Psalms

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What can I do when I face injustice?

/ Anthea Kotlan / Leave a comment

In the summer of 1994, my family was locked in a legal battle in a Houston courtroom with a powerful car manufacturer. Images of David and Goliath sprung to my mind, but our lawyer had no smooth stones or slingshot. His arguments were not enough to cause a jury to vote in our favor. Four long years after my sister was killed, no justice was served.

Once the shock wore off, sadness settled in, and we all went back to the business of grieving her death all over again and caring for her young children.

When faced with injustice, what does God call me to do?

We are called to praise God 

1 We praise you, God, we praise you, for your Name is near; people tell of your wonderful deeds.
(Psalm 75:1 NIV)

Psalm 75 begins with thanksgiving and praise for God’s sovereign rule.

This is counterintuitive to society’s expectations. Many of us have been influenced to believe that we don’t praise until we gain a victory.

Sharing testimonies of God’s wonderful deeds encourages other believers, and in a sense, sharing stories of God’s faithfulness reveals his work. God is always right there beside me, but I often need reminders of his presence. I become distracted by my daily stresses and lose sight of his work in my life. We need to remind one another of God’s continuous gracious interventions, especially when facing injustice.

Praising God does not deny the current circumstance, but it does remind my heart of God’s faithfulness to me and those I love.

We are called to be watching for God’s justice

2 You say, “I choose the appointed time; it is I who judge with equity.
3 When the earth and all its people quake, it is I who hold its pillars firm.
4 To the arrogant I say, ‘Boast no more,’ and to the wicked, ‘Do not lift up your horns.
5 Do not lift your horns against heaven; do not speak so defiantly.’”
(Psalm 75:2-5 NIV)

Every single day, I confront the brokenness of this world. I see those who believe they don’t have to follow the laws of the land. Some of society’s most vulnerable members become victims and cry out for justice.

Are you seeking justice for yourself or a loved one?

We are made in the image of a just God, so we each long for justice to be done here on earth. It is imprinted on our very souls.

In verses 4 and 5, God reassures his people that he not only chooses the perfect time to judge but will do so with balance, insight, and fairness.

Earthly judges may be corrupted or prevented from bringing justice to this world, but God will prevail. That may be now or years from now.

God reminds his people that he holds the foundations of the earth firm even when all is quaking. Notice that the scripture does not say if the earth and people shake. It says when. Sooner or later, we will all experience seasons of uncertainty and lack. But God will hold us close in the middle of the darkest seasons of our lives if we will only look to him.

God identifies the arrogant people, those who defy him, and he commands their obedience sooner or later. There is no escape for them.

We are called to wait on God’s placement


6 No one from the east or the west or from the desert can exalt themselves.
7 It is God who judges: He brings one down, he exalts another.
8 In the hand of the Lord is a cup full of foaming wine mixed with spices; he pours it out, and all the wicked of the earth drink it down to its very dregs.
(Psalm 75:6-8 NIV)

How far is the East from the West? This area covers the entire Earth; therefore, no one can exalt him or herself —only God can do that for a person.

While our society celebrates those who “take what they want” and make “power grabs” for fame and fortune, this is not God’s way. If the manner in which I succeed is questionable, God will not bless my efforts.

Therefore, I shouldn’t try to gain an elevated position because if I do, I won’t be able to stay there. But no force on Earth can remove me if God puts me there.

God knows our hearts, minds, and motivations. He will force the wicked to drink down the full measure of his judgment, and they will have no escape. Can I wait on God’s plan for judgment and justice? Not without his help, every single day.

We are called to persist in praise

9 As for me, I will declare this forever; I will sing praise to the God of Jacob,
10 who says, “I will cut off the horns of all the wicked, but the horns of the righteous will be lifted up.”
(Psalm 75:9-10 NIV)


When I come face to face with the goodness of God, I can’t help but praise Him.

Our praise will go on forever because God will go on forever. This is a glimpse of the now and not yet.

Someday, we will have endless days and nights to praise God in Heaven. We will never get weary but be filled with awe and wonder in his presence.

Psalm 75 begins and ends with praise because God wants to remind us of how he works. Jesus’ death and resurrection brought the ultimate reconciliation between God and man. This will someday pass away, all will be put to right, and real and restorative justice will prevail in all situations. We will live in the new heaven and earth, praise the Lord all day and night, and never grow weary.

