verseoftheday

Let the righteous rejoice in the LORD;  let them take refuge in him; let everyone whose heart is in the right place give praise! Psalm 64:10 CSB David in the verses before his conclusion here does see God bringing some form of justice on those who have been against him. And we can leave that with God, that somehow He is going to bring about justice for those who have hurt others, hurt us, and somehow for the hurt that I have caused too.  David leaves us with this invitation; An invitation to rejoice in the Lord, in Yahweh. That may be a singing and dancing rejoicing, but it may be something much quieter, much more contemplative. There's an invitation to rest. To take refuge in Him.  To be in rest.  And there's an invitation to let our hearts shift and adjust as we bring our offering of praise, may we know the rest and refuge that only Yahweh can give in this world.  May we have a taste of what is to come.  #Psalms #psalm64 #rejoice #rest #refuge #onedayallwillbemadenew

They encourage themselves with evil words.  They plan on laying traps in secret.  "Who will be able to see them?" they ask.  "Let someone try to expose our crimes!  We've devised a perfect plot! It's deep within the human mind and heart." Psalms 64:5-6 CEB I'm not sure how popular this Psalm would've been as a song, but David does capture something of the human heart here: The ability to deceive ourselves.  I'm not quite sure how David has such insight into the inner workings of his enemies hearts and minds...unless he can see these things in himself... We all have this ability to deceive ourselves, and that's why we need one another, not just people who agree with us, but those who will discern, challenge, encourage, meet us in God's word, provide perspective and care and love... We need those people, and we need to be those people. #Psalms #Psalm64 #keepingitreal

Sunday Psalms; O God,  listen  to my complaint.  Protect my life  from my enemies' threats. Hide me  from the plots of this evil mob,  from this gang of wrongdoers. Psalm 64:1-2 NLT Listen, protect, hide.  David was a King, had all the power of this world, yet he still cried out to God. To listen. To protect.  To hide.  Because even he felt powerless.  When we feel powerless, we can ask our God for the same things: To listen To protect To hide And what was it that was troubling David so much? "They sharpen their tongues like swords  and aim their bitter words like arrows." Psalm 64:3 NLT Words. Ideas. That's what David wanted God to hear about, to protect him from, to hide him from.  Our words have power, so we  have an obligation to wield them with care and compassion, and when they are used against us it's OK to let God know, it's OK to want to hide, to be protected.  #Psalms #psalm64 #keepingitreal #ourwordsmatter

Anyone who turns his ear away from hearing the law - even his prayer is detestable. Proverbs 28:9 CSB Where do you have to be to "turn your ear away from"? Right there.  Close In listening distance.  This is not about someone who doesn't know God, but someone who is close and chooses to turn away.  And what is the law? Jesus said it is summed up in two things: To love God To love your neighbour. And Luke Ch10 Jesus answers the question of who our neighbour is: A person. Jesus asks us to look past our biases, our religious training, our cultural constraints, beyond the labels, and see the person. And then he calls us into the domain of action, of stepping towards, of meeting needs, restoring justice.  Our stories may not be as dramatic as the one Jesus tells, it might start with smiling as we pass strangers in the street, being kind to the shop assistant, treating our team, classmates, teachers, parents, children with respect...this is "not turning our ear away from t

Friday! Proverbs! Anyone who turns his ear away from hearing the law - even his prayer is detestable. Proverbs 28:9 CSB Just when I get a handle on grace, this proverb clangs. It jars. And yet if I turn away from the law, God's revelation of His design for my good, my flourishing, for our good as a community, if I refuse to hear and respond to that, then aren't I refusing, turning my back on God? And if I'm doing that, then why am I even praying?  Why would I expect my prayers to be accepted with grace? This proverb was written maybe 1000 years before Jesus, at a time when the sacrificial system was in place, when not bringing the first fruits or the best was "detestsble" - it says something about the heart of the offerer. And we find our way to the heart. When our heart has turned away from God our offerings are tainted.  It's always about the heart.  Our hearts.  Jesus overwhelmed the sacrificial system with grace by becoming the sacrifice, but this proverb

