Wait, Do not Wilt

 “I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living! Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!”

(Psa 27:13—14).

The person who penned this Hebrew poem expresses his trust in the Lord. Line by line, he describes how he will overcome every adversity that rises against him through the power of God. He narrates his story so that every believer then and even now may have their confidence in the Lord.

His confidence comes from the fact that the Lord is good and always favours those who approach him for help. He is confident that his prayers will be answered during his lifetime. (“The land of the living” denotes a person's lifetime).

The Lord may not act according to our timetable, but he certainly acts according to this will in his own time. This requires patience. Exhorting the worshippers to “wait for the Lord”, the psalmist encourages them not to give up but to hold on for the Lord’s time.

Waiting could be extended, and it could be tiring. People waiting for the Lord to act should be prepared to remain strong and courageous and never give up.

While growing impatient and at the point of giving up hope, the stories of godly people, ancient and modern, had always motivated me to keep my eyes fixed on the Lord. Wait, do not wilt—that is the punch of the last line that opens and closes with the phrase, “wait for the Lord.”

The Secret of Victory

 “He asked life of you; you gave it to him, length of days forever and ever” (Psa 21:4).

Psalm 21 thanks the Lord for answering the prayer for victory that the people prayed in Psalm 20 as the king set out for the battle. The people had confessed that it was not their military strength but the Lord’s might that made their army win the war. Now, the king and the military have come back victorious.

The first part of the Psalm (verses 1—7) elaborates on what the Lord has done for the king, while the second part (verses 8—12) expresses their hope for a future free of threats from the enemies. In the last verse, they praise the Lord for his strength and mercy in preserving them. “Be exalted, O LORD, in your strength! We will sing and praise your power” (Psa 21:13). Ancient Israel was a tiny nation among powerful and more prominent nations. They had never been an empire except during the period of David, who had subdued some smaller countries. Still, that is enough to make an empire. They were bullied by the small nations and raiders and were controlled by powerful nations such as Assyria, Babylon, Persia, Greece, and Rome. They had to keep alive throughout history, resisting the forces that demanded their life.

An overview of Biblical history teaches that the Lord protected them against their mighty enemies when they trusted him but had to give them up when they failed to acknowledge him and sought his protection.

Psalms 20 and 21 teach us an essential truth about our life with the Lord. Trusting in our strength alone is the recipe for failure since we never have the strength to protect ourselves. On the contrary, acknowledging the power of God and being totally dependent on him is the way to victory.

New Year Toast

I hope 2016 has been a great year for us all. It was indeed a year of blessing in every way, particularly on the spiritual side. We look back and wonder on the way that God lead us. What can we do for God for leading us. The psalmist in Psalmist 116:13 also is in bewilderment mode.

‘I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord….’

He enumerates all that God has done for him. He begins it with his prayers and how God answered his prayers.

‘I love the Lord, because he has heard my voice and my pleas for mercy. Because he inclined his ear to me, therefore I will call on him as long as I live.’ (Psa 116:1-2, ESV).

Then he goes on to list the specific answers to prayer that he received.

He had been to the extremes in his life. He had come to a point his whole life was threatened. He was at the point of death.

‘For you have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling; I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living.’ (Psa 116:8-9, ESV).

His predicament what can he do render to God in return for what God has done for him. The cup of salvation is the experience of deliverance in his life.

Cup of salvation is that experience of thanking God. Enumerating what he means to us this year. Doing it in the presence of other people is the only thing that we can do to God.

Taste and See!

As you walk past the aisles of Duty-Free shops in airports, the sales girls plead to try the new perfume that has just arrived in the shop. Sniff and decide they suggest. At the entrance of the grocery shop is a small counter where sales persons offer you a new type of tea free though in tiny cups. Taste and see if it is better than the teas that you have tasted so far.
Most of the time our choices are not based on our primary experience but hearsay and experiences of others. For example, most of the time our decisions are based on what others suggest or what the brand ambassadors promote. Our decisions should not be based on hearsay but on experience. That applies to Christian faith as well.
The psalmist who sang 'Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good' (Psalms 34:8) was recommending his faith in God. However, his invitation is not to follow his faith blindly but to experience God first before committing. There is some place for the logic 'It works for others so it must work for me too.' However, it should not be based on such blind trust but we should experience God on a one-to-one level. First-hand experience of God is important.