All those years ago, my family did not receive a favorable verdict. It seemed that all was lost. Sadly, I don’t have a report of how eventually we prevailed or received what was owed. I have had to choose to release this situation to the Lord. Despite it all, I can praise God, watch for his justice, and await God’s placement.

All was not actually lost that day because despite massive damage to my sister’s car, her two children, aged just four months and not quite two, survived with barely a scratch. I learned during the trial that emergency responders had to use the “jaws of life” to cut my sister’s infant daughter out of her car seat, sitting inches from the full impact of a ¾ ton pickup truck. God miraculously shielded two tiny children that day, and I will be forever grateful to know and love them.

Prayer

We praise you, God, for your Name is near; let us be known as a people who tell of your wonderful deeds and encourage one another. Help us to be those who bear the light of your presence in a dark world where justice can be hard to find and painful to wait for. Help us to wait on you, Lord. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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How do I trust God in the Middle of a Season of Loss? Psalm 74

/ Anthea Kotlan / Leave a comment

Have you ever seen a church building repurposed as a new business, restaurant, or bar? I have seen this many times while visiting family and traveling in Europe. One church I remember had gorgeous stained-glass windows but was converted into an Indian restaurant. I found it strangely unsettling, and loss is firmly attached to it in my mind.

There is a special rite or service within Anglicanism known as The De-Consecration of a Sacred Space. The liturgy is designed to make room for lament for those who experienced some of the most joyful moments in their lives inside the walls of that church. A wedding day, a child’s baptism, or a loved one’s memorial service becomes tied to those sacred spaces in our hearts and minds. Recently, a pastor told me of an unfortunate situation in the Austin area. When a nearby church’s attendance dwindled, the denomination closed the church building. Next, families who had placed their loved ones in the church’s columbarium were contacted. The families were asked to come and pick up their loved one’s cremated remains. His church was in a growth cycle and recently built a new columbarium. They began receiving regular requests to purchase niches for these homeless remains.

In Psalm 74, the worship leader cries out to God on behalf of an entire congregation in lament over the destruction of their sanctuary. While most church-going Americans have never experienced the tragedy of having a foreign power destroy their church, some know a fair bit about church splits and church attendance decline. While I realize some churches might be building bigger buildings and moving to new spaces, that is not always the case. Like divorce, church splits and dwindling attendance create financial havoc and loss.

A Cry for Help

1 O God, why do you cast us off forever? Why does your anger smoke against the sheep of your pasture?
2 Remember your congregation, which you have purchased of old, which you have redeemed to be the tribe of your heritage! Remember Mount Zion, where you have dwelt.
3 Direct your steps to the perpetual ruins; the enemy has destroyed everything in the sanctuary!
(Psalm 74:1-3 ESV)
  • Does God need me to remind Him?
  • Does God need me to direct Him?
  • Does God need to hear my status update?

No

When faced with loss, I feel compelled to line it out for God as if it might have escaped his notice. The truth is that God knows all about my losses. He knows what I lost before, and He even knows what I will lose in the future.

A List of Violations

4 Your foes have roared in the midst of your meeting place; they set up their own signs for signs.
5 They were like those who swing axes in a forest of trees. 
6 And all its carved wood they broke down with hatchets and hammers.
7 They set your sanctuary on fire; they profaned the dwelling place of your name,
    bringing it down to the ground. 
8 They said to themselves, “We will utterly subdue them”; they burned all the meeting places of God in the land.
9 We do not see our signs; there is no longer any prophet, and there is none among us who knows how long.
(Psalm 74:4-9 ESV)

Losing a place of worship strikes at the heart of a community. Destroying beautiful things like art, worship spaces, or rare books feels deeply personal. In this psalm, the author writes about the additional loss of a prophet. Prophets serve a community by providing wise guidance. They speak the truth and call a people group to the next steps in the restoration process.

In times of disorientation, seeking a spiritual guide gives necessary support. Ask the Lord to provide a pastor or mentor for you.

When and Why Response

10 How long, O God, is the foe to scoff? Is the enemy to revile your name forever?
11 Why do you hold back your hand, your right hand? Take it from the fold of your garment and destroy them! 
(Psalm 74:10-11 ESV)

Sooner or later, I always arrive with God at the “when and why moment.” I want to know the timeline because it might give me an illusion of control. If I only knew when this would be over and the restoration would come, I could deal with this. These are the lies I tell myself.

I also want to know why, and I have even fallen into the trap of assigning motives to other people’s actions, which leads to more offense on my part.

Releasing my need to have every question answered might be the best pathway to healing after a loss.

