, she had convinced him to take a bite.
And they did. Together.
The moment his teeth sank into the fruit’s tight skin, something heavy struck his heart. His thoughts became, he did not know how to describe them, dark, like the night sky. Usually he wanted to discuss new feelings with their friend. To understand them better. But not this time.
“Where are you?” the voice called again.
Their friend. He had never had to ask where they were in the past. He always showed up wherever they were in the garden.
He looked at the fruit in his hand. He let it drop to the ground. It landed with a thud.
What had they done?
He stepped back into the trees surrounding the clearing. The woman rushed over to join him. Her eyes were wide. They were still filled with the same thing that filled him.
They watched as their friend strode into the clearing. He stopped by the first tree. He took a deep breath. The man knew he was breathing the sweet fragrance it gave off. Like nothing else in the garden. Their friend slowly shook his head then turned and looked at the other tree. His gaze moved from the tree to where they stood, hidden.
He knew.
He knew he knew. He knew all things. How could he not know this?
It would do no good to stay in the trees. He knew they were there.
“Where are you?” their friend asked a third time.
He stepped out into the clearing and replied, “I heard you walking in the garden, so I hid. I was afraid because I was naked.”
Afraid.
There. He labeled the feeling.
Yes. Afraid. He was afraid.
Fear filled his entire being.
Filled the eyes of Eve.
He did not like this new feeling.
He wondered if it would ever go away.

And so fear entered our world.
Fear. I have written several times on fear and worry.
(Psalm 7 and Psalm 11)
It is definitely not a new concept, otherwise, the Psalmist from so long ago would not have written about it.

But it wasn’t there in the very beginning.  Instead, entered the moment the man and woman took their eyes off their Lord and looked elsewhere.
When they lived in the perfect love of God, there was no room for fear, because love drives out all fear.
But when they stepped out of His love, fear found a place.

And it continues to find a place in our hearts today.

So what can we do?
We can consider where we look for hope, for light, for salvation, and for protection?
Do we look to the circumstances around us?
Do we hide because we feel naked, exposed, afraid?
Do we tremble because danger seems to lurk everywhere?

Or do we look to the Lord?
We need to trust Him who richly gives us all we need, who will always keep His promises.
(1 Timothy 6:17 and Hebrews 10:23)
We need to put our confidence in Him, knowing He will continue to rescue us. (2 Corinthians 1:10)
We need to lift our eyes to Him, knowing full well our help comes from Him alone. (Psalm 121:2)

Prayer
God, You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you! May I believe this and do this, always focusing on You rather than on what makes me afraid.

Grace & Peace

Posted in Abundant Living | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

First Verse, a journey through the Psalms: Psalm 26

Posted on January 20, 2015 by Jill English Johnston

Declare me innocent, O Lord, for I have acted with integrity;
I have trusted in the Lord without wavering.
(Psalm 26:1, NLT)

How I would love to be able to pray that prayer.

But really, truth be told, when push comes to shove, in the midst of an argument, in a moment of weakness, or in a stressful situation, I might act without much integrity.

My pride kicks in. I forget to turn to the Lord.

And instead of responding with integrity and trust, I respond with self-preservation and in selfishness, seeking my own gain and pretty much not considering those around me.

Oh I’d love to come to the Lord and beg him to declare me innocent.
To assure me I wasn’t the one in the wrong.
To pat me on the head and agree that someone else was at fault.
To sympathize with my wounded ego.
To say yes, I am entitled to my hurt feelings and angry retorts.

But He doesn’t.

Instead
I get a loving eyebrow arched my way and the question, “Really, daughter?”

Then the Holy Spirit begins to prompt me with truths I have learned.
Your pride will result in disgrace (Proverbs 8:13), destruction (Proverbs 16:18) and humiliation (Proverbs 29:23)
Your harsh words stir up anger (Proverbs 15:1) and anger stirs up strife (Proverbs 29:22)
And only fools give full vent to anger (Proverbs 29:11)

So, I have to confess. I am anything but innocent.

“But,” I say.
“But,” He says, “what do I say?”

