Bless the one who comes in the name of the Lord. We bless you from the house of the Lord. The Lord is God, shining upon us. Take the sacrifice and bind it with cords on the altar. You are my God, and I will praise you! You are my God, and I will exalt you! Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever. Psalm 118:26-29 NLT
These final verses of Psalm 118 sound like praises to God. God's messenger is blessed. God is compared to a great light shining down on those who follow God. The sacrifice is prepared on the altar. God is claimed and praised. God is thanked because God is good. God is exalted because God's faithful love goes on forever.
Sometimes we have a hard time praising God. Sure, we may find it easier to thank God, but we don't often praise God. Praising God does involve gratitude but it is a thankfulness that is more general than particular. And we don't have a sacrifice of praise to bind to the altar.
Or do we?
Imagine approaching the altar at the place where you worship. There is something in your hands or you are cradling something in your arms. Is it heavy or light? Do you positively anticipate giving it to God as a sacrifice or do you dread it? Is this something you will miss? What do you imagine that it is?
YOu are going to give this as a sacrifice in order to praise God. That means you will be giving it to God for God's pleasure. This may mean you are giving it up or taking it on. Either way, you will be doing this for God.
How do you feel? Do you think God will be pleased in any way? Give God the praise and the glory!
God, we can do nothing to pay for what Jesus has done for us. However, we do want to give you this, our sacrifice of praise. Please accept our gift in the spirit with which it is given. We praise you and give you thanks. In Jesus' name. Amen.
Copyright 2012 Amelia G. Sims
Showing posts with label Psalm 118. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Psalm 118. Show all posts
Monday, October 1, 2012
Sunday, September 30, 2012
Lord, please save us!
Please, Lord, please save us. Please, Lord, please give us success. Psalm 118: 25 NLT
This one verse is here among all these praises to God for victory. Is that victory not so sure? Is the outcome still up to God? What do the people need saving from if God has already won the battle? What else does God need to do?
I understand in some ways. I suppose I am constantly asking God for many things. I am praying several requests at once, so even when one is answered, I still have more to ask.
Right now my prayer requests include the following:
Discernment, especially for church leaders
Protection for someone in prison
Healing for someone in pain
Healing and joy for someone who is depressed
Encouragement for my son
Guidance for God's priorities in my daily life
The Holy Spirit in my church
Protection from the evil one for my church
For God's structure in my days
For God's guidance each week
Balance of good boundaries in all my relationships
Guidance for writing
Blessings on my marriage
Wisdom in my parenting
Some of these are ongoing prayers. Others may be answered within the next day or so. Even when one is answered, I will still ask for ones unanswered. Perhaps the psalmist still had a battle to overcome and needed the Lord's help.
Take time right now to list some of your prayer requests. Ask for God's help, salvation and God's gift of success.
This one verse is here among all these praises to God for victory. Is that victory not so sure? Is the outcome still up to God? What do the people need saving from if God has already won the battle? What else does God need to do?
I understand in some ways. I suppose I am constantly asking God for many things. I am praying several requests at once, so even when one is answered, I still have more to ask.
Right now my prayer requests include the following:
Discernment, especially for church leaders
Protection for someone in prison
Healing for someone in pain
Healing and joy for someone who is depressed
Encouragement for my son
Guidance for God's priorities in my daily life
The Holy Spirit in my church
Protection from the evil one for my church
For God's structure in my days
For God's guidance each week
Balance of good boundaries in all my relationships
Guidance for writing
Blessings on my marriage
Wisdom in my parenting
Some of these are ongoing prayers. Others may be answered within the next day or so. Even when one is answered, I will still ask for ones unanswered. Perhaps the psalmist still had a battle to overcome and needed the Lord's help.
Take time right now to list some of your prayer requests. Ask for God's help, salvation and God's gift of success.
Saturday, September 29, 2012
We will rejoice and be glad in it
Open for me the gates where the righteous enter, and I will go in and thank the Lord. These gates lead to the presence of the Lord, and the godly enter there. I thank you for answering my prayer and giving me victory! The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone. This is the Lord's doing, and it is wonderful to see. This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118: 19-24 NLT
These verses almost read as if this is a conversation.
