Deepest Darkness - Psalm 23:4

I dont know this for certain, but I would guess that the 23rd Psalm has to be one of the most widely read, quoted, printed and clung to scriptures of the bible.  Its a good one, there is no doubt about it. From the opening stanza to the final refrain, it is back to back to back promise and encouragement. I like it!

The interesting verse is this 4th verse.  "Even if I go through the deepest darkness, I will not be afraid. Lord you are with me.."   This Psalm opens up with the declarative statement that "The Lord is my Shepherd".  These few words are packed with imagery and indicative ideas about the speakers role and the Lords role.  Sheep and Shepherd.   The idea of being a sheep under the care of a shepherd is ripe with positive ideas and imagery.  The Shepherd, as Jesus says, lays down his life for the sheep. It is also plain that the shepherd leads the flock to the places he desires them to go.  He knows what is best for the sheep and His leadership takes them to places that they will prosper and grow fat (thats a symbolic term for blessed).

Then in the middle of this Psalm the "sheep" makes an interesting statement. "It looks like we are going to walk through some very scary places".  What would be the reason for this path? Is this a detour or is this a planned walk though the deep and the dark. The sheep makes a statement that the Shepherds rod and staff are a comfort to the sheep, but every step through the dark makes the next one harder.  Freeze or run? Both seem like good choices compared to walking calmly beside the shepherd.

What can we conclude from this verse? That there are dark places for the believer even when they are being led by the Spirit? That some places of blessing are just on the other side of a deep dark place?  That to say that we trust is one thing and to trust in the shadow of death are sometimes not the same thing?

Look I dont have all or even most of the answers. I do have opinion though.  Jesus said that he would never leave or forsake us.  We are instructed that the steps of a good man are ordered of the Lord.  Can we conclude from these scriptures that this Dark Path is part of the plan for us in Christ.  I guess that this blog is really intended to get you thinking. I believe that the Lord leads us and being led some times means that we have to go to places we would rather not go.  We are promised the Masters fellowship but we are not promised a bump free journey. What do troubles teach us in Christ?  What do difficult places do to our relationship with Christ?

The Shepherd of our lives has a plan for us. Every step, every valley has a purpose for our lives.  To resist or to run in the face of danger would be to unplug the plan that the Master has for his sheep.  Dont hold back or run for "your life".  There is blessing waiting for us if we simply follow the Shepherd to where he is leading us.

Before......... - Proverbs 15:33

You know one thing that most people are not very good at is waiting. The modern times that we live in are not helping this innate trait either.

The average wait time for the service agent to take your call is going to be 6 minutes.  The person in the express lane at Walmart CLEARLY has more than 20 items!!!! The lights have just turned RED and you are already running late. All of the elevators are everywhere but where you are waiting!! You wont get a table for 30-45 minutes.

Honestly, we can wrap our lives completely around the axle just because we have had to wait minutes. A few hundred seconds. Our heart rates will go up. Our toes will tap and we will invariably glance at our watch or Blackberry at least once while we wait.  It's crazy. We're crazy (personal opinion).

There are some good things that everyone would like to have in their lives; a good job and a comfortable salary, we would like to have the 20% down payment for that dream house, we would like to have the way that the Lord has mapped out for our lives made plain for us, we would like to get the Gifts and Promises that we read about in the Bible.

Know that the promise is really only somewhere near the end of the process. We have to make room in our heart and inner life for the promise. We have to unlearn the things that will rob us of our ownership.  We must understand what the promise or the gift is for. We must understand what our role as possessor of the promise or the gift means to us, to God, to the world. These things all take time and that's when the frustration begins (it only begins with waiting).

The Bible plainly and clearly instructs us in this verse that BEFORE we can know Glory, we must face and accept humility.  Understand that we cannot seperate these two states. Glory and Humilty are near cousins just as Mercy and Truth are.  "Why" is always going to be the wrong question to ask if you want to make progress in the attainment of His most precious promises.  Go ahead and ask though and get ready to wait longer.

