I am small and despised, yet do not I forsake thy precepts (Psalm CXIX.141)

One might think that, if God's Son came to earth, he would be honoured and exalted - and, to be sure - that eventually did happen (and will happen). It, however, certainly did not happen right away. Ironically enough, as a matter of fact, he was hated, despised, and slain. Treating God's only begotten Son like that was the ultimate case in point of how depraved, wicked, and stupid we - his creatures - become when we go our own way.

The good news, however, is that he is ready and willing to forgive us and receive us as one of his own. Then we can go from persecutors to to persecuted. From Despising to despised. And, eventually, with him, we will be honoured and exalted. Lord, let us not lose heart when we are small and despised, even as Jesus Christ was not (and King David, who according to many wrote Psalm 119 (if not Daniel, as still others suppose)). In Jesus' name, amen.

Sit thou at my right hand... (Psalm CX)

I like that - "sit". Sitting is downright easy, if I do say so myself, and it is one of the things we see done in the Scriptures. For example, consider Mary. Whereas Martha thought Mary negligent for sitting, Jesus actually said she had chosen the better part, which would not be taken from her. It is by no means always time to be sitting, but there is a time and place for it. As we read in Isaiah 30 (if I remember correctly), "Their strength is to sit still." And, really, think about it! What are the precious moments we can have with a beloved child. Is it not when they sit with us? Let us remember that the Lord Jesus Christ desires the same from us, and - go ahead - sit down!

He was Ready to Pay!

By: Daniel Robbins - a Perfectionist

I was a young boy - and that was plain for all to see. After all, any man could see what I obviously did not... until now.

Now, I was at the checkout counter. Now, stark, cold, wet reality was introducing me to a mortifying fact: I did not have enough money for what I was trying to buy.

Oh! I had money - and, being the boy I was, I thought that that was all I needed. "I have money... I give that money to the lady... she lets me take the merchandise, and everybody is happy."

The problem was, I failed to realize that - again - I did not have enough money. Not - at least - until "now." Therefore, "now" was actually a terrifying and (as I said) embarrassing situation! What, then, did I do?

I suppose I did what any lost, little, frightened boy would do: I ran away with my bag of potato chips (or whatever they were) to put them back on the store shelf - crying and wailing as I ran.

The really painful part of that memory, however, is that the man in line behind me at the till tried to get my attention - tried to stop me. He called to me. He entreated me to look and listen. I did stop for a moment and looked back. I saw that he was standing there with the money in-hand; ready and willing to pay for "my" bag of chips (or, at least, it could have been mine).

I could not do it, though. I could not bring myself to go back. I was just plain too embarrassed - so I carried on to where I had found the chips, and put them back.

I mourn. I mourn - not because I missed out on a bag of chips. Not at all. There is something far deeper that I mourn. I mourn the fact that I could have ``saved face.`` I could have experienced grace and mercy. I could have cooperated. That man would have paid the price for me, I would have gotten what I wanted, and the cashier and that man would have been blessed. (Instead, they just had to watch me carry on in my folly).

I know I cannot go back and change my foolish actions back then - but I can sure prepare my heart for next time. Next time I am in a situation like that, I am going to stop, turn around, go back, and let the man pay for me!

So what if I have to humble myself! Do I not want my chips? Come to think of it, has very much really changed since that day? I trow (I.e. ``suppose``) not.

I still do not have enough money - only, this time, it is not just a bag of chips. I owe a lot more money than I have - and I know I am not the only one.

This debt, however, is actually - really - only symbolic! Morally speaking, in and of myself, I am really in trouble!

Therefore, with David (who definitely knew what it was to run up against “moral bankruptcy"), I pray:

O turn unto me and have mercy upon me: give thy strength unto thy servant, and save the son of thine handmaid. Shew me a token for good; that they which hate me may see it, and be ashamed: because thou, LORD, hast holpen (i.e. helped) me, and comforted me." (Psalme LXXXVI. 16-17)

Ye see (I.e. "You see"), when that man offered to pay for me, God was showing me a "token for good". I was just too scared, proud, and stubborn to receive it at that time. This time, however - so help thou me, God - I am going to thankfully receive it! How about the rest us us?