"Look, I am sending you out as sheep among wolves. So be as shrewd as snakes and harmless as doves. But beware!  For you will be handed over to the courts and will be flogged with whips in the synagogues.  You will stand trial before governors and kings because you are my followers.  But this will be your opportunity to tell the rulers and other unbelievers about me. When you are arrested, don't worry about how to respond or what to say. God will give you the right words at the right time. For it is not you who will be speaking - it will be the Spirit of your Father speaking through you." Matthew 10:16-20 NLT Jesus instructions to the 12 Apostles take a bit of a turn here - it's one thing going out with no money or resources, quite another expecting arrest, torture, imprisonment, just so you can talk about Jesus.  However consider the attitude Jesus asks them to walk in as they go into enemy territory - smart yet peaceful. Consider the resources Jesus is providing whe

"Whenever you enter a city or village, search for a worthy person and stay in his home until you leave town.  When you enter the home, give it your blessing. If it turns out to be a worthy home, let your blessing stand; if it is not, take back the blessing.  If any household or town refuses to welcome you or listen to your message, shake its dust from your feet as you leave.  I tell you the truth, the wicked cities of Sodom and Gomorrah will be better off than such a town on the judgment day." Matthew 10:11-15 NLT This is a continuation of Jesus' instructions to his team, the 12 Apostles.  I'm keen to know what the blessing is like, and what happens when it's taken back.  Jesus is clear about one thing tho, that's the importance of welcoming the stranger.  Rabbi Jonathan Sacks quotes the rabbinical writing from the 2nd centrury: "When a human being mints many coins in the same mint they all come out exactly the same. God makes every human being in the sam

"I follow  close to you;  your right hand  holds on to me." Psalms 63:8 CSB There's days when I just want God to fix things and let me get on with what I want to do. This little phrase in the middle of David's song jumped off the page today... because it's a journey together, a complimentarity, a mutual thing, a choosing of one another. As David chooses to walk close, God chooses to hold his hand.  Both choosing each other.  Both bringing something. As we travel through this day, what is it that God might want you to bring, to share, how He might want you to be with Him? And what might He have for you? #Psalms #psalm63 #eveninthedesert #choose

So I gaze on you  in the sanctuary  to see your strength  and your glory.  My lips will glorify you because your faithful love  is better than life.  So I will bless you  as long as I live;  at your name,  I will lift up my hands. Psalm 63:2-4 CSB David is out in the wilderness, the desert...and yet he looks for this image of God, and he does one simple thing: He chooses to praise God.  In the desert. We sometimes use that desert analogy for ourselves: Alone. Dry. Barren. A place where there's no growth, perhaps it seems that there's no life.  Perhaps we're in the desert because we're on the run from something, trying to find refuge. Perhaps choosing to be there.  David praises God for his faithful love even though he may not be feeling that right now.  We can sing, even when we don't feel it, pray out loud even when we don't want to, use our voice towards the One who is Faithful Love. David lifts his hands at the mention of God's name, even in the desert, a

Sunday Psalms  Psalm 63 A psalm of David when he was in the wilderness of Judah. David is literally in the wilderness, and there's this overlay of being distant from God; God, you are my God;  I eagerly seek you.  I thirst for you;  my body faints for you in a land that is dry, desolate, and without water. Psalm 63:1 CSB Just like a thirsty person out in the desert searches for water and your whole being is telling you what you need, David doesn't complain to God, but seeks Him, looks for Him Sometimes I'll be like; "God where are you?  Why don't you fix this? Why are you so distant?" But David is searching, looking, seeking.  Even in the wilderness, or perhaps even more so when we are feeling a bit lost, alone, tired, thirsty, seek Him, look for Him. All the images I've seen of the Judean wilderness are quite desolate so finding water is going to take diligence, looking for small signs.  We can kind of want God to show up in a big way, a spectacular way,

