when the feelings are real but not true

For you are the God in whom I take refuge;

why have you rejected me?

Why do I go about mourning

because of the oppression of the enemy?

Psalm 43:2

Things are never as bad as my emotions make them seem. God is faithful. My feelings are not. I may even be taken up in my feelings into spiritual conclusions that are not even remotely accurate. That seems to be what is going on with this lament at the start of the forty-third psalm. The feelings are real, but are not true. The psalmist cries out for God’s justice as ungodly people appear to have the upper hand (Psalm 43:1). The prayer is one of faith (I have taken refuge in You) and of strong feeling (You reject me, I am mourning). It is a kind of worship to pray those feelings to God, as this psalm demonstrates.

There is a confidence in the light and truth of God’s Word to change the situation. And the feelings quickly change as true faith in God’s Word encourages the sufferer. The perspective of God’s presence brings peace (Psalm 43:3). And in the presence of God there is praise as the power of God is remembered at His altar where sin is atoned and wrongs made right in God’s mercy (Psalm 43:4).

And the soul that was once filled with negative feelings is confronted and comforted. The psalmist “talks back” to the negative self-talk. “Why are you cast down? Why are you in turmoil?” This is a blunt “Stop it!” moment. Faith turns the corner on feelings-driven anxiety. The soul now in confidence boldly makes a stand: “Hope in God.” It know that this real praise brings true perspective: “I shall again praise Him.” It knows what it now has in relationship with God: “He is my salvation and my God” (Psalm 43:5).

When troubled, I pray that my soul might work through the progression of Psalm 43.

1. I come to God.

2. I am honest about real feelings, as they are.

3. I look to God’s truth despite how I feel.

4. I praise God anyway for what He already has done.

5. I confront my wrong, feelings-driven, selfish agenda.

6. I hope in God, confident in salvation and in relationship He has made for me.

Glory and Greatness

And you said, ‘Behold, the LORD our God has shown us his glory and greatness, and we have heard his voice out of the midst of the fire. This day we have seen God speak with man, and man still live.’

Deuteronomy 5:24

As Israel stood

at the foot of Horeb

receiving the Law

filled with awe

they knew they’d seen God’s glory

they knew they’d seen His greatness

Moses again explained

to those gathered again

all the Law made clear

as they all stood near

the God of all glory

the God of all greatness

A voice from the fire

God’s Law then required

obedience to what was heard

submission to God’s holy word

from the voice of God’s glory

from the voice of God’s greatness

God spoke with a man

who surprisingly could still stand

holding tablets of stone

with authority alone

rooted in God’s glory

anchored in God’s greatness

On another mountain stood

the Savior Who would

at Calvary free us from the Law

so all who on Him call

find God’s redeeming glory

know God’s gracious greatness

until He returns

But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.

Mark 13:32

It would be amusing, if it wasn’t so disrespectful of Jesus, to line up all the false predictions of His return. Just a month again, as the American presidential election race was in full fever pitch, I constantly heard, read, and saw so many people anxiously convinced that once one party or the other secured the White House in the election, the return of Christ would HAVE to come. Both candidates have been framed to be the Anti-Christ in weird internet conspiracy theories. Sadly, I have seen evangelicals do this my entire life! It’s crazy. It’s sad. It’s unbiblical. And it disregards the direct command of Jesus.

Jesus taught His disciples in Mark 13 to be ready for the end of the age. And since it has not occurred yet as Jesus ultimately describes it, we must assume then that these words of warning apply to us today. Indeed, the teaching that nobody except the Father Himself can know when the end will occur needs to be accepted. Yet here we are, looking at a world in moral chaos (reality check: it always has been since Genesis 3) and we want so bad to predict the timing of future judgment.

So here is what I am thinking as I take in the caution Jesus clearly calls us to practice: Maybe we should just get on with making Him known in a world that needs the gospel and needs us to live like Him to show them what God’s grace is all about! We want to spare them from the worst, right? From Jesus’ conclusion in Mark 13:32-27 I consider these things:

• No one can know when “that day” will be. Stop trying to figure it out! (Mark 13:32).
• Since we can’t know, be sharp, stay focused on the gospel, obey Jesus and love others (Mark 13:33).
• The Master expects us to serve Him while watching for His return (Mark 13:34-46)!
• The tendency to drift into either laziness or hyper-eschatological nonsense are equal kinds of disobedience (Mark 13:36).
• Stay awake! The world wants to lull us into spiritual slumber. Jesus wants us actively trusting Him and watching out for Him (Mark 13:37).

the wonder of steadfast love

Oh, continue your steadfast love to those who know you,

and your righteousness to the upright of heart!

Psalm 36:10

The steadfast love of God, when used in the Psalms, is an Old Testament poetry theological term for God’s grace. And this psalm is a ballad of beautiful grace. It is both a described and proclaimed grace, understood theologically and shouted doxologically! It is praised and embraced, believed and lived. Look at the descriptions:

• Steadfast love (grace) is vast beyond the heavens (Psalm 36:5).
• Grace is rooted and immovable like a mountain (Psalm 36:6a).
• It is deep and just, benefiting all living creatures (Psalm 36:6b).

