Another day with Jesus

                                                                             Psalm 8      Where is the most picturesque place you’ve ever dined? For me, it was in the dining carriage of a train as it wound its way from Vancouver to Jasper in the Rocky Mountains of Canada. I admired the majesty of the tall snow-clad peaks under a deep blue sky, an ever changing and awe-inspiring vista. By comparison, the sheer magnitude of the Milky Way, with its billions of stars, reminds me of the immense scale of the universe and my tiny place within it.                                                               David had  gazed in awe at the celestial universe as he watched his flocks by moonlight or paced the parapet of his Jerusalem palace. The stark contrast between the majesty and power of God and himself overwhelmed him. Although a king, he was one ruler of one kingdom, a mere man of one historical era, a speck in eternity.   “O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the ea

                                                                         Song of a Slandered Saint                                                                                                  Psalm 7 Joe stood on a Sydney street corner near Hyde Park and held out his Bible, imploring the swirling crowd to listen to his gospel message. His voice echoed above the roar of the city traffic.   “How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation? Long ago, a rich man in hell pleaded for a beggar in paradise to cool his tongue, but there’s a massive gulf between heaven and hell, which no one can cross. Where will you spend eternity?”     “Bible Basher! Jesus Freak! Nutter!” The gangster punched Joe in the face, knocked him flat to the ground and slammed his boot into Joe’s head, kick by blow until he blacked out. The Bible fell into the gutter, where a pink-haired punk girl picked it up. Have you ever been attacked or slandered for your faith, or mocked while defending

                     Psalm 6: God’s love and our pain: An oxymoron?   Did you ever end up in a major hospital emergency room? While you waited for the doctor, were you or someone in another cubicle groaning or yelling in unbearable pain? This was me after a car accident. I’d suffered a whiplash, and I had to lie still until they checked my neck and spine. The pain in my neck was all-consuming, and every minute dragged into ten.   Everyone knows the throb of pain.   “Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall. ” Isaiah 40:3.   When pain is chronic, it wears us down. It may be physical, emotional, or spiritual, and we long for release. Hence, some people believe euthanasia is the answer. But what if our spirits survive death, and if so, where will we spend eternity?   David, the weeping prophet, left a legacy of poems in which he poured out his physical, mental, emotional anguish and guilt.   Psalm 6 He prayed for healing and release as he

  Psalm 5   “I can't fix it and there’s no end in sight!”    David’s face pictured despair. Although he ruled Jerusalem, the city of David, he couldn’t figure out answers to every knotty problem in his kingdom. He turned to God, bowing before the King of kings in worship, and seeking God’s help.   What responsibilities have fallen into your lap? Are you a parent or a team manager ?   I don’t know one person on this earth who has all the answers. Scars, dilemmas, and complications slow us down, or an impasse stops us in our tracks.   Did you know Christians enjoy undeserved privileges with God? Jesus, the Son of God, hears our prayers and presents them in perfect form to his God. We have access to God’s throne room, where Jesus sits beside his Father. Can you imagine it? He’s listening and interpreting your prayers today.   David prayed morning and night and waited with expectation for the Lord’s reply. Since he knew God, he relied on his mercy amidst his many

                                                                                         Psalm 4                                                                           Entwined with the Pastoral Symphony  You'll find the links to the Beethoven's 6th Symphony below the blog.       The conductor raises his baton. The violins poise their bows for the fourth movement of Beethoven’s Pastoral Symphony. Sinister growls from the cellos rumble through the orchestra, redolent of a summer storm. A skittish theme surfaces, a scurry of swirling wind, gathering speed and intense power. Thunder erupts from the timpani, plummeting torrents of rain from a streaky green and black sky. I came to the concert to escape a bitter argument, but as I listen, my heart thunders in my chest. I am in the eye of a storm, and it's engulfing me. How can I escape? Where is God? Can he speak peace into my churning heart?                                                                   I remember Ki

                                                    A downward spiral of revenge                                               Is God is good and merciful?                                                                                                                             PSALM 3                                                        King David had many wives, and  a court dominated by his sons and courtiers. They vied for the king’s favour, but Absalom’s handsome features and charm elevated him above over his peers.   “You’re a moonstruck pup, Amnon. If you desire Tamar, entice her to join you in the kitchen and insist that she bake you bread. When she has it ready, ask her to bring it to your room and fill the air with the enticing aroma of freshly baked bread.”   Amnon, King David’s son, reveled in his cousin’s wicked scheme, unable to control his burning lust. He went after Tamar, Absalom’s half-sister, and forced himself on her, but then he grew mad and dumped

  Seen it on your phone?  Worried, and you wonder ... A meditation on Psalm 2                                                                                         Photo attributed to Freepik.   The news bulletins fill the airwaves, their words heavy with worry and despair, casting a shadow over our hearts. How long will the world suffer? Will the tide ever turn?                           God offers us hope, and if we’re wise, we'll accept it.            Let's pray...      Heavenly Father, Your words comfort us, and we thank you for their insights and relevance in our current circumstances. Speak wisdom and peace into our hearts today, as we pray in Jesus’ name. AMEN.                If we  meditate and pray over Psalm 2, we'll find it carries a powerful message.      Verse 1: Why are the nations angry?     Lord Jesus, Russia is slamming the Ukraine and there is no peace in Gaza. Who really owns these lands, and will these nations ever enj