If you’ve ever felt like an enemy was running around behind the scenes, stirring up trouble; they were. He is. He’s working double time trying to keep the glory of God in you from spilling over into the world.
But God, in his righteous splendor, upholds his cause. He’s got his eyes on you, devotedly. He will not falter. [Ps 146:7, Luke 12:7, 2 Tim 2:13]
I’m a consumer in that I’m consumed with soaking up every bit of fruit from trusted brothers and sisters in Christ. I love to fill my head with sermons, podcasts, the latest worship music, Bible studies, devotionals, women’s conferences, and audio books of the Kingdom genre. I want to know what he’s doing and saying in the lives and hearts of his people. I want to know him more and more. Always gaining new revelation, new knowledge, as it relates to building up the body of believers.
However, once again, this lent season, I was compelled to put all of that aside so I could hear only from Him. No other voices or narratives, no going the long way around. I’m striking the Rock himself. Only allowing the one sermon at church on Sundays, a Bible study I was already in the middle of with my daughter, worship music, the First Five app, and reading the Word. I’m grinning as I realize that alone sounds like a lot. But I have made a habit of always letting audiobooks or podcasts play as I go through my day. I haven’t missed an Elevation sermon since 2016, and If:Gathering that just happened this past weekend is one of my mains! I’m an OG If-er, as it was birthed the same year I was baptized. It’s been a monument for me year after year. It. Is. BRUTAL waiting for Good Friday to use my digital pass. Confession: I accidentally watched Ann Voskamp’s conversation before realizing I was breaking lent! 😳😅😫 It may seem small, but for me, it truly is a sacrifice!
While I’ve had to remind myself over and over not to hit play on books, teachings, podcasts, If, it’s been a blessing to hush the noise around me and to learn from him. To feel his presence tangibly. To hear the voice of the teacher as I move through my ordinary life. It’s an incomparable blessing of communion with Adonai. It’s a season of silence and obedience.
Just like Jesus in the desert, when we devote to ourselves time and space to be alone with God, the enemy comes in to disrupt and test us. I’m feeling it right now. I see it throughout the body of believers now, too.
On the way to school yesterday, I saw a company truck with many words, but one word in particular stuck out: Arrow. Today, on the way home from school, ‘suddenly & arrow’ popped into my head at the same 4 way stop. I associated those words with Psalm 64 because of the other versions that use those words to describe an act of God. I pay attention to these prompts from the Holy Spirit. I believe he gives knowledge on things that are happening behind the scenes for our benefit as we work with him. I read and pray where he leads, and I hope you’ll read and pray in agreement Psalm 64 & Psalm 65 today for yourself and others. 🤍
Psalm 64
The Message
1 Listen and help, O God.
I’m reduced to a whine
And a whimper, obsessed
with feelings of doomsday.
2-6 Don’t let them find me—
the conspirators out to get me,
Using their tongues as weapons,
flinging poison words,
poison-tipped arrow-words.
They shoot from ambush,
shoot without warning,
not caring who they hit.
They keep fit doing calisthenics
of evil purpose,
They keep lists of the traps
they’ve secretly set.
They say to each other,
“No one can catch us,
no one can detect our perfect crime.”
The Detective detects the mystery
in the dark of the cellar heart.
7-8 The God of the Arrow shoots!
They double up in pain,
Fall flat on their faces
in full view of the grinning crowd.
9-10 Everyone sees it. God’s
work is the talk of the town.
Be glad, good people! Fly to God!
Good-hearted people, make praise your habit.
We can rest that when the enemy is scheming behind the scenes, God sees. He not only sees, he brings forth justice. He demands it out of his very nature. ‘Be glad, good people…make praise your habit!’
Psalm 65
The Message
1-2 Silence is praise to you,
Zion-dwelling God,
And also obedience.
You hear the prayer in it all.
2-8 We all arrive at your doorstep sooner
or later, loaded with guilt,
Our sins too much for us—
but you get rid of them once and for all.
Blessed are the chosen! Blessed the guest
at home in your place!
We expect our fill of good things
in your house, your heavenly manse.
All your salvation wonders
are on display in your trophy room.
Earth-Tamer, Ocean-Pourer,
Mountain-Maker, Hill-Dresser,
Muzzler of sea storm and wave crash,
of mobs in noisy riot—
Far and wide they’ll come to a stop,
they’ll stare in awe, in wonder.
Dawn and dusk take turns
calling, “Come and worship.”
9-13 Oh, visit the earth,
ask her to join the dance!
Deck her out in spring showers,
fill the God-River with living water.
Paint the wheat fields golden.
Creation was made for this!
Drench the plowed fields,
soak the dirt clods
With rainfall as harrow and rake
bring her to blossom and fruit.
Snow-crown the peaks with splendor,
scatter rose petals down your paths,
All through the wild meadows, rose petals.
Set the hills to dancing,
Dress the canyon walls with live sheep,
a drape of flax across the valleys.
Let them shout, and shout, and shout!
Oh, oh, let them sing!
Psalm 65 verses 1-2 made my spirit leap. 😩 What a good God we serve. What a gracious Creator. I know you’ve felt that. I know you, too, have felt pins and needles in your face and weakened knees to the point of not even being able to speak. When all you can do is be silent and go through the motions, he hears praise. As we (st)humble ourselves in his direction, as best as we know how, he discerns even the silent the cries of our heart. ‘Blessed are the chosen! Blessed the guest at home in your place!’
If your spirit lept at any of this scripture, too, I hope you’ll stew over these chapters and let them permeate down to the marrow. That they would give you peace, joy, strength, and confidence for the days to come. -🤍- Amen.
