Author: looking2jesus13

MARCH 6

Psalm 47

Psalm 47:1, “Clap your hands, all peoples! Shout to God with loud songs of joy!”

One of the highlights of my trips to Uganda was preaching in the village churches. Each church was unique in its own way—some larger, some smaller, some more rustic, but none ever refined. Most had dirt floors, and many lacked doors or windows. Instead of comfortable church seating, adults sat on wooden benches or plastic lawn chairs, and children gathered on the floor. The bathrooms were located outside, and you’d want to take a deep breath before entering.

Despite the lack of modern comforts, the people’s passion for worshiping Jesus remained undeterred. They walked, sometimes from far away, to come together in praise. Once they arrived, they would stay for hours. But no one was watching the clock.

The churches lacked many of the amenities commonly found in American churches. There were no hymnals, chorus books, or PowerPoint screens to display lyrics. Instead, they sang songs passed down through generations or ones they had written themselves. They didn’t have a piano or guitar, but a couple of drums set the rhythm. There was no sound system to amplify their voices, but they didn’t need one—because their voices were powerful enough. And they sang with everything they had.

They sang, they danced, and they worshiped with heartfelt enthusiasm. They worshiped as though they truly meant every word. And they did! They weren’t afraid to clap their hands, wave their arms, or dance with joy. There was no such thing as a loud voice that didn’t belong—everyone sang with passion. After witnessing that kind of vibrant worship, I couldn’t wait to preach!

Some of the differences in worship style are cultural, but the enthusiasm of our Ugandan brothers and sisters in Christ is something that should transcend any culture. It is truly good to worship as if we mean it. The glory of God is something to be celebrated with great joy!

Worship as if you mean it, with heartfelt enthusiasm and joyous praise!

Application Questions: How can you incorporate more enthusiasm into your own worship, whether in a church service or in your personal spiritual life?  In what ways can you embrace different worship styles while ensuring that the heart of worship remains focused on honoring God?

MARCH 5

Psalm 46

Psalm 46:1, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”

Every time I visit a hospice patient for the first time, I bring a lap quilt made by my friends at the local Baptist Church. They’ve been making these quilts for years, and by now, I’ve handed out over 150 of them. The patients are always grateful, and these quilts, along with other small acts of kindness, bring a little light into some of the darkest moments.

Each quilt has a patch sewn in the corner with this verse from Psalm 46. The words of this verse are relevant to everyone, but they carry special significance for those nearing the end of their lives. Where do you find refuge, your safe place? There is no better refuge than in God—our Creator who gave His life to save us. Safe in His arms, we need not fear. Where do you find strength when your own resources are exhausted, when pain and discomfort threaten to steal away your hope and determination? Only God’s grace can provide the strength we need in those moments.

One patient stands out in my memory. She was a neighbor and a dear friend who spent 20 months in hospice. A former sheep rancher, she was fiercely independent and initially uninterested in spiritual matters. Week after week, as her strength faded, we talked more and more about Jesus. Eventually, just before her passing, a hospice coworker was visiting when the conversation turned to heaven. My friend pointed to the patch on her quilt. She was looking to the One who is “a very present help in trouble,” trusting that He would bring her safely home in His perfect timing. She passed away having faith in Jesus.  But He’s a very present help, not just for those dying, but for all of us. 

The nearness of God is the best antidote for the fears of this world!

Application Questions: When facing challenges, how can you intentionally seek God as your refuge and place your trust in Him?  In what areas of your life do you need to rely more on God as a “very present help” in times of trouble?

MARCH 4

Psalm 45

Psalm 45:1, “My heart overflows with a pleasing theme; I address my verses to the king; my tongue is like the pen of a ready scribe.”

Psalm 45 is what’s deemed a Royal Psalm and functioned as a wedding song at the occasion of a royal couple.  As with other such psalms, this psalm has typological significance, having both a historical fulfillment and a future and ultimate fulfillment in the King of Kings, Jesus Christ!

