A Year of Grace

Philippians 3:1 – Whatever happens, my dear brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord. I never get tired of telling you these things, and I do it to safeguard your faith.

² Watch out for those dogs, those people who do evil, those mutilators who say you must be circumcised to be saved. ³ For we who worship by the Spirit of God are the ones who are truly circumcised. We rely on what Christ Jesus has done for us. We put no confidence in human effort, ⁴ though I could have confidence in my own effort if anyone could. Indeed, if others have reason for confidence in their own efforts, I have even more!

⁵ I was circumcised when I was eight days old. I am a pure-blooded citizen of Israel and a member of the tribe of Benjamin—a real Hebrew if there ever was one! I was a member of the Pharisees, who demand the strictest obedience to the Jewish law. ⁶ I was so zealous that I harshly persecuted the church. And as for righteousness, I obeyed the law without fault.

⁷ I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. ⁸ Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ ⁹ and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith. ¹⁰ I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, ¹¹ so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead! (NLT)

As we continue in Paul’s letter to the Church in Philippi, we come across some strong words from the Apostle!  In verse two he speaks of ‘dogs’, and people who do evil.  Some scholars have believed that because of his change in tone, that this is part of another letter that was inserted here.  If there is a change in tone, it was probably due to the fact that Paul was writing about the Judaizers – a strict group of Jewish Christians who claimed that one must still adhere to the Jewish laws in order to obtain salvation.  From his letter to the Galatians, we know that Paul had very strong feelings about the Judaizers (not to mention the fact that they were partly responsible for his imprisonment). 

The Judaizers put their hope in human effort. Paul then tells us that if human effort were worth something, that he would be at the head of his class!  Paul had come to know, however, that none of his efforts were worth anything.  Consider verse seven: “I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done.”  Just how worthless did Paul consider human efforts to be?  Let’s look at verse eight: “For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ.”  The word that we translate as garbage is σκύβαλον, which was the Greek word used for the excrement of farm animals!  Two things we can learn from this.  First, sometimes the biblical translators clean up the Greek!  Second, human effort does nothing for us when it comes to salvation.  There is only one way of becoming right with God, and that is through faith (verse 9).

Today, let us celebrate our faith!  Let us celebrate that we not only can be right with God through faith, but as Paul tells us in verse ten, we can experience the same power that raised Christ from the dead! 

Posted by Ramón Torres

Philippians 2:12 – Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, ¹³ for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.

¹⁴ Do everything without grumbling or arguing, ¹⁵ so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky ¹⁶ as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain. ¹⁷ But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. ¹⁸ So you too should be glad and rejoice with me. (NIV)

Verse twelve tells us to work out our own salvation.  Can we actually do that?  Yes, that is what Paul seems to be saying in verse twelve from today’s passage.  To properly understand this verse, let us put it into context.  Paul is not writing to people who do not yet know Jesus, he was writing to people whose salvation was secure.  Remember, he had been writing to them about keeping among their church members the same mind as Jesus, plus he has been saying that he may not be able to return to them.  So in verse twelve, Paul is essentially saying that they are to follow the Christian way of life without further assistance from Paul.  Consider the New Living Translation: “Dear friends, you always followed my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away, it is even more important. Work hard to show the results of your salvation.”

Verse twelve also mentions fear and trembling.  This term causes some to raise a few questions.  When we hear the phrase ‘fear and trembling’, we may think of someone cowering in fear.  In the Biblical sense, ‘fear and trembling’ means to live in a deep and personal relationship with God.  It speaks of awe and reverence, not cowardice.   This deep personal relationship with God is to be displayed in our relationships with others.  In 2 Corinthians 7:15, Paul is rejoicing over the way that the Corinthians had received Titus.  He writes: “And his affection for you is all the greater when he remembers that you were all obedient, receiving him with fear and trembling.”  They did not fear Titus, but rather they shared their relationship with God through their relationship with Titus. 

