My people, hear my teaching; listen to the words of my mouth. I will open my mouth with a parable; I will utter hidden things, things from of old—things we have heard and known,things our ancestors have told us.We will not hide them from their descendants; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the LORD, his power, and the wonders he has done. He decreed statutes for Jacob and established the law in Israel, which he commanded our ancestors to teach their children, so the next generation would know them, even the children yet to be born, and they in turn would tell their children. Then they would put their trust in God and would not forget his deeds but would keep his commands. They would not be like their ancestors—a stubborn and rebellious generation, whose hearts were not loyal to God, whose spirits were not faithful to him. – Psalm 78: 1-8

You think I would have learned.

It’s been more than a month since I have logged an entry into my Odyssey, for a mixture of reasons, reasons that would be pointless to go into much detail about here. The point is, I have lost an entire month, with no progress made. Throughout the last month, which has flown by like an absolute blur, I look back and see that the devil has really tried hard to keep me away from this blog. My prayer life, my study times, my entire relationship with God has suffered. I have to admit, for the last 36 days, Satan has won the battle.

It ends tonight.

It’s funny how God’s Word works sometimes. I’ve written about this very topic before in past posts, but it’s great how God gives you the lesson you need to hear exactly when you need to hear it. My first chapter back in the Word tonight , Psalm 78, written by Asaph, should really be titled “Live and Learn,” because it’s essentially a written history of Israel, and more specifically, the mistakes they made along the way, forsaking God, and the inevitable consequences. Being an Israelite and reading this, one can see the lesson of the story being “What Not To Do.”

But personally tonight, I see the Psalm as an encouraging bit of Scripture. So many times, I have willingly traveled the Godless road, the “I Can Do It Myself” path – the Journey of Solitude. I drift, coast and float aimlessly in my spiritual walk, choosing instead the easy path filled with sin and distractions. Then I return to God, hands lifted high, sincerely repentant, and all seems well with my soul. I’m on top of the world!

How true this was of the Israelites. The endless cycle. The fall, the return. And then what? We are supposed to learn from our mistakes and learn to walk in the holy path of Christ, the righteous path. Not only that, we are supposed to learn from the mistakes of those who have come before us, serving as examples. But what do we do? After a brief period of spiritual oneness, sin creeps back in, corrupts little by little, and the fall happens all over again.

When will I ever learn?

The thing about this blog, to me, is that it really means more to me than just a blog. It’s a life lesson. It’s a collection of thoughts relating to life as the Bible teaches it should be lived, and my examples of how I sometimes just plain come up short. This amalgamation of words is but a mere sampling of what God’s Word speaks to me when I read it, helping me on my sometimes turbulent path, scratching and clawing, back to Him. But that’s the journey, isn’t it? The road is never straight and wide, smooth sailing. It’s full of turns, potholes, and even some unexpected detours. The important part isn’t the road – it’s the destination, and praise God that He is there at the end waiting for me despite my mistakes! Praise Him even more that He travels the road by my side!

Today is December 1, a full eight months since I started on this Odyssey. Only four months remain, and I am very much behind. But you know what? It’s OK, because although I still plan to finish on April 1, 2011, my journey will be far from over. God will never be finished teaching me lessons, and I hope I will be able to have the discerning heart to learn from my past mistakes and walk with my Savior. By living and learning, maybe I’ll truly learn to live.

Until tomorrow, here’s to life’s lessons learned, and a new day of trying to live life right.

But as for me, my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold. For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. They have no struggles; their bodies are healthy and strong. They are free from the burdens common to man; they are not plagued by human ills. Therefore pride is their necklace; they clothe themselves with violence. From their callous hearts comes iniquity; the evil conceits of their minds know no limits. They scoff, and speak with malice; in their arrogance they threaten oppression. Their mouths lay claim to heaven, and their tongues take possession of the earth. Therefore their people turn to them and drink up waters in abundance. They say, “How can God know? Does the Most High have knowledge?” This is what the wicked are like — always carefree, they increase in wealth. Surely in vain have I kept my heart pure; in vain have I washed my hands in innocence. All day long I have been plagued; I have been punished every morning. If I had said, “I will speak thus,” I would have betrayed your children. When I tried to understand all this, it was oppressive to me till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny. -Psalm 73: 2-17

What a minute, that’s not right. That’s not the way things are supposed to be. A good man, a man of God, is stricken with maladies, problems and issues. His health falters, his status plummets. All the while, evil is on the rise. Non-believers are more successful than ever today. They are healthy, strong, confident and sometimes even cocky, drunk with power.

If we claim to be Christians, shouldn’t we be doing better, in God’s care, that all the other ruthless, other sinners in the world. Where’s the provision. Doesn’t this seem backwards?

In the above Psalm, Asaph is begging for intervention. His enemies were successful, and he, in his mind, had nothing. Where’s the fairness? Where’s the justice? Where’s the love?

Although these feelings are natural, they are inaccurate. You know, it’s funny, I’ve read a lot of the Bible at this point, and never in it, not once, does it say that becoming a follower of Christ is going to immediately improve your life. This isn’t “Aladdin’s” big blue genie here.

