38-52 But God, you did walk off and leave us,
you lost your temper with the one you anointed.
You tore up the promise you made to your servant,
you stomped his crown in the mud.
You blasted his home to kingdom come,
reduced his city to a pile of rubble
Picked clean by wayfaring strangers,
a joke to all the neighbors.
You declared a holiday for all his enemies,
and they're celebrating for all they're worth.
Angry, you opposed him in battle,
refused to fight on his side;
You robbed him of his splendor, humiliated this warrior,
ground his kingly honor in the dirt.
You took the best years of his life
and left him an impotent, ruined husk.
How long do we put up with this, God?
Are you gone for good? Will you hold this grudge forever?
Remember my sorrow and how short life is.
Did you create men and women for nothing but this?
We'll see death soon enough. Everyone does.
And there's no back door out of hell.
So where is the love you're so famous for, Lord?
What happened to your promise to David?
Take a good look at your servant, dear Lord;
I'm the butt of the jokes of all nations,
The taunting jokes of your enemies, God,
as they dog the steps of your dear anointed.
Blessed be God forever and always!
Yes. Oh, yes.
(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)
I was taught to “respect my elders” – and to respect God’s authority. In fact, I grew up pretty well believing that it would be sinful of me to question God. He is, after all, GOD! But think about this… there are times in all of our lives when we DO question God – “Where are you?” “Why is this happening to me?” “Why, God, why?” In other words… “How could You DO this to me? I thought you LOVED me!” And all the while, you may be cringing a little, expecting a lightning bolt or some other form of Divine intervention or punishment for your insolence!
This passage is one of many examples in the Bible where God is questioned. Jesus asked on the cross, “Why have You forsaken me?” It took me a long, long time to understand that it is okay to question God… as long as we are listening for His answer. It is okay to open a dialog with Him… but we have to stick around to hear what He has to say! We are human. We will wonder from time to time where God has gone as things unfold in our lives. We will have to sometimes look under every rock and in all nooks and crannies to discover God’s plan and how He is using certain situations. But I assure you, He IS still with us, and He does have a plan!
Remember two things… 1) questioning God is not a bad thing – IF you sincerely and seriously seek His answer; and 2) even when it seems God has left the building, continue to praise Him. I promise He is still there… and He needs to hear from you… and He must be praised even in your darkest hours, because He is STILL on the throne blessing you, whether you see it or not. There is an old adage, “If you don’t feel close to God, guess who moved.” Talk to Him…hear what He has to say, and remember to praise Him for all He has done.
©2008 Debbie Robus
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October 6 ~ Psalm 89:19-37
19-37 A long time ago you spoke in a vision,
you spoke to your faithful beloved:
"I've crowned a hero,
I chose the best I could find;
I found David, my servant,
poured holy oil on his head,
And I'll keep my hand steadily on him,
yes, I'll stick with him through thick and thin.
No enemy will get the best of him,
no scoundrel will do him in.
I'll weed out all who oppose him,
I'll clean out all who hate him.
I'm with him for good and I'll love him forever;
I've set him on high—he's riding high!
I've put Ocean in his one hand, River in the other;
he'll call out, 'Oh, my Father—my God, my Rock of Salvation!'
Yes, I'm setting him apart as the First of the royal line,
High King over all of earth's kings.
I'll preserve him eternally in my love,
I'll faithfully do all I so solemnly promised.
I'll guarantee his family tree
and underwrite his rule.
If his children refuse to do what I tell them,
if they refuse to walk in the way I show them,
If they spit on the directions I give them
and tear up the rules I post for them—
I'll rub their faces in the dirt of their rebellion
and make them face the music.
But I'll never throw them out,
never abandon or disown them.
Do you think I'd withdraw my holy promise?
or take back words I'd already spoken?
I've given my word, my whole and holy word;
do you think I would lie to David?
His family tree is here for good,
his sovereignty as sure as the sun,
Dependable as the phases of the moon,
inescapable as weather."
(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)
Promises… we all make them. Some we keep – others fall by the wayside. God set David – a man after His own heart – aside and promised to bless all of his descendants. God did NOT say that the way would always be easy for everyone in David’s lineage… which includes us… but He did say he would not throw us out, abandon us, or disown us.
What I would like for you to take away from this today is that God gave David His word – whole and holy – that He would never leave us! Does that mean we won’t have trouble? No! Does that mean that people will never disappoint us or do bad things? Absolutely not! Does that mean there will be no consequences for rebellion? No way! So, just what DOES it mean? It means that God will love us and bless us – sometimes when we don’t deserve it. He will protect us, even when we feel like we are not being protected. Imagine how much WORSE things might be without God’s protection! He will sometimes allow us to wallow in our poor choices and sinful mistakes. But He will always be waiting, just a prayer away… for us to turn toward Him.
