Psalm 119 Dalet

Not-Pastor Chris A Meditation on Psalm 119:25-32

Lord, I am a criminal, my shame and sorrow are a fountain of tears. My feelings deceive me, but your words comfort me. They are all that bring me strength. I must repeat your words to the people. I long to follow you, long to turn at your correction. I will run down the path of your commandments for by your grace you have set me free.

D

Dirt, I feel like dirt for my shame
Give me life like your word talks about

Dead, I confess my sins and you forgave
Teach me all your ways

Deed is done. Speak to me
So I can wonder at your words again

Dreary from sorrow, and tears run dry
Your word is my only comfort

Deceitful feelings pull at me
But your word is a gracious teacher

Dear words from your mouth are on my tongue
I must speak them to the people

Deal with my ways according to your word
Don't let me be put to shame

Delighted, I run down the path of your word
for your have set my heart free

In Your Presence

Laid at your feet.
I love you
all that my pregnant lips afford
Glory to vast Glory
Wave upon mounting wave
My tears are all that have voice

Psalm 119 Gimel

A Meditation on Psalm 119:17-24

Lord, Don't hide your thoughts from me. Whisper your desires, dreams and directions gently in my ear. Lord, may they tingle. Your voice is sweeter in my one life than than honey in ten. Friends offer me their opinion of my direction. Your opinion is the one I hear. Though the culture around me sit in judgment, I am righteous by your decree; lead me!

G

Gold is worthless!
every syllable of your word, a treasure

Glitter is without luster
your voice shines brighter than diamonds

Grand are your dreams
they are what I seek

Give me the map
lead me to the path of your desire

Good advice from men is as trickery
your direction is all I listen to

Gently speak your discipline
correct my ways

Geeks don't like my desire
I desire your ways more

Grace you have proclaimed
I am not condemned by my enemy

Psalm 119 Beth

A meditation on Psalm 119:9-16

Lord it is by your words that I keep my way pure. When you speak, my heart aches to obey. Speak to me Lord, teach my your intimate ways. With my whole life and heart I search for you. I love the sound of your voice. I love your hand on me as you lead me while we dance. My lips long to touch yours. They will continually sing the beauty of your words. My lips call to you pleading for your voice. My lips cry to all creation the wonders of your thoughts. They are my daydream all life long.

B

Beat after beat my heart longs for you
your commands keep it pure

Beat upon beat my heart searches for your face
it searches to hear you speak

Better are your words to me than the sunset
more than all my heart's desires

Bread of life feed me
your thoughts are my food

Breath cannot escape my lips without praise
your words are too wonderful

Both of my lips sing your wonders
your voice forms and shakes worlds

Because your words keep me pure forever
I will always praise you!

Expectancy

(Inspired by Elaine)

Lord, I look to you at every turn. My ears strain to hear your voice in the wind. My eyes search the domains of cosmos, Earth and sky to read your words. My body calls to my couch to hear your comfort. My lips savor their food to catch a taste of your Goodness. Surely you speak to me in my doldrums, in the congregation may Spirit kiss spirit.

Lord, I cry out to you. I ache for your presence. My desire pours from my mouth. My soul is filled with longing, and I fill your ears with my requests. You lead and I dance. Your cloud moves and I follow. In brokenness I weep for your glory. I writhe for your kingdom and dance for your exaltation. May they come! I call to you every day in the congregation. May words run dry and the soul flow.

Psalm 119 Aleph

A meditation on Psalm 119:1-8

Lord, your are the giver of blessings, laws and help. Those who hear your voice walk in obedience. With every ounce of me I love your words. Teach me to hear your words, and I will run to do them. I thirst for your Voice. I long to be obedient, but I can not. You old me and help me. Your words give me power to obey!

A

All those who hear your voice are blessed
you reward those who look for you
.
Always your words bring life
and the obedient live by them

Answer the obedient with your presence
speak to them your love.

Are those who study your precepts changed?
you change them to be your own.

Am I a lover of your word?
my feet are drawn to other paths.

Alone my heart aches for your word
the lack of food contains no fury.

Again I wait and am filled
your law is nourishment to me.

As a swallow gazes on the Eagle
I look for your strength to obey your word.

Change of mind and direction

All flows from the fullness of the heart. A heart that is right with God is like a pair of parallel tracks that the train of God’s power can run across. Except as a conduit I am helpless, and useless. Humbling. Therefore the single most important task of a believer is to “seek first the kingdom of God.” It is by the grace of God that the believer is changed and the world around him is changed.

In order to minister to the needs of the humble flock in my care, I must make their needs my own and allow the response of Christ to fill my heart. Then not in excellency of words, or programs, but by the Spirit working heart by heart, he will minister through me. This informal ministry is a flow from the heart, an integrated lifestyle of ministry flowing from an integrated lifestyle of devotion.

God has been leading me to a greater, less formal, fully integrated life with him. No area of my life can remain untouched by the Spiritual Disciplines, or by his presence. Devotions cannot be relegated to an hour of this or that; rather they are delighted in at every step of the day. The time I do set aside is as a consistent informal “hanging out” with God.

Today again I found solitude and access to God at Blue Monday. For the first time in many weeks, some one struck up a conversation with me. Paul is 30, has a B.A. in philosophy from Carleton, repairs electron microscopes, volunteers as a Big Brother, enjoys a hobby of counseling. And he seeks truth. He doesn’t feel it is possible to see much of it though. For a few hours we talked of what stirs us, society and spirituality. A young lady jumped in at one point moved by our conversation of God. To Paul, a pastor’s greatest responsibility is to be a seeker of truth. Truth that will end through tradition and doubt will end in faith – true faith. As an agnostic he was more of a universalist. I encouraged him to continue seeking and I am confident he will find the Truth. “I am the way the truth and the life.”

Pride vs. Humility Matt 18:10

Pride cannot positively impact the lives of the humble. Jesus tells us the kingdom of heaven is made up of children, and unless we humble ourselves to be like children we cannot be a part of that kingdom.

I cannot impact the life of a child and be proud. In order to reach a humble child, I must also become humble. Pride will never allow me to care about the children. Pride must die to lead the humble.

Teaching at their level or leading is not a matter of being cute or condescending but lowering myself to consider my spiritual needs equal with theirs. For this is right. I can only truly challenge them if I believe that which challenges them is not so far below me that I too am not challenged.

Lord teach me humility, so I may be a part of your kingdom and lead others to the humility of belonging to the king.

Worship is all about Jesus. In worship none of the focus is on me. My reasonable act of worship – self sacrifice has been clouded by fear. Oh eyes, get off self and on your savior and joy! In him, there is total freedom from what binds. He is love and in him there is no fear. In a very real way, your victory is sure and the deed is done. Eyes, when you focus on the object of your worship, your act of worship ceases to be a chore and naturally happens.

Just as victory is in him, so is the destination. Obedience is difficult when I don’t feel led, but once again, eyes, look to Jesus. Even when you don’t see Him, he is there leading faithfully. Learn to hear, feel and taste him when you can’t see him. In absence of the step by step, trust and take one step at a time. Focus on now, on where to plant the foot, most of all focus on him, whom you worship with sensual concentration.