Hearing Keller inspired me to read the Psalms every month and began during my sabbatical in May. My dear fellow disciple Bill gave me this psalter over a decade ago and it is a blessing.
brought me to Psalm 100 and I decided to use it in a copy-meditate* time. Here is the result…
During Epiphany, we need reminding to run to the throne of Grace where is the light so that we are made more like him to be his lights… I see a pattern of worship in this psalm:
Make a joyful noise, all the earth (go walk in the woods and listen)…
Serve with gladness (dwelling in him fights feelings of drudgery)…
Sing!
Recognize that God is god. I am not (this is really hard)…
I didn’t create me (so I can’t fix me)…
Come to the throne with gratitude (cultivate thankfulness by practicing it)…
Regularly remind yourself that he is good…
and faithful…
always.
Glory to God!
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* The discipline of copy-meditate helps me slooooow down as I copy scripture in my notebook.
We’ve said that Epiphany is the season of light to the world. Jesus IS the light to the world. As he lights us, we are his lights to the part of the world immediately around us.
But if I’m going to be an effective light to others, I must allow the light to probe into my darkness. Make no mistake, even though the light is IN me, there are still corners of darkness. (Paul describes it as the inners battle between the flesh and the spirit.)
The first commandments remind us not to have other Gods, yet Calvin says we are idol factories. What are your idols? In a helpful book about work, Keller says:
Money and power certainly top the list. But remember that an idol is a good thing that we make into an ultimate thing.*
To engage in the battle mentioned above each morning I remind myself of the gospel in two ways:
1. I remind myself of the 10 commands (thank you Dr. Martin).
2. I run to the throne of Grace and plead for help because I know that I am a wretched man.
Remind, confess, beg for help.
Receive his help.
Repeat.
Slowly, he changes me and help me be more and more free from the idols that I so love. Slowly he turns my light up so that others may see.
Thanks be to God!
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*Every Good Endeavor: Connecting Your Work to God’s Work by Timothy Keller https://a.co/ajyRKfV
As we go through life we face all kinds of challenges. Some are smaller daily challenges – the car breaks down, a leaking pipe, or trouble with a work assignment. Others are life changing challenges, loss of a job, serious illness, death of a family member. Regardless of severity, whether short or long term effect, remember this: God is faithful and God is for you.
“The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah” Psalm 46:7 ESV
(Remember that “Selah” is a signal to pause and reflect on what you just read.)
Think about a movie about battles in the Middle Ages. When trouble comes the townspeople run to the castle, the fortress for protection. It was the same in the time of the Psalms. Trouble coming? Go get inside the fortress walls.
Fortifications at old town Osijek, Croatia that were built up for protection against invading Ottomans
But deep in the fortifications is the throne room, the most protected space in the fortress. Aside from the elite guard and highest officials, only the family of the monarch were allowed there. Here there was the deepest safety and comfort.
It’s the same today for we followers of Jesus. We know that Jesus is at the right hand of the Father at the throne of grace. He is speaking on our behalf because he completely understands our struggles. He can empathize with us because of the Incarnation. As fully human, he experienced life as we do, was tempted as we are, was opposed as we sometimes feel.
Jesus gets it.
As fully God, He sent the Spirit. He resides in each of us. When we’re frustrated with family, our jobs, our friends, we are understood by God.
So when it’s tough, when you’re disappointed, frustrated, or afraid, run, don’t walk, to the throne of Grace.
We are still in the season of Epiphany, the season where we celebrate Jesus as the light.
“Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”” John 8:12 ESV
I have a buddy with red hair who works real hard, and succeeds, at being the light. He will often text or email “Be the light!” It’s like he’s a natural.
Let me tell you, it’s not natural for me. Is it for you?
Hard or easy, Red is right, be the light!
Here’s Jesus: “In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16 ESV)
Jesus is the light (remember, it’s Epiphany – today is day 3 of 12 in the season) and he indwells us so we can be the light, just like my buddy likes to exclaim.
There are many ways to be the light, but the first is to love people more than judge them.
Let’s look for ways to love people that don’t seem so lovable to us. In this way we too can be the light. In the accumulation of all our little lights there can come a glow. That’s kind of like what I think the Magi saw, the collective glow from the angels giving glory to God. That got the Magi moving westward, but they will see light again. See, they’re not quite half way to Judea yet, so stay tuned.
In the meantime, be the light! In this way, Jesus says, we glorify the Father.
It is Christmas Day in the Orthodox Christian world.*
St. Sofia Cathedral, Kyiv
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Think about this, YOU are so important to God that, in his great plan, he sent his son to take on humanness so he could save us.
And the eternal Son of God was willing to leave heaven in obedience to the Father because he loved YOU.
The great and holy Creator of all there is was willing to sacrifice self for YOU, dear reader.
Thank you God!
Merry Christmas!
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* This difference in date is because Orthodox churches (there are many of them and are nation based e.g. Ukrainian, Russian, Greek, etc.) still use the Julian calendar (apparently from Julius Caesar no less) instead of the Gregorian calendar (16th c. long after the East-West schism in 1053). I love it because it extends Christmas longer!
Fun fact: Kievan leader Yaroslav the Wise sought to spread Christianity across the realm.
Yaroslav the Wise (980-1054) Kyiv, Ukraine
He sent emissaries to Rome and Constantinople to choose the form of the church to spread through the Kievan state. As the story goes, the emissaries returned and described the mystical beauty of the Eastern churches in Constantinople, that factor was large among the reasons for his choosing Eastern style.
Interior of a Serbian Orthodox Cathedral in Zagreb, Croatia
kingdom travelin' 