devotional

Psalms 27 and 147

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Today is my day in the annual Lenten Devotional book that is published by First Presbyterian and, as promised, am also publishing it here. This entry has two short passages from Psalms and follows the thoughts laid out in the first devotional about Psalm 25.

Psalm 27
Of David.

The LORD is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear?
The LORD is the stronghold of my life— of whom shall I be afraid?
When evil men advance against me to devour my flesh, when my enemies
and my foes attack me, they will stumble and fall.
Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear;
though war break out against me, even then will I be confident.
One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple.
For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling;
he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle and set me high upon a rock.
Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me;
at his tabernacle will I sacrifice with shouts of joy; I will sing and make music to the LORD.
Hear my voice when I call, O LORD; be merciful to me and answer me.
My heart says of you, “Seek his face!” Your face, LORD, I will seek.
Do not hide your face from me, do not turn your servant away in anger; you have been my helper.
Do not reject me or forsake me, O God my Savior.
Though my father and mother forsake me, the LORD will receive me.
Teach me your way, O LORD; lead me in a straight path because of my oppressors.
Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes,
for false witnesses rise up against me, breathing out violence.
I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.
Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.
NIV.

Psalm 147:12-20

Extol the LORD, O Jerusalem; praise your God, O Zion,
for he strengthens the bars of your gates and blesses your people within you.
He grants peace to your borders and satisfies you with the finest of wheat.
He sends his command to the earth; his word runs swiftly.
He spreads the snow like wool and scatters the frost like ashes.
He hurls down his hail like pebbles. Who can withstand his icy blast?
He sends his word and melts them; he stirs up his breezes, and the waters flow.
He has revealed his word to Jacob, his laws and decrees to Israel.
He has done this for no other nation; they do not know his laws. Praise the LORD.
NIV.

A favorite Psalm by many Christians, these are glorious passages of praise and declaration of faith by David. David certainly knows and understands times of trouble, but his heart is continually filled with praise to God. Instead of seeking vengeance against his enemies, David continually seeks help from the Lord.

Unlike David, we easily succumb to times of trouble, greed, envy and our own insecurities and do not always call on God’s help when we need it. As we face trouble, we focus on those around us instead of looking to God for support. Too often are we concerned with what others think rather than what God sees in our actions and heart. When our lives please God, then it does not matter what others think.

As we read in Psalm 147:12-20, we are again reminded of the all-powerfulness of God. One of my favorite Spanish worship songs, Eres Todopoderoso (You are All Powerful), talks about the powerful abilities of God and how this is so important to us and why we are in awe of his majesty. It says:

“The only reason for my adoration is you my Jesus.
My only motivation to live is you Lord
The only truth is in you, you are my light and salvation.
My only love is you Lord, and forever I will worship you.

You are all powerful, you are grand, majestic
You are strong, invincible and there is nobody like you.”

While we read passages talking about God’s omnipotent powers, sing both hymns and praise songs about His faithfulness to and love for us, and are repeatedly reminded of His amazing strength, why is it that we easily forget about this and rely on man? We should be like David who immediately goes to God with everything. Do we not go to God because we don’t want to trouble Him with the little things? Is it because we are so wrapped up in Earthly things and the cultural norm of being self-sufficient? Like a parent is wholeheartedly concerned and interested in their child’s life, we should remember that we are the children of God, a father who is unbelievably interested in us and how he can support, lead and teach us.

As I prepare to enter into a life of ministry with Scripture Union Peru, I will definitely face times of emotional and physical trial and difficulty. Cultural differences, frustration about schedules, constant traveling, being so far away from family, church family and friends are just some of the things I will be faced with. But at the same time, I will be able to experience the life-changing ministry of the abandoned boys program, support fellow Christians in their walk with God, and help share the work Scripture Union is doing in Peru with the United States and Europe. When I face times of trouble or great accomplishments, I need to remember to be like David and first call upon God. In both the bad and the good, He is our first call.

Psalm 25

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It’s the time of the year when my home church solicits daily devotional writings for our annual Lenten Devotional book. I have signed up for two, both from Psalms, and have decided to include the first one here today. The first is from Psalm 25, and it is what I wrote for the 2009 book. That being said, I am no longer 23, and no longer necessarily facing some of the same big life decisions as I was last year at this time. Nevertheless, I think this is applicable to today more than ever, and even every day in our lives.

