The word of God to my Lord: "Sit alongside me here on my throne until I make your enemies a stool for your feet." Psalm 110:1 (MSG)

It has often been said that God has three answers to prayer: "yes," "no," and "wait." I love when it's "yes." Don't we all? I don't even mind when the answer is "no." If the answer is "no" I can get through my tantrum, get over my disappointment and move on. I HATE when the answer is "wait." "Wait" is limbo. "Wait" is gratification delayed. "Wait" feels like the perpetual suspended animation of your desires. "Wait" has all the disappointment of "no" without the closure.

The lyrics of this morning's psalm reminded me that Jesus is also waiting. "Sit here and wait until I make your enemies a foot stool," says the Father. Jesus is waiting to be united with his Bride and to bring an end to His enemies. He doesn't know the day or the hour. He must wait like me.

God, give me patience. Help me resign my will to yours. Help me wait. To be honest, I'm sick of it.

Creative Commons photo courtesy of Flickrand amyliagrace.

The word of God to my Lord: "Sit alongside me here on my throne until I make your enemies a stool for your feet." Psalm 110:1 (MSG)

It has often been said that God has three answers to prayer: "yes," "no," and "wait." I love when it's "yes." Don't we all? I don't even mind when the answer is "no." If the answer is "no" I can get through my tantrum, get over my disappointment and move on. I HATE when the answer is "wait." "Wait" is limbo. "Wait" is gratification delayed. "Wait" feels like the perpetual suspended animation of your desires. "Wait" has all the disappointment of "no" without the closure.

The lyrics of this morning's psalm reminded me that Jesus is also waiting. "Sit here and wait until I make your enemies a foot stool," says the Father. Jesus is waiting to be united with his Bride and to bring an end to His enemies. He doesn't know the day or the hour. He must wait like me.

God, give me patience. Help me resign my will to yours. Help me wait. To be honest, I'm sick of it.

Creative Commons photo courtesy of Flickrand amyliagrace.

Oh, God, my Lord, step in; work a miracle for me—you can do it! Get me out of here—your love is so great!— I'm at the end of my rope, my life in ruins. Psalm 109:21-22 (MSG)

Reading the early verses of Psalm 109 is like reading the words to a death metal CD. I found it strange to read David's lyrics this morning. There is so much anger and vitriol coming out of David's heart. Not that I don't identify with his words. I'm a bit embarrassed to admit that I read verses 6-20 and can put a face or two on my own anger.

Then I got to verse 21 and find David peeling back the layer of venemous animosity that shrouds his heart. Underneath the hatred is a man reeling in his own pain. At the root of the curses is the calamity of David's own heart. Psalm 109 is a primal scream. It's a song of unabashed emotional pain poured out, uncensored, to God.

I think I filter my conversation with God too often. God is not surprised by my emotion. He is no stranger to my pain. He sees through the veneer of my hatred to the anguish of my soul. There is a healing virtue in pouring out my pain in a safe place. 

Jesus is a shelter in the storm, and He has really thick skin. 

Creative Commons photo courtesy of Flickrand Jelle Vermeiren

I'm ready, God, so ready, ready from head to toe. Ready to sing, ready to raise a God-song: "Wake, soul! Wake, lute! Wake up, you sleepyhead sun!" Psalm 108:1-2 (MSG)

I leave for a business trip today. Preparation began last night as I thought through all that I need to bring with me. There's a well worn process to my business trip preparations. This morning, I will continue with the packing, the checklist, and the double-check. I have an entire personal pre-trip orchestration.

And, so, the words "I'm ready, God, so ready, ready from head to toe," caught me off guard this morning in the middle of my pre-trip dance. I'm not ready yet. There's still more left to do. And then, I began to think about getting myself "ready" for God the same way I get myself "ready" for my business trips.

Do I have a pre-worship preparation? Do I make myself ready to spend time with God? Do I enter my morning quiet time and my Sunday morning worship prepared and "ready"?

Creative Commons photo courtesy of Flickr and Sebastiaen D

So thank God for his marvelous love, for his miracle mercy to the children he loves. Psalm 108:8 (MSG)

I was a jerk yesterday. I was a self-centered, belligerent, hot-headed jerk all day. I was an ill-tempered blockhead to my co-worker. I was an inconsiderate, egocentric oaf to my wife. I can look back and point to any number of factors that contributed to my mood, but it doesn't really alter the humbling reality that I was awful to people for whom I care deeply. I lay in bed last night, sleepless and wondering how I could be so stupid.

Today begins a new day. I start with apologies to God and others. I let go, and and accept God's mercy. I turn away from yesterday, and press on down the stretch of life's road before me today.