From every perspective, and for a host of reasons, the glory and virtue of the King is to be praised.  He excels over all others.  He is virtuous and does awesome deeds.  He is strong and overcomes his foes. His reign is forever and is renowned for its justice.  His palace is beautiful and bears forth pleasant aromas and sounds. 

The heart of the psalmist overflowed with a pleasing theme.  If you wish that for yourself than fill your heart with thoughts of Christ.  Sit at the feet of the Divine Teacher as he opens your eyes ever more to the glories of Christ (John 16:14).  Let His Word richly indwell you and fill your heart to overflowing with praise and thanksgiving (Colossians 3:16-17).  Be so filled up with the Word of Christ that your “tongue is like the pen of a ready scribe” in its desire to exalt Jesus!

A heart overflowing with a pleasing theme is a heart overflowing with Jesus!

Application Questions: How can actively meditating on the glory and virtues of Christ work to transform your perspective?  What steps can you take so that God’s Word richly dwells within you, inspiring you to honor Christ with your words and actions, just as the psalmist does?

MARCH 3

Psalm 44

Psalm 44:23-24, “Awake! Why are you sleeping, O Lord? Rouse yourself! Do not reject us forever!  Why do you hide your face? Why do you forget our affliction and oppression?”

The psalmist, after recalling times past when God led his people to victories, lamented the fact that God had abandoned them.  Defeated and disgraced, he pleaded with God: Why are you sleeping?  Why are you hiding?  Why have you forgotten us?  The psalmist’s questions are not that uncommon.  We tend to wonder about such things when things don’t go as expected or especially if we are met with some sort of tragedy.

Jerry Sittser and his family were returning home from a visit to an Indian reservation.  It was dark.  “Ten minutes into our trip home,” Jerry said, “I noticed an oncoming car on a lonely stretch of highway driving extremely fast.  I slowed down at a curve, but the other car did not.  It jumped its lane and smashed head-on into our minivan.  In an instant, a tragic accident claimed three generations of my family: my mother, my wife, and my young daughter.”  In Jerry Sittser’s book, A Grace Disguised, he describes his painful journey through grief and questions regarding where God was in his tragedy. 

For a long time, the memory of the traumatic accident deeply haunted and tormented Jerry, replaying in his mind both awake and asleep. One sleepless night, he saw the accident in a different light, standing with his children near the accident site, witnessing the collision again. This time, a divine light illuminated the scene, revealing not only the destruction but also God’s presence, offering comfort and peace. While the waking dream didn’t provide answers to why the accident occurred, it brought a sense of peace, knowing God was there to welcome his loved ones home and guide the survivors toward healing.

At the heart of Jerry’s reassurance were the unchanging realities of the nature of God and his promises.  God is good.  He does good (Psalm 119:68).  Even when things go “bad,” God causes them to work together for good (Romans 8:28).  He is with us and has promised to never leave us nor forsake us, and that promise holds true no matter what! 

We may not know the answer to the question why, but we can trust the One who knows.

Application Questions: Have you ever asked God “why” regarding something that happened in your life?  Why is it important amid such circumstances to keep one’s focus on the good nature and faithful promises of God?

FEBRUARY 28

Psalm 43

Psalm 43:3, “Send out your light and your truth; let them lead me.”

Jacob DeShazer grew up not far from here in the small central Oregon town of Madras.  One of WW2’s “Doolittle Raiders,” Jacob was imprisoned in a Japanese prison camp after being captured in China.  Together with his fellow airmen Jacob endured incredibly harsh mistreatment and abuse.  Jacob responded in kind, which only worked to exasperate his troubles. 

Some books were brought to the prison camp and amongst them was a Bible.  Jacob was told by a guard that he could have the Bible for three weeks.  God’s light and truth pierced through the darkness of that foreboding place as Jacob eagerly read through the Word.  Reading through the book of Romans, he came across Romans 10:9 and discovered God’s promise of salvation to those who confess and believe in the Lord Jesus.  He trusted in Jesus and was saved. 