"Don't take any money in your money belts - no gold, silver, or even copper coins.  Don't carry a traveler's bag with a change of clothes and sandals or even a walking stick.  Don't hesitate to accept hospitality, because those who work deserve to be fed." Matthew 10:9-10 NLT I wonder if these instructions that Jesus gave to his team seemed strange to them? Or which ones? Don't even take a change of clothes? Jesus picked these people, empowered them for this work, and sent them.  Was this a test for them? Was it a test for the communities that they were sent to?  What does it mean for us today? Jesus it seems was asking his team to trust him. Trust that a way would be made. He does ask me to trust him that he is who he says he is. He does ask me to trust him when he says that he is the way, the truth, the life.  He does ask me to trust him that he has gone out into the dark to seek the one who is lost, who needs a shepherd, who needs to be held and carried

Friday! Proverbs! One who increases his possessions by usury and extortion  Gathers it for him who will pity the poor. Proverbs 28:8 NKJV Mmm is this the way the world works? Do those who charge interest, those who extort money from others, those with power, do they just give away that wealth to others who need it? Sometimes maybe.  But there's another player lurking in this proverb, someone who sees the poor, someone who's heart is for them, and all the power of this world won't stop Him from bringing justice for those without power.  There's another story in play here, a bigger story.  A story that the person charging exorbitant interest, the one extracting wealth from others cannot see, because they are under the illusion that once you get wealth it's yours.  Forever. How we exercise power is important. How we see others matters. How we stand here, matters.  Because there is a bigger story... #Proverbs #wisdom #somethingtochewon  #bigstory

We are human, but we don't wage war as humans do. We use God's mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments.  2 Corinthians 10:3-4 Paul describes strongholds as ideas.  What are some of those ideas? That some people groups are better than others, their lives are more important. That the way some people see the world, is inferior. That people's worth can be measured by their money or their social media profile. That my country is right.  That I'm right.  Here's another idea from Rabbi Jonathan Sacks; "Can I see the trace of God on the face of a stranger,  in the face of one whose color is not like mine,  whose culture is not like mine?  Can I see God's image  in one  who is not  in my image?" What are God's mighty weapons? Love.  #Corinthians #strongholds #weapons #loveistheweapon

Jesus sent out the twelve apostles with these instructions:  "Don't go to the Gentiles or the Samaritans, but only to the people of Israel - God's lost sheep.  Go and announce to them that the Kingdom of Heaven is near.  Heal the sick, raise the dead, cure those with leprosy, and cast out demons.  Give as freely as you have received! Matthew 10:5-8 NLT This is the start of a long set of instructions given to the apostles who Matthew names and who Jesus had just specifically empowered.  This has a different feel to Jesus commission in Matthew 28 to go to the whole world. What can we learn? God has a heart for the lost.  Jesus is at the centre of it all. His mission is restoration of what's been broken, spiritually, physically, even death itself will be restored to life.  I wonder why he mentions leprosy - my guess is that the person with leprosy is excluded, kept apart, treated as unclean, untouchable, so this is about relational restoration where we are welcomed in, em

Common people are only a vapor;  important people,  an illusion.  Together on a scale,  they weigh less than a vapor. Place no trust in oppression or false hope in robbery.  If wealth increases,  don't set your heart on it.  God has spoken once;  I have heard this twice: strength belongs to God,  and faithful love belongs to you, Lord. For you repay each according to his works. Psalms 62:9-12 CSB The end of this Psalm, this song, gives some interesting context to the earlier parts, about refuge. This song is about the Big Story, the Story of eternity, where in that Story our life is just a breath, but in that Story where we put our hope, our faith, that's what matters.  There's a bigger reality to "set our hearts on" that's way more important than what our culture might value right now.  We are held in the embrace of Faithful Love.  He is our refuge. #Psalms #Psalm62 #refuge  #faithfullove #youarebeloved