But God

12 Yet God my King is from of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth.
(Psalm 74:12 ESV)

A turn in the lament occurs at this halfway point in Psalm 74. God works “in the midst of the earth” amid loss and tragedy.

I must choose to take this turn to reorient my perspective. Recently, a friend of mine went through a particularly dark and painful season. She chose daily to ask the Lord to show her himself in the middle of the loss and the pain. Slowly, she began to see a flickering candle of God’s presence. She kept a journal and noted each point of light along her journey. Four years later, she has a powerful testimony of seeing God’s presence in one of the hardest seasons of her life.

Prayer

Lord,

Please help me trust amid loss, allow me to release my need to know it all, and help me see you working each day. In Jesus’s name, amen.  

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HOW DO WE LIVE AS AN EASTER PEOPLE? Psalm 71

/ Anthea Kotlan / Leave a comment

Early Saturday morning, before the sun came up on the day before Easter, I read Psalm 71. It had been selected for the devotional our church was reading.

Psalm 71 begins with a desperate cry for help and hiding. The psalmist longs to be hidden with the Lord and away from evil enemies who seek to harm him. No doubt, the disciples huddled in the upper room gripped by grief and despair, might have cried out to the Lord in similar ways.

Where do we go when everything has gone wrong and we’ve ended up on the losing side of things? Or so it seems on Saturday.  

This will not be an isolated scenario in a broken world where people fail us. On this side of heaven, we will periodically sit in a dark room, waiting for God to show us the way over and over. It might also be a prolonged season of uncertainty, false starts, and further failures.  

A prescription for holding onto hope

Halfway through Psalm 71, the tone changes, and hope filters in through a crack in the curtains. What follows is a prescription for holding onto hope in dark situations.

14 As for me, I will always have hope; I will praise you more and more.
15 My mouth will tell of your righteous deeds, of your saving acts all day long— though I know not how to relate them all.
16 I will come and proclaim your mighty acts, Sovereign LORD; I will proclaim your righteous deeds, yours alone.
17 Since my youth, God, you have taught me, and to this day I declare your marvelous deeds.
18 Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, my God, till I declare your power to the next generation, your mighty acts to all who are to come.
(Psalm 71:14-18 NIV)

Praising

Verse 14 stands as a necessary declaration over my soul. Even when I can’t see the outcome or the upturn, I can praise the Lord more and more. How often does listening to the praise music and singing along transform my outlook?

Remembering & Reminding

Verses 15 & 16 remind me to remember because we are a forgetful people. A sort of amnesia comes over me during trials, and I fail to consider God’s track record in my life. I must choose to remind myself of God’s righteous deeds and saving acts. God is working things together in mysterious ways. God’s work is not limited by my ability to understand like the psalmist says, “though I know not how to relate them all.” (Psalm 71:15b)

I will also need to do this in the community. Sometimes, a friend or family member needs me to hold space for his or her hope by sharing our memories. The idea of proclamation creates the picture of me using every place I have influence in to testify about the Lord.

  • Do my social media posts reflect my hope in Christ?
  • Do the birthday cards I send shine the light of the Gospel?
  • Do my conversations foster a sense of God’s faithful care of me and those around me?
  • Do my text messages edify others?
  • Do my prayers (in public and private) feature thankfulness for all God has done and is doing?
  • Do I remind others of God’s faithfulness?

Persisting

Verse 17 points to the benefits of having a long-standing and persistent relationship with the Lord. I have been walking with him since I was a teenager. Not everyone has that privilege. Some people arrived much later in their lives to faith. A long-standing relationship with the Lord is a gift, but it also requires ongoing nurturing in a faith community, in the word of God, and in prayer.

Passing On

Verse 18 charges me to share my faith with the next generation. I don’t believe the Lord allows us to retire from this work. Anyone at any age can still influence the next generation with encouragement, prayer, and service. Playing an active and unique role in the discipleship of grandchildren and little ones in our faith communities is an ultimate privilege. We are called to actively pass on our faith.

How will you hold onto hope?

During this Easter season, how will you hold onto hope and be a beacon light for a watching world? How will you live faithfully as an Easter people?

Self-Help or Surrender – Psalm 70

/ Anthea Kotlan / Leave a comment

A prayer for help and lament

You can stop a hydrochloric acid leak with a hefty supply of chocolate bars.

Back in the 1980s, on his weekly television show, Angus MacGyver taught me many handy things like that. One never knows when that bit of survival trivia might come in handy. If you doubt this solution, I recommend you check out the circa 2003 episode of “Myth Busters” to see how well the technique works.