Keeping this in mind, Paul tells the Philippians that if they are faithful in doing this, that they will shine like the stars in the sky (verse 15).  The word Paul uses for ‘shine’ is literally ‘light givers’.  So, in this passage Paul is telling us three things: Keep living the Christian life, doing the good things that God has created us to do; Let the relationship we have with God be displayed in our relationship with others; be a light giver.

How better to glorify the Light of the world than to give that Light to others!  That’s good stuff! 

Posted by Ramón Torres

Philippians 2:1 – Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, ² then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. ³ Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, ⁴ not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

⁵ In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

⁶ Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
⁷ rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
⁸ And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death—
even death on a cross!

⁹ Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
¹⁰ that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
¹¹ and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father. (NIV)

Today’s Scripture picks up where we left off last week.  In that passage we looked at how God will use us to spread the gospel – if we are willing – in whatever circumstance we find ourselves. Having made that case, Paul begins this section with ‘therefore’, indicating that he will discuss how to move forward with the gospel.   If we are going to share the message, then we must do something for one another.  If we are going to share the message, then we must strengthen one another.

We strengthen one another by first being strengthened by the Holy Spirit.  Verses one and two speak of this.  The word encouragement used in verse one is the same word used by Jesus in the Gospel of John to describe the work of the Holy Spirit.  Having been strengthened by the Holy Spirit, we are then able to selflessly work with one another to spread the Good News (verse 3).  We must guard against a spirit of division by looking to one another’s interests (verse 4).

To further state his case for like-mindedness, Paul quotes from an early church liturgy.  Verses five through eleven are traditionally known as the “Christ Hymn.”  This ‘hymn’ may or may not have been sung, but it was part of a worship liturgy.  How powerful it would be if we were to live out our daily lives with the same mindset as Christ Jesus, yet that is what this ancient hymn is all about!  Jesus never sought any earthly advantage over others (verse 6).  Even though he was God in the flesh, he took the very nature of a servant (verse 7).  He was obedient to the will of God, even to the point of death (verse 8).

Today, let us seek to humble ourselves, and seek to have the mindset of Jesus.  Let us serve others, and seek to be obedient to the will of God. 

Posted by Ramón Torres

Philippians 1:12 – Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel. ¹³ As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. ¹⁴ And because of my chains, most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear.

¹⁵ It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. ¹⁶ The latter do so out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. ¹⁷ The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. ¹⁸ But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice.

Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, ¹⁹ for I know that through your prayers and God’s provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance. ²⁰ I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. ²¹ For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. ²² If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! ²³ I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; ²⁴ but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. ²⁵ Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, ²⁶ so that through my being with you again your boasting in Christ Jesus will abound on account of me.

Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in the one Spirit, striving together as one for the faith of the gospel ²⁸ without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved—and that by God. ²⁹ For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him, ³⁰ since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have. (NLT)

This week we continue in Paul’s letter to the church in Philippi.  Here is Paul, the most active of all Christian missionaries, yet his missionary journeys have been cut short.  Or have they?  Even while imprisoned, Paul continues to spread the gospel message. Our lesson is that we do not have to be on a mission trip to spread the gospel.  This passage teaches us that we all have the opportunity to share the Good News, no matter what our circumstance.

Consider verse thirteen: “As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ.” The palace guards were soldiers whose duty it was to guard official Roman palaces.  This would include all high ranking Roman officials.  Before being sent to Rome, Paul spent as long as two years imprisoned in Caesarea at the Governor’s palace.  For several years Paul had been guarded by palace guards. Paul says the knowledge of Christ had spread through the whole palace guard.  We know from ancient writings that because of the high security risks involved within the palace guards, that they were rotated every few months. Within several years Paul had the opportunity to witness to a large number of guards.  In turn, some of those guards spoke to others about Jesus.  From his imprisonment, the Gospel had spread far and wide! 

