And I’m an olive tree, growing green in God’s house. Psalm 52:8a (TM)

A big limb from our Oak tree fell on the roof Saturday afternoon. It scared us half-to-death. The limb must have been damaged in our Winter ice storms and the Spring winds finally snapped it off. Our old Oak tree has seen many Winters, but it’s nothing like an Olive tree. Olive trees live for a long time. They live thousands of years, in fact. It’s a bit mind blowing to wander the Garden of Gethsemane and touch trees that Jesus may have touched, as well.

When David sings that he is an olive tree, the message is clear. He’s well established in God’s presence and he’s not going anywhere. People may say what they will. His enemies may conspire against him. He may have plenty of people plotting his destruction – but his trust is in God. David is the "blessed" one in Psalm 1.

Am I an Olive tree established in God’s house, or am I an old Oak cracking and falling apart in a light Spring wind?

God, make a fresh start in me, shape a Genesis week from the chaos of my life. Psalm 51:10 (TM)

Interesting that Asaph’s Psalm about his reaction to David’s affair with Bathsheba is followed immediately by David’s psalm of repentence after his affair with Bathsheba.

God is a God of new beginnings. He specializes in shaping chaos (even man-made chaos) into new creation. He takes the shattered and fractured pieces of our life and makes something completely new out of them which honor Him.

In David and Bathsheba’s case, his name was Solomon and became one of the greatest kings in history and author of three books of the Bible.

Creative Commons photo courtesy of Flickr and Mc Morr

"Time’s up for playing fast and loose with me." Psalm 50:22a (TM)

The Psalms are lyrics to ancient songs. When the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered back in 1947, these ancient, handwritten copies of the Old Testament revealed that the Psalms originally had liner notes which had been lost through the centuries. In most updated versions of the Bible, the liner notes are now included at top of the Psalm.

If you’re like me, you tend to ignore all the footnotes, headers and ancillary "stuff" in the Bible, but sometimes you’re missing "good stuff".The liner note to Asaph’s psalm today says that it was written by Asaph at the time David’s adultery with Bathsheba. Asaph, like most of Israel, were stunned and angry with David’s actions. Asaph, like all true musicians, picked up his harp and poured out his thoughts and emotions in a song – this song.

Asaph takes up what he believes to be God’s thoughts on the matter. David was playing "fast and loose" with Him, treating His word "like garbage." But even Asaph understands God’s grace, finishing the song with the hope of salavation if David will simply "set foot on The Way."

Maybe you should read the psalm again and think of Asaph’s anger, disappointment and disillusionment at his King’s affair.

The lyrics take on new meaning when you know the context. Liner notes are a good thing.

Photo of Dead Sea Scroll courtesy of Flickr and Southworth Sailor.

So don’t be impressed with those who get rich
      and pile up fame and fortune.
   They can’t take it with them;
      fame and fortune all get left behind.
   Just when they think they’ve arrived
      and folks praise them because they’ve made good,
   They enter the family burial plot
      where they’ll never see sunshine again. Psalm 49:16-19 (TM)

We aren’t guaranteed a tomorrow. There’s no promise of another day, another hour, another breath.

Choose well.

Creative Common photo courtesy of Flickr and Howie Berlin.

Then you can tell the next generation detail by detail the story of God, Our God forever, who guides us till the end of time. Psalm 48:13-14 (TM)

My life is a testimony of God’s faithfulness. Answered prayers and miraculous provision on a journey over mountain tops as well as through dark valleys. How will my children and grandchildren know about how good God was to me if I don’t tell them?

In the days of the Old Testament, before writing was common and before television sucked every spare moment from us – family stories were told around the campfire. Grandchildren learned their grandparents stories. Children were told about God’s work in their parent’s life. Family became a living word picture of God’s faithfulness which gave faith and hope to the next generations.

So, what’s your story?

Creative Commons photo courtesy of Flickr and andycarvin.

God is Lord of godless nations— sovereign, he’s King of the mountain. Psalm 47:8 (TM)

I remember playing King of the Mountain as a kid. Of course, when you live in IOWA mountains are kind of scarce. So, the game usually got relegated to winter when the snowplows made mountains of ice and snow on the corner of the school playground.

The thing about King of the Mountain is that you could always be king for a time, but there was always someone bigger and stronger. There was definitely a higher-archy of third graders in my class who could hold the mountain for a time, but when the sixth-graders came out from recess it was all over. No one was going to stand up to those guys.

It’s sort of the same way on this playground called Earth. Kingdoms rise and fall. Kings stand on their mountains for the length of their recess. But Scripture promises that God will someday hit the playground. Then all bets are off.

Creative Commons photo courtesy of Flickr and Underwater Guy.