Psalm Reflection Journal #14

Psalm 119:57-64

I know this may be a little out of order but as I was reading through Psalm 119 today, this section stood out to me. 

“You are my portion, Lord;

    I have promised to obey your words.

I have sought your face with all my heart;

    be gracious to me according to your promise.

I have considered my ways

    and have turned my steps to your statutes.

I will hasten and not delay

    to obey your commands.

 Though the wicked bind me with ropes,

    I will not forget your law.

At midnight I rise to give you thanks

    for your righteous laws.

I am a friend to all who fear you,

    to all who follow your precepts.

The earth is filled with your love, Lord;

    teach me your decrees.”

As a Christian I read the passion with which he treats the law and I see it not as some legalistic adherence, but as love. When you love someone, you want to know them, you want to make them happy, and most importantly you want to serve them. The author is demonstrating that in this section. 

“At midnight I rise to give you thanks for your righteous laws.” Not because he has to, but he dreams about it or it comes into his mind at that hour and is so filled with love that he is compelled to give thanks for the covenant that God has instituted with him. It is the same covenant that God has entered into with us, only now it has been personified by Jesus, consummated by His death and resurrection, and someday it will be fully realized by our residence in the new Creation. 

I read this and think, “That is what I am striving for.” 

Psalms Reflection Journal #13

Psalm 112

“Blessed are those who fear the Lord,

    who find great delight in his commands.”

This is such a simple idea. That God blesses those who respond to Him appropriately, with fear and obedience. As Christians we understand that “fear” is not terror, but a respect for God’s incredible power and might. We also understand that obedience is not just doing what God says because He says it, like some slave-driver, but we do it because we know this all-powerful, all-knowing, infinite God wants what is best for us, and His will is always what is best for us! 

The next verse is testament to that truth. 

“Their children will be mighty in the land;

    the generation of the upright will be blessed”

So not only are we going to be blessed for being obedient and respectful, but our children will be as well. They will be blessed because they will have seen what it means to fear the LORD and find great delight in his commands. They will hopefully learn from the example we have set for them! 

“They will have no fear of bad news;

    their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the Lord.”

This verse in particular spoke to me. I struggle with anxiety and at certain times in my life any sort of “bad news” would have shaken me to my core. God assures us that if we fear Him and obey Him, we will never be shaken, because our hearts are made stead fast by Him. This is such an encouraging promise! 

Psalms Reflection Journal #12

Psalm 101

As I read this Psalm I think about what it would be like to read from a non-Christian perspective. The verses about David singing of God's love and justice, would maybe be a little strange, but we sing songs about love all the time, so I think they would generally get the idea. What I believe they would struggle with is:

 "I hate what faithless people do;
    I will have no part in it.
4 The perverse of heart shall be far from me;
    I will have nothing to do with what is evil."

As a non-Christian reading that would probably put me off at first. It sounds really judgmental and shallow. I would have a hard time taking seriously anything the author had to say from that point on, as I would be pretty offended that he would have "no part" with what faithless people do. Then to lump the faithless with the "perverse of heart" seems a bit unfair. 

This would be a difficult Psalm for a non-Christian I think, unless someone were able to explain how important holiness is to God. For David, the King under God, a shepherd of the people of Israel, holiness was imperative, although David struggled with it. Understanding David's struggles though I think would help a non-Christian better understand why David is so stern about this. 

Psalms Reflection Post #11

Psalm 90

Psalm 90, I love this Psalm. I love Scripture that reminds me of how powerful God is. Psalm 90 and the last few chapters of Job do a great job of this! 

“Before the mountains were born

    or you brought forth the whole world,

    from everlasting to everlasting you are God.”

Powerful. From everlasting to everlasting, He is God, what a fantastic reminder. I often find myself thinking about the future. Mostly, worrying about it. It is important to remember that the God we serve, is at both ends of time, watching over us. 

While this Psalm is mostly Moses’ reflection of the wrath of God, it is a reminder of His power over creation. A reminder to count our days so as to not let them go to waste! 