In fact, God says that a believer’s life is often most difficult because of the persecutions we face in His name. At first glance, it seems like Christians should be in this God-bubble, protected from the world and serving only up to a fraction of our potential. It can be easy to see non-believers with lots of money, cars, houses, etc., and be jealous of their status. One might think, “Why hasn’t God blessed me with that yet?”

Why is my life so backwards!?

Easy answer. It’s not. God is exactly where He wants you be, and although you may feel disoriented, dizzy and taken aback at the string of situations and choices that is your life, it’s all about gaining (or even in some cases, re-gaining, your perspective.

So, sdrawkcab sleef efil ruoy fI, readjust your peepers, look to God, and He’ll guide you back to forward-land.

Evil people, on this planet, may prosper. Let them, for their success is temporary, and although we may suffer in the world’s eyes, our prize is eternal. Praise God for being the God of love, redemption and sovereignty! Stop living backwards, and let Jesus set you straight so you can be the shining light God wants you to be!

O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water.  I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory. Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands. My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise you. On my bed I remember you; I think of you through the watches of the night. Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings. My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me. – Psalm 63:1-8

There are a lot of praise songs out there, and I’d like to think I have a heard a great number of them (although I am sure there are thousands just waiting to be heard), and as I have been reading through Psalms, I am picking up phrases here and there, words and sentences that I recognize as lyrics in some of my favorite hymns and contemporary worship hits.

Even tonight, as I was going through Psalm 63, a psalm of desire for God’s presence, a longing for His will, my brain clicked as I came across the phrase in verse 3 – “Your love is better than life.”

Immediately, I thought of the catchy guitar/synth vocal intro  riff from “Your Love is Better Than Life,” by the Newsboys off of their album, “Go.” This may have been the first time I have ever been inspired to hum a synth/pop tune by the Bible, but I digress.

After my initial sing-along (and subsequent listen to the song on my computer), I started to think about the meaning of such a phrase. “Your love is better than life.” It’s pretty straight forward, God’s love is greater than anything this world has to offer, even our entire lives, but what does it mean to me?

There are a lot of things I treasure in this life. Just looking around my office, I see a lot of things I might consider “treasures.” A few autographed items here and there, some sentimental value items from my wife, some *ahem* action figures (they aren’t dolls!) – I consider these things valuable. This items can be bought however, for the right price. I love my truck, but for the right price, I’d let it go. My autographed 2009 UConn Huskies signed basketball? Sure. Just give me the right price. Even my extensive collection of movies. Just name the price. God’s love? Hmm, well this is a little different.

Writing this psalm, David as a desperate man. Hiding in the Desert of Judah, David was on the run, hiding, hungry, thirsty, lonely, longing for a friend. God was that friend who came to the rescue, a Friend that could be trusted in all times of peril and tribulation. God’s love, compared to all other things, even his very life, was better, because it made everything better.

God’s love is indeed, better than life. Anything that we go through, God’s love can conquer it all. It is better than our troubles, our pain, our grief and sorrow, our inconveniences, our sins, our anger, our jealousy, our pride, our struggles, our treasures, our status and our fame. It is better than you and me, our families and the most well-known people of all the earth, past and present. It is greater than our achievements, our dreams, and our wildest imaginations. It is the very hope of God, His love, His grace, that sustains us. Is there anything better? You can bet your life there isn’t.

Here’s a link to the Newsboys song, “Your Love is Better Than Life,” if you haven’t heard it!

When I first started my Odyssey in April, I thought 200 days sounded like an eternity. Well, here I am, 200 whole days later, and it all seems like such a blur! I still have 165 days left in this journey, and I’m still a little behind, but what an interesting topic I find myself dwelling on tonight, on the 200th night of all nights, the topic of the foolishness of atheism.

The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, and their ways are vile.

Yikes. Kind of harsh. But, it’s always been fascinating to me, to be in the shoes of someone who truly believes that there is no God, someone who, no matter what you say, denies His presence, and angrily declares that no God exists, that we are all here by chance, random anomalies born of primordial goo and happenstance, someone who believes that science, not God, is the explanation of all things in this world. Of course, all these things, to me, are nothing but man’s feeble attempt to explain that which cannot be explained, but I digress. Time to step off the soapbox.

My study Bible has a great note on the first verse of chapter 53, let me share it with you here: “Echoing the message of Psalm 14, this psalm proclaims the foolishness of atheism. People may say there is no God in order to cover their sin, to have an excuse to continue in sin, and/or to ignore the Judge in order to avoid the judgment. A “fool” does not necessarily lack intelligence; many atheists and unbelievers are highly educated. Fools are people who reject God, the only one who can save them.”

Tonight, I’m going to switch things up a little bit. I’m going to take a back seat for a little while and let you guys in on a great piece I found online. I stumbled across a piece at http://www.everystudent.com/features/isthere.html. The full story is there. It’s a candid, thoughtful explanation for people to realize that God is there, working, in plain view. All we have to do is open our eyes to it. The following is written by Marilyn Adamson. My apologies if the proper credit isn’t given, but my intentions are pure! Here is the piece:

1. Does God exist? The complexity of our planet points to a deliberate Designer who not only created our universe, but sustains it today.