I can remember when a man’s word and a handshake were his bond. There are still a few people in the world that fit this description. If they say it, you can “take it to the bank.” Sadly, though… we want most promises these days in writing – and in triplicate! I am so thankful that the promises of God are indisputable… they are as sure as the sun, as dependable as the phases of the moon… as inescapable as the weather… and they are mine and YOURS! Never give up… on yourself or others… God hasn’t, so why would we?
©2008 Debbie Robus
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October 5 ~ Psalm 89:5-18
God! Let the cosmos praise your wonderful ways,
the choir of holy angels sing anthems to your faithful ways!
Search high and low, scan skies and land,
you'll find nothing and no one quite like God.
The holy angels are in awe before him;
he looms immense and august over everyone around him.
God-of-the-Angel-Armies, who is like you,
powerful and faithful from every angle?
You put the arrogant ocean in its place
and calm its waves when they turn unruly.
You gave that old hag Egypt the back of your hand,
you brushed off your enemies with a flick of your wrist.
You own the cosmos—you made everything in it,
everything from atom to archangel.
You positioned the North and South Poles;
the mountains Tabor and Hermon sing duets to you.
With your well-muscled arm and your grip of steel—
nobody trifles with you!
The Right and Justice are the roots of your rule;
Love and Truth are its fruits.
Blessed are the people who know the passwords of praise,
who shout on parade in the bright presence of God.
Delighted, they dance all day long; they know
who you are, what you do—they can't keep it quiet!
Your vibrant beauty has gotten inside us—
you've been so good to us! We're walking on air!
All we are and have we owe to God,
Holy God of Israel, our King!
(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)
Isn’t Google amazing? We can search for virtually anything and everything, and find dozens, if not thousands of returns – all sorts of answers to our everyday questions. Late night comedian Craig Ferguson likes to joke that he saw this or that on the Internet – “so you know it’s true!” That’s a funny joke, but we all know – or we SHOULD know – that just because something is in print doesn’t mean it is the truth. And so it is with Google. Your search can result in truth AND everything from half-truths to out-and-out lies.
Thankfully, the search for God has only ONE result. There is no other like Him. There is nothing or no one who compares to God – who can even come close to being as powerful, magnificent, artistic, creative, loving, knowing, amazing as He! This is HUGE! It’s enough to make me want to dance and shout and sing! I looked at the passage about God’s vibrant beauty getting inside us – and walking on air – and I was reminded of recent days when the air has been crisp and cool and the skies have been clear. The leaves of the trees are starting to turn yellow and red, and the birds and squirrels are hopping about storing up food for the winter. I watched a bald eagle soar over the river just outside my back steps, and I was awed by God’s incredible handiwork! It is worth shouting and singing about, isn’t it? How can we keep quiet… how can we be sad? God has blessed us from the cosmos to the depths of the ocean!
Truly, “all we are and have we owe to God.” You can Google until the cows come home, but you will never find anyone to compare to Him. Do a little happy dance and praise Him today!
©2008 Debbie Robus
October 4 ~ Psalm 89:1-4
1-4 Your love, God, is my song, and I'll sing it! I'm forever telling everyone how faithful you are.
I'll never quit telling the story of your love—
how you built the cosmos
and guaranteed everything in it.
Your love has always been our lives' foundation,
your fidelity has been the roof over our world.
You once said, "I joined forces with my chosen leader,
I pledged my word to my servant, David, saying,
'Everyone descending from you is guaranteed life;
I'll make your rule as solid and lasting as rock.'"
(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)
For nearly thirty years, I have dabbled in genealogy… researching my ancestors. When my grandparents were all still living, it was fun to sit down at the kitchen table for an afternoon with them and aunts and uncles and note their recollections on a legal pad. From those visits, I gleaned information about family traits, physical characteristics, and more. Sometimes, I got a sense of my “Spiritual background” as my relatives would tell of this church affiliation or that… or my grandmother would talk about going to “Sunday singings” or pie suppers. What I discovered was that, for most of my ancestors, a relationship with God has always been a major factor in their daily living. Oh sure, there were a few “characters” along the way who probably never darkened a church door, but over and over I have been told of “Godly women” and faithful men who served the Lord actively in their churches and by their daily living. My foundation is solid through the generations, built on the love and the word of God. That is truly the most important part of my legacy!