“If only we knew the power of your anger!

    Your wrath is as great as the fear that is your due.

       Teach us to number our days,

    that we may gain a heart of wisdom.”

Moses is surely recalling their time in the desert when he asks God to give them favor for as many days as they suffer. I know I can relate to a prayer like that. My life hasn’t been “hard” by most accounts, but I know that I would like to at least have as many good days as bad in this life, and we can trust that God delights most when we are most satisfied in Him, so I believe it is true, he will bring good for us! 

Psalms Reflection Journal Post #7

Psalm 55

In reflecting on the Psalm 55 I noticed that it starts with David crying out to God for help in times of distress only to end with him praising God for His character and faithfulness. Like so many Psalms they start with an honest plea, or voice of despair but end with an acknowledgement about who God is. This Psalm in particular caught my attention because of the last two verses. 

Cast your cares on the Lord

    and he will sustain you;

he will never let

    the righteous be shaken.

 But you, God, will bring down the wicked

    into the pit of decay;

the bloodthirsty and deceitful

    will not live out half their days.

But as for me, I trust in you.

This shows two parts of God’s character: His mercy and His Justice. God will not let the righteous be shaken but the evil and bloodthirsty will live short lives. The promise of God is that if we put our trust in Him, nothing will overcome us. This is not to say bad things will not come our way, but that He will be our rock and foundation. If we build on that foundation, we will never see decay. 

Church History Post 7

At this point in the church the structure has not changed much. The clergy are still in charge, meaning bishops and cardinals on up to the Pope. Doctrine comes from the top and they priests run their parishes. The biggest thing to note is that the laypeople, the parishioners, are largely Biblically illiterate at this point. Most cannot read and don't speak Latin, so couldn't read the Bible is they had access to it. They are spoon fed by the priests and this leads to the first stirrings of reform. Wycliffe and Huss begin to challenge the doctrines of the church regarding the Pope and this leads to a lot of drama within the church.

Psalms Journal Post #6

Psalm 28

This Psalm is a great reminder of the truth of the Gospel. David is lamenting something, crying out to his rock, not to turn a deaf ear. He cries for mercy from God. The first 5 verses our this deep and emotional plea. Then David begins to praise God, recognizing that God will always hear us. He attests that God is his shield and his strength. The parallel is so drastic. Even with this dark and emotional plea in the first few verses, David has not forgotten his God, the LORD who will uphold him. He cries out to him, know full well that God will hear him and not let him come to ruin.

This Psalm gives me hope. No matter what we have done, we too can count of God as our strength and shield knowing he is the God of mercy and grace. He is our great shepherd and will carry us forever. Grace is only dependent on God’s goodness and isn’t merited on our behavior, but as David illustrates so well in this Psalm is that those who have been redeemed will naturally want to ascribe honor and praise to the one who has saved them! 

Church History post #6

The church was now firmly split between the Latin West and the Greek East. The Pope was the central figure of ecclesiastical power and the stage was being set to see just how much that power could be abused. Starting with Gregory the VII and culminating in Urban II the brutal Crusades would begin to dominate Europe and the Holy Land. The church was under the almost absolute authority of the Pope. The Pope used this power to establish great armies to go and reclaim the Holy Land from Muslim rule, with little success. The position of Bishop was almost entirely political and for centuries the church was fighting simony, or the use of ones power to claim religious authority for themselves or others. The church was being reformed for a time by well-intentioned leaders but eventually power and politics took over, leading to the crusades, the darkest hour of the church.

Psalms Reflection Journal #5

Psalm 25

As I read through Psalm 25 I am reminded of a simple truth: that no matter how righteous we think we are, or in light of the cross, how righteous He has made us, we should always seek God’s righteousness. David writes this Psalm as a prayer, that he would put his trust in God. He is ascribing to God praise for His faithfulness, “No one who puts their hope in you will ever be put to shame”. David was a man after God’s own heart, a man who communed and spoke to God in so many ways, and even he understands the importance of making this a habit. David does not believe he has “made it” or “arrived” but is in a constant pursuit of God’s presence. 

