The next piece was first revealed in Asbury Seminary’s Introduction Meditations, launched this month by FirstFruits (Asbury’s Open Press). I’m sharing it right here so that you’ll know concerning the devotional information, and so that you’ll be inspired in case your life has you on maintain on this season. God is devoted.
Psalm 89 isn’t ordered in the identical approach that many different psalms are. The place others start with lament and finish in hope, this one flips the narrative. It begins by laying a basis of faithfulness. God loves us, the psalmist declares. He’s devoted. He could be trusted. What he says, he’ll do. On that basis of faithfulness, the author reminds God that he has already declared that David’s household line will carry the DNA of God’s chosen one — the one for which they’ve been desperately ready whereas they languish in exile.
“You promised, God! Can we belief you to ship?”
Again and again, the psalmist returns to the faithfulness of God, like laying brick on high of brick to construct this basis he’ll then stand on as he makes his lament.
The Hebrew phrase most frequently used to precise the idea of religion extra precisely means “to belief” in its verb type. And when that phrase is used to speak about God, we frequently see the idea of “safety” effervescent up within the context. Different Hebrew phrases are shut family. The phrase for deliverance is said. So is the phrase for peace.
Take all these concepts collectively — belief, safety, deliverance, peace — and one thing profound emerges. They educate us that belief is linked to safety, and safety to deliverance, and deliverance to peace. These ideas appear to construct on each other. Till we’ve discovered to belief God as God is, there is no such thing as a safety. And with nothing however insecurity to drive us, we are going to by no means be delivered from our demons. And with out deliverance, there is no such thing as a peace. So earlier than any query could be requested of God, we should first set up that God is sweet, that God loves us, that God could be trusted. Solely then do our questions and worries have a protected place to land.
By the point the psalm resolves, the author is able to provide the basic lament: “How lengthy, Lord?” In a query that plagues each impatient technology, we really feel the anguish of misplaced goals and exiled individuals. Will it ever get higher? With political companions who can’t be trusted and nations imploding and exploding throughout us, with a way of dire helplessness within the face of all the necessity we can not fill, can we belief you, God, to return by way of? Can’t you come now? In spite of everything, you promised!
How lengthy, Lord? How lengthy?
This lament, this eager for a savior is exactly what makes Introduction’s message so related for each technology and circumstance. Introduction’s name to attend is about getting us stressed sufficient to lastly march proper into the presence of God the place we are able to proclaim to him what we all know to be true. He IS devoted. He DOES love us. He IS good. We CAN belief him. Standing on that basis, we are able to confidently stoke our hungers, rend the heavens, and hope for God’s guarantees to be realized, trusting that God is devoted and He’ll present up.
So the query Introduction stirs in me right now is that this one: Am I hungry for God’s solutions, or for his faithfulness?
God, make me hungry in your faithfulness and make me devoted to you as you might be to me. Amen.
Merry Christmas, pals!
