Sonshine's Journal

We go through our days often without thinking about what is next or if we are safe. How often we just go here and there without thinking or praising God for our safety?

David reminded his readers that “ The angel of the Lord camps around the Lord’s loyal followers and delivers them.” Stop and ponder that word: camps. It means He who is the author and protector of our salvation, “The Angel of the Lord” (v. 7) is undoubtedly a reference to the Lord Himself. 

Remember what He told Gideon? Jdg 6:12 The angel of the Lord appeared and said to him, “The Lord is with you, courageous warrior!”  Gideon did not see himself this way but God did! God is the Angel but also has his angelic forces that surround us to protect us. Not only does He send his angels to camp around us but He delivers us. There is a condition of course. One must be a loyal follower. I often stop at this verse and think of Gideon who was fearful of the Midianites, but just as the Lord promised, Gideon and his forces were protected. Gideon and his armor bearer were able to sneak into the camp during the night as the enemies slept. Then they knew God was for them and against the Midianites!  Jdg 8:28 The Israelites humiliated Midian; the Midianites’ fighting spirit was broken. AND! The land had rest for 40 years during Gideon’s time.

Who today is feeling fearful or is going about his/her day but could use this as God’s  present day promise? 

Once again as we read these psalms one overarching theme is to seek God for He is the heart of what is true, right and pure. David knows his sin is grievous and He is without hope minus God. God reveals all that is right and all that is wrong. “My heart tells me to pray to you, and I do pray to you, O Lord.” Is this where we begin when the Spirit reveals to us our wayward ways or our purity and integrity? It is through prayer that God speaks to our heart through the indwelling Holy Spirit. 

The psalmist writes: The Lord is both kind and fair; that is why he teaches sinners the right way to live. Apart from that principle we are of all men most miserable for we seek our own way not His. “May he show the humble what is right. May he teach the humble his way.” It begins with the principle of being humble before God. 

Today as you walk the path that God has for you, begin there. May your prayers be open to what God has to say. Our hearts tells us to pray. What is your heart telling you this morning as you with God? The chorus reminds us:  may it be a sweet sweet sound in Your ear. 

That is the question asked by the psalmist. He answers: He is the Lord God Almighty who is the Creator of heaven and earth. He holds the universe in the palm of His hand. He is ever before us in beauty and holiness. Yet He left that place of comfort and peace to come to a world where men flogged him and put a crown of thorns on His head. Why did He come? It was to redeem mankind who have lost their way. Who is this Majestic King? He is the Lord God Almighty. We are to share these truths with the next generation that they may know Him! And revere Him! And love Him! 

Who is this Majestic King? He is our Shepherd who guards us, leads us to quiet waters, to pleasant lands of soft green grass and where we can lie down in peace and quietness to meditate on Him. “You are holy; you sit as king receiving the praises of Israel.“ 

Today as we begin our week, stop and ponder this question and seek your answer from His Holy Word. Find peace and quietness beside the still waters. Lie down in the sweet smelling green grass. Meditate on these thoughts as you begin and end each new day.

One writer shared his thoughts: “The world is putting on a show for you, if you’d just stop running long enough to watch it.” And yes, David noted that and put his thoughts on paper for all of us to read and to ponder.  “The heavens declare the glory of God; the sky displays his handiwork.” Each morning as I sit with God and watch the sunrise or each evening as the sun sets in the west, this is what I yearn to carry with me. There is a praise song that we sing at church: “day and night, day and night, let incense rise…” Incense is the aroma of our prayers that the people of Israel clung to in uncertain times and it reminded them that although our days are governed by the 24 hour clock, God’s clock remains firmly placed in the heavens for us to see.

“Day after day it speaks out; night after night it reveals his greatness.There is no actual speech or word, nor is its voice literally heard. Yet its voice echoes throughout the earth; its words carry to the distant horizon.” Stop and ponder that phrase: no actual speech or word, yet as we observe the heavens His voice is there for us to “hear.” Are we listening or running? Are we steadfast, immovable always abounding in His work? 

Does this sound familiar? David echoes the question of Job and the question of men today.  “How long, Lord, will you continue to ignore me? How long will you pay no attention to me? How long must I worry, and suffer in broad daylight?”Who are these that speak? These are they that say: “Fools say to themselves, “There is no God.”

Yet, we know that God is still in the same place He has always been and He hears just as he heard the voice of Job and now of David. The same is true for us!  We can know for certain this truth that David wrote: “The Lord looks down from heaven at the human race, to see if there is anyone who is wise and seeks God.” And what did David finally conclude? “Everyone rejects God; they are all morally corrupt. None of them does what is right, not even one.” 

So when you feel adrift or wondering about today and tomorrow and the next day about the people about you, recall these verses as a challenge to witness to His loving kindness. Why?  So that they may come to know the true God and His plan to save each one because He is not wiling that any should perish but come to repentance.