We too should have this attitude towards God. As co-heirs with Christ we know our salvation is secure, but we should also remember the importance of pursuing God. We still need God to “Show us the way” and “guide us”. God is faithful to answer us and in turn give us His spirit if we too are faithful in pursuing Him. God wants an intimate relationship with us and that cannot by nature be one-sided. 

Church History post #5

In this era of church history, the structure is again changing. With imperial power waning in the West and strengthening in the East, tension had arisen and this has led to an unprecedented jump in the power of the Pope. Now with more than just the religious authority, the power granted the Pope was going to create issues. No longer was the church united under the bishops who would lead their local congregations but now authority was in question and power up for grabs. Politics began to reign and soon we would see massive, painful, and deep schism rip into the church. Some wounds still exist today.

Psalms Reflection Journal #4

Psalm 19

I love the outdoors! I have had the tremendous opportunity to travel to some of the most beautiful places on earth! I spent a summer in the mountains of Northwestern Montana in Glacier Park and Flathead lake. I was able to stand on the edge of the Cliffs of Moher. I’ve climbed to the top of a 14,000ft mountain in Colorado. In all those places, I was moved to worship God. The beauty of His creation is a testament to Himself like no other! When David says,” The heavens declare … the skies proclaim” he must of been experiencing the same thing, sheer wonder at the AWESOME power of God. 

What I find interesting about this Psalm as well is that after speaking about nature praising Him, he turns his attention to the law of God, the scriptures. It is as if to say, how INCREDIBLE are the praises of nature to the Creator without words, but how much greater are the Words of God? They are refreshing, more precious than gold, and sweeter than honey! For as much as we can appreciate and worship God by looking at His creation, how much more should we be moved to worship but His law? 

Church History Post #4

The world is still changing, the Empire has dwindled in power and the church has grown even more powerful. In this period of church history we see a few changes in the structure of the church. First, the role of the bishop. The local bishop was a tradition that had been established for awhile now, the difference is now, the bishop is no longer just the leader of the local church but has a much larger role in the universal church. The bishops of Rome, Alexandria, Cartage, Antioch, etc held a massive amount of power within the church. Through the different councils and synods, the bishops influenced Christian doctrine. The second big change was the way bishops were elected. Before they were simply elected by the local church. Now, with the Emperors holding more stake in the church, many bishops were given their positions through the state. 

Church History Post #3

         In this section of reading we see yet another pretty major shift in the structure of the church. Now Christianity is the religion of the state. Under Emperor Constantine, Christianity was not only no longer persecuted but it was elevated to a higher status. Constantine the Emperor himself gave special consideration and personal allegiance to Christianity. (Though he was not baptized until on his deathbed and he still practiced the rites of the Pagan gods, he did “worship” Christ as well.) Christianity for the first time was in favor. Now the church began to grow and flourish, (if only monetarily), and the system of Bishops became even more engrained. Now there was a group of “advisors” to Constantine, bishops who helped him as a part of his entourage. The Church had meeting places, rather ornate ones, to meet in rather than just homes. This shift brought about interesting changes in the church theologically and practically, but as far as the church structure goes, the changes were mostly positive. The centralization of leadership gave the church more unity in doctrine and this time period saw some of the most prolific writing in church history.    

Psalms Reflection Journal #3

         This Psalm is notable for a few reasons. I think primarily it is known as the Psalm Jesus quotes from the Cross. This is a deeply personal Psalm, filled with the honest questions of a man who feels abandoned by God. The whole Psalm seems to be a bit bipolar. The first two verses he is lamenting the feeling that God has left him, then he is praising God, then he begin to put himself down, then he praises God again. 

          Personally, this Psalm has always resonated with me. To me this Psalm encapsulates the tension between what we feel, and what we know. In my life I have definitely felt like God was not there. I have felt abandoned or left to suffer in my own sin. On the other hand, however, I know the truth that God will never abandon His people. I know I am not a “worm…. scorned by everyone” no matter how much I feel it. The beauty of the Psalms is that the authors are real, honest, and unashamed of their emotions. They pour out their feelings to God and let Him know just how they feel, but, they always remind themselves, and thus their readers, that how we feel is not always a proper reflection of what we ARE. 

