Psalm 115 (KJV): Not unto us, O Lord, but unto thy name

From Psalms

Psalm 115

¹Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us,
      but unto thy name give glory,
      for thy mercy, and for thy truth's sake.

²Wherefore should the heathen say,
      Where is now their God?
³But our God is in the heavens:
      he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased.
⁴Their idols are silver and gold,
      the work of men's hands.
⁵They have mouths, but they speak not:
      eyes have they, but they see not:
⁶They have ears, but they hear not:
      noses have they, but they smell not:
⁷They have hands, but they handle not:
      feet have they, but they walk not:
      neither speak they through their throat.
⁸They that make them are like unto them;
      so is every one that trusteth in them.

⁹O Israel, trust thou in the LORD:
      he is their help and their shield.
¹⁰O house of Aaron, trust in the LORD:
      he is their help and their shield.
¹¹Ye that fear the LORD, trust in the LORD:
      he is their help and their shield.

¹²The LORD hath been mindful of us: he will bless us;
      he will bless the house of Israel;
      he will bless the house of Aaron.
¹³He will bless them that fear the LORD,
      both small and great.

¹⁴The LORD shall increase you more and more,
      you and your children.
¹⁵Ye are blessed of the LORD
      which made heaven and earth.

¹⁶The heaven, even the heavens, are the LORD's:
      but the earth hath he given to the children of men.
¹⁷The dead praise not the LORD,
      neither any that go down into silence.
¹⁸But we will bless the LORD
      from this time forth and for evermore.

Praise the LORD.

I need to do a better job of giving credit to God - as verse one indicates with the message of for the Glory of God - not for my own Glory.  For the more I attribute my gifts and my position to God, the fact that he is at work in my life, the more I will trust in his plan.  These two things, trust and recognition, work together and feed off each other.  The way I think about the two is like this: the more you give God credit for things that have happened, then the easier it will be to have faith that He will take care of things that will happen.  Then the opposite would also be true, the more faith you have in God's plan for things that are to come, then the more likely you will be to see God in things that have happened.

If that's the case then at the end of every day we should be able to look back and find several things where God was at work.  Maybe one example where someone was kind and showed God's love.  One example where God was teaching us patience or acceptance or forgiveness - did I pass I wonder?  And of course a point where he gave us more of His grace than we probably deserved.  I haven't gone through this exercise before but I think I will probably do it more often.

On the other side of this exercise, let me put my faith in the God for those things that are to come.  Let me pray.  Lord, as I head out into my life and my world today please guide me and be with me.  Thank you for all of your blessings and your lessons that I have received.  It is only in these gifts that my life is rich today.  Continue to show your light and your plan as the day unfolds.  Lead me not into the temptation of my addiction but continue to deliver me from evil.  If I should stray continue to send me nudges and reminders of your plan for my life.  Help me know when you are at work so that my faith in Your work and Your word be as strong as ever.  Thank you, I pray this in Your name, Amen.

Thanks for letting me share.

Psalm 114 (KJV): Tremble, thou earth, at the presence of the Lord

From Psalms

Psalm 114

¹When Israel went out of Egypt,
      the house of Jacob from a people of strange language;
²Judah was his sanctuary,
      and Israel his dominion.

³The sea saw it, and fled:
      Jordan was driven back.
⁴The mountains skipped like rams,
      and the little hills like lambs.

⁵What ailed thee, O thou sea, that thou fleddest?
      thou Jordan, that thou wast driven back?
⁶Ye mountains, that ye skipped like rams;
      and ye little hills, like lambs?

⁷Tremble, thou earth, at the presence of the Lord,
      at the presence of the God of Jacob;
⁸Which turned the rock into a standing water,
      the flint into a fountain of waters.

I'm going to let you in on a secret.  I also speak a foreign language.  The ability to speak foreign languages has always come easily - a gift I can only attribute to God and be very grateful for.  There have many situations where my ability to speak a foreign language has incredibly changed my perspective on life.  To see things in a way I didn't before.

Psalms, it seems are another example of this.  I have been reading and re-reading psalm 114 trying to find something meaningful to share.  When I decided to read the foreign language translation.  If you think there's variety in the English translations of the bible, try another language.  Only reading the foreign language did I realize the psalmist is asking questions of inanimate objects in verses 5 and 6.  And in that translation not only were these objects in the presence of God - but they saw the face of God, too.  Now I understand why the earth shaked.  I can imagine what I might do if I looked into the face of God.