Many examples showing God’s design could be given, possibly with no end. But here are a few:

The Earth…its size is perfect. The Earth’s size and corresponding gravity holds a thin layer of mostly nitrogen and oxygen gases, only extending about 50 miles above the Earth’s surface. If Earth were smaller, an atmosphere would be impossible, like the planet Mercury. If Earth were larger, its atmosphere would contain free hydrogen, like Jupiter. Earth is the only known planet equipped with an atmosphere of the right mixture of gases to sustain plant, animal and human life.

The Earth is located the right distance from the sun. Consider the temperature swings we encounter, roughly -30 degrees to +120 degrees. If the Earth were any further away from the sun, we would all freeze. Any closer and we would burn up. Even a fractional variance in the Earth’s position to the sun would make life on Earth impossible. The Earth remains this perfect distance from the sun while it rotates around the sun at a speed of nearly 67,000 mph. It is also rotating on its axis, allowing the entire surface of the Earth to be properly warmed and cooled every day.

And our moon is the perfect size and distance from the Earth for its gravitational pull. The moon creates important ocean tides and movement so ocean waters do not stagnate, and yet our massive oceans are restrained from spilling over across the continents.

Water…colorless, odorless and without taste, and yet no living thing can survive without it. Plants, animals and human beings consist mostly of water (about two-thirds of the human body is water). You’ll see why the characteristics of water are uniquely suited to life:

It has an unusually high boiling point and freezing point. Water allows us to live in an environment of fluctuating temperature changes, while keeping our bodies a steady 98.6 degrees.

Water is a universal solvent. This property of water means that thousands of chemicals, minerals and nutrients can be carried throughout our bodies and into the smallest blood vessels.

Water is also chemically neutral. Without affecting the makeup of the substances it carries, water enables food, medicines and minerals to be absorbed and used by the body.

Water has a unique surface tension. Water in plants can therefore flow upward against gravity, bringing life-giving water and nutrients to the top of even the tallest trees.

Water freezes from the top down and floats, so fish can live in the winter.

Ninety-seven percent of the Earth’s water is in the oceans. But on our Earth, there is a system designed which removes salt from the water and then distributes that water throughout the globe. Evaporation takes the ocean waters, leaving the salt, and forms clouds which are easily moved by the wind to disperse water over the land, for vegetation, animals and people. It is a system of purification and supply that sustains life on this planet, a system of recycled and reused water.

The human brain…simultaneously processes an amazing amount of information. Your brain takes in all the colors and objects you see, the temperature around you, the pressure of your feet against the floor, the sounds around you, the dryness of your mouth, even the texture of your keyboard. Your brain holds and processes all your emotions, thoughts and memories. At the same time your brain keeps track of the ongoing functions of your body like your breathing pattern, eyelid movement, hunger and movement of the muscles in your hands.

The human brain processes more than a million messages a second. Your brain weighs the importance of all this data, filtering out the relatively unimportant. This screening function is what allows you to focus and operate effectively in your world. The brain functions differently than other organs. There is an intelligence to it, the ability to reason, to produce feelings, to dream and plan, to take action, and relate to other people.

The eye…can distinguish among seven million colors. It has automatic focusing and handles an astounding 1.5 million messages — simultaneously.⁸ Evolution focuses on mutations and changes from and within existing organisms. Yet evolution alone does not fully explain the initial source of the eye or the brain — the start of living organisms from nonliving matter.

2. Does God exist? The universe had a start – what caused it?

Scientists are convinced that our universe began with one enormous explosion of energy and light, which we now call the Big Bang. This was the singular start to everything that exists: the beginning of the universe, the start of space, and even the initial start of time itself.

Astrophysicist Robert Jastrow, a self-described agnostic, stated, “The seed of everything that has happened in the Universe was planted in that first instant; every star, every planet and every living creature in the Universe came into being as a result of events that were set in motion in the moment of the cosmic explosion…The Universe flashed into being, and we cannot find out what caused that to happen.”

Steven Weinberg, a Nobel laureate in Physics, said at the moment of this explosion, “the universe was about a hundred thousands million degrees Centigrade…and the universe was filled with light.”

The universe has not always existed. It had a start…what caused that? Scientists have no explanation for the sudden explosion of light and matter.

3. Does God exist? The universe operates by uniform laws of nature. Why does it?

Much of life may seem uncertain, but look at what we can count on day after day: gravity remains consistent, a hot cup of coffee left on a counter will get cold, the earth rotates in the same 24 hours, and the speed of light doesn’t change — on earth or in galaxies far from us.

How is it that we can identify laws of nature that never change? Why is the universe so orderly, so reliable?

“The greatest scientists have been struck by how strange this is. There is no logical necessity for a universe that obeys rules, let alone one that abides by the rules of mathematics. This astonishment springs from the recognition that the universe doesn’t have to behave this way. It is easy to imagine a universe in which conditions change unpredictably from instant to instant, or even a universe in which things pop in and out of existence.”

Richard Feynman, a Nobel Prize winner for quantum electrodynamics, said, “Why nature is mathematical is a mystery…The fact that there are rules at all is a kind of miracle.”

4. Does God exist? The DNA code informs, programs a cell’s behavior.

All instruction, all teaching, all training comes with intent. Someone who writes an instruction manual does so with purpose. Did you know that in every cell of our bodies there exists a very detailed instruction code, much like a miniature computer program? As you may know, a computer program is made up of ones and zeros, like this: 110010101011000. The way they are arranged tell the computer program what to do. The DNA code in each of our cells is very similar. It’s made up of four chemicals that scientists abbreviate as A, T, G, and C. These are arranged in the human cell like this: CGTGTGACTCGCTCCTGAT and so on. There are three billion of these letters in every human cell!!

Well, just like you can program your phone to beep for specific reasons, DNA instructs the cell. DNA is a three-billion-lettered program telling the cell to act in a certain way. It is a full instruction manual.

Why is this so amazing? One has to ask….how did this information program wind up in each human cell? These are not just chemicals. These are chemicals that instruct, that code in a very detailed way exactly how the person’s body should develop.

Natural, biological causes are completely lacking as an explanation when programmed information is involved. You cannot find instruction, precise information like this, without someone intentionally constructing it.

5. Does God exist? We know God exists because he pursues us. He is constantly initiating and seeking for us to come to him.

I was an atheist at one time. And like many atheists, the issue of people believing in God bothered me greatly. What is it about atheists that we would spend so much time, attention, and energy refuting something that we don’t believe even exists?! What causes us to do that? When I was an atheist, I attributed my intentions as caring for those poor, delusional people…to help them realize their hope was completely ill-founded. To be honest, I also had another motive. As I challenged those who believed in God, I was deeply curious to see if they could convince me otherwise. Part of my quest was to become free from the question of God. If I could conclusively prove to believers that they were wrong, then the issue is off the table, and I would be free to go about my life.

I didn’t realize that the reason the topic of God weighed so heavily on my mind, was because God was pressing the issue. I have come to find out that God wants to be known. He created us with the intention that we would know him. He has surrounded us with evidence of himself and he keeps the question of his existence squarely before us. It was as if I couldn’t escape thinking about the possibility of God. In fact, the day I chose to acknowledge God’s existence, my prayer began with, “Ok, you win…” It might be that the underlying reason atheists are bothered by people believing in God is because God is actively pursuing them.

I am not the only one who has experienced this. Malcolm Muggeridge, socialist and philosophical author, wrote, “I had a notion that somehow, besides questing, I was being pursued.” C.S. Lewis said he remembered, “…night after night, feeling whenever my mind lifted even for a second from my work, the steady, unrelenting approach of Him whom I so earnestly desired not to meet. I gave in, and admitted that God was God, and knelt and prayed: perhaps, that night, the most dejected and reluctant convert in all of England.”

Lewis went on to write a book titled, “Surprised by Joy” as a result of knowing God. I too had no expectations other than rightfully admitting God’s existence. Yet over the following several months, I became amazed by his love for me.

6. Does God exist? Unlike any other revelation of God, Jesus Christ is the clearest, most specific picture of God revealing himself to us.

Why Jesus? Look throughout the major world religions and you’ll find that Buddha, Muhammad, Confucius and Moses all identified themselves as teachers or prophets. None of them ever claimed to be equal to God. Surprisingly, Jesus did. That is what sets Jesus apart from all the others. He said God exists and you’re looking at him. Though he talked about his Father in heaven, it was not from the position of separation, but of very close union, unique to all humankind. Jesus said that anyone who had seen Him had seen the Father, anyone who believed in him, believed in the Father.

He said, “I am the light of the world, he who follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” He claimed attributes belonging only to God: to be able to forgive people of their sin, free them from habits of sin, give people a more abundant life and give them eternal life in heaven. Unlike other teachers who focused people on their words, Jesus pointed people to himself. He did not say, “follow my words and you will find truth.” He said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life, no one comes to the Father but through me.”

What proof did Jesus give for claiming to be divine? He did what people can’t do. Jesus performed miracles. He healed people…blind, crippled, deaf, even raised a couple of people from the dead. He had power over objects…created food out of thin air, enough to feed crowds of several thousand people. He performed miracles over nature…walked on top of a lake, commanding a raging storm to stop for some friends. People everywhere followed Jesus, because he constantly met their needs, doing the miraculous. He said if you do not want to believe what I’m telling you, you should at least believe in me based on the miracles you’re seeing.

Jesus Christ showed God to be gentle, loving, aware of our self-centeredness and shortcomings, yet deeply wanting a relationship with us. Jesus revealed that although God views us as sinners, worthy of his punishment, his love for us ruled and God came up with a different plan. God himself took on the form of man and accepted the punishment for our sin on our behalf. Sounds ludicrous? Perhaps, but many loving fathers would gladly trade places with their child in a cancer ward if they could. The Bible says that the reason we would love God is because he first loved us.

Jesus died in our place so we could be forgiven. Of all the religions known to humanity, only through Jesus will you see God reaching toward humanity, providing a way for us to have a relationship with him. Jesus proves a divine heart of love, meeting our needs, drawing us to himself. Because of Jesus’ death and resurrection, he offers us a new life today. We can be forgiven, fully accepted by God and genuinely loved by God. He says, “I have loved you with an everlasting love, therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you.” This is God, in action.

Does God exist? If you want to know, investigate Jesus Christ. We’re told that “God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”

God does not force us to believe in him, though he could. Instead, he has provided sufficient proof of his existence for us to willingly respond to him. The earth’s perfect distance from the sun, the unique chemical properties of water, the human brain, DNA, the number of people who attest to knowing God, the gnawing in our hearts and minds to determine if God is there, the willingness for God to be known through Jesus Christ.

Back to me again! I don’t know about you, but I found that piece highly intriguing. As David says in Psalm 53, one would have to be a “fool” to deny it.

God is real! And He loves you!

Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun. -Psalm 37: 3-6

God really does work mysteriously, and when I see the fruits of his work in hindsight, I am constantly amazed. I know it sounds conceited and self-important, but sometimes I think God does things in my life and with people around me just to teach me a lesson. So many times, the passage I am reading applies directly to a situation I have dealt with recently, it’s uncanny. Here’s just the latest example.

It’s no secret that I have been struggling over the past few weeks to keep up with my reading. I’m putting it out there, I’m behind. I’m not going to rush to catch up, but even in my weakness in falling behind, God has a lesson in store for a particular time. This passage I read tonight – Psalm 31-41 – I was supposed to read through a good couple of weeks ago. But I read it tonight. I am actually glad I read it this week instead of last, because God has shown me this passage in the last week and it had nothing to do with my reading.

You see, last Saturday, Sarah and I went to a wedding for one of her friends at work. This woman has been waiting patiently, a great woman of God, seeking and delighting in his ways, praying for a great man to enter her life and be her husband. Last Saturday, Oct. 9, her dream came true, and she married Mr. Right, a beautiful ceremony and a fun day all around! But you see, the most awesome thing about it, was that it was completely in honor of God. Both bride and groom took time to publicly acknowledge God’s role in their marriage and in their lives. It was inspiring. Many couples just do the ceremony, hop in the limo, go to the reception, eat, dance, electric slide, honeymoon! But this was different.

As we arrived at the ceremony, the tables, decked out in fancy flowers and place settings, I checked out these little brown bags – our wedding favors. So, like the little kid at Christmas that I am, I checked out my bounty, and along with some awesome chocolates, I took out a magnet, with full harvest design, which read the following verse: Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4

Both bride and groom would go on to explain the personal meaning behind the verses, the patience it took to eventually find each other, trusting in the LORD to give them wisdom and patience as they waited for the right match, while all the time remaining faithful to the LORD for everything. It was a great testimony, and right then and there, I grabbed my cell phone out of my pocket and texted that same verse to a friend of mine who has been struggling with some things in his life, praying for a certain thing VERY hard over the past year or so.

Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4

“AMEN brother!” said the text that came back to me soon after. Something about that verse was sticking with me, and I was feeling the need to share it. The notion of patience, of God working in his own time, blessing those that continue to trust, to pray, even without immediate satisfaction, waiting for the blessing that will come in His own time. The faith it takes to continuously wait, even if it be for years, is a true testament to one’s character when that blessing inevitably arrives!

But the story does not end there. Leave it to God to make it even better. Just thinking about it brings a tear to my eye, because coincidence has no place in God’s plan!

The next day in church, things are going as they normally do, a great service of worship and praise, a set of great guest speakers from Costa Rica and Poland – it was made even better when the person I sent the text to the day before comes up to me and tells me (I won’t reveal too much about it here, just for the sake of personal information) that the thing being prayed about was finally starting to work itself out.

Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4

I shared in this person’s joy, knowing the patience, the waiting, the suffering, the praying that went into the struggle, it was almost too much to take, yet I knew that God was opening up His spirit to me, showing me, in a most practical way, that the words of the Bible are true! Those that hope in the LORD, trust in Him, wait in His love, serve Him and seek Him, will be given the desires of their heart!

Which leads me to tonight.

Wouldn’t you know it, that my reading is Psalm 31-41, and as I read over Psalm 37 tonight, not even expecting it, I came across those familiar words that hit me so hard last weekend.

Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4

The timing of it just defies logic. That God saw fit to show me this verse last weekend on a wedding favor magnet, then have it strike such a chord with me that I share it with someone who is struggling with that very thing, only to have that person see the fruits of their patience come to pass that very next day, and then have it come back full circle to me again only five days later in a Bible reading? Ladies and gentleman, you can call it what you want, but for me, that’s a God thing, and there’s just no getting around that!

So after this amazing series of events, what’s the lesson for me? There are many things I feel I am “waiting” for. Maybe God is reminding me that I am not seeking Him as well as I ought to. Maybe He is pointing out to me that “desires of my heart” don’t necessarily mean “desires of my mind,” inconsequential things like money and status. Maybe it’s all of the above. All I know for sure is that if I continue to serve Him with all of my heart, He will bless me with the desires of my heart – the things God has in store for me that will bring me true happiness in spirit, growing ever closer to God in the process. So for those of you out there who are trusting in Christ to deliver, waiting patiently for God’s blessing, even when it seems like there is no hope on the horizon, remember:

Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4

Psalms has been such an encouraging read these last few days. David bares his soul to God, in despair, in defeat, in victory, in joy, in everything, David turns to God and praises Him! There were two really great passages I wanted to relay to you tonight. It really is hard to choose what I want to write about, because there really is so much, and I feel like I’m missing something, but for the sake of time, here’s my picks, a couple of great passages that have to deal with the topic of fear in the face of great trials.

The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever. – Psalm 23

The LORD is my light and my salvation — whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life — of whom shall I be afraid? When evil men advance against me, to devour my flesh, when my enemies and my foes attack me, they will stumble and fall. Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then will I be confident. – Psalm 27:1-3

Psalm 23 is perhaps one of the most quoted pieces of Scripture in the entire Bible. Even non-believers use this passage to attempt to comfort themselves after something catastrophic has happened, like a death or other serious family situation. I’ve heard people recite it, almost word for word, even to themselves, in order to comfort themselves or others. It’s a great passage, and although I hear it a lot, it doesn’t make it any less powerful. The description of God of a shepherd is quite comforting, the picture of a beautiful, green pasture, with a kind shepherd gently guiding his sheep to the next field – it is serene! The wolves of sin and may lurk in the woods surrounding the field, but the shepherd is prepared, ready with his rod and staff to protect me. What good is there to fear the evil in the woods if I am perfectly safe with my Shepherd?

It may not be equally apparent every moment of our lives, we may not be looking especially hard for God some days, but that doesn’t mean He isn’t there. In times of difficulty, trial and tribulation, He has His staff and rod out, ready to help us defend ourselves if we call out to Him.

I forget if I have told this story already or not, but if I have, I guess I’m going to tell it anyway. It’s a story of God’s protection and awesome love for me and my family, even though I wasn’t living for the LORD all that well. I forget exactly which year it was, but I know I was just a kid. I was saved in third grade, so I believe it was after that. I was a pretty new Christian, and I knew I wasn’t living the life, but I can say that 15-20 years later. Anyway, my parents were driving me and my brother home, I believe from my grandmother’s house, when out of the blue, on Route 44 near the intersection of Route 195 near the old Kathy John’s, my dad decides it’s a good idea to pull over in a nearby parking lot and request that my mother take the wheel for the remainder of the journey home.

OK, keep in mind two things. One, my father had never done that before, and to this day, he has not done that again. And two, we were only 20 minutes from home. Something was up.

Sure enough, not even a minute from pulling over in that parking lot, the intersection goes completely dark. Streetlights, traffic lights, businesses, everything. Completely dark. It was eery. Not knowing what to expect, my mother got into the driver’s seat and re-started the journey home, and sure enough, not even a minute up the road, a horrific car accident had just happened, leaving a car split in half. The timing was too close. If my father had not pulled over, there was a chance we may have been involved in that accident. Obviously, it’s tought o play the “What If?” game, but to this day, I truly believe God was at work in that situation, nudging our family (and maybe even my dad’s sleep cycle) with his shepherd’s rod, guiding us to safety from the wolf on the prowl that night, protecting us from certain harm and giving us a chance to live another day. The circumstances were too perfect for me to belive otherwise. God protected the Minor family that night. I’m sure there have been many more instances that I don’t even remember that He did the same thing, but that night sticks out to me. Even as a kid I remember thinking that God saved our lives, and something clicked inside me. It was an awesome reminder for me that God is in control. Even today, more than 15 years later, I look back on that night, remembering certain details, the violence of the car crash scene, and thinking, “That could have been me.” God had other plans for me!

The second passage almost seems cocky on first reading. I know it’s not, but I picture standing David on the front lines of his army, proudly boasting, “Whom shall I fear?”

The funny thing is, he is completely and unequivocably right! If God is for us, who (and even what) can be against us? God is more powerful than anything that can even possibly stand against us, so why are we afraid? The evil things of the world may wear scary masks, but God reveals them for what they truly are, absolutely nothing compared to His holiness. We truly have nothing to fear with God on our side, and David is reminding us that we should be confident in the LORD, emboldened by His promise and encouraged by His power to lead a life worth being called a child of God! If God is with us, who can be against us? No one, that’s who! We have nothing to fear but God Himself! Amen!

Keep me safe, O God, for in you I take refuge. I said to the LORD, “You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing.” As for the saints who are in the land, they are the glorious ones in whom is all my delight. The sorrows of those will increase who run after other gods. I will not pour out their libations of blood or take up their names on my lips. LORD, you have assigned me my portion and my cup; you have made my lot secure. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance. I will praise the LORD, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me. I have set the LORD always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure, because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay. You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand. – Psalm 16

In a world so full of pressure, stress, uncertainty and anxiety, it’s hard to believe that anything is secure. Powerful leaders come and go, nations rise and fall, banks and high level companies bite the dust, role models and figures lose their credibility in the public eye – is anything really secure in this world?

Well, I can think of one thing. If you answered – “The promise of eternal life in Heaven for those who believe in Christ,” we have a winner! This is a promise you can take to the bank, take out a safety deposit box and put away, because God doesn’t break His promises.

I love David’s choice of words, describing his feeling when God is beside Him. “I will not be shaken.” The confidence he had in God, especially in some of the circumstances he faced, persecution from Saul, his sins with Bathsheba and the subsequent fallout – to say “I will not be shaken” in the face of th storm can be hard! Sometimes I feel like I just crumble like an old chocolate chip cookie, unwilling to reach out to the LORD, asking for help, praying and speaking with God.I just throw up my hands in exasperation and give up on whatever is facing me instead of dealing with it. The easy way out.

Through everything that life has thrown my way, in times of great stress and even in times of success, I have confidence that God’s promise of eternal life – the hope of something greater – will never be shaken, and in return, I too will never be shaken, especially when it comes to standing up and defending Christ! He will never abandon me at the grave, leave me in times of great trial or desert me when I need Him most. Although it may not feel like it sometimes, He is always watching, working and loving. How comforting is that?

It’s funny, I was just having this conversation with a friend today. We get so caught up in what we have, what we can buy, which status we are involved in, and then get depressed when something doesn’t go our way. Instead, we should focus on Christ, because He is the only thing we need to survive. Not cars, houses and toys. Jesus. In this, we can take confidence and great joy, because our Savior is enough!

So take heart today! Jesus loves you, and that’s all that matters. Even when things seem like they are bumping around, moving around the board and shuffling uncontrollably, the fact of the matter is if you believe in Christ, you are about as safe and secure as it comes! Amen! I will not be shaken!

Don’t let the title of this post fool you, I’m not saying that the book of Psalms is a book of clichés, it’s actually quite the opposite. The reason why I settled on this title is because Psalms is truly the polar opposite of many of my own prayers to God, you know which ones I’m talking about!

“Dear LORD, I thank you for this day and everything you bless us with. Thank you for [insert praise here]. Please be with [insert prayer request here] …”

Sound familiar? God hears our prayers, but I wonder how much feeling goes into the prayers when we use the same template for everything we do? It’s interesting to think about. Psalms are a collection of praises, prayer requests and songs of worship that defy every cliché because each one is spoken from the heart and with meaning. The language is so rich and filled with passion (mostly from David in tonight’s reading), it’s easy to see that the authors mean what they are saying.

What is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor; You made him ruler over the works of your hands; you put everything under his feet: all flocks and herds, and the beasts of the field, the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas. O LORD, our Lord,how majestic is your name in all the earth! – Psalm 8:4-9

It would take forever to go through he many examples that stood out to me, not only because of the sheer quantity, but also there are so many different types of Psalm – requesting justice, praising God’s name, predicting Jesus’ arrival (Messianic psalm), and others, there is just too much to talk about, so what’s the point tonight?

In tonight’s reading, I go back to David, and compare his honesty to my own before God. Here is a man who bore it all before his God. He let it all hang out! He wore his heart on his sleeve, said what wa son his mind, and got it all out to God, who heard him and blessed him. I may not be a King of Israel, but when I pray to God, where is my passion? Where is my earnestness? Where is my zeal?

Most of the time, it’s probably not even there. It’s easy to get sucked into a routine of prayer. Isn’t that an oxmoronic statement? Prayer is anything but routine! We are talking directly to the creator of the universe! That’s routine?

This was a good intro tonight into the lengthy book of Psalms. I get the feeling this will be a good lesson for me as to how to pray, how to worship and praise, and how to approach our God in times of great joy, as well as great sorrow and trial. It’s good to repeatedly thank God for the blessings in my life, but I see the danger in creating clichés that take away from the earnestness of my one-on-one interaction with God. It’s time to avoid the same old clichés, and approach the LORD with my soul available, no secrets, no lies, no routine!

Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation? Tell me, if you understand. Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know! Who stretched a measuring line across it? On what were its footings set, or who laid its cornerstone-while the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy? Who shut up the sea behind doors when it burst forth from the womb,when I made the clouds its garment and wrapped it in thick darkness, when I fixed limits for it and set its doors and bars in place, when I said, ‘This far you may come and no farther; here is where your proud waves halt’? Have you ever given orders to the morning, or shown the dawn its place, that it might take the earth by the edges and shake the wicked out of it? The earth takes shape like clay under a seal; its features stand out like those of a garment. The wicked are denied their light, and their upraised arm is broken. “Have you journeyed to the springs of the sea or walked in the recesses of the deep? Have the gates of death been shown to you? Have you seen the gates of the shadow of death? Have you comprehended the vast expanses of the earth? Tell me, if you know all this. – Job 38:4-18

The world revolves around me. My knowledge of the world and the circumstances I experience are all that I know. It’s such a limiting statement, and kind of makes me sound immature. The phrase “The world revolves around you,” is a sarcastic way of reminding someone of their arrogance, conceit or self-involvement. If someone were to come and ask us if we are any of these things, I bet many would deny it. But the truth is, in the grand scheme of existence, we are all defined by the experiences we endure and enjoy.

When Job and his friends finally finish speaking to one another, God explodes onto the scene in a great storm cloud, reminding Job about who He is, peppering him with a flurry of questions no human can answer. Who created the heavens and the earth? Who else has the power to control the elements, nature, creation, the tides and the mountains? Who else has dominion over the earth? Who else can create the stars and constellations in the immense vacuum of space? Who can count the grains of sand on the earth and the clouds in the sky? Who controls the storehouses of snow and hail and lightning? Who else has dominion over the beasts of the earth? What is man compared to the strongest of animals on the planet, nevermind God Himself?

It’s a lengthy lesson for Job, and really, for us, in establishing just how superior God is in comparison to man. God’s words here were not meant to boast to Job or make him feel any smaller. They were spoken to teach Job that God controls everything, and nothing is too big or too small for Him to care about, including Job. It’s interesting to note that God never explains Himself to Job. He never has to, and that, I believe is the most important lesson here. God may never give us complete, or even partial, answers, but the lesson is simply to trust in the God that created everything, including us.

Tough lesson! There have been so many times I have longed for answers for why certain circumstances have come my way. Knowing they may never come this side of eternity has been a struggle, but I know I serve a God bigger than my worries, a God larger than my sorrows and worries, and a God who reigns sovereign over everything in existence. Who am I to question? The wounds may be painful, but my entire life, everything I know, is only the smallest possible piece of the pie compared to the glory of God who loves me.

Would you discredit my justice? Would you condemn me to justify yourself? Do you have an arm like God’s, and can your voice thunder like his? Then adorn yourself with glory and splendor,and clothe yourself in honor and majesty. Unleash the fury of your wrath, look at every proud man and bring him low, look at every proud man and humble him, crush the wicked where they stand. Bury them all in the dust together; shroud their faces in the grave. Then I myself will admit to you that your own right hand can save you. – Job 40:8-14

It may hurt our pride to admit it, but we have no right to question God’s decisions, as much as it hurts, we don’t have the power to judge God or the right to ask why. God actions have no dependence on our own. This doesn’t mean that God doesn’t care – it simply means that God has the entire picture on his view screen, not the minuscule slice of life we are able to see. Next time you are struggling with a tough situation, a desperate time, or a time of great sorrow – don’t demand answers in your pride. Draw close to God, submit in humility, and He will provide His comfort in the best way He sees fit. We are merely the smallest piece of the puzzle. The sooner we recognize where we stand, the sooner we can come to a place of acceptance that God is sovereign! Take heart in this, and be comforted!

Job was an interesting read. It took me a little longer to get through it than I expected, but I suspect that was for a reason. Perhaps God wanted me to meditate on Job for longer because of some of the circumstances I have faced in my own life. Job’s speeches seemed like exaggerated versions of things I have said to God in my own time during especially tough times … it’s funny because after reading this, I feel that from the beginning, I should have said only what Job said to God and left it at that – but I guess hindsight is 20/20:

“I am unworthy, how can I reply to you? I put my hand over my mouth. I spoke once, but I have no answer – twice, but I will say no more.”

Listen to this, Job; stop and consider God’s wonders. Do you know how God controls the clouds and makes his lightning flash? Do you know how the clouds hang poised, those wonders of him who is perfect in knowledge? You who swelter in your clothes when the land lies hushed under the south wind,can you join him in spreading out the skies,hard as a mirror of cast bronze? “Tell us what we should say to him; we cannot draw up our case because of our darkness. Should he be told that I want to speak? Would any man ask to be swallowed up? Now no one can look at the sun, bright as it is in the skies after the wind has swept them clean. Out of the north he comes in golden splendor; God comes in awesome majesty. The Almighty is beyond our reach and exalted in power; in his justice and great righteousness, he does not oppress. Therefore, men revere him, for does he not have regard for all the wise in heart? - Job 37:14-24

It has been a while now since I have updated the Odyssey. It has been a combination of things really, to many to list here, but I suppose they could all be considered excuses. So, rather than list the plethora of issues that kept me away from my Odyssey, I will simply say, let’s get back to it! You know, it’s funny how Satan tries to keep me away from God’s Word. Well, maybe “funny” is the wrong word, because it’s very serious. But looking back on the last two weeks since I have given an update, I can see how Satan has worked to keep me away, and I have to say, I was an easy target, so here’s to a renewed commitment to this Odyssey, and a steadfast spirit as I continue to navigate through God’s Word.

I am continuing in Job for the next couple days, than it’s off into Psalms (where I should be a few chapters deep by now, I have some catching up to do!) – but nevertheless, these last few chapters in Job are offering up some valuable lessons we can all glean from. Job’s young friend, Elihu, who is speaking in the passage above, is reminding his friend – unlike his trio of other friends, Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar – that God is God, and Job is not, and it is wise to simply trust that tha all-powerful God of the universe, the all-powerful God that created everything, is in control. It’s a statement that must be accepted on faith alone, and Job knows, underneath all his grief and sorrow, that his young friend is correct.

All too often, we think we have all the right answers and we presume to speak on God’s behalf, whether it is backed up by Scripture or not. We put words in His mouth, take Him for granted and in Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar’s case, they assumed that God’s silence meant that God was either not there or felt no concern for Job at all because of his sin. But God makes it very clear that He indeed does care. Why would He create the world, and all living things in it if He didn’t care? Elihu was spewing a ton of spiritual truth toward Job – that faith in God is far more important than his desire for an explanation for his suffering. It’s interesting that God chooses this point in the discussion to break in directly. Tomorrow’s reading will take me through the rest of the book, in which God directly speaks to Job, comforts him and eventually, restores him. But for tonight, Elihu’s words hit Job in the face like a right hook.

Who are we to demand answers from God?  If God decides to give them to us, He will give them to us. Do we claim to be on the same level as God? Do we know how to make the clouds in the sky? Instead of demanding answers for what has happened in our lives, we need to hold fast to the faith that God is working everything out for His glory. It’s simply a matter of faith.It will make accepting our circumstances a whole lot easier once we recognize who we are, and where God stands in comparison.