And what does God’s grace provide as David sings about it?

• Immeasurable, precious value and true wealth (Psalm 36:7a).
• Refuge in God’s protection of His people (Psalm 36:7b).
• An abundant feast of God’s care and love (Psalm 36:8a).
• A flowing refreshment from God’s river of delight (Psalm 36:8b).
• A fountain of life overflowing (Psalm 36:9a).
• Light that enlightens all our ways (Psalm 36:9b).

Lord,

Like David I too pray that Your steadfast love will continue. And in Christ it is guaranteed because He once for all died and was raised by You in grace and mercy so that with justice and grace my sins are forgiven. And now Your eternal, steadfast love can fill the lives of all who believe! Your grace is my only wealth. Your grace is my refuge against a wicked world. Your grace is my feast and my flowing fountain. Your grace is my light that floods the darkness with Your glory. Thank You for Your faithful, gracious, steadfast love!

Amen

Idolatry is all too easy.

Therefore watch yourselves very carefully. Since you saw no form on the day that the LORD spoke to you at Horeb out of the midst of the fire…

Deuteronomy 4:15

God warned Israel that precisely because He did not appear in a visible form to the nation, they would be tempted to want a god with form. They wanted to “fill in” the details that He purposefully left vague so that His glory would be their mental picture of Him. God demands we worship Him in transcendence.

They would be tempted to carve images in human form (Deuteronomy 4:16). They would be tempted to make animal idols (Deuteronomy 4:17-18). They would make the moon and stars objects of worship if left unchecked (Deuteronomy 4:19). Idolatry would whisper to them from every corner of their lives. And God’s voice that thundered from Sinai demanded their undivided hearts and attention. Worship only the God of the Covenant! Never worship an idol!

Yet how like Israel we still are. We may not carve pagan deities to bow to. We may not have shrines and offerings and rituals to idols per se. Be we do replace the glory of God with a worship of the world around us way too much. We do so when we believe wealth will satisfy and provide for us. We do so when we think human government is the key to our security. We do so when we demand that other people meet our needs. We do so when we enshrine animals with sentience, rights, and familial status. We do so when we think the natural universe is all there is and make our creation the result of random chance and an accident of the cosmos. How idolatrous our world still is!

Lord,

Purge me from my looking away from Your glory to the stuff around me. Forgive me for the worship of form and not glory! I will watch my heart. I want to see Your glory, hear only Your voice, and worship the mystery of the Almighty!

Amen

God-lovers love others

And when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And after that no one dared to ask him any more questions.

Mark 12:34

So what was the wise answer that this scribe gave to Jesus that placed him at the cusp of the kingdom? Simply put: he agreed with Jesus’ summary of God’s Law and expectations of humanity. The scribe had asked Jesus to tell him what was the greatest commandment, a classic theological stump question of Judaism. Jesus responded with a two-part summary of all that God revealed in the Law. If you kept them well, you could keep all the other commands. And they literally are the heart of God’s Law. Jesus’ summary:

1. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.
2. Love your neighbor as yourself

This summary honors the great Shema: Hear, O Israel, the Lord your God, the Lord is One. As the scribe put it well: He is one and there is no other. To hold these two commands forth in life is to acknowledge and obey God well. It is worship lived out for all to experience.

Jesus taught that only one object of worship should be the focus of our hearts. We must love God with all we are. That is what worship is. It isn’t about songs or liturgy exclusively. Those will just be dry ritual without a heart, mind, soul, and strength devoted to loving God passionately foremost. Worship is always a heart activity before it is expressed in any outward manifestation.

And from that worship coming from our loving hearts, God leads our hearts to neighbor love. And who is my neighbor? Jesus’ teaching made that clear as well… even my enemy is my neighbor when viewed by the supernatural, redeeming love of God. Any fellow human being, fellow sufferer, fellow sinner, fellow image-bearer of the Creator should be loved as seriously as I love myself. Wow! Imagine a world where by Christ’s power and trust in the redeeming work of Jesus, people love well. This love as God commands would eclipse our petty differences of politics, race, gender, ethnicity, income, education, or any other human difference! That is how Jesus teaches God-lovers to love others.

Sent

And how are they to preach unless they are sent?

Romans 10:15a

Sent with a message

Sent to preach

Sent by the gospel

Souls to reach

Sent to the nations

Sent to all

Sent to our neighbors

All ruined by the Fall

Sent by the Master

Sent into the field

Sent to represent Him

A harvest to yield

Sent by Jesus

Salvation to tell

Sent with urgency

To rescue from hell

Sent with others

Together we proclaim

Sent to raise churches

To praise Jesus’ name

Sent in conviction

Sent into the strife

Sent to the dead

To preach them to life

Sent to be loving

Sent to show care

Sent to help anyone

Anytime anywhere

Sent as ambassadors

With a strong gospel bent

How show they believe

Unless we are sent?