O God, do not remain silent; do not turn a deaf ear, do not stand aloof, O God. – Psalm 83:1

Today's Scripture Reading (September 28, 2025): Psalm 83

Sometimes God just seems to be so far away. And we have all been there. In fact, even Jesus experienced that feeling. His friends rejected him. One Apostle had betrayed Him to the very people who wanted to cause Him harm. And someone who was one of His closest friends on earth had denied that He even knew Him. In a matter of a few hours, Jesus was tried and sentenced to death. He was beaten, and then was left hanging on a crude wooden cross, His body held in place by three large spikes that had been driven through His flesh and into the wood of the cross.

It is then that Jesus begins to speak what we have come to understand as the Last Words of Jesus Christ. The first words he said from the cross were "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing" (Luke 23:34). Despite all the suffering he was experiencing, his concern was for those who were causing his suffering, that they would receive forgiveness.

The following words were addressed to the criminal hanging next to him. These were words of assurance. "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise" (Luke 23:43). Over the centuries, these have been words with which we have struggled. When combined with the idea of a final judgment where the sheep are separated from the goats, what exactly are we supposed to take from these words from the cross?

Next, Jesus gives familial instructions to His mother and John the Apostle, the only Apostle who had gathered at the foot of the cross: "Dear woman, here is your son," and to the disciple, "Here is your mother."  

However, it is the subsequent words that remind us of the silence we sometimes feel from God. "And at three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, 'Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?' [which means "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"]" (Mark 15:34). The words are a direct quote from Psalm 22, and theologians have argued that in this moment, Jesus took the sins of the world on his shoulders, and it was a sight that even God had to turn His head away from the cross.

However, I don't think that makes any sense. God loves us and loves Jesus so much that nothing can turn His head. But stress can have an effect. Not that it stops God from speaking to us and helping us, but instead it incapacitates our ability to hear his still small voice.

The Psalmist asks God not to remain silent or turn a deaf ear. In this moment, he needs to hear from God. However, I am convinced that God had never stopped speaking to the Psalmist. The stress of the moment had stopped the Psalmist from hearing the words of God. We can find ourselves in the same situation. Don't believe for a moment that God has stopped speaking to you. In faith, know that God is still speaking and still moving in our lives, even if stress has been dialed up to ten and you can no longer hear his still small voice.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Psalm 89

Hear me, my people, and I will warn you—if you would only listen to me, Israel! – Psalm 81:8

Today's Scripture Reading (September 27, 2025): Psalm 81 & 82

Someone once told me that the only way we can learn is by experience. My response was that I hoped it wasn't true, because if it is, we are in deep trouble. If everything we learn is from experience, then our lives will be filled with unnecessary scars and injuries, and those same lives will also be cut very short. I have learned enough through experience to know that sometimes I would prefer to heed the warning. I don't have to experience the detrimental effects of being hit by a car to recognize that it is not something that I want to experience. I don't need to experience the adverse effects of an extramarital affair to know that I don't want to have one. I have learned much from the stories of others that I don't want to experience myself. I am glad to listen and learn. Not that I have never gone against what I have learned and experienced what was wrong. Some things I have learned by experience, I am sure that is true of most of us. But there are also many things that I have learned and never experienced.

Some people see God as nothing more than the "Rule Maker in Chief." And maybe he is that; after all, he is the author of the Laws that were given to Moses. However, God isn't just about the rules. Those who believe only in the righteousness aspects of God often miss the purpose of that righteousness. It isn't just because He is a righteous God that He expects righteousness from His children. Righteousness is an outgrowth of love, and as a result, the righteous path is also a safe one.

God's message through the Psalmist is that if you will just listen to me, you can avoid a lot of the pain that this world might bring. God wants only what is best for you. He wants you to experience life to its fullest. But He also wants you to have a positive effect on the people around you. He loves you and has given you these restrictions so that you can have the most effective life possible. However, He also wants you to love with His kind of love, and to have a positive effect on those around you, regardless of whether or not they follow Him.

God's words to us are still, "If you would only listen to me, things could be different. A lot of what you are experiencing is unnecessary." It was true of Israel 3000 years ago, and nothing has changed. If we were willing to listen, our journeys could be different. But as long as we think that we know more than God, the extra struggles will remain.

