The Psalms

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Can one imagine our Bible being comprised of only sixty-five books, and having no Psalms included? What would our spiritual journey be like if we didn’t have those 150 songs of yearning, enjoyment and praise? If there was no 23rd psalmu our lives would be much the poorer.

These outpourings of the soul written mainly by the shepherd and then king David have lifted many a soul from despair and guided many a weary traveller. Psalms are read at funerals, sung or said every week in some churches and devoured at many a sickbed. Their popularity could be because of the raw emotion they display.. They fit into our worrying moods and how often do we say ‘ That was written just for me.’

We don’t have to be a shepherd, king of even a murderer to appreciate the relativity to our own lives. Even those of the world who never have heard of the psalms, may unwittingly be found quoting them.

May We Not Miss

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Looking after sheep in Biblical times was a full on job. There were lions, wolves and other wild animals that had to be fought. Willful sheep would get themselves into dangerous places and needed to be rescued. The shepherd himself would have to walk miles to find the lost sheep while also keeping his eyes open for those dangerous animals.

Yet when it came to it, Moses was not too busy to see the flaming bush that was not consumed by the flames and went to inspect it. He didn’t say he was too busy and not able to investigate. Maybe he knew he was on holy ground. If he had passed by, the history of the whole of the Israelites would have been very different. Moses said, ‘I will turn aside and see this great sight, why the bush us not burned’ Exodus 2:23.

We can be too busy to hear the cries of the needy or see the pleading look on a child’s face, A task that God has for us will be left undone. The Good Samaritan had time to help and had seeing eyes. Maybe a whisper from God would be enough to ensure that we do not miss.

These days we can be too busy , the world seems to be getting faster and faster, It is easy to say we have not time to turn aside. and listen to God and hear His instructions. But what vital information may we miss.

A Well

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A number of Biblical events happened beside wells. In a land of desert, dust and dryness, the presence of a well is the difference between life and death. No wonder the Bible is full of ‘well’ stories. Physically and often spiritually life is barren and waterles

Having killed a man Moses was in exile. Pharaoh tried to kill him so he fled to Midian. There he sat down beside a well which was the obvious place to be. The seven daughters of Reuel came to feed their flocks but were driven away by shepherds. Moses intervened and the rest is history. Invited to stay at Reuel’s place he married one of his daughters, Zipporah and had a son. Exodus 2:11.

Hagar was running away from Sarah, the wife of Abraham and was sitting by a spring in the desert when God found her and promised her that her son would be a head of a large nation. Genesis 16. Isaac met Rebekah when he was sitting by a well and she came to feed her flocks. Genesis 24. Jacob met Rachel by a well. Genesis 29..

Jesus was tired and while his disciples went into the village to buy bread he sat by a well. There he just happened to encounter a Samaritan woman, forgave her of her sins and through her witness many in the village came to salvation. John 4:11.

Not Alone

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During the period of a few days, every reading of the Bible i read reminded me that ‘man is born to trouble as the sparks fly upwards.’ Job 5:7. I wondered if some big trouble was coming to me and this was preparing me for it. In the event I wasn’t faced with any extra problems and life went on the same.

But the result was that I was reminded of my many blessings and the protection of God. As on previous occasions I don’t need to list life’s problems and I don’t need to dwell on them , but the result was I was left with many of God’s promises to me. I marvelled and wondered as I listed them. You and I have a God who never leaves us Deuteronomy 31:6. We have a Saviour who has redeemed us. Eph 1:7. and has promised us a great future. Jer 29:11. Wisdom, much needed wisdom is available to us. for the asking as we traverse the tricky road called life. Is 53:6 There is a reward waiting for us at the end.

My expected troubles never arrived but I became more aware of God’s good news.

Chess

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Early in my adult life I discovered that I was no good at the game of chess. I had learned the rules but couldn’t look far enough ahead. I knew I needed to plan ahead and anticipate any traps that my opponent was setting up. It was no good, I just couldn’t play the game.

A game of chess is very much like life. At every cornet there are hidden dangers We can make a certain decision and then find ourselves in trouble. We just don’t see the lurking problems’. I feel sorry for politicians (though of course they choose their vocation) They make decisions which seem good but they are not always able to see the many ramifications where these decisions lead. One could say they need the wisdom of Solomon.

