Tag: Psalm 85

How Are You?

Restore us again, God our Savior

2 Chronicles 35-36

Psalm 85

1 Timothy 3

-Devotion by Carla Hardy (MI)

You are probably asked countless times a day, “How are you?” And your answer probably varies between a polite “good” or “not too bad” to maybe a “tired” response. I know I have often replied with my share of “tired!” 

Being tired – physically, mentally & emotionally. We’ve all been there! This can be a good thing, though. Being physically fatigued means you worked hard, that you achieved something. You put your able body to good use. Mentally fatigued? You used your brain, gave thought, produced. Emotional fatigue can be positive – it means you experienced emotions – it’s good to love, it’s normal to feel – we are human after all, created with all sorts of complexities. 

While being tired can be good, it can also sway to the negative side if it’s in excess. Being overly tired can be taxing on us, affecting us negatively. Physical fatigue can wear us down if it’s habitual. We need rest & restoration because our bodies have limits. God created us that way, and has even designated a day for us to rest! We can get sick or hurt if we exceed our physical limits without taking time out. Mental fatigue can also affect us negatively if we don’t manage it well. If we don’t give our minds rest, it can impact our peace, and our thoughts can get out of control. Lastly, emotional fatigue, like mental fatigue, can wear us out. If we get too wrapped up and enmeshed in emotions, it can impact our overall health. 

All that being said, feeling tired – physically, mentally & emotionally so – can be good or bad. Tired tells us ‘good job’ and then ‘rest up.’ However, being spiritually tired? That is never good. It is never healthy for us to be spiritually fatigued. Our spiritual strength should never run out, because it isn’t even our own – it’s God working through us. If we feel spiritually tired, it’s a sign for us to seek revival. To seek the true source of strength. 

If we are spiritually tired, what can happen? Well, two pretty big things stand out:

-We can be caught unaware of the enemy and what he is doing. The enemy is always prowling, and we need to always be on alert. 

-We can miss what God has for us. We can fail to see and respond to His leading in our lives.

We want to be aware of both our Father and of our enemy, for two very different reasons. If we are spiritually tired, our awareness can fall short, and we can become victims of either spiritual attack or missed blessings.

What really stood out to me in Psalm 85 is the concept of revival. This psalm speaks of revival from God throughout the entirety of it:

v. 4 “Restore us again, O God of our salvation…”

v. 6 “Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you?”

v. 8 “Let me hear what God the Lord will speak, for he will speak peace to his people…”

v. 12 “Yes, the Lord will give what is good, and our land will yield its increase.”

Revival, restoration, peace – whatever you recognize it as, seek it out. Constantly. As followers of Jesus, we must keep ourselves in check, look for signs of spiritual exhaustion. When we see hints of exhaustion, we need to:

-get into the Word. It is healing, life-giving and gives us the tools we need.

-pray. Boldly ask God for revival and a renewed spiritual life.

-seek out others to help us. Others can provide a path to revival and renewal, too. We grow in community, and our brothers & sisters in Christ can pour into our spiritual lives simply by their presence, and their prayers. We need each other. 

Reflection Questions:

  1. Have you recently experienced spiritual exhaustion? What were the signs? What did you do? 
  2. Are you connected with a solid, Bible-believing church? Are there people in the church you feel like you can rely on – to pray for you, mentor you, hold you accountable, pour into your life?

Prayer:

God, thank you for our physical bodies. Thank you that you have enabled our bodies to perform and labor, that our bodies are so miraculously built. Thank you for our brains. Thank you that we can think, reason and create. Thank you for our emotions. Thank you that we can feel joy, love – and even the harder emotions, because it means we can use them to rely on you. Thank you for all of these things – and thank you for providing ways for restoration. We ask that when we are spiritually tired that you help us to recognize this and to act. We thank you that we can talk to you and ask for renewal, that your Word is accessible to us, that there are people after your own heart to help renew us when we need it. Amen.

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Making a Way for You

Old Testament: Micah 6

Poetry: Psalm 85

New Testament: Luke 18:15-43

If you’re ever looking for a prayer for any occasion, the book of Psalms is the place to go. In today’s reading, we explore Psalm 85, which features a heartfelt prayer for mercy by one of the sons of Korah. It begins by reminding God of His past mercies when He restored the fortunes of Jacob, and then pleads for His compassion: “Will you be angry with us forever? Will you prolong your anger to all generations?” (Psalm 85:5-6). The Psalmist continues, asking, “Show us your lovingkindness, O Lord, and grant us your salvation” (verse 7).

The writer then reaches a comforting conclusion: “I will hear what God the Lord will say… Surely His salvation is near to those who fear Him, that glory may dwell in our land… Righteousness will go before Him and will make His footsteps into a way.”