Psalmist (approaching the door to the church): Open for me the gates where the righteous enter, and I will go in and thank the Lord.
Gatekeeper (with authority): These gates lead to the presence of the Lord, and the godly enter there.
Psalmist (not waiting to get in): I thank you for answering my prayer and giving me victory!
Gatekeeper (amazed at what he sees): The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone!
Psalmist (admitting God's help):This is the Lord's doing, and it is wonderful to see.
Gatekeeper (beginning the call to worship): This is the day the Lord has made.
Psalmist (in worshipful response): We will rejoice and be glad in it.
God, sometimes I am that gatekeeper. I am trying to keep everyone else from you. At other times I am the psalmist, trying desperately to get to that space where I can praise you. Help me to not keep those who need to be near you far from you. Help me to praise you wherever I am. In Jesus' name. Amen.
Copyright 2012 Amelia G. Sims
These verses almost read as if this is a conversation.
Psalmist (approaching the door to the church): Open for me the gates where the righteous enter, and I will go in and thank the Lord.
Gatekeeper (with authority): These gates lead to the presence of the Lord, and the godly enter there.
Psalmist (not waiting to get in): I thank you for answering my prayer and giving me victory!
Gatekeeper (amazed at what he sees): The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone!
Psalmist (admitting God's help):This is the Lord's doing, and it is wonderful to see.
Gatekeeper (beginning the call to worship): This is the day the Lord has made.
Psalmist (in worshipful response): We will rejoice and be glad in it.
God, sometimes I am that gatekeeper. I am trying to keep everyone else from you. At other times I am the psalmist, trying desperately to get to that space where I can praise you. Help me to not keep those who need to be near you far from you. Help me to praise you wherever I am. In Jesus' name. Amen.
Copyright 2012 Amelia G. Sims
Friday, September 28, 2012
The Strong Right Arm of the Lord
My enemies did their best to kill me, but the Lord rescued me. The Lord is my strength and my song; he has given me victory. Songs of joy and victory are sung in the camp of the godly. The strong right arm of the Lord has done glorious things! The strong right arm of the Lord is raised in triumph. The strong right arm of the Lord has done glorious things! I will not die; instead, I will live to tell what the Lord has done. The Lord has punished me severely, but he did not let me die. Psalm 118: 13-18 NLT
When I pray for victory or for help in defeating what the world attacks me with, I think in terms of coming out whole and hearty. I think God will utterly defeat my enemy or enemies but I will be unscathed. I imagine I will remain unchanged.
Obviously, the psalmist did not come out his victory without scars. His enemies did their best to kill him. Yet, he did not die. Instead, God let him live so that he could tell of God's work. God did punish him but did not take his life.
In my imagination, I see someone who has lost a limb or an eye. Perhaps they are bedridden or now unable to fight or work. Pictures of veterans of the Civil War come to mind. Did the psalmist fight but came out permanently scarred? Did he see his wounds as God's punishment? What had he done to deserve such punishment?
Yet, even with his scars, the psalmist continues to praise God.
God, may I praise you even when you save me from situations that scar my body, mind or heart. In Jesus' name. Amen.
Copyright 2012 Amelia G. Sims
When I pray for victory or for help in defeating what the world attacks me with, I think in terms of coming out whole and hearty. I think God will utterly defeat my enemy or enemies but I will be unscathed. I imagine I will remain unchanged.
Obviously, the psalmist did not come out his victory without scars. His enemies did their best to kill him. Yet, he did not die. Instead, God let him live so that he could tell of God's work. God did punish him but did not take his life.
In my imagination, I see someone who has lost a limb or an eye. Perhaps they are bedridden or now unable to fight or work. Pictures of veterans of the Civil War come to mind. Did the psalmist fight but came out permanently scarred? Did he see his wounds as God's punishment? What had he done to deserve such punishment?
Yet, even with his scars, the psalmist continues to praise God.
God, may I praise you even when you save me from situations that scar my body, mind or heart. In Jesus' name. Amen.