Whenever MacGyver found himself in serious trouble, and that seemed to be the premise of every week’s episode, he would use some household objects in a unique combination to save the day. He might call for help, but his efforts always brought about his rescue or the saving of a beautiful woman.

In Psalm 70, the psalmist finds himself in grave peril and cries out for help.

Waiting for God’s Rescue

1 Make haste, O God, to deliver me! O LORD, make haste to help me!
(Psalm 70:1 ESV)

Just like me, the psalmist wants help—right now. Suffering slows down the passing of time, or certainly my perception of time. It engulfs, isolates, and brings me to my knees. After an eternity, perhaps more like an hour, of waiting for a rescue, I’m ready for my MacGyver moment.

I want to reach into my Chelsey boot and bring out a penknife that cuts off what entangles me and lets me run free. It is a struggle to surrender and wait on God’s timing or seek out his ways.

Waiting on God’s Justice

2 Let them be put to shame and confusion who seek my life!
Let them be turned back and brought to dishonor who delight in my hurt!
3 Let them turn back because of their shame who say, “Aha, Aha!”
(Psalm 70:2-3 ESV)

When I place my order for a rescue from God, I would also like it served with a healthy portion of justice. Justice delayed is justice denied, right?

I want those people over there, the ones who have tried to take my life, the ones I feel have failed me, the ones who refused to help me, the ones who might have caused my suffering, the ones who hurt my loved ones. I want them to suffer…do your thing, God. Smite them or bring them to their knees and make them sorry.  

Meanwhile, could you spotlight their wrongdoing, bring them to repentance, and return whatever was lost to me?

When I make this audacious request, do I consider all the implications? Am I ready to experience this myself? Do I want my mistakes to be exposed for everyone to see?

Waiting on God’s Glory


4 May all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you! May those who love your salvation say evermore, “God is great!”
(Psalm 70:4 ESV)

In verse two, the psalmist calls out those who seek to take his life. This time, however, he specifies a different group of seekers. He wants to see the ultimate justice; the Godly ones, those who seek the Lord, should win and dance in victory.

Waiting on God’s Heroic Measures (and not my own)


5 But I am poor and needy; hasten to me, O God! You are my help and my deliverer; O LORD, do not delay!
(Psalm 70:5 ESV)

The final verse in this short prayer brings it all back to the beginning. The psalmist knows he needs help and knows it is beyond his ability to help himself. There will be no surge or music, and the MacGyver moment will not unfold. The psalmist is painfully aware of how poor and needy he is. He now waits in humility and certainty of God’s role as the ultimate deliverer.

Sooner or later, we all need a rescuer who can pull us out of peril and redeem our lives. Only the Lord can do this for us. Our self-reliance and innovations won’t be necessary. I can’t guarantee a quick rescue, but I know the God of the universe is working in our waiting times. His timing is perfect, and his rescue plans are always redemptive.

Prayer

Lord, help me to wait on you for my rescue. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Shout, Sing, and Say – Psalm 66

/ Anthea Kotlan / 2 Comments

On any given Sunday, we witness miracles.

When God called my husband and me to church planting, we had to leave a thriving mid-sized church where we had served for decades. We left behind some of our closest friends and family members to launch into the unknown. Initially, we were sent to serve at a church plant well over an hour from our home. We battled traffic and tolls to invest in that community for a year, knowing that it would not be a long-term place for us to grow. During that year, we witnessed God moving redemptively, and we learned a great deal.

In 2022, we finally found our way back to a place we had only dreamed of: church planting in Conroe, Texas. The first time we attended a service in our newly borrowed space, we were stunned to discover that it would take us only fifteen minutes to drive home after we helped clean up and put everything away. This would be a first for us after serving for over twenty years in places and spaces far from where we lived.

This season of church planting allows us to depend very much on God’s provision. I hope I never grow weary of shouting, singing, and saying how good God has been to our little flock. We couldn’t do any of this without His generous hand!

SHOUT, SING, SAY


1Shout for joy to God, all the earth 2 sing the glory of his name; give to him glorious praise!

3 Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds! So great is your power that your enemies come cringing to you.

4 All the earth worships you and sings praises to you; they sing praises to your name.” Selah

(Psalm 66:1-4 ESV)

Shared praise and thanksgiving will multiply when I shout, sing, and speak about God’s marvelous deeds with others. The practice spurs our hearts to dig deep and remember the goodness of the Lord.