Lies--The Vocal Killers

“Deliver me, O Lord, from lying lips, from a deceitful tongue” (Psalm 120:2).

Lying is a reality in our society. Parents lie to their children and children to their parents. The reason for denying something to their children may not always lack of money though that is what the parents try to convince them. Spouses do lie. Coming home late from office is not always some urgent work that landed on the table as ‘I was about to leave the office.’ Politicians have perfected this art so much so that the expression ‘honest politician’ is obsolete and is a contradiction of terms in most of the cases. Exaggerated resume, tall claims of achievements, grades, qualifications the list goes on.

How often do people lie? A study on American students a few years ago found out that on an average, they lied almost 3 times in a 10 minute conversation with strangers. Another study in Britain found out that British men lie six times a day and women three times.

Saints of the Old Testament especially those who composed the Psalms took lies very seriously. The word translated as ‘lie’ in this Psalm occurs in 21 Psalms and many times more in the rest of the Old Testament. Its synonyms comes many more times.

Isaiah was concerned with speech that is not truthful but deceptive and misleading. He cried out, ‘for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips’ (Isa 6:5). He had to fight political lies and deceptions all throughout his ministry.

It is not a problem in the Old Testament only but the New Testament also exposes the sin of lie. Jesus had warned his disciples that Devil is the source of all lies: ‘for he is a liar and the father of lies’ (John 8:44). As in all other cases in this aspect also Devil’s character is diagonally opposite to the character of God for whom ‘it is impossible to lie’ (Heb 6:18).

Followers of Christ who has put on the new nature and is growing into the likeness of Jesus Christ are exhorted not to lie. Especially to one another: ‘Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices’ (Col 3:9). John’s vision of those the saints who make it to heaven is very much in line with exhortation to Colossians. They are the ones in whose ‘mouth no lie was found, for they are blameless’ (Rev 14:5).

The early Church also had its share of liars. The story of Ananias and Saphira stands out among them. Though they lied to the elders of the church about the proceeds of the sale of their property, it is considered as a lie to the Holy Spirit.

But Peter said, ‘Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land?’ (Acts 5:3).

Lying is a spiritual problem. It comes out of fear and lack of trust in God. It reflects the character of the Devil (liar par excellence) than of God. Jesus said that the Devil is ‘a liar and the father of lies’ (John 8:44). It is not then surprising that those who belong to him lie. I have come to realize that it is easy to estimate spiritual status from how spontaneous is lying to that person.

Some by nature resort to lie and avoid being confronted by the truth of the Word of God or good counsel by their pastor or spiritual peers. They sow immense damage to themselves as they spiritually wilt away in the course of time but in the process mislead many and sometimes hurt the body of believers. That is why the one who lies and the victims of their lies need God’s protection.

Lying for some is a way of life. They lie not realising they are lying. Lying is built into their system for managing conflicts and maintaining self esteem. Many psychologists agree that people lie in order to avoid ‘social conflicts.’ For example when they are late for a party or dinner with a friend it is usual for people to resort to a lie—most of the cases it would be adverse traffic conditions, an unexpected visitor, or any other convenient lie. Friends lie to each other about their status, finances, relationships and so on, all with the intention to keep good relationships.

Psychologist Robert Feldman finds the main reason for lying is a threatened self esteem. Many people have a ‘real self’ and ‘ideal self.’ When the ideal self (or what they really want to be) is farther away from their ‘real self’ (or what they really are now) they bridge the gap through lies. People claim what they are not and what they did not achieve.

There may be a number or explanations why people lie but one things is clear: lies hurt. Lies hurt first the person who lies and then it hurts the people whom they are lying about. It also hurts who act on the lies that they believe. That is why the Psalmist prayed for deliverance from lies.

Lies hurt the person who lies. I know a man who opened the door of a running car and jumped out of it hurting himself. The driver had slowed down spotting a large truck that was about to enter his lane. However, according to the one who jumped out, the car was about to ram into a truck. The door on the passenger side opened on its own as the driver applied the brake suddenly and he was thrown out of the car. I checked with the driver. It was true there was a truck ahead of them and he had to slow down. But the door was intact and it will not open in any situation on its own. It has never happened with that car before or after.

