Today's Word
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Salisbury PlainClimb a Hill, Look at a Rock Day
Our Lord is so good, He grants us many blessings. We can see Him in the daily course of events, in our homes, our jobs, our lives. I pray that these words help you to grow in your faith and recognize His hand in even the most mundane circumstances.
The picture to the right is of a Celtic Chapel located in Cornwall England. This building is approximately 1700 years old, and contains a holy well known for its healing powers.
(Click for enlarged)
“But you, Yahweh, will remain forever; your renown endures to all generations. You will arise and have mercy on Zion; for it is time to have pity on her. Yes, the set time has come. For your servants take pleasure in her stones, and have pity on her dust. So the nations will fear Yahweh’s name, all the kings of the earth your glory. For Yahweh has built up Zion. He has appeared in his glory. He has responded to the prayer of the destitute, and has not despised their prayer. This will be written for the generation to come. A people which will be created will praise Yah, for he has looked down from the height of his sanctuary. From heaven, Yahweh saw the earth, to hear the groans of the prisoner, to free those who are condemned to death, that men may declare Yahweh’s name in Zion, and his praise in Jerusalem, when the peoples are gathered together, the kingdoms, to serve Yahweh.” Psalm 102:12-22, WEB
I love to visit churches. Some of my most profound religious experiences have happened in incredible worship spaces in England. I enjoyed our visits to churches during our trip to Germany. One of my favorite places to take visitors to Texas are the painted churches of the Schulenburg area. As an artist, I enjoy looking at the art in the architecture, furnishings, and objects used to decorate the space. The cathedrals of Europe are filled with items of spiritual and historical significance and meaning. There is a church in Fairford, England that has an extraordinary set of Medieval stained-glass windows, which were saved from destruction during the Reformation and World War II. The builders of the painted churches wanted to remember their European homelands, so they painted the walls, altars, and arches of their simple buildings with colorful patterns and images. These spaces, and many more for their own unique reasons, are breathtaking.
We put a lot of time and money into the design, building, and maintenance of our worship spaces. This bothers some people who would rather spend the money on caring for people than inanimate objects, but there is a long history of creating impressive and inspirational worship spaces. It is not just a matter of making donors or congregations happy, but it is also about honoring the God that we worship with our best.
The temple in Jerusalem was spectacular, made with the best materials to honor the God who was worshipped in its precincts. The stone used was mostly a local white meleke limestone from Jerusalem with a veneer of marble and gold. The blocks were finely cut and dressed that fit together without mortar and polished to reflect the sunlight. It is said that you could see the Temple from a distance because it glowed much like a snow-covered mountain. Travelers were often pilgrims on their way to the Temple, but the sheer beauty of it drew them into the presence of God.
Psalm 102 is a penitential, individual lament that sings about community suffering and eschatological hope. It is a model prayer for those who are afflicted in some way, a song that can help us focus during those days when we struggle with the problems of this world of which there seem to be many. It is likely that the psalm was written by David during Absalom’s rebellion. The prayer is divided into three parts. The first verses (1-11) is filled with David’s complaints. He had no appetite, his years were passing too quickly, he was malnourished, lonely, abused by his enemies, and sad. David is heartsick and says a prayer for mercy, like Job and Jeremiah. In the final verses (23-28), David meditates on the brevity of human life and the eternity of God. He repeats his individual struggles and nots that life is short and fragile. This leads him to reflect on God’s eternal nature. God is the opposite of all human frailty; everything will perish but God is imperishable. God will be here for future generations. When the future generations remember the great works of God, they will worship Him. There is hope; though we are fragile, God is eternal. David is aware of his approaching death but he is full of assurance in the everlasting God.
In between his complaints and lament, David praises God for His mercy. He anticipates deliverance and asks God to show His favor. He has certainty and hope that God will act in His time. Zion, which can mean the city of Jerusalem or God’s people, needs restoration. David is confident that God will be faithful, and that His people will notice His mercy. God is King and will hear the prayers of His people. The promise that the destitute will be blessed encouraged and persuaded outsiders to believe and strengthened the faith of the descendants of God’s people. God does not just see the needs of His people, He acts. David wrote the psalm so that they would know. God’s acts in David’s day would elicit future worship. Just as the beauty of the Temple drew people into her precincts, David’s praise of God would draw people into His heart so that they will see His will help and respond with thanksgiving and praise. Eventually the whole world will join in the praise.