How difficult it must have been to navigate through life in that prison camp, but the truth of God’s Word worked a radical change in Jacob.  Jacob learned to love his captors.  Even before his release, he sensed a call from God to return to Japan as a Christian missionary.  And that’s what ultimately happened.  The former captive attended Seattle Pacific College and while there, met and married his wife.  Six years and eight months after he had set out to fly to Japan as an airman, he returned to Japan as a missionary.  The DeShazers ministered Christ’s love there for thirty years.  One high spot in his ministry came when Captain Kato (the guard who had given the prisoners a Bible) became a Christian.

One day, in Jacob’s life, God sent forth His light and His truth.  Life was thereby imparted to a sin-dead soul.  His situation was dire, but by the truth he was led down a path to unimaginable blessings.  No matter the extent of our troubles, the Word of God is powerful to save and transform (1 Thessalonians 2:13).  Send your light and your truth, Lord, for we need them to lead us!

“It (The Bible) contains light to direct you…It is the traveler’s map, the pilgrim’s staff, the pilot’s compass.”—Found in the opening pages of every Gideon Bible

Application questions: What difference has the truth of God’s Word made in your life?  Imagine trying to navigate your life’s journey apart from the instruction of the Word.  Why is it so important to be led by the Spirit through the Word?

FEBRUARY 27

Psalm 42

Psalm 42:5, “Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me?  Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.”

Do you ever talk to yourself?  What do you say?  The psalmist asked his soul a question, then gave himself advice.  His troubles were sourced in the deep sorrow he was experiencing.  Sorrow is universal; even the most spiritual are not exempt, as seen throughout Scripture and church history.  It comes to us in a variety of ways and for a host of reasons.

The Sons of Korah served as musicians in temple worship. Many believe this Psalm reflects their sorrow as they accompanied King David during his flight from Jerusalem due to his son Absalom’s rebellion (2 Samuel 15). As they left, they mourned their exile from their home (Psalm 42:5).

The Psalmist’s sorrow stems from several sources. He longs for God as a deer longs for water, but feels distant from Him (Psalm 42:1, 9). He is far from the temple, which once brought him joy (Psalm 42:4, 5b). Facing relentless trials, he feels overwhelmed by troubles and the mocking of his enemies, who ask, “Where is your God?” His tears have become his food, and he is broken-hearted.

Many can relate to the Psalmist’s feelings of despondency and sorrow. Have you ever felt so low that the only prayer is “help”? Yet, amidst this, the Psalmist speaks of hope. He talks to his soul, asking, “Why?” and directs his focus toward God. The repeated refrain, “Hope in God,” shifts his thoughts from despair to trust in God. As Charles Spurgeon has noted, “God is faithful, God is love, therefore there is room and reason for hope.”

The Psalmist reminds us that in times of sorrow, focusing on God’s unchanging nature and His promises offers hope. Despite life’s ups and downs, God remains our constant Rock.  We do well to yearn even more for him, as a deer pants for flowing streams (Psalm 42:1), even as A. W. Tozer has prayed: “I am ashamed of my lack of desire. O God, the Triune God, I want to want Thee; I long to be filled with longing; I thirst to be made more thirsty still.”

“If you look at the world, you’ll be distressed. If you look within, you’ll be depressed. If you look at God you’ll be at rest.” — Corrie Ten Boom

Application Questions: What kind of things bring you sorrow?  The psalmist’s sorrow had to do with losing access to temple worship.  Do you yearn for a closer fellowship with God?  Ask God to make you more thirsty for Him.

FEBRUARY 26

Psalm 41

Psalm 41:1, “Blessed is the one who considers the poor!”