This person has a problem of seeing things and hearing voices. That runs in the family. He sincerely thought that the car is about to ram into the truck. Out of panic he opened the door and jumped out. He acted on a lie that his sick mind told him. When he later recognized his mistake shame made him to blame the door and the driver. It hurt him physically and emotionally. It hurt also the driver emotionally who had to take the blame. We can forgive this man if we are willing to accept the fact that he did it trusting his mind which was a bit faulty at times. However, lies hurt.

We need protection from lies for many reasons. First of all, our lies backfire to our own harm. We may be caught and the self-esteem that we built up through lying and false pretensions collapse under the weight of it.

Secondly, lies distance us from ourselves. When we lie we have to tell more lies to keep the lies alive. Then as we build upon each previous lie we go far from the reality and end up living a false reality. We end up in a false self image: an ideal self than the real self. The real self which need care, nurture and growth is ignored as we live in ‘an ideal life.’ Lies distance people from us. Lies hurt the villains.

Lies also hurt the victims badly. Lies that people say about us hurt our reputation and our relationships. Lies can be harmful to an extent that some lies could turn to be mortal. When two scoundrel’s gave a false testimony about Naboth he not only lost his property but also his life (1 Kings 21:1-16).

Victims of lies are not only the people who are lied about but also those believe the lies about others. Those who are gullible distance themselves, hate or even attack the innocent victims of lies. Thus those who believe and act upon lies become victims of the lies they are told.

Lies are harmful but who can protect us from lies? I am not aware how many lies about me are out there doing their rounds. Even if know, I cannot go around and defend myself. Even if I defend people still may not believe me! I am least aware of the damage it has caused and it would cause. Lies are silent destroyers. Lies never build anything up. We are totally helpless as victims of lies.

It is this sense of helplessness that makes the Psalmist turn to God for deliverance as he cries out, “Deliver me, O Lord, from lying lips, from a deceitful tongue” (Psalm 120:2).

Dangerous People

The psalmist has a strange complaint in Psalm 14:4 (also in Psalm 53:4). It is about those people who don’t pray to God.’ Why should another person’s prayer life bother her? The psalmist’s worry doesn’t seem to be the fact that they don’t pray but the reason why they don’t pray.

The ungodly people don’t pray to God because they don’t take God seriously. These are people who like to pretend that God doesn’t exist at all. That is why the Psalmist says, ‘The fool says in his heart, “There is no God."’ This is not a philosophical theory for them, but they have found it convenient to think that God does’nt exist or is not interested in human affairs. This can be called practical atheism. That means, for all practical purposes they tend to believe that God doesn’t exist.

Practical atheism allows its adherents to do all that is evil and wicked. Acknowledging God’s existence and involvement in human affairs by punishing the guilty and rewarding the righteous is an inconvenient theory for those who want to do evil at their will. Put in another way, this means that by getting God out of your way and from your mind you can do all that you want to do.

The reason why the ungodly doesn’t trust in God in prayer is that they trust other means to get their way. They resort to lying, flattery, bribery and threat. Throughout the Psalms, godly people describe how these have made their lives miserable and pray to God to intervene.

The person who composed Psalm 5 complains about those who have ‘... no truth in their mouth; their inmost self is destruction; their throat is an open grave; they flatter with their tongue.’ They are dangerous because they lie, and flatter and their lies and flattery has grave consequences to the life of the Psalmist.

If lies and threat won’t get them what they want, they may resort to threat. The enemies of the Psalmist in 73:8 faces threat from ungodly people: ‘They scoff and speak with malice; loftily they threaten oppression.’

The enemies in Psalm 26 are ‘... bloody men; In whose hands is mischief, and their right hand is full of bribes’ (Psa 26:9-10). These people can buy whatever they want by the power of their money. They can pervert justice and oppress people by greasing the hands of those take and overturn decisions.

Since lying, flattery, threat and bribes work for them, they don’t have to depend on the power nor the wisdom of God. So, they don’t pray. People who don’t pray are thus very dangerous because they resort to other means which harm godly people and their societies.

This can be a trap that the godly people can also walk into unaware. False confidence in one’s ability to convince, win the favour of others and sometimes taking threatening postures are ways they may also be tempted to get their way. These result in less and less dependence upon God in prayer. These may take them far away from God and they may end up with all that God hasn’t willled them to have or do. When we don’t have confidence in prayer and have no patience with God we tend resort to these means as well. Dependence on our wisdom and strength is always disproportionate to our dependence on God in prayer!