On October 6, 2003, my cousin Olivia was born. Even before she arrived, her mother talked of how she wanted this little girl to know about her family… to learn about the lives of her ancestors and to know them through stories and pictures. She talked of wanting Olivia to be brought up with Christian values and a love for God above all others… and even now she talks of how we must do all we can to ensure that this happens! It is a way of “paying forward” our legacy – and even the legacy we were granted as far back as King David!
I don’t know your story. I don’t know what twists and turns your family tree has taken or how solid your foundation is. But I do know that you have an opportunity to move ahead with a foundation built on the love and fidelity (solidness) of our Heavenly Father. You can start today to serve Him in a way that will become YOUR legacy to hand down to future generations. What you do – how you live and Who you serve – DOES have an impact… on you AND those who follow. What will future generations say about you? What will be remembered? I pray that it would be such a powerful testament to Jesus Christ that “EVERYONE descending from you is guaranteed life.” Now THAT is a legacy with eternal value!
©2008 Debbie Robus
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October 3 ~ Psalm 86:11-17
11-17 Train me, God, to walk straight;
then I'll follow your true path.
Put me together, one heart and mind;
then, undivided, I'll worship in joyful fear.
From the bottom of my heart I thank you, dear Lord;
I've never kept secret what you're up to.
You've always been great toward me—what love!
You snatched me from the brink of disaster!
God, these bullies have reared their heads!
A gang of thugs is after me—
and they don't care a thing about you.
But you, O God, are both tender and kind,
not easily angered, immense in love,
and you never, never quit.
So look me in the eye and show kindness,
give your servant the strength to go on,
save your dear, dear child!
Make a show of how much you love me
so the bullies who hate me will stand there slack-jawed,
As you, God, gently and powerfully
put me back on my feet.
(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)
Have you ever been on the receiving end of someone’s arrogance? Quite often, when someone takes a stand about an issue, there will be those who will champion them with arrogance and indignity. Let’s say, for instance, you stand up to your boss, your teacher, or your parent about something that you feel is wrong. Suppose your boss accuses you of being a slacker, when in truth, you are working overtime behind the scenes, but your boss is so self-absorbed that he/she does not notice. Or, because the work you are doing is not directly benefiting him/her, it is not deemed to be important, and your boss really makes the workplace unpleasant for you.
Suppose one or both of your parents have a drinking problem, and you express concern – not only for their well-being, but your own – and you are grounded for your comments. Or suppose your teacher uses a racial slur in class or is demeaning to a student, and you speak up, and the teacher becomes indignant and starts making things hard for you. Suppose a classmate is constantly picking on you or your friends, pointing out your physical flaws and what they see as their own superiority.
How do you react? What do you do when doing the right thing causes trouble for YOU? Do you kick and scream and fight back? It’s a tough call – I know! But I think this scripture gives us insight into the answer. When we are confronted by “bullies and thugs” – or as another translation puts it, “arrogant people” – we must “take the high road.” We must turn to God, and let Him handle these situations. He never quits on our behalf… even when it seems the “bullies” are winning. As long as we are sure that we are staying in His will… as long as we are doing what God tells us to do and acting in love and faithfulness, God will handle the rest.
Just as the scripture says, someday the “bullies and thugs” will get theirs. God will see to that… and they will be standing “slackjawed” wondering why we are still standing – why they were unable to knock us down. I’m not saying you have to be pushovers – or that it is wrong to stand up for yourself or what is right. But when you encounter those who wish to “take you down a notch,” just keep on doing what you are doing. There is no bully too big for God to handle. Walk straight and right, certain of the “wholeness” of your heart and God’s place in it, and He will handle everything else.
©2008 Debbie Robus
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October 2 ~ Psalm 86:1-10
1-7 Bend an ear, God; answer me. I'm one miserable wretch!
Keep me safe—haven't I lived a good life?
Help your servant—I'm depending on you!
You're my God; have mercy on me.
I count on you from morning to night.
Give your servant a happy life;
I put myself in your hands!
You're well-known as good and forgiving,
bighearted to all who ask for help.
Pay attention, God, to my prayer;
bend down and listen to my cry for help.
Every time I'm in trouble I call on you,
confident that you'll answer.
8-10 There's no one quite like you among the gods, O Lord,
and nothing to compare with your works.
All the nations you made are on their way,
ready to give honor to you, O Lord,
Ready to put your beauty on display,
parading your greatness,
And the great things you do—
God, you're the one, there's no one but you!