Paul goes on to say there has been yet another result of his imprisonment.  It seems that there were Christians in the city in which he was in prison, and those Christians had been stirred up because of his presence.  Verse fourteen tells us: “And because of my chains, most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear.”  Paul was imprisoned for a number of years, but many people who came to know Jesus may have never known had he not been imprisoned!

We may have seasons – or years – where we don’t really like where we are in life.  We must remember, however, that God wants to use us where we are!  If your circumstances don’t seem favorable to you, consider who it is that you have the opportunity to share the message of Jesus.  Today, let us consider who those people are that God is has brought our way so that we may share – no matter what our circumstance. 

Posted by Ramón Torres

Philippians 1:1 – Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus,

To all God’s holy people in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons:

² Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

³ I thank my God every time I remember you. ⁴ In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy ⁵ because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, ⁶ being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

⁷ It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart and, whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God’s grace with me. ⁸ God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.

⁹ And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, ¹⁰ so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, ¹¹ filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God. (NLT)

In today’s passage we have the opening verses of Paul’s letter to the church in Philippi, a city named after the father of Alexander the Great.  Paul first visited Philippi in 52 AD.  Luke, the author of Acts and the Gospel of Luke, was a traveling companion of Paul during his first visit to Philippi, and in Acts 16 he records their meeting with Lydia.  Lydia was a successful business woman who became instrumental in the establishment of the church in Philippi.  At the time that he Paul wrote this letter, the Church in Philippi was growing steadily.  It was probably a fairly wealthy Church for its time.  They had been called upon by Paul on several occasions to help in ministry in other areas, and to help Paul, as well.

Paul wrote this letter while imprisoned in Rome, not long before the end of his life. Vast changes had swept through the Church by this time. Christianity was no longer associated with Judaism.  Consider how radical this was in the life of Paul. He began as a Pharisee in the Jewish faith, now he was the elder statesman of a Gentile religious movement. It is important for us to recognize these radical changes in the Church and in Paul’s life so that we may better understand the depth of his words in this passage. 

In verse five Paul speaks about their partnership in the Gospel from the first day until the present.  Much had changed from that first day, yet these people had remained faithful.  I suppose we have all seen some changes in the Church in our lifetime, maybe some good and some not so good.  We are called, however, to remain faithful like the Philippians.  We, too, are in partnership with the Philippians, Paul, and all of those who have come before us. We partner with them in living out the gospel, confident that the one who began this work in us will see it to completion (verse 6).  In this endeavor, we should pray for one another as Paul prayed for the Christians in Philippi: that our love may abound more and more as we grow in insight; that we will be able to discern what is best; and that we would be filled with the fruit of righteousness (verses 9-10).

Today, let us remember that together we are partners in this calling! 

Posted by Ramón Torres

Philippians 3:17 – Dear brothers and sisters, pattern your lives after mine, and learn from those who follow our example. ¹⁸ For I have told you often before, and I say it again with tears in my eyes, that there are many whose conduct shows they are really enemies of the cross of Christ. ¹⁹ They are headed for destruction. Their god is their appetite, they brag about shameful things, and they think only about this life here on earth. ²⁰ But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior. ²¹ He will take our weak mortal bodies and change them into glorious bodies like his own, using the same power with which he will bring everything under his control.

Life is often difficult.  We have days, which sometimes run into weeks, when we struggle.  Perhaps we have a crisis of health, and our faith is threatened.  Maybe, we find ourselves in a relationship that takes its emotional toll.  We may face difficulty with children, or parents.  Whatever our trouble, we’ve all been there, and maybe some of us are there today.  We know that daily we should turn to God’s Word for strength and guidance, but when we find ourselves in those difficult seasons of life, we need something more than words on a page.  We need a Christian role model.  

Paul had a personal relationship with the Christians in Philippi.  He offers himself as a Christian role model, asking them to pattern their lives after his, and after those who followed his example (verse 17).  There is a great spiritual lesson here for each of us.  We need one another.  When we are in those difficult seasons, we need the spiritual shoulders of other Christians to lean upon.  When we are strong, we need to make ourselves available to others, offering them encouragement. 