When Life Totters and Leans

In contrast to his own vulnerability and the nothingness of his enemies, stands the tall, strong, stable rock: God himself. That vision of God, the source of our strength should be what keeps us moving forward.
Life can be sometimes very cruel. The psalmists who penned the 150 psalms of the Old Testament expressed their pain and anguish in metaphorical language. How does one express the vulnerability and instability of ones life in times of opposition? The psalmist who composed Psalm 62 compares it with a leaning wall and a tottering fence. His life is like a wall that is about to collapse or a fence that is about to fall (Ps 62:3). He is unable to stand the winds and currents that are against his life. To add to his misery he has enemies who are trying to take advantage of his vulnerability. These are people who are trying to usurp him. Probably, the psalmist could be a ruler who is loosing popular support among his own people. His position is too vulnerable. The people close to him may betray him. Though they say good words (bless), they may not mean it. They may betray him because they find him as a liability. There are instances in the past where people have betrayed their ruler in order to find favor with their political enemies. They may think that it is better to give their ruler in the hands of their enemies and escape destruction instead of fight the enemy under the leadership of a weak ruler who may not be able to protect them from the enemy. The ruler is anyway a leaning fence, may fall and it is not wise to lean on such a leaning wall!

When he asks his enemies the question how far will they try to take advantage of his vulnerability and weakness, he is not appealing to them for sympathy. Instead he will turn to God for strength. The metaphor he uses for God is a powerful one. He would describe himself as a leaning wall, but for him God is a rock: stable, dependable and unmovable in times of crisis. "Find rest, O my soul, in God alone: my hope comes from him. // He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken. //My Salvation and my honor depend on God; he is my rock, my refuge" (Ps 62:6-7).
He also has a vision about his enemies. He would see human beings (whether commoners or royalty) as mere breath. The whole council of ministers may turn against him. However, he would consider him as a mere breath (Ps 62:9).
Then how does he resolve his worry? There is nothing in himself that gives him strength in times of trouble. At the same time he doesn't have to worry about his opponents since they are nothing to be reckoned with. In contrast to his own vulnerability and the nothingness of his enemies, stands the tall, strong, stable rock: God himself. That vision of God, the source of our strength should be what keeps us moving forward.

Maintaining a heart of gratitude

Maintaining a heart of gratitude
Though they have to start their lives again from scratches they are happy that God has brought them back. Maintaining a heart of gratitude even in difficult times is important to please God.
Psalm 126 illustrates the importance of maintaining a grateful heart even in difficult times. The psalmist(s) is excited about what God has done and hope that God will continue to be with them. Though what God has done for them actually has landed them in difficulties, they are still thankful; they believe that eventually everything will work out for their good.
The God of Israel had done a great thing by bringing his people back to their land from where they were exiled. However, it took more than sixty-five years for the first exile to return. Leaders like Zerubabbel, Nehemiah, Ezra and others led people back in different waves of return. The man who was captured and sent to exile when he was thirty is now 95 years old at least. The baby who was just born is now 65 and his parents are already dead. Some people have stayed behind in Israel and Judah. They had built houses and cultivated the lands of those who were taken captives. It has been theirs for about two generations now. In fact, those who came back are losers in one sense. They were nostalgic about the return, but they are now aliens in their own land.
Psalm 126, probably reflects such a historical situation. The sorrows and the struggles of the returnees are reflected in this psalm. It is good to be in ones own land. It is a sign that God has forgiven them and is faithful to the promises and covenants that he has made with their ancestors. However, now they are strangers in the land that was their home.
However, they will not complain about it. They look back to their coming back with great enthusiasm. It was so exciting to be real. They thought it was all a dream (Psalm 126:1). They were so joyful and happy (Psalm 126:2). However, they are in a situation now where they are in tears and have to go about weeping. Still they will not complain. They will just make a quick prayer to God to "restore our fortunes" (verse 4) and go to work hoping in him. Their hope is that God will trade their sorrows for joy. The imagery of farmers who in their desperate attempt to produce some food in times of famine, throw their last seeds to their ground and return home singing carrying a good harvest motivates every returnee. They won't waste complaining to God for landing them in such an unsettled situation while they were leading much more settled lives with houses and vineyards, etc in Babylon. Though they have to start their lives again from scratches they are happy that God has brought them back. Maintaining a heart of gratitude even in difficult times is important to please God.