Before honour is humility.  The verse gives the idea that these two places or states are not seperate, rather they are points along a spectrum.  Humility can mean a lot of things to different people. God has a very special appreciation for the humble.  The humble are not afraid to acknowledge that they are needy, poor, weak, afflicted (by pride and selfishness), and they are lowly and meek.  These are not new ideas to the believer but they are secret strongholds that keep us back from the very best that God has in reserve.  It would be foolish to say that we are not holders of these groves and high places set up to ourselves.  They have to come down.

Ken Blanchard said that, "Humility doesn't mean that we think less of our selves, it just means that we think of ourselves less". True!!  Think of the prodigal for a moment. Try not to focus on the rioteous living and squandering of his fathers living.  Think of the hours spent in the mud with the hogs. Think of the personal persecution that this young man must have laid on himself day after day. Then think of that day and moment when he said to himself, " I am who and what I am! If I can just be a servant in my fathers house I will have improved my living state more than I can now imagine.  I will go to my father and tell him I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Let me be a servant in your house only."

Before honour is humility. The path to a robe that was appreciated. To a ring that was valued. To a seat at the banquet table was prefaced by a complete and utter breaking down of the groves and high places of self worship.  I personally believe that the reason that this young man asked for his inheritance was because of a really, really bad sibbling relationship. Everyone was excited to hear that the prodigal had returned except one person, the older brother.  That's probably another devotion isn't it?

The Church is more than promised to be the place of the miraculous manifestation of God. It is the expected platform where God can display his providence and divine plan for using the weak to confound the wise. Believe me; healings and prophecies, and everyday demonstrations of the gifts of the spirit are true examples of God's glory on desplay (and his Glory he will not give to another).  If we will be the vessel then before glory there is humility.

Bring the humility God.  Send your searching eye through out the lands of my life and point out the groves, altars and high places and I will burn them down. I will not leave one stone upon another. They are an abomination to your name and every memory of them must be purged.  We are weak and needy. We have allowed these things and we cannot remove them without you Lord!  Cleanse to the utmost and then allow these clay pots to be holders of your Glory and show it strong!

E Plurbis Unum - Psalm 133

You know for the longest time growing up I thought that the Latin words on our coins and currency, "E Plurbis Unum", were saying "In God We Trust" in another language.  I cant really tell you where or how I made that connection but one day it changed. I dont recall the reason for my understanding to be corrected but it was.  Actually the Latin "E Plurbis Unum" out dates "In God We Trust" in the history of the United States by nearly a hundred years on coins  and over a hundred years for currency. The phrase E Plurbis Unum actually means, "Out of many, One". The phrase was a dictum for the United States and adopted by an act of Congress in 1782.  It was never formalized by law until 1956 when the phrase In God We Trust was adopted as the official motto of the US by congress H.J Resolution 396.  The phrase Out of many, One was originally intended to symbolize the union of the 13 original colonies emerging as a single nation.  Recently it has taken on a more pluralistic interpretation of the US being the "Great Melting Pot" of immigration.  Both uses have merit I would have to say.  E Plurbis Unum was struck on US coins as early as 1786.

Coins and Motto's! A strange way of starting a devotional blog probably.  As I was reading this morning in Psalms I had to pause and reflect on the first verse of the 133rd Psalm.. This particular verse is widely quoted and preached within the church and for sure it will preach. It is in harmony with many other scriptures and Divine principles, so preach that.  The Psalm talks about brethren (male and female believers) dwelling, or abiding and remaining, in Unity.  The somewhat unfortunate thing was that I got hung up on the very first word of that Psalm 133, Behold.

The doctrine of unity is unquestionable in our faith in Christ.  Let me share a few references to illustrate the frequency of its reference and breadth of this coverage:

• John 17:22-24
• Romans 15:5-7
• 1 Corinthians 1:10
• 1 Corinthians 12:12-26
• Ephesians 4:1-3
• Philippians 2:1-3
• Colossians 3:1:14

Although is no where near a complete list of Unity Doctrine supporting scriptures it does give a relatively full idea that a body of believers that exists and functions in submission to the One who called us and in singleness of mind and purpose and unity with and among each other is not just a suggestion but a requisite condition.  Requisite to please God, to accomplish His will for His Glory, to demonstrate His character to each other, and to be another Witness of Jesus influence on the lives of the believers. 