I once was asked by a man why he couldn’t be a Christian and not belong to a local church.  He told me that he did not need a church, and he went on to tell me how strong a faith he had – perhaps he did, but he lacked a little humility!  While I spoke to him about several benefits of the church, and quoted Hebrews 10:25, what I wanted to do was ask him how he could be so selfish!  God has a purpose for the Church.  The Church is to be the Body of Christ at work in the lives of all people (Ephesians 4:12).  Yes, the Body of Christ is to serve the lost and hurting of the world, but often the hurting are right within our own churches.  Whether in the world, or in the church, we are to be a Christ-like example. 

In light of God’s Word, let us seek to be a Christ-like example for others.  Let us also be quick to seek a Christ-like example to pattern our lives after when we find ourselves in difficult seasons. 

Posted by Ramón Torres

Psalm 16 – Keep me safe, O God,
for I have come to you for refuge.

² I said to the Lord, “You are my Master!
Every good thing I have comes from you.”
³ The godly people in the land
are my true heroes!
I take pleasure in them!
⁴ Troubles multiply for those who chase after other gods.
I will not take part in their sacrifices of blood
or even speak the names of their gods.

⁵ Lord, you alone are my inheritance, my cup of blessing.
You guard all that is mine.
⁶ The land you have given me is a pleasant land.
What a wonderful inheritance!

⁷ I will bless the Lord who guides me;
even at night my heart instructs me.
⁸ I know the Lord is always with me.
I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me.

⁹ No wonder my heart is glad, and I rejoice.
My body rests in safety.
¹⁰ For you will not leave my soul among the dead
or allow your holy one to rot in the grave.
¹¹ You will show me the way of life,
granting me the joy of your presence
and the pleasures of living with you forever. (NLT)

It is traditionally believed that this psalm was written by David as he lived among foreigners during the time that Saul was seeking to have him killed.  Surrounded by those who worshiped other gods, David affirms his faith in the one true God.  This psalm has a profound spiritual application for Christians.  For me, the most striking verse of this psalm is found in verse three: “The godly people in the land are my true heroes! I take pleasure in them!”

Like David, we often find ourselves surrounded by people who worship something other than the one true God.  We find ourselves surrounded by people who worship money, status, power, sexual relationships, chemicals, possessions, and the list goes on.  Surrounded by such people, who are our heroes?  We live in a culture that makes heroes out of movie stars, athletes, and the rich.  This is not to say that there are not godly people who fall into those categories, but what is the requirement to be one of our heroes?  David stated that the godly people in the land were his true heroes, but who are ours?

Webster’s Dictionary defines a hero as: someone admired for their achievements.  When searching for a hero, David looked to the achievements of the godly.  Now consider David – he was a great warrior! What kind of achievement was he looking to when he considered heroes?  Was he looking at military success?  I think not, for I believe his answer is found in verse seven: “I will bless the Lord who guides me.” I believe that David saw success in those who were led by the Lord.  Whether it was a humble shepherd, or a mighty general, those who allowed their lives to be led by the Lord were David’s heroes.

Today, let us take a moment to consider our heroes.  If we use David’s criteria, we just might find a few new heroes we have been overlooking! 

Posted by Ramón Torres

Acts 2:37 – Peter’s words pierced their hearts, and they said to him and to the other apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?”

³⁸ Peter replied, “Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. ³⁹ This promise is to you, and to your children, and even to the Gentiles—all who have been called by the Lord our God.” ⁴⁰ Then Peter continued preaching for a long time, strongly urging all his listeners, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation!”

⁴¹ Those who believed what Peter said were baptized and added to the church that day—about 3,000 in all.

⁴² All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer.