God commands us to shout and share because it does our hearts good in our community. We are designed to join our voices and share.

Who will you share with today?

MAKING A LIST

5 Come and see what God has done: he is awesome in his deeds toward the children of man.

6 He turned the sea into dry land; they passed through the river on foot. There did we rejoice in him, 7 who rules by his might forever, whose eyes keep watch on the nations—let not the rebellious exalt themselves. Selah

(Psalm 66:5-7 ESV)

Do you ever try to go to the grocery store without a list? It seldom goes well. There is something about making a list that builds on itself. I write down butter and then remember we need milk. I write down apples and recall our low supply of peanut butter.

When I thank God for what He has done for me in specific ways, I recall more and more. I thank Him for my daughter’s new house and remember how God arranged a rental house for her and her family to live in while they searched for this new house in their new town.

I begin the list of thanks for 2023 and remember all God has done for our fledging church plant. The miracles of providing a soundboard, new folding chairs, a 22-foot storage trailer, a wonderful place to meet, talented people who lead worship, run sound, and create curriculum for children. I am so thankful for the teenagers who tirelessly volunteered and the many ministry partners along our journey.

What can you add to your list?

PRAISE HIM FOR THE GOOD AND THE DIFFICULT

8 Bless our God, O peoples; let the sound of his praise be heard,

9 who has kept our soul among the living and has not let our feet slip.

10 For you, O God, have tested us; you have tried us as silver is tried.

11 You brought us into the net; you laid a crushing burden on our backs; 12 you let men ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water; yet you have brought us out to a place of abundance.

(Psalm 66:8-11 ESV)

God calls us to give Him thanks and praise for the good and the difficult. Sometimes, it’s hard to understand why the soundboard died so abruptly. However, it did allow us to see His provision and the generosity of various people who all stepped in to replace it. Just when we began to struggle to store all our stuff each Sunday as we set up, a 22-foot trailer was given to us. Now, there was a small problem. Legal paperwork had to be filed and processed, which took some persistence from a tenacious church member. However, at the end of it all, we thanked God for this mind-blowing provision.

What do you praise God for?

MAKE OFFERINGS

13 I will come into your house with burnt offerings; I will perform my vows to you,

14 that which my lips uttered and my mouth promised when I was in trouble.

15 I will offer to you burnt offerings of fattened animals, with the smoke of the sacrifice of rams; I will make an offering of bulls and goats. Selah

(Psalm 66:13-15 ESV)

Burnt offerings are costly. Fulfilling vows made and promised when I was in trouble can be challenging. I would prefer to give out of what is left over. God calls for sacrifice, and burning the offerings helped His people see how He wished to consume what they had given Him. That likely helped them not drag it back the way I am sadly tempted to. God calls for me to give back to Him, something I will miss and want to keep. These kinds of offerings please Him most.

What can I offer?

SHARE TESTIMONIES AND CONFESSIONS


16 Come and hear, all you who fear God, and I will tell what he has done for my soul.

17 I cried to him with my mouth, and high praise was on my tongue. 

18 If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.

19 But truly God has listened; he has attended to the voice of my prayer.

20 Blessed be God, because he has not rejected my prayer or removed his steadfast love from me!

(Psalm 66:16-20 ESV)

Corporate testimonies and confession fuel the Holy Spirit to burn brightly in your fellowship. Confession of my sins is essential. Confession of my community’s sins is also required. As we join voices in sharing praise reports, we must also ask the Holy Spirit to reveal what we can confess as a community. Sharing testimonies of what God has done encourages everyone who participates. Sometimes, others see God working in our situation when we cannot. They spy a treasure of His goodness and report it to us. We all need reminders of His steadfast love.

What testimonies can I encourage others with?

PRAYER

Help me to shout, sing, and say your praises regularly. Remind me to list all You have done for me and my people. I will praise you for the good and difficult because it is all for your glory. Keep me in the habit of making costly offerings to you of my first fruits, not my leftovers. Help me to confess alone and together. Embolden me to be in the habit of sharing stories of your faithfulness in my life and the lives of others. In Jesus’ mighty name, Amen.

Elusive Satisfaction – Psalm 65

/ Anthea Kotlan / Leave a comment

Curbside Convenience

Sitting “curbside” at a grocery store, my wait time dragged as I closely monitored the doorway where the delivery personnel came and went.  My online grocery order was now ten minutes past the time I expected. Aggravation bloomed, and a decided irritation sat down beside me. As the worker finally started putting groceries into my trunk/ car boot. A notification on my phone asked me to take a short customer satisfaction survey, and I was more than ready to weigh in. I efficiently responded with all my irritation before the worker finished and closed the trunk.