Copyright 2012 Amelia G. Sims
Thursday, September 27, 2012
The Authority of the Lord
Though hostile nations surrounded me, I destroyed them all with the authority of the Lord. Yes, they surrounded and attacked me, but I destroyed them all with the authority of the Lord. They swarmed around me like bees; they blazed against me like a crackling fire. But I destroyed them all with the authority of the Lord. Psalm 118: 10-12 NLT
What is this "authority of the Lord" that the psalmist refers to?
Permission to destroy?
License to kill?
Power from above?
When I think of having authority, I think of being given knowledge as well as some kind of commissioning to act on behalf of someone else. So, perhaps the psalmist destroyed his enemies but he didn't do it on his own. God gave him the knowledge and commissioned him to do so. In other words, the psalmist was not on his own.
How many times do we take the authority to do things on our own when we really shouldn't? And how many times has God given us the authority but we only see our own power and abilities at work?
The psalmist was surrounded by hostile nations. His enemies surrounded him like bees and blazed around him like a crackling fire. This does not sound like he could have defeated them without some major help. And the psalmist repeats three times that he destroyed them with the authority of the Lord. He gives God the credit.
God, sometimes you give us authority and we don't acknowledge your part. Sometimes you want to give us authority and we are afraid to take it. Forgive us for our weaknesses and our selfishness. In Jesus' name. Amen.
Copyright 2012 Amelia G. Sims
What is this "authority of the Lord" that the psalmist refers to?
Permission to destroy?
License to kill?
Power from above?
When I think of having authority, I think of being given knowledge as well as some kind of commissioning to act on behalf of someone else. So, perhaps the psalmist destroyed his enemies but he didn't do it on his own. God gave him the knowledge and commissioned him to do so. In other words, the psalmist was not on his own.
How many times do we take the authority to do things on our own when we really shouldn't? And how many times has God given us the authority but we only see our own power and abilities at work?
The psalmist was surrounded by hostile nations. His enemies surrounded him like bees and blazed around him like a crackling fire. This does not sound like he could have defeated them without some major help. And the psalmist repeats three times that he destroyed them with the authority of the Lord. He gives God the credit.
God, sometimes you give us authority and we don't acknowledge your part. Sometimes you want to give us authority and we are afraid to take it. Forgive us for our weaknesses and our selfishness. In Jesus' name. Amen.
Copyright 2012 Amelia G. Sims
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
What can mere people do to me?
In my distress I prayed to the Lord, and the Lord answered me and set me free. The Lord is for me, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me? Yes, the Lord is for me; he will help me. I will look in triumph at those who hate me. It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in people. It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes. Psalm 118: 5-9 NLT
These verses address the sovereignty of God verses the limitations of people.
Who can we go to when we are in distress? We pray to God and he will answer us, setting us from from our anxiety.
Whose presence with you do you need to feel no fear? God’s presence.
What can mortals do to you compared with what God can do to you? So, whom should you really fear?
It is better to trust in God, take refuge in God than to trust other people or even government leaders (those sworn in to protect the people).
Who is better -- other people or God?
Take sometime today to think about those in your life that you can trust. Then compare that with how much more you can trust God.
God, you are for me, I shall have no fear. What can mere people do to me? You are for me and you help me. It is much better to take refuge in you. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Copyright Amelia G. Sims 2012
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
God's Faithful Love Endures Forever
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever. Let all Israel repeat: “His faithful love endures forever.” Let Aaron’s descendants, the priests, repeat: “His faithful love endures forever.” Let all who fear the Lord repeat: “His faithful love endures forever.” Psalm 118: 1-4 NLT
I don’t know where you are when you read these one minute devotionals. However, I have an assignment for you today that you may need some privacy for.
I would like for you to take one minute repeating the phrase:
God’s faithful love endures forever. Just get in a place where you can see a clock or set a timer and repeat that phrase over and over until the minute is up.
Then, I want you to say this phrase to yourself throughout the day. Let it enter you bones and resonate in your mind. Say it aloud and silently. Repeat it as you walk or shout it as you drive.
Maybe it will sink in by the end of the day.
God’s faithful love endures forever! Amen!
Copyright Amelia G. Sims 2012
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