⁴³ A deep sense of awe came over them all, and the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders. ⁴⁴ And all the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had. ⁴⁵ They sold their property and possessions and shared the money with those in need. ⁴⁶ They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity—⁴⁷ all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved. (NLT)

This passage of Scripture is part of a larger section (all of Acts 2) that deals with the Day of Pentecost – the day in which the Holy Spirit visited the Christian believers for the first time.  Let’s consider what the believers were doing before the Holy Spirit descended upon them.  Acts 2:1 – “On the day of Pentecost all the believers were meeting together in one place.”  In 1 Corinthians, the Apostle Paul tells us that the Holy Spirit is given to build the Church.  As we see in Acts 2:1, the church had to come together in unity to receive the Holy Spirit.  

Consider what the Holy Spirit enabled the believers to do. Acts 2:4 – “And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability.”  By the power of the Holy Spirit, the believers began to do things that they would not have been unable to do before.  This is seen especially with Peter.  Remember, Peter was the man who denied that he even knew who Jesus was, and he denied him more than once!  Yet after gathering with other believers, and then after receiving the Holy Spirit, Peter preaches one fiery – and long – sermon! (verses 14 – 40). 

Upon hearing Peter’s sermon, many in the crowd wanted to know what they should do next.  Peter’s answer in verse thirty-eight gets a lot of attention: “Peter replied, “Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.” However, that’s not the full story that we find it in this chapter, and I think we do a disservice to new Christians if we lead them to believe that all Christianity requires is a ‘one time and your done’ commitment.  Repentance is not for a moment, but a way of life. 

Consider what we find in the latter part of today’s reading.  Verse 42: “All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer.” Christianity requires a devotion to the Apostles teaching – we call it the Bible!  Christianity also requires that we continually gather for fellowship and prayer. This is the result of repentance as a way of life. 

Verse forty-four tells us that they continued to gather together.  The last two verses of this passage tell us that they worshiped God daily, and shared fellowship with other believers daily.  Perhaps, now more than ever, we have the opportunity to worship God daily.  With the availability of praise & worship music, we can worship anywhere and anytime.  Thanks to social media, we can fellowship with other Christians daily.  I’m not saying that the internet replaces our face to face gatherings, but it sure can enhance our opportunities to fellowship. 

Today, let’s consider our devotion to the Apostles’ teachings, and let’s do what we can to fellowship with other believers. 

Posted by Ramón Torres

Psalm 13 – O Lord, how long will you forget me? Forever?
How long will you look the other way?
² How long must I struggle with anguish in my soul,
with sorrow in my heart every day?
How long will my enemy have the upper hand?

³ Turn and answer me, O Lord my God!
Restore the sparkle to my eyes, or I will die.
⁴ Don’t let my enemies gloat, saying, “We have defeated him!”
Don’t let them rejoice at my downfall.

⁵ But I trust in your unfailing love.
I will rejoice because you have rescued me.
⁶ I will sing to the Lord
because he is good to me. (NLT)

For the past several weeks we have been exploring the psalms.  We looked at a psalm exalting the joy of a godly life (Psalm 1); a psalm about trusting the Lord (Psalm 25); a psalm that taught us to stay focused in prayer (Psalm 5).  Today we explore a psalm that shares the thoughts of one who has been afflicted by the troubles of this world.

In Psalm 13, the psalmist asks a question that everyone has asked at some point in their lives – how long will you forget me, O Lord.  Unlike the children of God who lived in the days of the psalmist, we have the full Word of God, and God’s Word answers this age old question.  Speaking through the prophet Isaiah, God tells us in Isaiah 49:14-16: Jerusalem says, “The Lord has deserted us; the Lord has forgotten us.” “Never! Can a mother forget her nursing child? Can she feel no love for the child she has borne? But even if that were possible, I would not forget you! See, I have written your name on the palms of my hands.” 

Like the psalmist, we may at times feel as if God is looking the other way.  We may at times feel as if God does not know or care about the troubles we endure.  However, consider the words of Jesus in John 14:16-17: “I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit.” God is always with us through the presence of the Holy Spirit.

