The Joy of Glory

Psalm 133 
Behold, how good and pleasant it is
when brothers dwell in unity!
It is like the precious oil on the head,
running down on the beard,
on the beard of Aaron,
running down on the collar of his robes!
It is like the dew of Hermon,
which falls on the mountains of Zion!
For there the LORD has commanded the blessing,
life forevermore.

Reflection
You are brothers! Act like it!

I can’t tell you how often I heard those words during my growing up years. I have a brother who is five years younger than I am, and we fought… constantly.

Inevitably things would escalate until we got physical. I would push him down or punch his arm. He would cry and run to our parents. I would get lectured. And, then came the words…

You are brothers! Act like it!

Our familial unity was a reality that did not need to be created… it existed in our shared blood. We didn’t need to create unity between us… we needed to live into the unity that was already there!

This is even more true for believers in Christ! We have been born again into a new family. We share the same heavenly father. We are connected by something thicker than blood… the waters of baptism!

We don’t need to create our familial unity in the body of Christ… we need to live into it!

We ARE brothers and sisters! So we act like it!

When we do, we are experience a foretaste of the unity we will experience in Christ in eternity! We are getting a foretaste of life forevermore and it is a beautiful witness to the watching world of the power of God!

That’s what the Psalmist declares in Psalm 133! He compares our united to the ordination oil poured out on Aaron’s head when he was consecrated, set apart as the first high priest. Our unity consecrates us, sets us apart in this world and puts on display God’s divine power being poured out form above.

The Psalmist also says our unity is like dew upon the mountains which waters the earth to bring forth life. It is a life-giving blessing in this world that witnesses to the one who gives life from above!

To sum up, the Psalmist says that our unity is a blessing commanded by the Lord… it is a preview of life forevermore!

What a calling! And it is not one that we need to create! No. It is one that we are empowered to live into!

Shades Valley… you ARE brothers and sisters! Let us answer the call to act like it!

*All previous devotionals may be found at www.thejoyofglory.com
*The complete SVCC Lenten reading guide is available here.

Psalm 119:161-168 (click here to read the entire passage)
Princes persecute me without cause,
but my heart stands in awe of your words.
I rejoice at your word
like one who finds great spoil…

Seven times a day I praise you
for your righteous rules.
Great peace have those who love your law;
nothing can make them stumble. (Psalm 119:161-162 and 164-165)

Reflection
I’ve never been in a hurricane.

I have seen the aftermath and utter devastation that such a storm leaves in its wake, but I’ve never actually been through one myself. Still, in all the footage I’ve watched and stories I’ve heard, the thing that has always amazed me most about these “natural” disasters is the “eye of the storm.”

It simply blows my mind how there is a place in the center of mass chaos and destruction that is actually, perfectly at peace.

What blows my mind even more is that I have met people who embody this “eye of the storm” reality.

I’ve walked alongside people who have hurricane like storms ripping through their lives. Sometimes it is health, sometimes finances… or it can be relational or vocational… I’ve even had the honor of walking alongside people on the holy ground headed towards death itself. And, in all that I have seen and heard, the thing that always amazes me most is how these people have a heart like the “eye of the storm.” In the center of mass chaos and destruction, their hearts and minds seem to be a place of peace.

How is that possible?

The Psalmist sings an answer to our question in Psalm 119:161, “Princes persecute me without cause, but my heart stands in awe of your words.”

Amidst persecution that is surely leaving an aftermath of destruction in its wake… the Psalmist still sings because his heart keeps its eyes fixed on the Word of God. His situation does not speak the final truth over what is happening in his life… God’s Word does!

The world does not define the way he sees God’s Word. No! God’s Word defines the way he sees the world!

And the Word declares that God is good, God is in control, and God can be trusted. The Psalmist soaks his mind in these truths… verse 164, “Seven times a day I praise you
for your righteous rules.” And this shapes all his experiences… verse 165, “Great peace have those who love your law; nothing can make them stumble.”

Setting the eyes of his heart on the Word makes his heart like the “eye of the storm!”

What about you and me? When the chaos of this life swirls around us… where do we go for some kind of foundation to stand on? Where do we look for some peace like the eye of the storm?

The Psalmist cries out for us to turn our gaze upon God through his Word. Nothing is worth more… for everything else will fail us! But through the Word, the eyes of our heart behold the one who is of supreme worth… the only one who can hold our hearts and give us peace like the eye of the storm.

“I rejoice at your word like one who finds great spoil.” (Psalm 119:162)

*All previous devotionals may be found at www.thejoyofglory.com
*The complete SVCC Lenten reading guide is available here.

Psalm 29 (click here to read the entire passage)
The LORD sits enthroned over the flood;
the LORD sits enthroned as king forever.
May the LORD give strength to his people!
May the LORD bless his people with peace! (Psalm 29:10-11)

Reflection
It’s that time of year again… baseball time!

If you know me, you know that baseball is really the only sport I kinda geek out about. And yes, the pros are only in spring training right now, but my son’s season is underway and I’m loving it… but I’m not sure if he is.

You see, Levi (my eldest son) is getting older and so the game is getting a bit more intense. This is the second year of “kid-pitch” for him, and the pitchers still don’t have great control, but they are beginning to throw harder and harder… that’s an anxiety inducing combination for any batter.

Naturally, Levi is nervous at the plate… always wondering if the next pitch will be headed for his face. However, during batting practice he seems calm and confident and he crushes the ball. What’s the difference?

The difference is that in batting practice it’s not a kid on the mound… it’s his coach. Levi has much more confidence in his coach’s control and that puts his heart at peace. He is able to give his full focus to the task at hand because he trusts the hands of the one holding the ball.

I wonder if we are able to experience peace like Levi at the plate…

In our day to day… as we encounter all the difficulties life throws at us, are we filled with fear or with faith. What makes the difference?

The difference lies in who we believe is in control. If everything depends on us, it is kind of like having a kid on the mound… we don’t know what the outcome will be and that is an anxiety inducing situation for anyone.

But…

If we believe that our God sovereignly reigns over all then we can have confidence in his control… our hearts can be put at peace! We can give our full attention to living faithfully in light of his call because we trust the hands of the one who holds the world!

Even as we face tragedy and sorrow… we have a peace-filled confidence in our king. For, the Psalmist says, “The LORD sits enthroned over the flood; the LORD sits enthroned as king forever.” And what is the result of our confidence in his kingship over all? “May the LORD give strength to his people! May the LORD bless his people with peace!”

*All previous devotionals may be found at www.thejoyofglory.com
*The complete SVCC Lenten reading guide is available here.