Even if we are a Grandmaster at chess we don’t know the strategies to navigate life. . Only the Lord has that ability. ‘Unless the Lord builds the house, the labourers labour in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the guard watches in vain.’ Ps 127:1.

So often we make plans and never consult our Maker, no wonder our plans come to nothing and we make a mess of life. God is the Grandmaster of the chess of life. May we turn to Him and He will choose the right paths for us and bless them.

Pass It On

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‘If you’ve had a kindness shown, pass it on.’ I’m not quite sure where that phrase came from but my mother was always quoting it to me. Matthew says the same thing in his gospel ‘So in everything do to others what you would have them do to you.’ Matthew 7:12 In our me, me, me society we sometimes forget this attitude.

As a rule of thumb I always try to leave people happier after an encounter with me. It is not as simple as it sounds What about the driver who cuts me up and then hoots at me as if I’m in the wrong? Kindness doesn’t always work . What about my neighbour who complains about the rubbish that is blown into her garden when it is not me who has dropped any rubbish? I don ‘t have any control over the wind.

I’m saddened by the fact that people have less kindness since the pandemic. I go out of my way to speak to shop-keepers and smile at strangers. One day I was reflecting on my interaction with four shop-keepers whose shops I had visited in one day. On each occasion I had had a little laugh with the people involved and temporarily made them feel happier. I had been able to pass on kindness to others.

Buffeted

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‘And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down.’ Matthew 14:32

During our lives we are buffeted by so many storms, emotional and spiritual. We can feel like we are in a tiny boat in the middle of a raging sea. Whichever way we turn there is no way out. Our fear of sinking and drowning is very real. But I notice that it wasn’t until they climbed into the boat that the wind died down. The verse does not read ‘The wind died down and then they got into the boat.’

The safety we get from God is described in many ways in the Bible – a firm rock on which we can stand, a cleft in the rock away from the elements, protection under the wings of the Almighty.

The place of safety is reached before protection can be offered. Attaining it takes a deliberate action on our part. We need to be willing to enter the place of safety. A time of prayer and Bible reading can be stepping stones into protection. It will show a seriousness to God that we are willing to take up His generous offer. Our storm will die down as soon as we take that step to God, though the results might not be obvious immediately, but the progress will have begun.

Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face

And the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory an grace.’

Alan Jackson

Don’t Squander

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It would be so easy to squander what we have at this present time. It may be that we have a niggling problem with our church. Someone or something is causing us frustration. It could be that we are concentrating on this problem and missing the blessings that are all around us. We could be frustrated by the way the word of God is being read (by a hesitant or unclear reader), instead of hearing what the Bible is actually saying to us. The message is for us to hear and obey.

We might not like the choice of hymns and miss out on a line of pure genius that cries out to our soul. Much prayer and heart-rending has gome into the writing and composing of these hymns and songs.

We have so much hear and learn from our churches. Sadly, I imagine a time when we may not be able to worship freely in our country. There could be a time when we couldn’t physically get to church because of infirmity and our internet connection might be poor. There are some Christians who have to worship alone and in secret. Give thanks for the early church which went through so much suffering to give us our present day churches and places of worship. While you have your church life do not squander it. Give thanks to God for it and do your small part to help it grow.

That ‘To-Do’ List

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I’m sure many Christians have ‘to-do’ lists. We want to achieve so much; so much to do and so little time. Our ‘to-do’ lists easily become ‘too-much doing’ lists. We are surrounded by needs and acts of charity demanding our time and money. The Lord wants us go out and tell the world about Him, more and more demands. There are the sick to be visited, the homeless, housed, the hungry fed.

But, wait, let’s go back to Jesus. None of us can show as much compassion as He did or do so much for the needy. But even He, human and divine as He was, needed times of rest and relaxation and opportunity to recharge His batteries. He spent time with God alone, away from the demands. He rested and enjoyed the company of His disciples.

We learn at least two things from this. The Bible tells us in so many places, rest and be refreshed. Rest in My soul. ‘Do not be weary in well-doing.’ We only have so much energy, we cannot use more than that. And secondly, Jesus communed with His Father. If we do good things without His guidance, we will be no more than just ‘Do-gooders’. While this is commendable, as Christians we have so much more to offer. Once we step outside God’s will, we will be ineffective. Everything we do must be ordered and blest by Him.