This prayer serves as a perfect guide for times of uncertainty. Think back to the last time you faced a tough situation or crisis, perhaps due to a mistake you deeply regretted. What should be your next step? Prayer, of course. Psalm 85 reminds us that we are at the mercy of God, which is something to rejoice in. God’s righteousness goes before Him, and His footsteps create a path for us to follow. Understanding this is truly beautiful.

In our other reading, Micah 6:8 tells us, “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” Here, we see three essential virtues: justice, mercy, and humility. When faced with tough decisions or the need to recover from mistakes, we know where to turn for guidance. God provides everything we need to know – right in the Bible.

-Samantha Stokes

Reflection questions:

When faced with times of uncertainty, where in the Bible do you turn for answers?

What can you do to ensure you are walking in the path God’s footsteps have made for you?

How can you incorporate the virtues of justice, kindness, and humility into your daily interactions and decisions? 

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A Time-Out

Psalm 43-45, 49, 84-85 & 87

Psalm 85 8c NIV

Sometimes when I am reading through the Psalms I just get this weird feeling that someone must have copy and pasted a new verse into my Bible while I was sleeping – and there it is for me in the morning.  It is so relevant and timely and hits me where my heart is.  Surely this wasn’t written 3,000 years ago, was it?  Just think of all the differences from their society to ours: architecture, technology, transportation, languages, clothing, careers, and entertainment, just to name a few.  How could that ancient book speak to me today in 2020?  And yet, the most important things have not changed at all.  God – and human nature.  He is still the Almighty.  And we are not.  But as His created beings, even thousands of years later, we still have all the same emotions, fears, desires, weaknesses, hopes, pride, and insecurities.  So thus, these ancient words, were written for me, today.

One such verse that stuck out to me in today’s reading is Psalm 85:8.  Read it a few times.

“I will listen to what God the Lord will say;

he promises peace to his people, his saints —

but let them not return to folly”

So much in this verse:  The importance of listening to God – He is talking but am I listening?

God promises peace.  We know trouble comes, expect it, deal with it, knowing that God gives His Son – and peace – to his people.  (John 16:33)

Be His people – His saints.  Strive for righteousness – it’s what His kids do.  Be His people – His saints – to get the peace (see above).

And – today’s kicker – “But let them not return to folly.”

As we sit today in Covid-19 isolation and everyone is chomping at the bit to return to “normal”,  I wonder, how much of “normal” would God call folly?

I checked the dictionary to see what exactly is the definition of folly.  Lexico.com defines folly as “lack of good sense; foolishness; a foolish act, idea, or practice.”  Sounds like a good thing to avoid.  There was another definition for folly that I found interesting and perhaps strangely fitting: “A costly ornamental building with no practical purpose, especially a tower or mock-Gothic ruin built in a large garden or park.”  What type of structure was our previous  “normal” building?  What are the dangers of spending our time and finances and priorities on a life/building that looks really good on the outside, but lacks any “practical purpose”? That would be folly, indeed.  What practical purposes would God want us to pursue?  Where did our priorities lie?  What did we always want to do – but never had time for?  What did we do with the majority of our time?  What about our finances?  What role did the pursuit of wealth play in our old normal?  A lot is said about that in another one of today’s passages, Psalm 49.  Make sure you give it a read and see what it says about “riches without understanding”.  How much of our life was a beautiful outside,  but lacking a purpose – folly – foolishness.  

I pray we don’t go back to “normal”.  I pray I don’t return to folly.  I pray through this time we evaluate our purpose, even better yet, God’s purpose.

As a parent and day-care provider for over 20 years I have sat many a cute little behind in the all-powerful time-out chair.  And it is always with the hope that when the time of isolation and consideration is past the offender will walk free – but not to return to their former folly.  The purpose of the time-out chair is to ponder – what is my real purpose?  Do I want to get that prized toy, regardless of how it might hurt my friend?  Will anger, sulking and a bad attitude make my day better?  Are my wants and wishes the only ones I should consider?  And, so often, the preschool time-out chair shows its worth in returning a child, not to normal or to folly, but to a fresh purpose – be the best I can be.

We have been given a little time-out.  Let us use our time-out wisely.  Consider our past folly.  In what ways are we beautiful outsides – with no practical purpose?  What part of “normal” will you work to avoid?  What can we do today, and how can we plan for tomorrow, to concentrate on seeking God, His purposes and His peace.

With Much Love and Prayers,

Marcia Railton

 

Today’s Bible reading can be read or listened to at https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+43-45%2C49%2C+84-85%2C87&version=NIV

Tomorrow we read some more of the family reunion genealogies from 1 Chronicles 3-5 as we continue the 2020 Chronological Bible Reading Plan.

Seek.   Grow.   Love.