You know the story.  The fictional character, Ebenezer Scrooge, was described by Charles Dickens as “a squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous, old sinner!” Despite his considerable personal wealth, Scrooge underpays his clerk, hounds his debtors, and disregards the needs of the poor, as he lives cheaply and joylessly in the chambers of his deceased business partner.  Not surprisingly, he detests Christmas.  When two men approach him on Christmas Eve for a donation to charity, he sneers that the poor should find work, or else die to reduce the surplus population. His last name now serves as a byword for greed and misanthropy.

It takes little effort to live like Scrooge.  We are born sinners, and in sin we’ve a propensity to look out primarily for our own interests.  Sin makes us selfish.  In “looking out for number one,” there’s little desire or inclination to consider the needs of others.

It took three visits by three spirits to change the heart of Scrooge.  They opened his eyes to the error in his ways, both with respect to what might have been, what was, and what would be lest he change.  Scrooge begs for another chance, promising to alter his ways, and finds himself in his bed on Christmas Day. An overjoyed Scrooge then commits to being more generous and compassionate.

It takes far more than that to change the heart of a selfish sinner.  Nothing less than a born-again experience through faith in Christ can work to do that.  The psalmist understood God to be a giving God (Psalm 41:2).  That reality has been visibly demonstrated for all to see in the sacrifice of God’s own Son for our sins.  Jesus works not just to forgive us, but to change us that we might freely give, even as we’ve freely received (Philippians 2:1-10).  Happy are those who consider the poor, for in considering them, we are more like Jesus, who said, “It is more blessed to give, than to receive” (Acts 20:35).

One of the most Christlike things you can do is to be considerate of the needs of others.

Application Questions: Why does God want us to consider the poor?  Think back to before you were saved.  How selfish were you? How has Jesus worked to change you?   How does his example work to encourage you to be more considerate of the needs of others (Philippians 2:3)? 

FEBRUARY 25

Psalm 40

Psalm 40:2-3, “He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure. He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God.  Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the Lord.”

My heart was distressed ‘neath Jehovah’s dread frown,
And low in the pit where my sins dragged me down;
I cried to the Lord from the deep miry clay,
Who tenderly brought me out to golden day.
He brought me out of the miry clay,
He set my feet on the Rock to stay;
He puts a song in my soul today,
A song of praise, hallelujah!
-Henry J. Zelley, 1898

An aggravated murder suspect, somehow managed to escape a psychiatric hospital in Salem, Oregon. However, his attempt at freedom was short-lived. He found himself trapped in a situation he couldn’t get himself out of.

It was an emergency call reporting a possible dead body that led to his rescue. Far north of Salem, the man was found stuck in the mud up to his armpits, about 75 feet from solid ground. For 12 long hours, he struggled helplessly, his efforts only trapping him deeper in the muck. He was utterly powerless, until a rescue team arrived, using ropes and ladders to pull him to safety.

Ironically, the man’s name was Christopher Pray. Had he only heeded the words of his name, and prayed, he might have experienced an earlier spiritual rescue—one that could have spared him from the troubles that led him to this desperate situation.

Spiritually speaking, the miry clay speaks to the troubles we encounter in this world, and especially the entanglement of sin.  The psalmist speaks of a “pit of destruction,” and that’s an apt description of what happens with sin, as has been said, “If you find yourself at the bottom of a pit, stop digging.”  Sin is much like digging a pit in which to bury oneself.  Paul reminded the believers in Ephesus of how they’d been stuck in their sins and trespasses, doomed to destruction as children of wrath (Ephesians 2:1-3).

The problem with sin, as with the miry clay, is that it is impossible to rescue oneself.  Assistance is needed.  David cried out to the Lord, and the Lord “drew (him) up from the pit of destruction” (Psalm 40:2).  The God who is rich in mercy is well able to rescue from sin’s guilt and power.  On the other side of rescue is rejoicing.  After being welcomed by his father, following his time spent wallowing in the pigs’ mire, the prodigal son was invited to a grand feast and joyous celebration.  Every rescued sinner has a song of praise to sing.  The choir of the redeemed sings to the vast audience of others needing rescue.  And you, believer, are a part of that choir.