Let all that I am wait quietly before God,  for my hope is in him. He alone is my rock and my salvation,  my fortress where I will not be shaken. My victory and honor come from God alone.  He is my refuge,  a rock where no enemy can reach me.  O my people, trust in him at all times.  Pour out your heart to him, for God is our refuge. Selah. Psalm 62:5-8 NLT David's enemies were still there, literally wanting to kill him. Telling lies about him, treating him with derision. And at the same time he is saying in this song that he is unassailable. When the world is against us, when the noise and clamor and pressure feels too much, we can sing this song; "Let all that I am wait quietly before God,  for my hope is in him." We can remind ourselves that we don't have to rely on our own resources, that our God knows us, and we are beloved by Him; "My victory and honor come from God alone." And whenever we need to, we can in complete safety, tell Him just how we're

Sunday Psalms; I wait quietly before God,  for my victory comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will never be shaken. So many enemies against one man - all of them trying to kill me.  To them I'm just a broken-down wall or a tottering fence. They plan to topple me from my high position.  They delight in telling lies about me.  They praise me to my face but curse me in their hearts.  Selah. Psalms 62:1-4 NLT  Look at the list of opposition and oppression that David is expressing here...there's something here that all of us have experienced (or may be experiencing today). The betrayal of being praised to your face but that being faked.  The lies others have said. Being seen as an old fence that is past it, of no use, of no value.  But David starts this song with his antidote: 1. Knowing, reminding himself that he is held by God, that no matter what, nothing can separate him from God.  Nothing. 2. He waits. Before God.  There's a differenc

He said to his disciples,  "The harvest is great, but the workers are few.  So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest;  ask him to send more workers into his fields." Matthew 9:37-38 NLT Ever run out of things to pray? We can always pray this prayer that Jesus told his team to pray.  Do these words of Jesus raise questions?  Like if Jesus is God why doesn't he just do the harvesting in some miraculous way?  He seems to be reliant on people.  Matthew prefaces these words of Jesus with this; "When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd." The action of harvesting (whatever Jesus meant by that) is driven from a heart of compassion. Of love.  Jesus is looking out at this group of people and is filled with compassion for them. Not condemnation, not hatred, not judgement, but compassion.  Because they need a shepherd. A guide, a protector, someone to lead them to food, to water.  And

Friday! Proverbs! A wise son observes Torah, but a friend of those lacking restraint shames his father. Proverbs 28:7 CJB This proverb is about two ways of living. Living by the law that God has given, or choosing to live without it.  This word "zalal" that this version describes as "lacking restraint" has at its root to shake, quake, be agitated, and also carries the meaning of making light of something, squandering, and gluttony.  Its like he's saying that the Torah, God's boundaries and instruction for human flourishing can be squandered, wasted, made light of, and the vehicle for that is who our friends are.  Who we spend time with.  I wonder who we spend our time with? How much time in our current world is used up consuming various media? TV, movies, YouTube, Instagram, Tiktok, Facebook or whatever the latest thing is. Or gaming. Or gambling. Or pornography. Or ? These are "friends" who have no restraint, no moral code, and not like God, no c

And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it, saying,  "Would that you,  even you,  had known on this day the things that make for peace!" Luke 19:41-42 ESV Shane Claiborne writes: I just keep thinking about that time Jesus wept over Jerusalem because they "didn't know the things that would lead to peace." For decades, the state of Israel has been crushing the people of Gaza and the West Bank, doing things that do not lead to peace. In response, Hamas has chosen to terrorize and kill people, doing things that also do not lead to peace. Now Israel is returning the harm, dropping bombs and killing women and children, which certainly does not lead to peace.  I'm pretty sure Jesus is weeping over Jerusalem... and Gaza... right now. Maybe we should be weeping with him.  Let us each take a moment to pause and pray. What does love require of us at such a time as this?  What does it look like to resist injustice without mirroring injustice?  What does it

Jesus turned around, and when he saw her he said, "Daughter, be encouraged! Your faith has made you well."  Matthew 9:33 NLT The word translated "be encouraged" is "tharseo" which the root of is to be warmed up, to be strengthened from within, to radiate warm confidence.  Jesus uses a beautiful familial term, "daughter" for someone he has never met.  Somehow he knew her heart, knew her faith, she must've believed that Jesus was who he said he was.  Either Matthew knew who she was and her story of 12 years of suffering, but more likely heard from her afterwards about who she was and what she did. According to the law she was unclean, in no way allowed near a Rabbi, but Jesus wasn't made unclean by her, and he isn't by us.  He called her his daughter, and welcomed her in.  When society has called us unclean, unworthy, Jesus knows our heart and welcomes us in on the basis of our faith.  #wordsofJesus #redletterBible #faith #childrenofGod

Besides, who would patch old clothing with new cloth? For the new patch would shrink and rip away from the old cloth, leaving an even bigger tear than before. And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. For the old skins would burst from the pressure, spilling the wine and ruining the skins. New wine is stored in new wineskins so that both are preserved. Matthew 9:16-17 NLT  Jesus is asked about why his disciples don't follow all the rules, and the first part of his answer points the questioners to him, to Jesus, as the person who the rules were really all about. Don't be so worried about being righteous for God, because God is right here in front of you.  And this part of his answer seems to be saying that the old rules aren't going to be enough any more.  In this world of oppression, violence, power struggles, ethnic and religious division and hatred, we need some new rules.  And Jesus embodies that.  He says to "follow me" on a path that might mean carrying a

You have given me an inheritance reserved for those who fear your name Psalm 61:5 NLT Furthermore, because we are united with Christ, we have received an inheritance from God... The Spirit is God's guarantee that he will give us the inheritance he promised and that he has purchased us to be his own people. Ephesians 1:11, 14 NLT Inheritance. Isn't this just for those who are in the family? The legitimate children?  God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. Ephesians 1:5 NLT We have been adopted, brought in, wrapped in, included, chosen, wanted, accepted.  And the evidence is the inheritance.  David way back when he wrote Psalm 61 had an inkling of this, and Paul expands this to remind us that we haven't been, and never will be, abandoned. No matter what our circumstances might indicate, no matter what our thoughts sometimes tell us, we are beloved.  We have an inheritance. #psalms  #psalm61 #inheritance  #youar

Sunday Psalms O God,  listen to my cry! Hear my prayer! From the ends of the earth,  I cry to you  for help  when my heart  is overwhelmed.  Lead me  to the towering rock  of safety, for you  are my safe refuge Psalms 61:1-3 There are times when we need refuge. David pictures God as a towering rock, a place that he can find rest from all that is going on, where he is untouchable.  Do you hear his desperation?  This is not some quiet prayer but a song that cries out to be heard. When my heart is overwhelmed. David feels that he's at the end of his own resources, physically, emotionally, spiritually, and he just wants that place of refuge.  A high place.  Its OK to let God know where we're at, how things are, what we need.  It's OK to say when we feel overwhelmed, it's OK to let God know and our people (remember this is a Psalm, a song to be sung, a shared thing in the community). What does David ask of God? "Lead me". Lead me through this. Lead me to You. Lead

However,  God is rich in mercy.  Ephesians 2:4 CEB We all have an 'however'.  In the previous 3 verses, Paul describes the Ephesians 'however', the life, the choices, the things they thought were important, what they followed. Their 'however'. If Paul was writing to me, I'm sure my 'however' would be more than 3 verses! And just the same he would say "God is rich in mercy". God is rich in mercy.  God has enough, more than enough mercy for my 'however' and for yours. Rich in mercy.  If the picture is of mercy as a currency then God wants to spend it. Spend it on us. Yet it's more than a currency, it's who He is.  And He is more than enough for my 'however' and for yours.  How can we let this truth in today? Where does it need to get to? What deep part needs to know that His mercy is for us, and it's enough? That His mercy overwhelms our 'Howevers'. What part of us needs to know that we're beloved? Let

Friday! Proverbs! Better is a poor person who walks in his integrity,  than a person who is crooked, though he is rich. Proverbs 28:6 NASB2020 The word picture here is two people walking, one is walking "in his walking in integrity" even though this person may be poor.  The other person is rich (& this proverb is not condemning wealth), and isn't verses walking in his integrity, but is walking crooked, or the word here "iqqesh" means twisted.  To walk twisted.  The implication is that this second person has had to contort and twist themselves, their values, in order to walk.  This proverb seems to be saying that the "riches" aren't worth all the twisting of values it took to get them.  The word here for integrity is "tom" which means integrity or complete.  It's also the word used for part of the breastplate of the high priest.  Better to be poor and walk in the spiritual armour of the breastplate of righteousness than to twist yo

Jesus said to them,  "Can the wedding guests be sad while the groom is with them?  The time will come when the groom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast." Matthew 9:15 CSB John's disciples are having a grizzle. They're looking at Jesus's disciples and going "hey what's going on here, we're fasting all the time and yet Jesus's team aren't doing that at all. What's up with that?" And Jesus replies with a question that places them squarely in a wedding celebration. He's asking them to think about the time and place of their fasting, and then it's purpose.  If fasting is about bringing you closer to or right with God in some way, Jesus is quietly saying "I'm right here, in the flesh, the one you want to know is me, and the best way to know me is not to go hungry and pray, but to have lunch with me and let's talk". Maybe today a similar grizzle might be "good Christians look like, vote like,

When Jesus heard it, he said, "Healthy people don't need a doctor, but sick people do. Go and learn what this means:  I want mercy and not sacrifice.  I didn't come to call righteous people, but sinners." Matthew 9:12-13 CEB Matt had just been called to follow Jesus.  So they have a meal together and Matt invites the people he knows to come and share some kai with Jesus.  Who are his people?  Other tax collectors.  The Pharisees are not happy.  They don't think it's right or good that a rabbi should eat with "them". And Jesus gives the Pharisees a serve. The problem seems to be that the Pharisees see that they're right with God because they have kept all the rules.  And isn't it easy to fall into that.  Jesus tells them that their Bible (the Old Testament) actually says something different and asks them to reread Hosea ch6.  We all need Jesus. There is no "them".  Even if we don't think we need him, Jesus is here for all of us.

Now I want you to know, dear brothers and sisters, what God in his kindness has done through the churches in Macedonia. They are being tested by many troubles, and they are very poor. But they are also filled with abundant joy, which has overflowed in rich generosity. 2 Corinthians 8:1-2 NLT Generosity doesn't come from having plenty, having lots to spare or give away, Generosity comes from a heart that holds joy despite its circumstances, despite difficult times, despite the the things that seem testing.  Generosity is an attitude, a stance, a way of being in the world.  I wonder if Paul was writing to someone about my church, about me, what he would say that overflows from me? It could be anything, right?Generosity is what he saw in the churches in Macedonia but what would he have to say about mine, about the churches in my area, about us? Paul holds his people in Corinth with care, dear brothers and sisters, this is not a guilt trip or a telling off, but an invitation into livin

Sunday Psalms: God, you have rejected us; you have broken us down; you have been angry. Restore us!  You have shaken the land and split it open.  Heal its fissures, for it shudders. ... Save with your right hand, and answer me,  so that those you love may be rescued. Psalms 60:1-2, 5 CSB This song was written about the events of 1 Chronicles ch18., a chapter it seems of great military victory for David.  Yet he writes about feeling rejected by God. Of God being angry. Of the land being broken. And of needing saving.  There's times when there's been wins and victories the way the world measures it, business wins, promotions, exams passed, and yet at the same time we can feel rejection, like something is broken, that we still need a saviour to make things right. That we still need rescuing.  God's mission of restoration is not finished, not finished in the world, in the way things are, in my heart.  There's a longing that even though we know that Jesus has won it all, it&