Additional Information

Upon arriving home, I noticed the employee had carefully placed all my frozen items in a cooler bag she noticed in my trunk. Other non-perishables had been carefully separated into yet another bag. Larger objects carefully nestled on the outer edge. This made unloading the groceries at my house easy.

Would I have given the same rating after I noticed all the care and consideration this worker had put into her work?

Could I see now why she had been running behind?

My Urge to Evaluate

My inbox overflows with customer satisfaction surveys, hoping to quantify my experience in a store, at a local restaurant, or even with a medical professional. These queries feed my urge to evaluate. The questions seek to weigh and measure my perception. How well my needs were met, and how much value I believe I received. Unfortunately, I tend to fill those out when I am not happy.

Sadly, it is far too easy to conclude that I am dissatisfied in a world that tries to convince me that there is much more for me to have. Our culture celebrates my right to receive everything I am owed on time and in the ways I expect.

Sometimes, my default setting is to complain.

How Can I Shift My Perspective?

Psalm 65 celebrates the deep soul-tending satisfaction that can only be found in the presence of the Lord.

1 Praise is due to you, O God, in Zion, and to you shall vows be performed.

2 O you who hear prayer, to you shall all flesh come.

3 When iniquities prevail against me, you atone for our transgressions.

4 Blessed is the one you choose and bring near, to dwell in your courts! We shall be satisfied with the goodness of your house, the holiness of your temple!

(Psalm 65:1-4 ESV)

The psalmist reminds me that I owe God a debt of praise and fulfillment of my promises because He alone is worthy of my worship and promises. (vs. 1)

  • He faithfully hears my prayers when spoken aloud in the sanctuary and when I whisper in the dark of the night. Everyone can come to Him in prayer. (vs. 2)
  • He creates order in my heart with atonement for my sins. He provides a way for me to be reconciled to Him through Jesus. (vs.3)
  • My heart and mind are soothed by spending time in His presence. To a world that says I might never have enough, I can declare the satisfaction refilling me daily when I take time to be with God. (V.4)

How Can I Adjust My Posture?

5 By awesome deeds you answer us with righteousness, O God of our salvation, the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas;

6 the one who by his strength established the mountains, being girded with might;

7 who stills the roaring of the seas, the roaring of their waves, the tumult of the peoples,

8 so that those who dwell at the ends of the earth are in awe at your signs. You make the going out of the morning and the evening to shout for joy.

(Psalm 65:5-8 ESV)
  • I can live in a posture of hope despite the daily news updates. God will answer every question of this world with righteousness. (Vs. 5)
  • The one who established the highest and most extensive mountain ranges uses His might to control the roaring seas, the crashing waves, and especially turmoil amongst his people on Earth. There will be wars, but He can redeem damage created by forces and violence surrounding us. (vs. 6 &7)
  • Across the entire expanse of the world, God displays signs and wonders that testify about His power and might, and we cheer him on. (vs.8)

How Can I Choose Gratitude and Praise?

9 You visit the earth and water it; you greatly enrich it; the river of God is full of water; you provide their grain, for so you have prepared it.

10 You water its furrows abundantly, settling its ridges, softening it with showers, and blessing its growth.

11 You crown the year with your bounty; your wagon tracks overflow with abundance.

12 The pastures of the wilderness overflow, the hills gird themselves with joy,

13 the meadows clothe themselves with flocks, the valleys deck themselves with grain, they shout and sing together for joy.

(Psalm 65:9-13 ESV)

  • God brings the water, the grain, the blessings, and the growth to this Earth. (Vs. 9-10)
  • Bounty, overflow, abundance, and joy break out when God passes by. I can respond with joyful singing and praise whenever I see God’s abundance displayed in His creation. (vs 11-13)

Ironically, I can remember sitting curbside at the same store I mentioned above a few years ago.  As the worker delivered my groceries while I sat comfortably in my car, I vividly recall my gratefulness. This store provided the service for free, which I needed in that season.

Perhaps focusing on all God has done for me could refill my soul with an abiding satisfaction. Then, there would be scarcely room for complaining about what I didn’t have or didn’t get when I wanted it.

Prayer

Lord, teach me how to grow and nurture greater satisfaction in my heart and mind. Thank you for all you have done to reveal that to me. Thank you for all you have freely given to me. Help me to walk in that truth today. In Jesus’ name, Amen.  