Psalms Reflection Journal #2

This week I decided to spend some time with Psalm 7. This is a Psalm that has meant a lot to me over the years. I am painfully aware of my own failures. These failures hurt my family, they hurt me education, and I know they broke God's heart, but the constant reminder of this Psalm is that God will not forsake His people. 

In Psalm 7 David is pleading with God to deliver him from his enemies. While I don't have an physical enemies looking to kill me, (that I know of...), I know that I tend to be my own enemy and that Satan is always looking for opportunities to trip me up. "My shield is God Most High". I know that He is faithful to protect me. That doesn’t mean that bad things won’t still happen, obviously things would get worse for David, but God doesn’t resign to let us stay beat up, but he works things for our good. 

God also makes some strong promises about what He will do to those who are evil. Evil men will be brought down in justice by our God, but this is also a foreshadowing of things to come in Jesus. On the last days we too can rejoice will David saying, “I will give thanks to the Lord because of his righteousness; I will sing the praises of the name of the Lord Most High.” 

Church History Week 2

Church History Week 2

In this weeks reading what I gathered about the church structure was fairly drastic in terms of the scope of change. In the beginning the church met primarily in houses and it was there the local leaders would lead in songs, reading of Scripture, and then communion. But leading into the 3rd century the church had evolved greatly. One of the most notable changes was the role of women in leadership. For most of the 2nd century there were understood leadership roles in the church. While these are in some debate the general idea is that there was a bishop, (or in some cases multiple), and then deacons. The bishops were tasked with leadership while the deacons handled the service aspect. In the early church it is fairly clear women had at least a semblance of leadership responsibility but by the mid- to late 2nd century, in order to combat heresy from the Gnostics, the leadership was almost totally masculine. 

Psalm 1 Reflection

After spending some time in Psalm 1 what really sticks out to me is in verse 2, "...who meditates on his law day and night." I think this really hits me because, here I sit, at my computer, looking ahead toward a long night of homework. I'm thinking about it, what all I need to do, how I am going to do it, but that's different from what the Psalmist is saying. Thinking about something is temporary, inevitably you will have thought through it to a point that is satisfactory in your mind, or quit because you don't feel you can give it anymore thought. No, the Psalmist uses the word "meditates" for a reason. Meditation is something more intense, something deeper. Meditation is this constant state, something kind of illusive but also ever-present. To "meditate on His law day and night" sounds like it is almost painful. God's law is almost haunting you. But what we gather from the rest of the text is that it isn't that at all. Instead, it is what will bring us the most joy. It has been said that God is most pleased when we find joy in Him. I believe this text is saying something similar. If we delight on the Law of God, or in a sense in Him, we will be like a tree planted by a stream, one that never withers and dies. His law is a constant state of nourishment for the soul. It was a welcome reminder tonight. 

Church History Blog Post #1

For my blog I will be tracing Church Structure through the various phases of Church History leading up to the Reformation.

In Gonzalez's book The Story of Christianity: Volume 1 the author takes us through the first and second centuries of the church highlighting different subjects throughout. As far as the structure of the church is concerned there are some interesting shifts that take place during this time period. After the initial spread of Christianity in Judea, the Gospel made its way through the Diaspora. The four corners of the Roman Empire were being brought this new teaching about Jesus and it was primarily delivered through the synagogues established by the Jews living in those areas. Christians would come into the synagogue meetings and explain how Jesus was the fulfillment of the Law. This was met with one of two responses: Acceptance or Anger. The former saw Christianity spread like wildfire, the latter, saw persecution and barring from the places of worship. This led Christians to meet in homes. These often small and intimate meetings usually consisted of prayer, Bible teaching, and communion for those who were baptized. This is how the Church existed for much of the first and second centuries.