Even though the psalmist questioned God, we should note that he was praying!  He did not stop communicating with God just because he questioned, and while he talked to God he began to remember.  In verse five he states that he trusts in God’s unfailing love.  In many translations, and in the Hebrew, it reads: “I have trusted in your mercy.” The psalmist acknowledges that he has trusted in the past, and in the past God always rescued him.  Then in verse six he proclaims that since God was good to him in the past, he will sing to the Lord in the present.  Nowhere does he state that he is over his current affliction, yet he chose to sing anyway!  He was able to sing because he remembered God’s faithfulness.

Let the remembrance of God’s past faithfulness be our strength in times of trouble.  When we don’t feel as if God cares, let us remember God’s grace and mercy from yesterday, and then let us sing to the Lord! 

Posted by Ramón Torres

Psalm 5 – O Lord, hear me as I pray;
pay attention to my groaning.
² Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God,
for I pray to no one but you.
³ Listen to my voice in the morning, Lord.
Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly.

⁴ O God, you take no pleasure in wickedness;
you cannot tolerate the sins of the wicked.
⁵ Therefore, the proud may not stand in your presence,
for you hate all who do evil.
⁶ You will destroy those who tell lies.
The Lord detests murderers and deceivers.

⁷ Because of your unfailing love, I can enter your house;
I will worship at your Temple with deepest awe.
⁸ Lead me in the right path, O Lord,
or my enemies will conquer me.
Make your way plain for me to follow.

⁹ My enemies cannot speak a truthful word.
Their deepest desire is to destroy others.
Their talk is foul, like the stench from an open grave.
Their tongues are filled with flattery.
¹⁰ O God, declare them guilty.
Let them be caught in their own traps.
Drive them away because of their many sins,
for they have rebelled against you.

¹¹ But let all who take refuge in you rejoice;
let them sing joyful praises forever.
Spread your protection over them,
that all who love your name may be filled with joy.
¹² For you bless the godly, O Lord;
you surround them with your shield of love. (NLT)

This psalm is titled: A psalm of David, to be accompanied by the flute. It is traditionally believed to be a psalm of morning prayer.  In this psalm David comes to the Lord in the morning to receive the strength – and the joy – that he needs for the day.  In verse two he states: “for I pray to no one but you.”  This may sound strange to us, and we might ask, ‘to whom else would he pray?’  However, the Hebrew implies that David is focused solely on God during his prayer time.  A great lesson for us!  Quite often we try to squeeze in some prayer time, and we go to God with so much clutter on our minds that we never really focus on God.  Sometimes our prayers are hurried, and even legalistic – we pray only because we know we should.  Verse two should teach us to set aside prayer time so that when we pray, God alone has our attention. 

Verse three makes it clear that David would pray in the morning.  He would not wait until something ‘came up’ and he needed prayer.  He recognized that he needed prayer first thing!  Prayer at the start of our day sets the tone for the rest of the day.  It helps us maintain focus throughout the day.  David knew the power of prayer, for he wrote: “Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly.” David knew that God hears and answers prayer, and so he waited expectantly.

In verses four through ten, David gives a contrast between the godly and wicked. When we consider the godly and the ungodly, I believe that verse seven speaks volumes: “Because of your unfailing love, I can enter your house.” Our confidence in approaching God has nothing to do with anything that we have accomplished, but is in the love and mercy of God – a love and mercy that never fails.  The godly have not earned more points than the ungodly, they have simply accepted God’s grace, and in turn seek to live a life pleasing to God.  When they know God’s unfailing love, they are eager to take refuge in the Lord, and they rejoice (verse 11).

Today, let us take the time to focus on God.  Let us focus on God early in our day, not waiting for trials to surround us.  Let us trust that God will hear and answer our prayers, and let us rejoice in the refuge God offers! 

Posted by Ramón Torres