I sigh. Because I know what He says.
He says
Be kind to others, tenderhearted, forgiving others, as I in Christ have forgiven you. (Ephesians 4:32)
If you forgive others then I, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. (Matthew 6:14)
“How often should I forgive?” I ask.  He says “Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times.” (Matthew 18:21b-22)

Not only that, but
If you confess and forsake your transgressions, you will obtain mercy. (Proverbs 28:13)
If you confess yours sins, I am faithful and just and will forgive your sins and cleanse you from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)
And
You can’t keep it secret, but you need to confess your sins to another. (James 5:16)
If someone has something against you, you need to stop what you’re doing and go and make it right. (Matthew 5:23-24)
And no procrastinating, you need to do it while there is still daylight (Ephesians 4:26)

Sigh. How is it I might start a conversation with the Lord defending myself, only to find He somehow, lovingly, moves me through the gamut of my emotions, efficiently removes all my excuses, and brings me to the point of seeing what I did wrong, giving me the desire and strength to confess and make it right?

How? Because He is God. Why? Because He loves me and does not want to leave me in my pit of self-centeredness.  Instead, He draws me into His love and His way of doing things.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, Search me and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life. (Psalm 139:23)

Grace & Peace

Posted in Abundant Living | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

First Verse, a journey through the Psalms: Psalm 25

Posted on January 13, 2015 by Jill English Johnston

O Lord, I give my life to you.
(Psalm 25:1, NLT)

What a great verse to follow Psalm 24.  We can pause and start out the new year by taking a look at our attitude, whether or not we believe everything we have belongs to the Lord.

Even our life.

What are you doing with yours?  What am I doing with mine?

What does the Lord want us to do with it?

We often hear the story of the ambitious, industrious, poured-his-life-into-his-work man on his death bed.  As he lays there dying, does he look at all the money he made, cars he owns, houses he bought, awards he earned?  Or, does he long to have loved ones surround him?  Does he want to look back and see lives he touched, people he loved well, others he helped?

One movie this thought brings to mind is Mr. Holland’s Opus.  The life story of a man who wanted to do something great with music and, much like George in It’s a Wonderful Life, kept finding himself, through life’s circumstances, making decisions that seemed to lead him away from the dream he had.  In the end however, as both Mr. Holland and George looked back, they realized the dream they were given was far greater than any dream they ever had.

Gertrude Lang (Joanna Gleason) sums it up beautifully toward the end of the movie.
“Mr. Holland had a profound influence on my life and on a lot of lives I know. But I have a feeling that he considers a great part of his own life misspent. Rumor had it he was always working on this symphony of his. And this was going to make him famous, rich, probably both. But Mr. Holland isn’t rich and he isn’t famous, at least not outside of our little town. So it might be easy for him to think himself a failure. But he would be wrong, because I think that he’s achieved a success far beyond riches and fame. Look around you. There is not a life in this room that you have not touched, and each of us is a better person because of you. We are your symphony, Mr. Holland. We are the melodies and the notes of your opus. We are the music of your life.”

Their dream was greater because they learned to love well.

When we love others, Scripture says, we show ourselves to be a child of God and to know God (1 John 4:7)
And when we know God, we can surrender our life to Him in a way that says, “do with it what you will.”
In the end, it may not look like what we dreamt when we started but, given to Him, it can be far greater than we ever asked or imagined. (2 Corinthians 2:9 and Ephesians 3:20).

What dreams do you have?   What desires seem unfulfilled?  Where do you struggle with disappointment because of the way things have turned out?

Ask the Lord to reveal to you the ways He is doing more than you can ask or imagine in your life.  Ask Him to help you surrender the areas in your life to which you still cling.   Choose to say, as the Psalmist did, “I trust in you, my God!… I put my hope in you.”

Prayer  

Heavenly Father, “My life is in Your hands, My heart is in Your keeping, I’m never without hope, Not when my future is with You.”  (Kathy Troccoli, from her album Draw me Close)

Grace & Peace

Posted in Abundant Living | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

First Verse, a journey through the Psalms: Psalm 24

Posted on January 6, 2015 by Jill English Johnston

The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it.
The world and all its people belong to him.
(Psalm 24:1, NLT)

“Mine,” the child cries, snatching the toy away from the startled sibling.  Surprise turns to dismay and the upset child wails in protest.    An argument ensues and when the parent intervenes, trying to reason with the owner of the toy in dispute, the older child insists on his or her rights to the toy.

We attribute this behavior to childishness and often, as adults, believe we have moved beyond these immature ways.  But if we look closely, if we examine our hearts, our attitudes and even our words, we might find that the word mine, rather than Yours (as in the Lord’s), describes what we believe about many things in our lives.

My job.
My house.
My spouse.
My kids.
My (fill in the blank)
But what if we change the first word.