(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)
In 1959, The Coasters recorded a song titled “Charlie Brown.” The punchline at the end of each verse was “Why’s everybody always pickin’ on me?” And isn’t that our “mantra” so often. We feel like EVERYBODY is picking on us – everything is happening to US. We are just plain pitiful, and we want everybody to know it… and to feel sorry for us! And we do this to God, probably more than anyone else. We want Him to know how bad we have it… and we want Him to DO SOMETHING about it!
I find it interesting that just like us, David threw himself on the pity pot and somewhat demanded that God help him. And then to compensate, he did his little “butter” routine... “Oh, God, You are so awesome. God, You are so forgiving. There is none like YOU, God!” And all of this is true, but can I tell you something? You are NOT fooling God. He sees what you are doing. If you are living one way, and when you get into a mess, you fall on your knees and demand that God fix things for you, He can see right through that.
On the other hand, troubles will come to all of us – and especially to faithful Christians – because let’s face it, Satan cannot stand it when we are serving God and not him. So he will do all he can to stir the “trouble pot” and give us things that cause us to struggle and stress and even question our faith. And when we humbly, sincerely give God credit and ask for help, He listens – and answers.
The KEY is two-fold – 1) how we are living when the challenges come and Who we are serving; and 2) the spirit with which we ask God for help and praise Him. If we are doing the “buttering up” routine and expecting God to rescue us from a mess we helped create through our own sinful nature, we had better figure out another way to fix things. And the “pity pot” needs to go. It just doesn’t have a place in the life of a faithful Christian. God will never allow us to take on more than we can handle if we trust him Him and serve Him wholeheartedly. He doesn’t need us to point out all of our virtues to Him as a justification for His help. We need to serve the Lord with gladness, thanksgiving and praise. We need to call on Him for help at all times. And then we need to believe He will do just that!
©2008 Debbie Robus
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October 1 ~ Psalm 84:8-12
8-9 God-of-the-Angel-Armies, listen:
O God of Jacob, open your ears—I'm praying!
Look at our shields, glistening in the sun,
our faces, shining with your gracious anointing.
10-12 One day spent in your house, this beautiful place of worship,
beats thousands spent on Greek island beaches.
I'd rather scrub floors in the house of my God
than be honored as a guest in the palace of sin.
All sunshine and sovereign is God,
generous in gifts and glory.
He doesn't scrimp with his traveling companions.
It's smooth sailing all the way with God-of-the-Angel-Armies.
(Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved. For copies of The Message call (800) 366-7788.)
I don’t know about you, but I really do not enjoy cleaning. Oh, sure… I enjoy a clean home and having things neat and orderly… but I do not enjoy the process… the “getting there.” I have tried to follow the suggestion of the Deuteronomy 16:15 – “God, your God, has been blessing you in your harvest and in all your work, so make a day of it—really celebrate!” In other words, even making your house clean and neat serves God. But I’ll be honest, some days this works better than others! When there are more fun things I would rather be doing than cleaning, I have to really remind myself of the rewards – both earthly AND heavenly – of sticking to the chores!
In the same way, there are times when we don’t really want to work at keeping our Spiritual “house” clean. There are Sundays we would rather sleep in than get up and go to church. There are days we get “too busy” with the things of the world to stop and pray or read God’s word. There are times when our mouth engages before our brain, and we say things that are displeasing to God. We give Satan an inch, he takes a mile, and we end up in huge messes that will take more than a couple of hours in an afternoon to clean up and repair!
Another translation of this Psalm says something to the effect that “better is one day in God’s house than thousands elsewhere.” Truly, it would be better to keep our heart right and our Spiritual “house” in order and neat and clean than to have thousands of days on beautiful Greek island beaches – wonderful as that might be. It would be better to please God and keep myself holy in His sight than to have a few minutes – or even a few days – of perceived “pleasure” in some sin or another. Keeping my Spiritual “house” clean – scrubbing the floors of my heart and wiping out any hint of Satan’s presence – may not be the most fun in the world, just like scrubbing the floors of our house (or cleaning our room and doing the laundry!), but it is so worth it. God doesn’t scrimp on us… why would we even think of doing this to Him?
The next time you clean your room or your house, do your laundry, mow the yard, or even do the dishes… try to think of it as an extension of cleaning your Spiritual house. It’s just one more way you are making EVERYTHING sparkling and worthy of God’s occupancy. Better IS one day in His house than thousands elsewhere. Where do you need to do some “picking up” today?
©2008 Debbie Robus
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