I discuss this because, this shift in perspective and view that I was able to get from a foreign language was not unlike the shift in perspective that came with a relationship with God.  A walk in my neighborhood wasn't the same.  Time with loved ones was somehow more valuable and meaningful.  A bright sunny day wasn't annoying sun in my eyes it was a warm sun on my face.  I guess, as cliche as it sounds, the glass was half full instead of half empty.  This, perspective, I pray for others out there, addicts that still suffer, people searching and wanting more - but never finding it, and for anyone.  May you find this perspective in your day, this perspective that comes from being in the presence of the Lord.

Thanks for letting me share.

Psalm 113 (KJV): He lifteth the needy out of the dunghill

From Psalms

Psalm 113

¹Praise ye the LORD.
Praise, O ye servants of the LORD,
      praise the name of the LORD.
²Blessed be the name of the LORD
      from this time forth and for evermore.
³From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same
      the LORD's name is to be praised.

⁴The LORD is high above all nations,
      and his glory above the heavens.
⁵Who is like unto the LORD our God,
      who dwelleth on high,
⁶Who humbleth himself to behold
      the things that are in heaven, and in the earth!

⁷He raiseth up the poor out of the dust,
      and lifteth the needy out of the dunghill;
⁸That he may set him with princes,
      even with the princes of his people.
⁹He maketh the barren woman to keep house,
      and to be a joyful mother of children.

Praise ye the LORD.

Praise the Lord for he lifts the needy out of the dunghill.  As I re-read psalm 113 today.  I am able to reflect on how much my life has changed in the last year and a half - a little more than 19 months.  In comparison to what it was it is nothing short of a miracle the change that he has brought into my life.  Clearly, he is not done with me - but for all that he has changed and brought into my life surely I must praise Him and praise His name.

I realize in my sobriety how many things I did in my addiction.  The stealing, the lying, and the coveting.  I still have many things to amend but at least I've stopped the proverbial bleeding and the list has stopped growing.  The Lord has surely lifted me out of the dunghill of addiction - He has set me with princes...Hallelu Yah.

Thanks for letting me share.

Psalm 112 (KJV): There ariseth light in the darkness

From Psalms

Psalm 112

¹Praise ye the LORD.
Blessed is the man that feareth the LORD,
      that delighteth greatly in his commandments.

²His seed shall be mighty upon earth:
      the generation of the upright shall be blessed.
³Wealth and riches shall be in his house:
      and his righteousness endureth for ever.
⁴Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness:
      he is gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous.
⁵A good man sheweth favour, and lendeth:
      he will guide his affairs with discretion.

⁶Surely he shall not be moved for ever:
      the righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance.
⁷He shall not be afraid of evil tidings:
      his heart is fixed, trusting in the LORD.
⁸His heart is established, he shall not be afraid,
      until he see his desire upon his enemies.
⁹He hath dispersed, he hath given to the poor;
      his righteousness endureth for ever;
      his horn shall be exalted with honour.

¹⁰The wicked shall see it, and be grieved;
      he shall gnash with his teeth, and melt away:
      the desire of the wicked shall perish.

To the upright person there comes light in the darkness (verse 4).  He, the upright person, is gracious and full of compassion (verse 4).  He is also generous and lends freely (verse 5).  To me like the upright man not only has a light in the darkness, but is also a light in the darkness.  He is not afraid - obviously because he trusts in God.

To me this description of this man who believes in God reminds me of something I've learned in my recovery.  You cannot receive things that you are not willing to give.  Or put another way...order to get a hug you need to give a hug.  And as we read in many places in the bible, we cannot be forgiven unless we are willing to forgive of others.

So, if we want to have the light of Jesus in our life we must reflect the light of Jesus into the lives of those around us.  So, today, Lord, help me be faithful when my heart has fear.  Give me a nudge when I have an opportunity to give.  Fix my heart, not unto the evil of my addiction, but to rock of your word.  Let me be an example for those who do not your nature or your riches.  Guide me to be a person who delights in your gifts of love and faith.  Amen.

Thanks for letting me share.