And what we decide to do about it is truly up to us.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Psalm 83

Restore us, God Almighty; make your face shine on us, that we may be saved. – Psalm 80:7

Today's Scripture Reading (September 26, 2025): Psalm 80

I enjoy visiting a local congregation that traditionally sings the Aaronic Blessing over their children before dismissing them to their Children's time, which typically occurs during the adult message portion of the service. The words to the Aaronic blessing are

The Lord bless you
    and keep you;
the Lord make his face shine upon you
    and be gracious to you;
the Lord turn his face toward you
    and give you peace (Numbers 6:24-26).

I admit that I sometimes struggle with the word "blessed." What do we mean when we say "bless?" In common usage, we have taken this word and made it to mean almost the same thing as "charmed." You are lucky. You are wealthy, good-looking, or maybe you have nice hair. You didn't have to struggle to attain your success. You have led a life of which most of us can only dream; you are blessed. Except that the actual meaning of the word doesn't include any of that. The root of the word "blessed" is simply "something that has been placed in the care of the divine." The opening lines of the Aaronic Blessing, which are supposed to be pronounced continuously over Israel, are actually written in typical Jewish parallelism. In other words, both segments of these opening lines convey the same message. "The Lord bless you" carries the identical meaning as "The Lord keep you."

Our reality is that we serve a God who can't wait to bless us. Most of us will never be wealthy. Most of us will experience health issues. Most of us will go through times of emotional and physical distress. But even in those times, we can be blessed, because we can be assured that God is carrying us through to the end. Our lives have been placed in his hands, and no matter what happens here, our circumstances won't change that one fact. And one of the most important times to remember that we are blessed is precisely when we are going through a struggle. In fact, I would advise you to watch some of the Christian Saints that surround us because I want to emulate them. Even though life deals a blow, they continue on, knowing that they are secure in the hands of their God.

The Psalmist understands this concept perfectly. He asks God to "make his face shine on us, that we may be saved." Essentially, the request is that God would bless us and keep us, so that the struggle does not defeat us. Our salvation is something that has been placed into the hands of God, and so we need God's blessing. 

So let me speak the Aaronic blessing over you and your day. Know that it comes from a God who can't wait to bless you.

May the Lord bless you and keep you;
May the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you;
May the Lord turn his face toward you … and give you peace.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Psalm 81 & 82

He decreed statutes for Jacob and established the law in Israel, which he commanded our ancestors to teach their children. – Psalm 78:5

Today's Scripture Reading (September 25, 2025): Psalm 78

It is called "The Shema," or more properly "Sh'ma Yisrael." The Shema is a prayer that has become the centerpiece of Jewish Worship. The title comes from the opening words of the prayer, "Sh'ma Yisrael," which means "Hear, O Israel." The prayer consists of Deuteronomy 6:4-9, Deuteronomy 11:13-22, and Numbers 15:37-41.

As well as being recited at worship events, the first paragraph of the Shema is recited by Jews before they go to bed. This portion of the prayer is;

Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.

The prayer reminds Israel that their God is one, and it is their responsibility to ensure that the people, starting with their children, understand God's unity and the commandments given to Moses. The reason for saying the prayer before bed is probably given in the text of this first paragraph of the prayer. "Talk about them [the commandments, which also included a statement that "God is One"] … when you lie down and when you get up."

Asaph echoes this idea presented to us from the Shema. He understood that the decrees were given by God to the people. In the Shema, this idea is found in the comment," These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts." These commandments needed to be taught to the children and passed down through the generations. In the Shema, this concept is given with the words "Impress them on your children."

Occasionally, someone suggests that the law was written by a group of priests, possibly "The Great Assembly," following the Babylonian exile. And while it might be true that it was gathered and written down during this time, there is a strong oral tradition that was passed down from parents to children from the time of Moses to the days of the Judges and through the various reigns of the kings. The law existed and was commanded to be taught to the generations. And that command continues today. Maybe I can echo the words of a contemporary prophet: "Teach your children well" (Graham Nash, 1968).

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Psalm 80

You kept my eyes from closing; I was too troubled to speak. – Psalm 77:4

Today's Scripture Reading (September 24, 2025): Psalm 77

Grief. It is something that we all meet at some time in our lives. None of us escapes this life journey without experiencing it. I have met grief several times on my journey. Each time hurts and changes me. And there is a parade of people I have lost that are never far from me.