Having been rescued from the mire of sin, the choir of the redeemed have a song of praise to sing!

Application Questions: Remember when you cried out to God for salvation?  How joyous were you?  Have there been times since you’ve felt as if you were stuck in the mud?  What lessons can be learned from the psalmist’s experience?

FEBRUARY 24

Psalm 39

Psalm 39:4, “O Lord, make me know my end and what is the measure of my days; let me know how fleeting I am!”

I am deeply grateful for the work we do in hospice care. It is a privilege to provide comfort and support to patients and their families in their final days. Each situation is unique, but they all share one common element: a terminal diagnosis. For some, death comes quickly, as with the patient who passed away during their admission. For others, the process is more gradual, with patients living for months or even years beyond their initial prognosis. Occasionally, patients even improve to the point of being discharged from hospice, though their eventual death remains an undeniable reality.

In a broader sense, we are all in “hospice” because, sooner or later, death comes for us all. The psalmist grasped this truth and prayed for God to make him fully aware of his mortality. In Psalm 39, David asks God to help him understand the fleeting nature of his life and the measure of his days. But why did David pray this way?

While David intellectually understood the brevity of life, his prayer was for a deeper, spiritual awareness of it. The context of this prayer is essential. David, like all of us, was a sinner who battled against sin (Psalm 39:1), faced God’s discipline (Psalm 39:10-11), and sought forgiveness (Psalm 39:8). His hope, however, was firmly rooted in the Lord. He saw himself as a sojourner in this world (Psalm 39:12), knowing that the troubles of life are temporary, and that deliverance was imminent (Romans 7:24-25; 2 Corinthians 4:17-18).

Though life’s journey can be challenging, it is comforting to know that life’s troubles are not forever (2 Corinthians 4:17). For those who have faith in Jesus, the good news is that one day they will be freed from all earthly burdens. In the meantime, our awareness of life’s fleeting nature should prompt us to make the most of the time we have, as Paul exhorts in Ephesians 5:16: “Be making the best use of the time, for the days are evil.”

“Only one life, ’twill soon be past. Only what’s done for Christ will last.”—C. T. Studd

Application Questions: How aware are you of the fleeting nature of your life?  The psalmist asked God to increase his awareness.  Why?  What changes would such an increased understanding bring?

FEBRUARY 21

Psalm 38

Psalm 38:22, “Make haste to help me, O Lord, my salvation!”

In The Problem of Pain, C.S. Lewis writes, “God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world.”

David found himself immersed in suffering, overwhelmed by guilt, loneliness, and a desperate longing to restore his relationship with God. Under God’s discipline for his sins, his body and soul were weighed down, his health deteriorating, and his spirit burdened by a guilt too heavy to bear. His foolishness had led him to a place of sorrow, where he felt utterly crushed and isolated, his heart groaning with anguish.

In the depth of his despair, David cried out to God, seeking deliverance. Troubles often have a way of capturing our attention, which is why we hear of “foxhole” or “jailhouse” conversions. There’s nothing wrong with that—after all, we live in a broken world as broken people. It would be naive to think we can navigate life without God. I’ve often said that everyone has a desperate need for Jesus; the only question is how deeply we recognize that need. Challenges in life serve as a wake-up call, reminding us of our dependence on God.

The encouraging truth, however, is that God hears the cries for help. Just as Peter’s desperate plea, “Lord, save me,” was met by Jesus’ outstretched hand, the thief’s cry from the cross was answered with the promise of paradise. In many ways, the thief is my hospice hero, as countless patients may relate to his distress. Yet, in crying out to God, all of us can find a Savior who is both willing and able to rescue us from our darkest moments.

If you find yourself in the bottom of a pit, stop digging, and look to the One who can readily lift you up.

Application questions: Can you relate to David’s experience in this psalm?  What lessons can we take away from C. S. Lewis’ quote about our troubles?  Have you ever cried out to God in desperation?  How did God respond?