We spent several days and weeks walking with Job through his suffering. Now that we are in the psalms we want to stop and take a breather for what he is telling us about the ways of man vs. the heart of our God. Listen carefully and choose those that resonate with your soul for encouragement, for this is what Job knew but gleaned more after months of suffering and what David learned early in his life. “How blessed is the one who obeys the Lord, who takes great delight in keeping his commands.” On a scale of 1 to 10, how does your obedience scale rate today? Further, “He does not fear bad news. He is confident; he trusts in the Lord. His resolve is firm; he will not succumb to fear” That was Job and it is David.

In sharp contrast we recall Job’s friends. They chastised Job, but in all of the time he was suffering, He trusted in God. Today, there are many who chastise because they do not know the God of creation. Listen to what Paul noted: “For since the creation of the world his invisible attributes—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen because they are understood through what has been made. So people are without excuse.”

As I asked, on a scale of 1 to 10 where are you on the scale of believing and obeying the God of creation?

If there is one refrain that keeps men from entering the realm of the righteous it is this: I think I have done all I need to do to enter heaven. It is all about “I” and none of God. What do you feel you have done that would merit the Almighty’s presence? Some would say they have given from their purses. Some would say they have reached out and touched the infirm. Sounds righteous enough but when God looks at the one before Him, He announces leave for I never knew you. Why is that God’s response? It is because while He is faithful, you, oh man, are not. Your heart is deceitful and desperately wicked and God knows it. Perhaps that is why David penned the words of these four psalms. “But as for me, because of your great faithfulness I will enter your house;”  It is all of Him and none of me or you. 

David knows his need and only the righteous are afforded the kingdom. He prayed: Have mercy on me, Lord, for I am frail. Heal me, Lord, for my bones are shaking.To enter God’s realm this must be our humble prayer: have mercy Lord.  The more he ponders his end he remembers and prays, not for himself, but for others. “May the evil deeds of the wicked come to an end. But make the innocent secure, O righteous God,”

What is your prayer today? Is it all about you or all about God? 

We have just finished the example of the man Job who epitomizes the righteous man. What made Job different than others is that he shines forth as a man who chose not to follow, stand or sit in the counsel of the wicked or unrighteous. How did Job and others like Moses, Abraham, Ruth and others come to be known as the righteous? Psalm 1 tells us they chose to meditate on the counsel of God, His ways and His character. They found pleasure in choosing God’s ways, not man’s. 

The psalmist gives us the picture of a tree and its life span. To grow and flourish they need water, they need sunshine, they need to be planted where they can spread their leaves. This is a picture of men who willingly thirst for the living water, the Light of the gospel, and the Truth of God manifested in the life of Jesus Christ. 

As a result this is the promise God offers: He, the Almighty Lord guards his way of the godly, through all the trials of life and brings him into His presence at death. In contrast, the way of the wicked ends in destruction as we read in Luke 16, a place of torments. 

So as we now enter into the Psalmist’s record of life, it behooves us to choose which path we will follow. Come join us in our journey to the Land of Promise, the Land of Blessing. 

We have read and reread this book that shows us the depth of sadness that Job has experienced. Throughout them all Job had one question: Please God answer me and show me. Not some sweet nothings but real answers to why I am suffering. Been there beloved? Yes, we all have been there. We all want answers but sometimes it is like heaven is closed for business. Now after 37 chapters God opens heaven’s door and offers not answers but more questions. God begins “where were you when…” And that is just where we all find ourselves when the drama and the questions are there heavy and lingering. 

So in these last few chapters God gives us a glimpse of what He did at creation and now present time. Where was I? I was where I am today, sitting and mulling over all that has taken place in my life. And then I respond just like Job: I have declared without understanding things too wonderful for me to know. And you know what, that is enough. For some of us that is the bottom line. When we come to that point, it reveals what God wants us to know: accept by faith all that you do not understand and trust Me saith the Lord. 

One of the things we learn from Christ is His ability to “cut to the chase” or how to be succinct in conversations but Elihu has never mastered that skill. Here’s why….

I don’t know if you ever have had an argument with another and while you think you are right, your words become, how shall we say, boring and lacking empathy. Elihu fits in that category. He is, as my professor once told me, you are loquacious. 

She meant that my words, although sounding to me as correct, she saw as repetitive and not bringing  the argument to a closure with merit. Perhaps you have had a similar situation in your marriage and finally your spouse says to stop because you are repeating yourself with no positive ending. This is what we call ad-nauseam to the hearer. 

Now with that as an introduction, let’s take a look at Elihu’s words. In three chapters he repeats himself to the point of boring and with no positive conclusion. In addition, But when Elihu saw that the three men had no further reply, he became very angry. They had failed to refute Job. They believed they were right and that since Job had failed to repent, God was the only Person who could convince him that he was a sinner. How mighty is Elihu before these aged men who had been speaking. End of Elihu’s so called modesty. He is boastful and full of words and not one is helpful to Job. So after three chapters, Job, and the reader, are exhausted. 

What is the lesson here for us? It is exactly what Wiersbe said yesterday. We are not called to hammer home our right and your wrong, but we are to be kind and sympathetic. Stop and consider the impact of your words on the listener and try to understand the listener’s heart.