Grief is a reaction to death, but more precisely, it is a reaction to loss. Sometimes that loss is because of the death of someone close to us. However, loss also happens as a result of sickness, and sometimes loss occurs because of a broken relationship that we seem impotent at piecing back together. As I sit in my office writing these words, I admit that I have suffered, and am suffering, from all of these forms of loss. I am a person hurt by the weapons that grief has at its disposal. I am not alone; we all suffer from the effects of grief.

Grief is not a maybe; it is a certainty. It is something that will happen. And that is something that Author Anne Lamott understood. She wrote:

You will lose someone you can't live without, and your heart will be badly broken, and the bad news is that you never completely get over the loss of your beloved. But this is also the good news. They live forever in your broken heart that doesn't seal back up. And you come through. It's like having a broken leg that never heals perfectly—that still hurts when the weather gets cold, but you learn to dance with the limp (Anne Lamott)

Maybe that is the hope of all of us victims of grief: we may limp, but that doesn't mean that we can't still dance.

The Psalmist, Asaph, is suffering from grief. He is experiencing loss and feels like God is far from him. The Psalmist is broken and hurting. And one of the effects of deep grief is that we can't sleep. We are tired, often absolutely exhausted, and yet our eyes refuse to close; our mouths work, but there are no words that come out of our lips, or sometimes it is the wrong words or words that don't make sense. All of these things are a function of the emotional pain that accompanies grief.

Asaph knows that the only one who can help him in this moment of pain is God. And so, he cries out to God for help. Help to be able to push back at grief; help to be able to close his eyes and open his mouth. Maybe part of his hope was that God would not just allow him to see, but that God would teach him to dance, even if it were with a limp.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Psalm 78

Do not lift your horns against heaven; do not speak so defiantly. – Psalm 75:5

Today's Scripture Reading (September 23, 2025): Psalm 75 & 76

It is construction season where I live. That time of the year when all the various construction companies race the clock to get everything done, especially those things requiring good weather, or at least, are better suited for warm or cool weather, as opposed to the cold and frigid temperatures that we all know are coming. As a result, basements are being dug, roofs are being finished, and roadwork is omnipresent. It can be frustrating when you are sure a lane is closed ahead, but you are uncertain of which one. I admit, I am one of those guys who likes to get into the lane as soon as I realize I am in the wrong one. And then there are always the guys who race to the front of the traffic and then force their way into traffic. Usually, I am okay with these idiots (excuse my language). But every once in a while, someone decides to wait until the last moment to make the required lane change. They rush to the front of the line and then try to push their way into the proper lane, sometimes at high speed, nearly causing a major accident.

In these situations, I tend to get angry; not that I would necessarily show that anger. I remember, in my younger years, calling one such driver an idiot, forgetting that I had an older member of the congregation in my car. She wasn't pleased with me, so I tend to internalize my anger. Which usually means I imagine all of the things I would like to say to the offending driver. In reality, I talk a good game in my mind, but I would never say any of my imagined conversations to the driver if we did meet, at least, I don't think I would. By the time we might have that conversation, I would have cooled off and remembered all of the stupid things I have done behind the wheel of the car.

I have been angry with God. There have been a couple of times I have said that when I get to heaven, I'll want to have a conversation with the Big Guy. Maybe I am just making excuses for myself, but I think that God understands that these moments are born out of frustration. God understands that I sometimes don't see His plan and think I would do things differently. However, I never arrive at the point where I want the job, nor would I say I have lost my trust in God.

Asaph warns us about our anger. He teaches us not to "lift your horns against heaven." Perhaps the most relevant translation of Asaph's teaching for our world is to avoid shaking your fist at heaven. I think it is okay to question God in our frustration. But shaking our fist or defiantly speaking to God means that we are ready to take over His job, and that is not a place where we want to be.   

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Psalm 77

They are free from common human burdens; they are not plagued by human ills. – Psalm 73:5

Today's Scripture Reading (September 22, 2025): Psalm 73

Have you ever wondered why evil prospers? It is a question that I think most of us have asked at one time or another. Why do I struggle to make ends meet, while others seem to ignore God's dictates and have everything they need? I have even had some Christians suggest that God probably wouldn't care if we followed the world and broke the rules so that we can get ahead. A friend once admitted that he had lied on almost every job application he had ever submitted. He felt he had to, because everyone lies on job applications. So, his lies didn't get him ahead; they just leveled the playing field.