Waiting Well – Psalm 62

/ Anthea Kotlan / Leave a comment

Waiting well is hardly my strong suit. How does time spent getting stuck in traffic when you run late to pick up your child expand into an unknowable amount of time? Suddenly, everyone is moving in slow motion, yet the time is speeding forward, and your estimated arrival time continues speeding further into the future.

Waiting in Silence 

1 For God alone my soul waits in silence; from him comes my salvation.

2 He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken.

3 How long will all of you attack a man to batter him, like a leaning wall, a tottering fence?

4 They only plan to thrust him down from his high position. They take pleasure in falsehood.

They bless with their mouths, but inwardly they curse. Selah

(Psalm 62:1-4 ESV)

The psalmist declares his willingness to wait on God because God is the source of all he values most. Even when attacked and vulnerable, he chooses to focus on the Lord.

When faced with a threat, I am tempted to fill the waiting with words of worry, complaint, and even catastrophizing. I can raise the “what if” scenarios to an outstanding level, but to what end? Will any of that help me?

What if I chose to wait in silence?

The psalmist decides to wait quietly and in the certainty of his rescue. While acknowledging the threat, he doesn’t fall for his enemy’s deceptive or intimidating ways. He turns down the volume on the doubters and tunes into the quiet presence of the Lord.

Waiting Unshaken

5 For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him.

6 He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken.

7 On God rests my salvation and my glory; my mighty rock, my refuge is God.

(Psalm 62:5-7 ESV)


The psalmist decides to remain unshaken and focused on the solid rock of God. He declares his dependence on God alone.

When dealing with uncertainty, I am tempted to lose hope.

Waiting on God’s Wisdom

8 Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us. Selah

(Psalm 62:8 ESV)

The psalmist reminds believers to trust God at all times and in all circumstances and encourages believers first to pour out their hearts to God.

When dealing with human betrayal, I am drawn to seek justice from those in authority on earth. Or tempted to take matters into my own hands and rush to justice before even seeking God’s wisdom. At this point, I don’t know what I don’t know. I must wait on God’s wisdom.

Waiting on God’s Conclusions

9 Those of low estate are but a breath; those of high estate are a delusion; in the balances they go up; they are together lighter than a breath.

10 Put no trust in extortion; set no vain hopes on robbery; if riches increase, set not your heart on them.

(Psalm 62:9-10 ESV)

The psalmist recognizes how fleeting the favor of man can be. Relationships die, people drift apart, and financial gains and losses come and go.

When I feel people fail me, it’s easy to allow disappointment to crush me. I must choose to trust God.

Waiting on God’s Steadfast Love and Justice

11 Once God has spoken; twice have I heard this: that power belongs to God,

12 and that to you, O Lord, belongs steadfast love. For you will render to a man according to his work.

(Psalm 62:11-12 ESV)

The psalmist reminds believers to listen to God’s word and recognize his power. God has all the power and the most remarkable ability to ensure everyone is treated fairly and receives what he or she is due.

When the world celebrates the strength of the mob, the influence of the crowd, and the loudest voices, it’s tempting for me to lose hope. I must choose to cling to God’s steadfast love.

Prayer

Lord, teach me to wait well. Help me to focus on you even when I am distracted by anxiety and uncertainty. You are always worth waiting on. In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.

Are You Bargaining with God in the Waiting Room? Psalm 26

/ Anthea Kotlan / Leave a comment

Hospital waiting rooms are a great equalizer. All who enter join the fellowship of uncertainty. Plans and predictions, once held tightly, slowly tick away with the pace of watched clocks. I have logged many hours in these places over the years. Often arriving flustered and departing relieved, but now I am back again in crisis.

1 Vindicate me, O Lord, for I have walked in my integrity, and I have trusted in the Lord without wavering.
2 Prove me, O Lord, and try me; test my heart and my mind.
3 For your steadfast love is before my eyes, and I walk in your faithfulness.
(Psalm 26:1-3 ESV)

Desperation

Once again, in Psalm 26, David cries out to God in desperation. He approaches the throne of God with evidence to prove his worthiness. He arrives ready to bargain. David offers a mix of his good works and his desire to be proven worthy. Nevertheless, he ends up falling back into God’s faithfulness.