Our God is Creator, the sustainer and the immutable LORD of heaven and earth. All will gather to serve the King of Kings. We may not need beautiful spaces to worship, and there may be better ways to spend our money, yet the art in the architecture, furnishings, and objects used to decorate the space, does help tell the story of God’s mercy to future generations of believers and those outsiders who need to hear the Gospel. There is nothing but brokenness without Jesus and they need to draw near to God to hear His promises. His Kingdom means eternal life. Jesus is outside and over all time: He participated in creation and lives forever. He is unchangeable. This psalm reminds us of the everlasting nature of the Godhead despite our complaints and laments about today’s struggles. Jesus was there from the beginning; through Him all things were made (John 1:3). He is with us now and has promised to be with us forever no matter what happens to us today. So let us join together in praise, honoring God with words, deeds, and even the tangible aspects of our world so that others will see Him and seek His mercy and grace.
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“If it had not been Yahweh who was on our side, let Israel now say, if it had not been Yahweh who was on our side, when men rose up against us; then they would have swallowed us up alive, when their wrath was kindled against us; then the waters would have overwhelmed us, the stream would have gone over our soul; then the proud waters would have gone over our soul. Blessed be Yahweh, who has not given us as a prey to their teeth. Our soul has escaped like a bird out of the fowler’s snare. The snare is broken, and we have escaped. Our help is in Yahweh’s name, who made heaven and earth.” Psalm 124, WEB
Cliffs have long fascinated people. When we stand at the top and look down, we are awed by the thought that one slip of the foot could bring our death as we plummet to the bottom. When we stand at the bottom, we long to climb to the top just to see what is beyond our view. Cliffside adventures can be dangerous.
I have always been a bit adventurous, willing to go out on the ledge for the perfect picture, but I have to admit that there were more than a few moments when I was not sure on my feet. At one park I felt lightheaded as we walked along the cliff, thankful for the railing that kept me safe. At another I carefully sat on the edge so that Bruce could take the perfect adventure photo; I felt a little shaky as I did so. I really wanted to look over the edge of those cliffs even if there was no safety rail, but I did so with more caution than I would have used half a lifetime ago. Things weren't much easier at the bottom of the cliffs as I nearly got a headache staring up so long and I tripped over more than one rock and tree root. We are headed on vacation in Wyoming next week, and I though I am feeling stronger and healthier these days, I have to remember that I’m a sixty-year-old woman, and be careful to follow the rules for my safety.
There is a story about a man who slipped and fell off a cliff while hiking on a mountaintop. On his way down he grabbed a branch. He was twenty feet from the top and a long way from the bottom. He feared for his life and cried for help. A booming voice spoke up, “I am here, and I will save you if you believe in me.” “I believe, I believe,” the man yelled back. “If you believe me, let go of the branch and then I will save you.” The man’s fear of death was so great he yelled, “Is there anyone else who can help?” What he didn’t know is that he was just feet from a shelf; if he let go, he would land and it would be easier to save him. We don’t always believe the voice. It takes faith to let go and trust that our Lord will save us.
Today’s psalm is a song of praise that praised God after He delivered His people from her enemies. Israel hung perilously on some spiritual cliffside over and over again, but God was with her all along. The people sang songs of thanksgiving after He saved her, but they often went looking to others for help. They turned to the strength, power, and might of other nations, unwilling to be obedient to God s words. “Is there anyone else,” they asked, ignoring the truth that God is greater than even the greatest nation.
As we look back on our lives, we can see moments when we have slipped off a cliff. When we cry for help, the voice of God asks, “Do you believe?” All too often we cry back, “Is there anyone else?” Yet in hindsight we can sing this hymn of praise knowing that our help is the Lord. We will experience new adventures, sometimes looking down from the top of a cliff in awe of the potential danger or gazing up to the top of a cliff pondering what lies beyond. As we do, let us remember that if the Lord had not been with us, we would have been destroyed. This gives us the courage, hope and peace to face each new adventure with faith in the Lord who is always faithful.
The following links provide some specially chosen scripture that tell the stories of the Birth and Passion of our Lord as Saviour Jesus Christ, as well as a fictional perspective of the Crucifixion. Spend time in God's Word, read about His life and learn of the wonderful gifts He has for you. Know Jesus Christ and honour Him today. Thanks be to God.
The Story of our Saviour's Passion
The Crucifixion, a fictional perspective
When researching, I use several versions of the bible, including the New International Version and English Standard Version. Due to copyright restrictions, I have not included quotes for the scriptures on some of the archives, but highly encourage you to open your own bibles to read the scripture passages for yourselves. Where scripture is quoted, it is usually the American Standard Version or World English Bible which belong to the public domain. Any other versions used in quotes are identified.
The devotion posted on Wednesday is based on the Lectionary texts used by millions of Christians each Sunday. The Lectionary consists of four texts: an Old Testament passage, a Psalm, a passage from one of the Epistles and a Gospel text and follows the church calendar. Archives for these writings are found at Midweek Oasis.
You are welcome to use these words to share the Gospel of our Lord Jesus. Please remember to give credit to the Author who has given you these gifts, and keep in remembrance the vessel which He used to bring them to you. We pray that this site may be a blessing to you and anyone with whom you've shared it. Peggy Hoppes
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