I don’t much like the word worship. Say the word and in my head I immediately hear an awkward, off-key version of “I could sing of your love forever.” So when Eugene Peterson says in A Long Obedience In The Same Direction that Psalm 122 is about worship, I envision making a quick read of … Continue reading Psalm 122: A Pause to Sharpen
The one who guards – that’s the way God is described eight times in Psalm 121. I’m only two songs into rereading Eugene Peterson’s classic “A Long Obedience in the Same Direction” about the Songs of Ascents, but I’m all ready to place money on this being one of my top two favorites. The songwriter … Continue reading Psalm 121: Faith In A God Who Watches
This Easter morning our pastor asks, “How would you complete the sentence: Jesus is my…” HOPE. That’s the first word to pop in my mind. As Esau McCaulley wrote this week “Christians, at their best, are the fools who dare believe in God’s power to call dead things to life.” Go ahead, call me a … Continue reading When I Begin To Lose Hope, Three R’s Rescue Me
One of the most beautiful things about the holy scriptures to me is the way it is both same ol’ same ol’ and magnificently new. God was, is, and forever will begracious and compassionate,slow to anger,abounding in loyal love and faithfulness. Halleluja God was, is, and forever will bein charge of the winds, the waves, … Continue reading The Wind, Waves, Jesus, and Baal
The Bible Project did a 14-part podcast series on five characteristics that God uses when describing Himself to Moses. Their discussions on the middle attribute – slow to anger – were fascinating. In particular, I couldn’t stop thinking about their question, “Who is the first person God gets angry with in the Scriptures?” Unbelievably, the … Continue reading Character of God: Slow To Anger
I wonder: did the prophet get peppered with questions and unsolicited advice when he rolled out this song to his listeners (Isaiah 42:1-9)? Behold my servant, whom I uphold,my chosen, in whom my soul delights; Uh, hello? Your new song is about a servant? Even if this so-called agent of choice of yours brings delight … Continue reading Isaiah 42: The Song You Didn’t Expect To Like
I have a hard time remembering things. The part of my brain that’s supposed to squirrel things away for reference later got overused, I suspect, by all the memorization I did in high school and college. I wish this wasn’t the case because there are many things I’d now love to hold on to in … Continue reading Psalm 120: A Crossroads
O Lord, this week’s news is like ash in my mouth. O my God, say it isn’t so!But it is. 1,500 then.545 now.The truth is we aredividers. So in the posture of Daniel,I sink low to pray, petition, and confess. O Lord, to you belongs righteousness,but to us open shamebecause of our divisive acts. O Lord, you are … Continue reading Confessions Of The Dividers
“Is there a way to let your readers inside your head?” asked My Love this week. “Uh, no way!” was my initial response. “It’s messed up in there!” But then I let him explain. He liked hearing what thoughts were bouncing around in my brain while writing this meditation on Psalm 6. So below is … Continue reading A Meditation on Psalm 6 Unpacked
A psalm of imperfect, fault-ridden, wildly messed up David.A psalm of prayerful, praise-filled, repentant David. As Eugene Peterson says, “The story of David is not a story of what God wants us to be but a story of God working with the raw material of our lives as he finds us.” Show me the way, … Continue reading A Meditation On Psalm 6: Mercy I Am Requesting