See this is where that little word BEHOLD hung me up.  If I have read the commentaries correct David was overjoyed that the tribes of Israel were uniting under his leadership.  He was so inspired that he wrote a song to express his appreciation to his God for this marvelous transformation.  BEHOLD - Take a look. Behold - see just how good,,,,. Behold - notice the pleasantness ,,,,,,,,. Behold - unity among brothers is a hallmark. It takes US and THEM and makes WE. E Plurbis Unum!!! Out of many, ONE!

The Behold thing though (scratch my head just now)?. Man I dont believe that this scripture is making an abstract observation about a potential state of people. I dont believe that it is a momentary expression of a super glad king at seeing nations come together.  I think it is a critical piece of the machine. It is what allows the most productive state to exist for the body that enjoys this state. It is a demonstration and reflection of the blue printed design for the Church.   Head and Body in union. No discontent or contention in the body so that the head has to suffer the inefficiencies of wandering or misbehaving members.  Involuntary actions on the part of most body parts (Lets exclude breathing and heart beating and functions like that), is considered by the medical community as abnormal and potentially dangerous.

"Movement disorders are neurological conditions that affect the speed, fluency, quality, and ease of movement. Abnormal fluency or speed of movement (dyskinesia) may involve excessive or involuntary movement (hyperkinesia) or slowed or absent voluntary movement (hypokinesia)."

Even if I get the benefits of Unity and I accept the requirement for it in the Body, I continue to be struck with this little work BEHOLD.   God wants people to see it.  Of course we have to understand it. Of course our obedience to it is greatly enhanced if we understand its importance in the Masters eyes and plans. But too often we come together as just brother so and so and sister so and so and dont look at ourselves as a body, fittly joined together. Each piece important to the others and worse still we dont acknowledge that without this unity we are a sputtering, noisy, breakdown prone machine that God has to perform repairs on continually.  Pull us off to the side pop the hood and dedicate an entire gathering to point out the crap that we have been willingly putting into ourselves. Get it cleaned out, close the hood and start us back up, oooops, time to go home- see you next week.  Think about it we call it a Church Service dont we. You take your vehicle in for service too or repairs when it is misbehaving.  Preventative mainanence is ok and necessary.  Tuning the components to get the best and most productive performance is desired and those are service calls too. But week after week of spending two hours checking 100 check engine lights? 

We are called to be Witnesses is another clear doctrine.  I would hazard a guess that when we read or hear that verse we envision our single self approach the Witness Stand to swear to tell the truth and take a seat by the judge.  But isnt the church, not me ornot they, but aren't WE called to approach the Witness Stand and swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help is God!!  Look man I am not casting stones at anyone, but I cant get past that Behold.  "Take a look ladies and gentlemen at just how good and pleasing it is when My people determine that they are going to abide, continue, remain, tarry, to abide in Unity.  

Yikes! People are watching. Oh yeah God is watching, He's always watching, but he saw and heard what brother so and so said or did and well He has to understand my reaction to that.  Oh he understands it alright.  Just who do we think it is that Jesus is going to say " I knew you not"? Did WE not do all these things in your Name?  I am not a judge and that Great White Throne is only made for One, but come on, when we read these scriptures too dont we really quickly think its another denomination or some group with part of the truth alone?  

Would the witness, the Body of Christ, please approach the bench and take the witness stand! BEHOLD!  Look I am not an "all together Christian" meaning I am not perfect in my execution. I still have things and people that get under my skin and bring out the "best in me" (Sarcasm). But I acknowledge that this is a serious undertaking, taking the Name of Christ.  The witness stand is out there waiting for us. It may be to offer testimony on a trial we endured, or a hurt that we had healed, or a recounting of our own salvation experiences.  But I think that the local assembly is called up to the witness stand as well (we may not know it) and at that time what is the testimony that we might give?  Thats enough from me today.  Who would have thought that out of 66 books in the Bible today I was going to get brought to a stop by a simple BEHOLD? 

God Bless You 

Jim