This human "work in progress" is thanking God for his marvelous love and abounding mercy. Without it, I'd be hopeless.

Creative Commons photo courtesy of Flickr and Joe Shlabotnik

So thank God for his marvelous love, for his miracle mercy to the children he loves. Psalm 108:8 (MSG)

I was a jerk yesterday. I was a self-centered, belligerent, hot-headed jerk all day. I was an ill-tempered blockhead to my co-worker. I was an inconsiderate, egocentric oaf to my wife. I can look back and point to any number of factors that contributed to my mood, but it doesn't really alter the humbling reality that I was awful to people for whom I care deeply. I lay in bed last night, sleepless and wondering how I could be so stupid.

Today begins a new day. I start with apologies to God and others. I let go, and and accept God's mercy. I turn away from yesterday, and press on down the stretch of life's road before me today.

This human "work in progress" is thanking God for his marvelous love and abounding mercy. Without it, I'd be hopeless.

Creative Commons photo courtesy of Flickr and Joe Shlabotnik

He gave them exactly what they asked for— but along with it they got an empty heart. Psalm 106:15 (TM)

I received a lot of really cool things from my parents and grandparents when I was a child. I was particularly impressed with my Big Wheel, which I rode so much I wore a hole in the plastic tire. My folks upgraded me to a Schwinn Sting-Ray 5 speed bicycle with the banana seat that was also expecially cool. Scott Borg and I popped an infinite number of wheelies up and down Madison Avenue riding that bike. There was a train set which was unexpected and absolutely awesome.

There were also a lot of things on my wish list my parents chose not to get for me. The Sears Christmas catalog was, annually, dog-eared and tattered from paging back and forth making my exhaustive list of material desires. There were things for which I begged ceaselessly and ended up empty-handed. But, I was definitely not empty hearted.

Looking back, I now realize that the grestest gifts I received from my parents and grandparents were not material. The greatest gifts I received were intangible, yet priceless, values like love, honesty, integrity, hard work, hospitality, self-lessness and forgiveness. I hope that I have been as equally successful at filling my children's hearts more than their momentary desires.

Creative Commons photo courtesy of Flickrand jane coffee

Sing him songs, belt out hymns, translate his wonders into music! Psalm 105:2 (MSG)

Wendy and I are headed to London in a few weeks on vacation. As part of our "royal tour," we have tickets to see the Royal Philharmonic play Beethoven's 9th Symphony. In preparation for the trip, I was listening to the work in my car yesterday. The entire symphony is breathtaking, but most people immediately recognize the 4th movement as Beethoven's popular "Ode to Joy." I cruised down highway 163 between Monroe and Otley with my stereo cranked, tears welling up in my eyes as the chorus belted out the familiar tune.

When I read the phrase "translate his wonders in to music" this morning, I was transported back to my mobile, symphonic worship experience yesterday. One of the things I love about creative expression, whether it is music, stage, film, paint, or sculpture, is the embodiment of the intangible in a tangible form. You can't possibly contain the fullness of God's wonders in any one piece, but there are works of creative expression that capture pure, if momentary, glimpses of it.

Here's to all of those who dare to take up the psalmists call to translate God's intangible wonders into tangible form.

Creative Commons photo courtesy of Flickrand CPJobling

What a wildly wonderful world, God! You made it all, with Wisdom at your side, made earth overflow with your wonderful creations. Psalm 104:24 (MSG)

As I read the song writer's lyrics taking me through a tour of the wonders of nature, I had flashbacks of my own tour this past week. On Tuesday I watched the sunrise over the clouds at 30,000 feet. That's a sight beyond the imgaination of the Psalmist, and I experienced the breathtaking, blazing hues of orange across the soft blanket of pillow-like clouds. Tuesday and Wednesday I was in the warmth of Miami with a salty sea breeze in my face. My 9th floor hotel window gave me a spectacular view of the turquoise blue ocean. Thursday I drove through the vast ocean of midwest prairie and felt the chill of winter blasting my face. By late Thursday I stood in the warm, thin air at the feet of the Rocky mountains and gazed in wonder at Pike's Peak, glowing golden white in the late afternoon light. Friday, I drove through the unrelenting gusts of a midwest snowstorm.

What an amazing adventure to experience so much of God's creation in such a small span of time. That's a trip that the Psalmist would consider miraculous. And yet, until Psalm 104 reminded me this morning, I had not given it much thought. How callous and jaded I become when the spectacular becomes hum-drum.

Creative Commons photo courtesy of Flickrand gwennypics

It also reminds me of this clip a few friends posted on Facebook this weekend.