Jesus Christ, God's only begotten Son, was God's ultimate "token for good." I beseech you: receive Him by faith. He is standing there with his nail-scarred hands outstretched - ready and willing to apply his payment for sin to your account. He is alive from the dead, as a token of the resurrection power that will one day resurrect you and me to everlasting life, if we will but humble ourselves, come to him, and say, "OK." In other words, "Lord, I believe." (See the latter portion of John's gospel, chapter Nine).

That calls for worship!...
Hallelujah! (I.e. "Praise Ye the LORD!")

"When I saw the prosperity of the wicked" (Psalm LXXIII)

Though I am all pumped up about the oncoming prosperity I believe God has in store, it is sobering to recall what Asaph describes as the "prosperity of the wicked". Such is the kind of prosperity I can do without! For us, by all means, our prosperity is mainly spiritual. It consists of offspring - spiritual and physical. And, of course, it certainly involves having our physical needs met (and even exceeded, in my opinion, in God's good time). While the wicked seem to have more than heart could wish, however, I will gladly wait for the fulfillment of the following verse from Proverbs: "Blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich - and he addeth no sorrow with it".

"Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads;..." Psalme LXVI.12

"...we went through fire and through water: but thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place." Hallelujah! I declare it by faith! "But thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place." It certainly has been a grind - and, I know, not just for me. But take heart! All you "grinders" out there! We are about to be brought out into a wealthy place! Amen, O LORD - may it be so, in Jesus' name, amen!

"Thou tellest my wanderings..." Psalm LVI.8

I do not know about you, but life sure is a sobering experience. It all happens really fast. A verse from Proverbs comes to mind: "A man's heart deviseth his way, but the LORD directeth his steps." We can, and should, do what we can to plan responsibly, but we had better be ready to move when God says it is time. And we had better know how to do it quickly. Do not get stuck in or too attached to one place - because when it is time to go, you go. As Jesus Christ said, "Remember Lot's wife." She had grown attached to Sodom and Gomorrah, but it was time to go, and so looking back cost her her life.

One day soon, if my theology of the "rapture" is correct, we will soon get our utlimate "it's time to go" call. When we do, will we be looking back? Let us be found among them that "love his appearing". And if he keeps us in wandering mode so that we are ready to go at any time, let us thank him for it.

"...tear you in pieces..." (Psalm L)

Why would God threaten to tear anyone in pieces! The answer is simple: slander. When we speak against our brothers, and slander our own mother's son, according to the latter portion of Psalm 50, we run the risk of being torn in pieces! The moral of the story is simply: we must watch what we say about each other.

Pro 10:18 ¶ He that hideth hatred [with] lying lips, and he that uttereth a slander, [is] a fool.

Heavenly Father, please preserve us from being such fools. In Jesus' name, amen.

"Because of my sin" (Psalm XXXVIII(i.e. "thirty-eight").3)

I love those words. I mean, I REALLY love them? Why because they tell me I am not the only one. I am not the only one that gets "in over his head" "because of his sin." I am a card-carrying perfectionist, and make no apologies for that fact. At the same time, however, I do think God really had something to prove by laying the burden and message of perfection on MY heart!

Me? A sinner? A "REAL sinner? "No joke" sinner? Why not choose some guy that has his life together. Some guy than can get and keep a job for at least a year? Why choose me? Well, he also chose David. And David was a broken man. And David got in over his head "because of his sin." That threatens to bring tears to my eyes.

"Lord, I thank thee for David, and for his root and offspring, who found himself in over his head because of MY sin - because of OUR sin! Make me grateful, and us. Make me perfect, and us. In Jesus' name (speaking of the "root and offspring of David"), amen."

Hooray for the Friesens!

I dedicate the second morning Psalm, Psalm 31, to the Friesens. It was while I was memorizing this Psalm that they gave me a place to stay. The message of this Psalm is a very accurate reflection of my state of being at that time. For example, "Mine eye is consumed with grief - yea, my soul and my belly." And, "Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD."