Devotions

For this coming school year, I've decided to memorize a new Psalm every week. Last week, I memorized Psalm 8, and this week I'm working on Psalm 19. This memorization is not only an effort to get God's word in me for my personal sanctification, but also so I can grow as a worship leader. 

So much of the book of Psalms is based on the daily or situational thoughts, pleas for mercy, crying out to God, and praise of Him. Psalms is an amazing commentary on human experience, and by memorizing them, I'm hoping to be able to more effectively connect with people by using examples from Psalms and turning people to God, to Jesus, to the cross. 

Here's the first half of Psalm 19:

"The heavens declare the glory of God, 

and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. 

(2) Day to day pours out speech, 

and night to night reveals knowledge.

(3) There is no speech, nor are there words,

whose voice is not heard.

(4) Their voice goes out through all the earth,

and their words to the end of the world.

In them he has set a tent for the sun,

(5) which comes out like a bridegroom leaving his chamber,

and, like a strong man, runs its course with joy.

(6) It's rising is from the ends of the heavens,

and its circuit to the end of them,

and there is nothing hidden from its heat."

Verse 5 spoke to me while memorizing. I came out thinking about it with these three points:

A strong man...

1. Has a "course"

The Bible equates a strong man with one who runs his course with joy. So as a man, although this can apply to anyone, I need to be asking myself: Brett, do you have a course? 

This can be anything from a timeframe of what I believe my "course" is for the day, week, month, year, or to a general goal I'm working on, or a sin I'm fighting. Is my course my relationship with my parents? My schoolwork? Biblical fellowship as opposed to just hanging out with friends? 

While all this is very helpful and good to think through, I believe so much of the time we can overcomplicate things. We try to figure out our life "plan" and just make our course, which is a good, God-given thing, into a checklist. 

God was showing me that so often it's the simple, uncomplicated "courses" that are the best. 

Ultimately, God's course for our lives is the best. It's the reason He created us. "To glorify Him and enjoy Him forever." (Westminister Catechism)

This is one of many simple "courses" that can really help us clarify our lives when there's frequent "gray" matter messing with our focus. 

So...what is your course?

2. Am I running?

God not only calls us to have a "course", he calls us to run it. Not walk, not jog, but run. The harder we work towards our course, whatever it may be, the faster we'll get there. God calls us to run, to work hard with excellence, giving our all for his glory. Let's spend ourselves for Him, and leave it all on the field, knowing that we have the hope of heaven, our finish line, where we'll spend eternity with our Father!

3. Am I joyful?

Let's face it. Running is not easy. There are rocks, curbs, and edges waiting to trip us up, and it takes a good deal to overcome these. It's easy to get discouraged, and even condemned, when our progress is slow, or non-existent. It seems like we'll never finish, and so we just quit. Joy is the energy, the fervor, that helps us press on in perseverance. Joy is choosing to believe that God is good and willing to give us grace to run, knowing that He is working for our good.