Psalm 25
A Psalm of David.

To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul; in you I trust, O my God.
Do not let me be put to shame, nor let my enemies triumph over me.
No one whose hope is in you will ever be put to shame, but they will be put to shame who are treacherous without excuse.
Show me your ways, O LORD, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.
Remember, O LORD, your great mercy and love, for they are from of old.
Remember not the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways; according to your love remember me, for you are good, O LORD.
Good and upright is the LORD; therefore he instructs sinners in his ways.
He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way.
All the ways of the LORD are loving and faithful for those who keep the demands of his covenant.
For the sake of your name, O LORD, forgive my iniquity, though it is great.
Who, then, is the man that fears the LORD ?
He will instruct him in the way chosen for him.
He will spend his days in prosperity, and his descendants will inherit the land.
The LORD confides in those who fear him; he makes his covenant known to them.
My eyes are ever on the LORD, for only he will release my feet from the snare.
Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted.
The troubles of my heart have multiplied; free me from my anguish.
Look upon my affliction and my distress and take away all my sins.
See how my enemies have increased and how fiercely they hate me!
Guard my life and rescue me; let me not be put to shame, for I take refuge in you.
May integrity and uprightness protect me, because my hope is in you.
Redeem Israel, O God, from all their troubles!
NIV.

For many people, their twenties are exciting and life-changing times. Amidst the big life changes, it can be a time when some of the most crucial life decisions are made, many of which often set the path for the future. It is a time of self-discovery, new found independence found during the college years, a time of crucial decisions like what career path to follow or with whom you fall in love, and an entry into the “real world.”

As I find myself at 23 facing some of the big life decisions – what I want to pursue, where I want to live, who I want to spend my life with. When I am weighed down with these complex decisions and so many choices, I find comfort in verse 5 (“Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.” NIV). Like so many other verses from the Psalms, this verse reminds us of a promise we share with God: if we do our part, God will do His.

We are constantly reminded that if we walk in step with the Lord, He will show us the life He has in store for us. Because of this covenant, we no longer have to worry, be confused, or try to figure it out on our own, all we have to do is trust, believe and obey. He is not a God of uncertainty; He doesn’t want for us to walk through our life trying to worry about our future. He wants to reveal to us the path that is chosen for us, but sometimes like with the beam of a flashlight we can only see so far and have to trust that as we keep going, we have to trust that He will continue to light the path. By slowly revealing each part of our life, it is His way of motivating us to keep going, trusting and seeking. We should not give up and forget that the promise is not a matter of if it will happen, but only a matter of when.

It is especially during these current times of economic strife, growing unemployment, and international conflict that we should not look to man for a solution to our problems. But rather, confide and trust in God, and we will persevere.

A Letter to the Boys

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As part of my despedida (goodbye) from Puerto Alegria, I was asked by one of the caregivers to leave a letter to be read a part of their morning devotionals the day after I left. I recently talked with somebody from the site and heard how the caregiver used the letter as basis for the morning devotional, and expounded on what I wrote. I have translated a portion of my message into English.

My dear Girasoles,

I was asked by Willy to share a little of my thoughts and wanted to use this to say goodbye to you all one last time. The only thing I can say is thank you for everything. Thank you for the conversations, the smiles, for the hugs, and for a wonderful time with you in Puerto Alegria.

Each one of you is a son of God. You should know that He has a big plan and purpose for your lives – from Jesús, the oldest, down to little Luis. With the help of God and all those that are here supporting the Girasoles Program, you all will be excellent men of valor. Pay attention to those that are here working with you, helping you, loving you – they are excellent examples of the Christian men you can become. Keep following the example they set and listening to what they are teaching here, and you will be wonderful, men of God to your families and in your community.

As Paul wrote in his letter to the Philippians, “I thank my God every time I remember you and I always keep you in my prayers” (Philippians 1:3). Keep following God’s direction because with him, everything is possible.

With a big hug and lots of love,

Kate

PS. To the caregivers, love my little boys Luis and Oriel. Take care of them, hug them, play with them, but most importantly, teach them to be men of God like you are yourself. They are your sons and are looking to you for direction. I know you are an excellent example for them.