My latest book is available on Amazon! Mystery of the Gospel (Revised and Updated Version)
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Have you ever said things you wished never escaped your lips? Of course, we all have! You can edit or delete a tweet or an email, but you can't recapture words spoken in haste, nor pull them out of the air as if they were never said.
The key to being careful with what comes out of our mouths is to surrender our heart and life to the One who knows us best. This is what we see King David do in this psalm.
Imagination can open doors of thought that lead to innovations, discoveries, and breakthroughs in many ways never considered. Albert Einstein's theory of relativity came to him while imagining light traveling through the universe.
Realization of a truth can stun and shock us when what becomes known through empirical science goes against long-held beliefs. The circumnavigation of the earth by ship disproved the idea of a flat earth, which was further confirmed by orbiting satellites and astronauts.
My wife recalls a time in her childhood when she imagined herself as a character in a storybook being read by someone—someone greater than herself. This was her first sense of God's existence and presence.
The concept of God being all-knowing—omniscient—can be assuring and scary. My wife's childlike sense of God's omnipresence opened up her realization of His omniscience and omnipotence.
Sadness is a strong emotion. It can crush a heart and overwhelm the mind. Anger is also a powerful emotion. Left unchecked it breeds rage and becomes destructive.
Both these emotions are present in Psalm 137. This psalm is characterized as an imprecatory or curse psalm and expresses the psalmist's thoughts with strong emotive words.
Each Christmas season people are preoccupied with gift giving and the quest for the gift that's just right. A standard advertising question is—"What do you get for the man or woman who has everything?"
The same thing could be asked about God since He does have everything. Literally! He's the Creator and Sustainer of all things and all life. What could anyone give to God?
As a worship leader and musician, I know the difference between harmony and disharmony. When someone sings off key and when instruments are not in tune with each other, I notice and cringe.
Try as I may, it's hard for me to ignore disharmony. It distracts me and makes it hard for me to concentrate and focus on worshipping the Lord.
But when instruments and voices blend together in a harmonious way, the music carries me along in an uplifting flow of worship.
People have sought peace of mind and contentment of soul since the beginning of humanity. Various religions, philosophies, and psychologies claim to offer ways of finding contentment and peace, yet the pursuit continues.
This pursuit intensifies during times of personal crises and in the midst of external conflicts and tension. But there's no prescription anyone can offer that measures up to what God offers.
How can fear bring blessing? When it's the right type of fear. This psalm speaks of the fear of God and declares the blessing it brings. The fear of God is often misunderstood by believers and non-believers alike.
It's a matter of priorities. When a person honors the Lord—realizing who He is and how powerful yet merciful He is—blessing will follow.