Hospital waiting rooms and dire situations in life bring out the bargainer in all of us. We hope to win over the Lord to our case with evidence of our good works and excellent behavior. However, we always come up short as we are tested and evaluated. Like the psalmist, we end up circling back to our desperate need to walk in God’s faithfulness and acknowledge the fullness of His steadfast love.

God’s Steadfast Love

God’s steadfast love for me is: 

Not based on my abilities or gifts.

Not based on what I do or don’t do.

Not based on whether I deserve it.

What can I do in challenging seasons of waiting?

4 I do not sit with men of falsehood, nor do I consort with hypocrites.
5 I hate the assembly of evildoers, and I will not sit with the wicked.
6 I wash my hands in innocence and go around your altar, O Lord,
7 proclaiming thanksgiving aloud, and telling all your wondrous deeds.
8 O Lord, I love the habitation of your house and the place where your glory dwells
(Psalm 26:4-8 ESV)

Whom I choose to wait with matters.

The company I keep influences me. Who can I gather around me in seasons of difficult waiting to hold me up in prayer? Am I willing to reach out vulnerably and ask for support?

Somehow, and it is certainly challenging, I must find ways to spend time with the Lord even when my routines are wholly disrupted and upended. Perhaps the psalmist’s reference to washing hands points to my need for soul hygiene.

Confession

Have I taken time to confess my sins and ask the Holy Spirit for an inspection?

Draw Near

Going around the altar likely points to my need to draw near God, even when I can’t go to a Sunday service because of a need to keep vigil at the hospital. How can I set aside time to sit in God’s presence and seek His guidance in places that don’t have altars?

I believe that when we seek Him, He will make new spaces available.

  • A beautiful view out the window reminds me of His creation.
  • The kindness of a nurse reveals His care for me and those I love.
  • Singing hymns and praise songs reminds me of His goodness.
  • God’s word is gloriously portable.

Proclaiming Gratitude

Verse 7 reminds me of the value of proclaiming gratitude.

What can I stop and give thanks for right now? Could I make a list? Who could I share my thanksgivings with?

9 Do not sweep my soul away with sinners, nor my life with bloodthirsty men,
10 in whose hands are evil devices, and whose right hands are full of bribes
(Psalm 26:9-10 ESV)

Drawing near to the Lord requires me to separate myself from sinners, bloodthirsty men, evil devices, and hands filled with bribes. My first thought is to reassure myself that I have not been hanging out with the bloodthirsty recently. However, who is God calling me to separate myself from? In a difficult season, I might need to take a few steps back from those who don’t respect my boundaries or try to pile false guilt upon me.

Evil Devices

We cannot compartmentalize our spiritual life, keep company with God one day, and keep company with evil another. The term “evil devices” could remind me to consider what I spend my time focusing on. What will I fill my mind and heart with during a difficult season when I might be far from my faith community? It’s far too easy to allow electronic devices greater access to my mind and heart in hours spent waiting. While I don’t believe cell phones or tablets are evil devices, I know the Evil One would love to capture my attention and draw me away. How can I redeem the time I have? Could I read more scripture on my phone or use a texting app to share thanksgivings with a believing friend?

11 But as for me, I shall walk in my integrity; redeem me, and be gracious to me.
12 My foot stands on level ground; in the great assembly I will bless the Lord.
(Psalm 26:11-12 ESV)

Walk in Truth

The world pulls and tugs on me daily to move away from seeking the Lord. It can be gentle and almost imperceptible or an all-out tug of war.

Every single day, we can choose to walk in the truth of God’s active redemption. I stand on level ground because of the saving work of Jesus Christ on the cross. Walking in redemption based on Christ alone removes the pressure I may feel to get it all right because I can’t.

Finally, verse 12 speaks to our need to declare the truth of the Gospel aloud in the assembly with other believers. We all must be reminded to surrender every day and sometimes every hour if I am candid.

Do you find yourself in a season of waiting rooms? Are you living in the tension of knowing God has something good to come forth from a difficult season but not seeing it just yet?

I believe that we may often find ourselves there on this side of Heaven. However, the Lord is always ready and willing to join us.

Prayer for the Waiting Room

Father, as I sit in the waiting room, help me to see that your steadfast love is before my eyes,

 and help me to wait for your faithfulness. Please guide me to stay close to you by confessing my sins and keeping short accounts with you. Help me to proclaim thanksgiving aloud and tell all about your wondrous deeds even in dire situations. Please guard my heart and mind against evil devices. Please help me to walk with integrity. Please continue to redeem me and the minutes spent waiting by the power of your graciousness. In Jesus’ name, Amen.