It was news to me. I don't think that I have ever lied on a job application. But, then again, I don't think I have submitted a real job application for over three decades. Maybe things have changed, and if they have, it is not for the better. And yet, it is a prevalent idea in our culture. If someone, a group, or even a national political party ignores the rules or standards to gain an advantage, we feel we must do the same. If we don't, then good will never defeat evil. And the reality is that we can probably all point at someone who broke the rules and succeeded, who did evil and yet got rich. Charles Spurgeon (1834-1892) describes the situation this way.

While many saints are poor and afflicted, the prosperous sinner is neither. He is worse than other men, and yet he is better off; he ploughs least, and yet has the most fodder. He deserves the hottest hell, and yet has the warmest nest (Charles Spurgeon).

Asaph turns his attention to this situation between the saints and sinners. And he notes that those who are unbothered by lying and cheating don't have to worry about the common human burdens, the very things that most of us struggle with day after day. But while we are tempted to echo the behavior of those who are unconcerned with the things of God, Asaph maintains that that shouldn't be our way.

Sometimes, I wonder if this argument isn't a little overblown. Yes, there are the rich who seem to have achieved their wealth by doing things that are against the Laws of God. But there are probably more who have disregarded God's laws and struggle with the same things that we do.

John tells the story of a conversation between Peter and Jesus. Peter was concerned, for some reason, about what John was going to do. Maybe it was because John was the youngest of the disciples. Jesus responds to Peter's queries with these words: "If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me" (John 21:22).

Maybe that is still God's response to us. Don't worry about what the unbeliever does. You must follow me! 

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Psalm 75 & 76

The Mighty One, God, the LORD, speaks and summons the earth from the rising of the sun to where it sets. – Psalm 50:1

Today's Scripture Reading (September 21, 2025): Psalm 50

I am fascinated by names. I think there are basically four kinds of names; I really want to say two types, but I will grudgingly acknowledge a third and fourth group. Actually, it is probably the third and fourth category that engulfs most of our names. We choose them because we like the sound of the name, or because we want to bring honor to someone in the family. And in the process, we often overlook many things that deserve more consideration. I once had a conversation about names with a customer who was reconsidering the name she had given to her daughter; to be clear, this was not a recent event, her daughter was in her forties, so this woman had given her daughter's name combination a lot of thought since the day of naming. This woman fell into the fourth category, names that honored someone in her family. In this case, her mother's name was Mae, and her mother-in-law's name was Patricia. So, mom decided to call her daughter Patricia Mae. It was a strong name that honored two of the important women in her life. However, unnoticed at the time but thought a lot about in the years to come, this woman's last name was Steele. I am still unsure why no one noticed that the full name, Patricia Mae (or may) Steele (or steal), might be problematic. Patricia may steal is probably not the message mom and dad wanted to send with a name, but it was a message that the daughter or her school friends didn't miss.

There has been an increase in recent years in parents naming their children Nevaeh. I have met quite a few Nevaehs over the past few years. I admit it is a pretty name, and parents often quickly point out that Nevaeh is Heaven spelled backwards. And I wonder if anyone has really considered the meaning of Nevaeh? Wouldn't the meaning of Nevaeh be the backward, or opposite, meaning of Heaven? Again, maybe a message we don't want to send in a name.

The other two categories are "aspirational names," or names whose meaning we hope our child will come to reflect, and "functional names," or names that we choose as adults that reflect who we are or want to be. The best example of this last group is often regnal or royal names. The last two monarchs of the United Kingdom have gone by the names they were given at birth, but Queen Elizabeth's father actually put a lot of thought into the name he chose to rule by. Born "Albert Frederick Arthur George," Albert never expected to be King. But after the abdication of his older brother Edward VIII, Albert wanted a name that would indicate stability. He could have reigned as King Albert I, but instead, he decided to reign as King George VI, hoping that the people would be reminded of the stability of the reign of his father, King George V.

The Psalmist opens up this section with three names of God. Sometimes in our translations, we try to make it one name, but that was not the original intention of the Psalmist. He calls God "el," or simply God, or maybe Mighty God. The Psalmist follows up with "Elohim," which counterintuitively is the plural of "el" and a common name for God in the Hebrew Bible, and then finally "Yehova," which we often translate as Jehovah or Yahweh. Yehova is the Proper name of God, and is usually replaced in the Bible with the term "Adonai," which is translated as "the Lord." In English, Yehova is always rendered as "Lord" using small caps. 

The message of the Psalmist? I don't care what you might call him. He is the Lord, the Mighty God, or just the God of Israel, and Yahweh is his name. It is not an aspirational name; it is functional in nature. The name of God is a clear statement of who He is.  

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Psalm 73

Glorious things are said of you, city of God. – Psalm 87:3

Today's Scripture Reading (September 20, 2025): Psalm 87 & 88

King Alaric led his Visigoth Army into Rome on August 24, 410 C.E. The Visigoths were a Germanic people and likely were of diverse origins. For a while, they had been allied with the Romans, fighting as a Roman Barbarian force in the Balkans. However, under the leadership of Alaric, the Visigoths turned on their Roman allies and attacked Rome. By this time, Rome had ceased being the administrative capital of the Western Roman Empire; that capital had moved to Mediolanum or Milan in 286 CE and then to Ravenna in Northern Italy in 402 CE. As a result, the city of Rome fell for the first time in almost 800 years.

It wasn't that Rome was no longer important. Rome was still "The Eternal City" and revered as the spiritual center of the Empire. After Rome fell, shock enveloped the Empire. So, it didn't take long after the fall of the city for various "experts" to step forward with the reason for the fall. At the time, most of that blame fell on the Christian Church. The fall of Rome was a direct result of the people's adoption of Christianity and their rebellion against the traditional gods of the Roman Empire.

This accusation against the Christian Church instigated Augustine of Hippo to write his theological treatise about the Christian Faith, "The City of God" (or more completely "The City of God Against the Pagans"). The completed book was published in 426 CE and is seen as one of the most important works of the early church. "The City of God" presented an argument in favor of Christianity as it stood against the pagan philosophies of the known world, including the religions of the Romans before the advent of Christianity. He made the argument that Christianity was responsible for the success of the Empire, and not the fall of "The Eternal City." Augustine also taught in this book that while the earthly Empires might be imperiled, in the end, "The City of God" would win the final battle.

It is thought that Augustine lifted the title of his book from this verse. The Psalmist praises Jerusalem by recounting the people's thoughts about it. We might want to call Jerusalem "The City of David," after all, until the reign of David, the city had remained in the hands of the Jebusites. It was David who had devised a way to get into the city and led the attack that resulted in Jerusalem finally becoming part of Israel. It was David who had made the city his capital, David who had brought the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem, ending its time of exile. It was David who had planned for, someday, a Temple to be built in the city dedicated to God and revolutionizing the state of worship both in the city and the nation. Someday, the people would come to call Jerusalem the "City of David." But the Psalmist knew the truth; Jerusalem was the "City of God."

The glory of Jerusalem had faded, and the majesty of Rome had disappeared; the city had been sacked, but Augustine understood that the "City of Heaven," the real "City of God" and "Eternal City," would continue to reign. And in the end, it was that "City of God" that would possess the victory and would never fall to its enemies.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Psalm 50

You forgave the iniquity of your people and covered all their sins. – Psalm 85:2

Today's Scripture Reading (September 19, 2025): Psalm 85

On July 18, 2025, the progressive rock band "Styx" released their eighteenth studio album, "Circling from Above." "Circling from Above" was the first time that Will Evankovich and Terry Gowan, the brother of "Styx" keyboardist Lawrence Gowan, were featured as full-time members of the band. The reaction of the critics seems to be generally positive about the new Album. They praise the Album's "rich musicality" as well as its "thematic depth." "Circling from Above" seems to both take another step on the journey the band has been on for decades, while remaining true to the band's roots.

I've been a big Styx fan since the early 1970s, and I had July 18, 2025, circled on my calendar. However, I was on vacation in July and the days often seemed to blend in with each other; as a result, I didn't listen to the Album until July 19. (I had heard the lead single from the Album, "Build and Destroy," when it was released in June.) I hope the band will forgive me for my tardiness.

I love the Album, but the one track that caught me a little off guard was "Forgive." Let me explain. There has been a lot of conversation in the Styxverse about the possibility of the band going back to its original lineup. Now, a complete return to the original lineup would be impossible. Styx's original drummer, John Panozo, passed away from gastrointestinal hemorrhaging and cirrhosis in 1996. Chuck Panozo, the original bass player, continues to play with the band from time to time, but health issues curtail his full involvement. But the real intent of going back to the original band points to the acceptance of keyboard player and vocalist Dennis DeYoung back into the fold. For his part, DeYoung says that he is ready to return, but the band isn't quite as sure. James (JY) Young has argued in the past, when asked about DeYoung's return to Styx, that "the band is crazy, but it's not stupid. Neither JY nor Tommy Shaw seems ready to invite their former bandmate back.

Maybe I need to make my bias clear here. I loved Dennis DeYoung when he was in the band. However, I am also a massive fan of his replacement, Lawrence Gowan, and was a fan of Gowan, as he is affectionately known in Canada, even before he became part of Styx. I have also said publicly that even though I like DeYoung, I think Gowan was an upgrade. As a result, I'm unsure whether I am cheering a reunion with DeYoung, especially if it means Gowan is out.

Enter the song "Forgive." The song's subject is described in the Title. I like the way that the lyrics treat Forgiveness as a very complex subject. The lyrics to the chorus say;

Did the sun ever shine so bright as you and I?
Oh, why did we toss the fight?
I'll keep saying I forgive you,
Please forgive me too, 'til the day that it's true.

I have no idea what Gowan and Will Evankovich were thinking when they penned the tune, but I can't help but wonder if maybe there was a subconscious desire for their bandmates to forgive DeYoung, if they feel they haven't. I love the concept of forgiving someone until "the day that it's true." Of course, Styx can forgive DeYoung and still not want to reunite.

I keep hearing people say, "I can't forgive this person." And I get it, but maybe we need to take this page from Styx and say, "I am going to actively forgive you until the day that it is true."

We don't forgive just because it is the kind thing to do. We forgive because that is what God modeled for us. He forgave everything we had done to break our relationship with him, which, for most of us, is a lot. And as a result, we forgive the wrongs that are done against us. Is it a challenging task? Yes, which is why it is so vital to keep forgiving them until the day that it's true.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Psalm 87 & 88

They go from strength to strength, till each appears before God in Zion. – Psalm 84:7

Today's Scripture Reading (September 18, 2025): Psalm 84

British inspirational speaker and writer, Marcus Buckingham, makes the argument that "you will excel only by maximizing your strengths, never by fixing your weaknesses" (Marcus Buckingham). I have listened to Buckingham speak and read some of his books, and I have made the journey to agreeing with him. The problem is that that is not how we live. It seems counterintuitive to invest effort in areas where we are already strong, while essentially ignoring the places where we are weak. Personal improvement always seems to mean strengthening our weaknesses.

However, Buckingham strongly maintains that by working on our weaknesses, the best we can hope for is that we can be average. But if we take the effort that we might spend on our weaknesses to make them average, and place that same effort into areas where we are already strong, then we might be able to excel at something. I believe that if we want to make a difference in our world, we need to try to spend our time in areas where we are strong. And when we understand where we are strong, then hopefully we can gather people around us who can help us where we are weak.

David might also agree with Buckingham. In Psalm 84, he says that "Blessed are those whose strength is in you" (Psalm 84:5). And one of the pieces of evidence of this blessedness is that this person goes "from strength to strength." They excel at what they do, trying to keep in the sweet spot of their personality, with the help of God, who has given us those strengths. When our strength is in God, he helps us function in the areas where we are personally strong.

It goes against the way most of our lives work. We often begin the process with our strengths, but as the journey continues, we transition to our weaknesses, trying to become better in the areas where we are weak. However, spending time in areas where we are weaker often leads to premature fatigue. But if we are following the plan that God has for our journey, we will move from strength to strength, delaying the onset of fatigue.

For the church, this is an essential concept. God has brought us together in community. We all have different strengths, but together, working in our strengths, God can change our communities, making the church an unstoppable force of God.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Psalm 85

We have heard it with our ears, O God; our ancestors have told us what you did in their days, in days long ago. – Psalm 44:1

Today's Scripture Reading (September 17, 2025): Psalm 44

I am lucky. In my library, which is getting smaller as I cull books that don't bring me joy, I have sermons that were written by my Great-Grandfather, Hallett Mullen, a man who died a couple of years before I was born. I also have writings from my Grandmother, and a family history that was written by someone on my maternal Grandmother's side of the family tree. I also possess recordings of my paternal Grandfather singing, along with recordings from a Great Uncle and my Great Grandparents. One of my regrets is that I never had the chance to sing and play with my Grandfather. Maybe I can make up for it by playing in a worship band with two of my grandsons. William (drums) and Henry (guitar) are young, but they are also becoming good, solid musicians, and I am excited to see where their talent will take them in the future.

Among the treasures is also a recorded testimony of my Grandfather and what God had done in his life. Along with memories of things that he has said over the years in various situations, I have some solid memories from the generations that have gone before. I remember my Grandfather, a professional singer, telling me that he didn't see what he did as a concert. He was uncomfortable standing on a stage, surrounded by his fans (I am sure that is not what grandpa would call them), singing like Bing Crosby or Dean Martin. (My Grandfather did pattern his voice after Bing, and I still hear grandpa singing whenever I hear Bing, something that often happens around Christmas time.) He regarded himself as more of an Ed McMahon setting up for his version of Johnny Carson. I know that he had a few favorite speakers with whom he loved to work.

David says that he has heard of the legacy of God with his own ears; that the legacy has been passed down through the generations to him. I think David is speaking of an oral tradition that we miss in our culture. I am thankful for what I have, but I wish it were more of a normal situation. David heard the stories of God from his Father, Jesse. Perhaps David, like me, had heard God stories from his Grandfather, Obed. Obed, in turn, would have heard the tales of God from his Father, Boaz, a significant figure in the story of Ruth.

Today, I think we often believe that we know more than the generations that went before us. And in some areas we do, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't open our ears and listen to their stories. We need these stories. We need to hear the stories about how God moved in the lives of those who lived in the days before we existed. These stories need to be passed down to future generations, so that we can echo the words of David and say that we, too, have heard the stories of what God did in the days of our ancestors.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Psalm 84

Then I will go to the altar of God, to God, my joy and my delight. I will praise you with the lyre, O God, my God. – Psalm 43:4

Today's Scripture Reading (September 16, 2025): Psalm 43

Martin Luther King reminded us that "human progress is neither automatic nor inevitable … Every step toward the goal of justice requires sacrifice, suffering and struggle; the tireless exertions and passionate concern of dedicated individuals." The status quo too easily influences us. We want things to remain the same. Even inside the church, we seem only to want to grab onto what is familiar. I have been reminded in the past, and in many ways, of the dangers of bringing uncomfortable ideas inside the church, even when I am sure that the ideas are straight from the throne of God. There seems to be a list of things that we don't really want to hear. We don't want to hear that God wants us to love our Muslim brothers and sisters, even if Jesus did tell us to love our enemies and pray for those who might wish to persecute us (Matthew 5:44). Our stance seems to be, "Come Holy Spirit, just don't challenge me by your presence." Or as one parishioner put it, "Jesus is welcome in my church as long as he doesn't do anything weird." Come, Lord, but don't ask me to sacrifice the things that I think are important.

Psalm 43 is a short prayer for vindication. The psalmist has faced the struggle and needs to be rescued from his enemies. And when he is rescued, he promises that he will go to the altar of God with a song of joy in his heart and on his lips. But what is sometimes so easy to miss is that the altar is actually a place of sacrifice. It always has been. In the tradition I grew up in, we would make that long walk from where we sat to the altar railing at the front of the church whenever we felt God calling us to change. There we knelt and prayed, or we lifted up a song of thanksgiving, but the idea was always that we had come to a place of sacrifice. I do not agree with everything that the Hindu teacher Sathya Sai Baba wrote. Still, he did remind us that "Life is a sacrifice … offer it." (The full quote of Sathya Sai Baba, who believed that he was the reincarnation of Sai Baba of Shirdi, is "Life is a song - sing it. Life is a game - play it. Life is a challenge - meet it. Life is a dream - realize it. Life is a sacrifice - offer it. Life is love - enjoy it." I am not sure that I would want to correct him on any of these assertions.)  But life really is a sacrifice, and I believe that the psalmist understood that. If he came through this trial, he would sing his praise at the altar because his life remained forfeit to his God. His life was on the altar, and God could do whatever he desired with it.

The apostle Paul wrote what I think is a New Testament equivalent to this Psalm. "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me" (Galatian 2:20). I have laid down my life in sacrifice at the altar; I have offered my life to my God. He is the One who has chosen to pick it up once again, not me. And to him, my life, every portion of it, is dedicated. And that dedication is with joy, delight, and praise.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Psalm 44

Originally Published on May 18, 2016

My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God? – Psalm 42:2

Today's Scripture Reading (September 15, 2025): Psalm 42

I met my wife at college. Both of us were from places that were almost half a continent away from the college, so we both lived in the dorm. However, when summer came, it meant we were going home to places thousands of kilometers away from each other. Actually, at the beginning of the summer, Nelda was on tour with a musical group before she made her way home; I, on the other hand, just went home. Later in the summer, I made plans to go and visit her at her home. We hadn't seen each other for a couple of months, which made our reunion all the more exciting.

I was making the trip to her home by car, which meant taking a ferry from the mainland to the island where her family lived. However, the night before I was scheduled to make the trip, I couldn't sleep. I just wanted to see Nelda. So, in the middle of the night, I got up and dressed, packed my car, and left for the West Coast.

Most of us know what that kind of anticipation is like. We are so excited for something that it consumes us, and we just can't wait. Sometimes, a painful wait is all that we can do. In those moments, a poet might look at us and say that we are hungry or thirsty for something. There is a very real difference between those two states, and hungering for something might be the better description. Hunger is painful, but the reality is that you can survive for a significant period of time without eating. Several years ago, a friend recommended a movie to me about the life of adventurer Chris McCandless. It was my friend's favorite movie, but I have to admit that I found the life of McCandless depressing. If you aren't acquainted with the end of the McCandless story, he dies of starvation, although it seems McCandless believed that he had accidentally poisoned himself. Experts believe that McCandless died of hunger sometime in August 1992 at the age of 24, even though he was eating; the problem was that he wasn't eating enough.

Dying of thirst is also painful, but it happens more quickly. The body can go without food, or in the McCandless example, without enough food, for weeks. But thirst will kill us in a matter of a few days. Charles Spurgeon (1834 – 1892) adds this thought: the use of the word thirst reveals an even more urgent need, "Which is more than hungering; hunger you can palliate [alleviate], but thirst is awful, insatiable, clamorous, [and] deadly" (Charles Spurgeon).

David says that his desire for God is like a thirst. His passion is insatiable, and all he wants is to find a place where he can commune with God. It is a longing that we all should share, never getting enough of God and always wanting more. Like a thirst, we should always seek God, knowing that we need his presence on a daily basis. Time spent without God can only weaken us and leaves us closer to death.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Psalm 43

The LORD is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love. – Psalm 145:8

Today's Scripture Reading (September 14, 2025): Psalm 145

The American philosopher and writer Elbert Hubbard (1856-1915) argued, "A friend is someone who knows all about you and still loves you." We are lucky if we can share our lives with someone like that. I know that I have been one of those fortunate individuals. I have several people who know me well, beginning with my wife and family; I have given them many reasons not to love me, yet they still do. And I hope I return that kind of love to them because there is excellent security in knowing that someone loves you despite all you have done. These are people who understand that love was never designed to be conditional on behavior; rather, it is meant to be shared in all circumstances. I want to be that kind of person. Maybe that is the definition of true love. Love is never something we earn, but something that is freely given to us, despite what we might have done.

I have been criticized for reading the Bible through the lens of love. I admit that I possess that bias. I do believe that love is an essential factor in understanding God. Sometimes we have the mistaken opinion that love is only promoted through the pages of the Christian or New Testament. However, even a superficial reading of the Tanakh, or Hebrew Bible, repeatedly reveals a God of love. Yes, the God of the Tanakh is a God of righteousness and justice. But, according to the Bible, before he is either one of those things, he is a God of love. Sometimes there is anger in God, but the anger comes slowly, long after multiple attempts of grace and mercy have been extended to us.

David had experienced the love of God. He understood God's anger, but despite his shortcomings, he knew that God still loved him. His sins, even though they were great, had never grown to the point where God had removed his love. There was a difference between the love David had experienced from God and the ways humans treated him. People often excel at wrath, keeping the argument going, and parceling out their love to those whom they think deserve it. But nothing about this human response reveals God's unconditional love.

I aspire to God's kind of unconditional love, giving up my grievances, and loving those around me. I want the feuds to stop at my door. Like David, I pray that I will somehow be able to love those who don't like me, loving even those who criticize the doctrine of love through which I read my Bible. I want God to reshape me, help me love those who disagree with me, and pray for them without reservation, knowing that God loves them as much as he loves me. The world would be a much better place if we could learn to live that kind of love.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Psalm 42

See also Psalm 103:8