Your job, Lord – Paul encourages us that whatever we do, do it heartily for the Lord (Colossians 3:23).
Your house, Lord – if the Lord truly meets all of our needs (Philippians 4:19), then our home is provided by Him as well.
Your spouse, Lord – I love how Gary Thomas, in Sacred Marriage, has called God our Father-in-Law. If our spouse is a child of the King, then that makes God our Father-in-Law and this perspective might just change how we treat our spouse and how we talk to God about our spouse.
Your kids, Lord – that’s a tough one. I have too often taken ownership of them. Ownership of their successes (I am such a great parent), their failures (I am the reason for all their problems) and their safety (I have to keep them safe).
Your (fill in the blank), Lord – What else do I need to turn over to the Lord, what do I need to remember belongs to Him?

What about my very life?  Have I surrendered it to Him?  Or do I still seek to do things my way, do the things I want to do, pursue things I want to pursue?  As we start out the new year, what resolutions have we made?  If we brought them to the Lord, what would be His thoughts on what we want to work on?  Or if we asked Him, what might He want to work on in our lives this year?

My life.

or

Your life, Lord – Whether in life or death, we belong to the Lord (Romans 14:8).

We will explore this idea a little more next week, in Psalm 25.

Until then, we would do well to remember, it all belongs to the Lord

Prayer Heavenly Father, help me to remember that everything is indeed yours. Help me to hold it all with an open hand, to trust You to know best what to do and to be a good steward with what you have entrusted me.

Grace & Peace

Posted in Abundant Living | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

First Verse, a journey through the Psalms: Psalm 23

Posted on December 30, 2014 by Jill English Johnston

The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need.
(Psalm 23:1, NLT)

Although Christmas is over and most mangers have been tucked away into attics or closets until next year, it seemed fitting, with the first words of this Psalm, to revisit the manger and those who appeared on the scene. Specifically the shepherds.  I love how our Savior’s birth was not announced in Rome or even in Jerusalem.  But in the fields.  Not to an emperor or a king.  But to common shepherds.   When I think about it, its really not that surprising for shepherds to be the ones first blessed to hear good news of great joy.

Because the Psalm says the Lord is my shepherd.

And Jesus called himself the Good shepherd.

I asked myself, then, what does it mean to be a shepherd and is it important to understand how that image relates to our God?

The problem is, I’ve never been around sheep or know any shepherds.  So how can I understand this concept better?

Today, of course, the answer is the internet.  Using our good friend Google, I decided to ask a question: What are the specific tasks of a shepherd?

An article came up in Christianity Today titled: The Surprising Truth About Shepherds, An excerpt from Margaret Feinberg’s latest book, Scouting the Divine
She provides several pieces of insight. First, a shepherd pays attention to the well being of his sheep, watching for weakness or illness and keeping an eye out for those prone to wander.  A shepherd also leads his sheep rather than pushing them because pushing sheep creates anxiety and fear.  And finally, a shepherd knows there is safety in the flock and keeps them together, especially when danger is present.

Bible History Online also popped up and provided an extensive list under the Manners and Customs section.  One thing stood out for me; shepherds have tender hearts toward their sheep. A good shepherd always puts the well being of his sheep above his own.   He cares for sick sheep, often using olive oil as ointment for many ailments, carries them in times of need and protects them from danger.  A shepherd knows his own sheep and can pick them out.  The shepherd may even have special names for them.  And the sheep know their shepherd and will respond to his call.

If you’re familiar with the gospels, especially the book of John, then you know Jesus called himself the Good Shepherd.  He takes some of the very attributes mentioned above and applies them to himself.

As I look at the fact that the Lord is my shepherd, then I can say my Father knows me.  He calls me by name.  He knows whether I’m prone to wander.  He knows my weaknesses.  He knows when I need to be carried.  He watches out for my safety.  He leads and expects me to follow.

But, do I know His voice?  Have I spent enough time with Him to recognize when He speaks to me?  When He leads, do I follow?  Do I trust him to take me to good places?  Or do I try to find my own way?

I’m sure there are so many other things I could learn if I could watch a shepherd with his sheep.  Maybe one day, instead of relying on the internet search function, I will find a shepherd, with some sheep, and do some first hand investigating for myself.

And one day we will see our Shepherd face to face.  Revelation 7:17 says “For the Lamb on the throne will be their Shepherd. He will lead them to springs of life-giving water.”

I want to follow Him then.  So I need to learn to follow now.

Prayer, Good Shepherd, You give me rest, strength, protection, and blessings beyond measure.  Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life,
and I will live your house forever. 

Grace & Peace

Posted in Abundant Living | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments