Reverence of Prayer

 Psalm 141:1–10 (ESV):  

1  O Lord, I call upon you; hasten to me! 

Give ear to my voice when I call to you! 

 2  Let my prayer be counted as incense before you, 

and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice! 

 3  Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; 

keep watch over the door of my lips! 

 4  Do not let my heart incline to any evil, 

to busy myself with wicked deeds 

  in company with men who work iniquity, 

and let me not eat of their delicacies! 

 5  Let a righteous man strike me—it is a kindness; 

let him rebuke me—it is oil for my head; 

let my head not refuse it. 

  Yet my prayer is continually against their evil deeds. 

 6  When their judges are thrown over the cliff, 

then they shall hear my words, for they are pleasant. 

 7  As when one plows and breaks up the earth, 

so shall our bones be scattered at the mouth of Sheol. 

 8  But my eyes are toward you, O God, my Lord; 

in you I seek refuge; leave me not defenceless! 

 9  Keep me from the trap that they have laid for me 

and from the snares of evildoers! 

 10  Let the wicked fall into their own nets, 

while I pass by safely. 

‘Let my prayer be counted as incense before you’. 

In Old Testament times, there was an altar of incense in the temple between the Holy place and the Holy of Holies. The Holy of Holies being where the presence of God rested between the cherubim on the Ark of the Covenant (Leviticus 16:2), and the High Priest was only allowed to enter that place once a year. The place where this altar rests therefore is holy. reverent, and represents proximity to God. Yet He is still separate. His presence is behind the veil within the Holy of Holies, the place unreachable for most people all of the time. The burning of the incense right outside God’s dwelling place is significant as it acts as a bridge between the people and The Lord God. As the High Priest lit the incense both morning and twilight, the fragrance would emanate into the Holy of Holies, through The Holy Place and the Outer Court. So the aroma could be smelt by the priests, High Priest, everyday people and God. It was a reminder to God’s people of God’s holy presence, right there in their midst, and the connection they have with Him. They would of recognised the great privilege of being so close to God’s presence, yet still aware that they are separate. The fragrance of the incense connected both God and man. So, as this psalmist requests that his prayers are like incense, he is asking that they are an enjoyable aroma to The Almighty, that the words he speaks may be be holy, pure and pleasing to God, and he is remembering the great gift of connection he has to The Holy One. No wonder he later asks that God sets a guard over his mouth and watches over his lips! He realises that his prayers, using his words could either be a pleasant, perfumed fragrance, or become a stench to God, and he is concerned about that - how can he, a mere man, approach a holy awesome God?! The psalmists clearly considers with reverence the One he is approaching when he prays. He understands the value, privilege and power of being connected to God through prayer, and wants to honour the privilege that he has in approaching The Awesome and Almighty, Pure and Holy God. How do you approach prayer? Do you realise the privilege of the connection you have with God?

The psalmists also asks that his prayers are like ‘the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice!’ 

The evening sacrifice was the second of the daily sacrificial offerings (the first being in the morning), and displays the constant need we as people have for forgiveness and atonement. At the start of the day we can ask for forgiveness, yet by the end of the day we need atonement again! These temple sacrifices required a spotless lamb, a year old. Nothing short of perfect innocence could be suitable to cleanse the nation of sin. This sacrificial system reminds us that we are dependent on God to absolve our sin multiple times a day, and that sin deserves death. This altar was located at the entrance, so completely different to the altar of incense. It is a stark reminder as you enter the temple that you are sinful, that sin deserves death, and nothing but a perfect sacrificial lamb can atone for sin. You would have to walk past this as you went in, you would smell the burning flesh and see the splattered blood before you entered the court where you were allowed to go. You could worship or glorify God before you first face up to your sin and God's great forgiveness. This altar was right as you enter, no getting away with it, no sneaking past, to be anywhere near God, you need to face the fact that sin has been dealt with, by and advocate - someone else acting on yuor behalf, because you'd only mess up again. How kind of God, thaty He always had prepared a method for people to be forgiven and have an opportunity to get closer to Him. For in reality, not one of us deserves to be anywhere near God’s presence. We cannot lift holy hands to Him as we all have fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). Without atonement, you cannot praise God, approach Him in prayer, let alone enjoy His presence. Sin must be dealt with first. Thank God, that He knew this and catered for this even when the temple and tent of meeting were being designed! 

Today as we approach God, we do so because the ultimate, perfect, spotless lamb has been sacrificed through the death of God’s own son, The Lamb of God, Jesus. No longer are morning and evening sacrifices required, because Jesus died once and for all. You now have the right and permission to enter God’s presence by accepting that your sins have been atoned for through Jesus. Once you confess  your sins, and your faith in him, you are forgiven. Then you can enter the presence of God, you can worship, talk to Him, and sit with Him wherever and whenever you want! What an incredible gift to us is the sacrifice of Jesus! 

You now get to enjoy the wonderful promise of God, when He gave instructions for this altar to be built that, “I will meet with you, to speak to you there” (Exodus 29:37-39). You now have the privilege of meeting God and hearing from Him when you accept that your sins have been forgiven through Jesus. You do not have to undergo sanctification, give a perfect lamb as sacrifice, or be one particular man allowed once a year into God’s presence. God promises that He will meet you and speak with you! All because Jesus has atoned for you, so you can now meet with God and speak with Him! What a great privilege! You can enter into God’s presence, and have a relationship with Him because God has always been making a way for His people to get close to Him. So when you next pray and ask God about something, think about how you are approaching Him, what you say, and what God has done to allow you to be in His presence. 

Do not forget

 Psalm 137:1–9 (ESV): 

By the waters of Babylon, 

there we sat down and wept, 

when we remembered Zion. 

 2  On the willows there 

we hung up our lyres. 

 3  For there our captors 

required of us songs, 

  and our tormentors, mirth, saying, 

“Sing us one of the songs of Zion!” 

 4  How shall we sing the Lord’s song 

in a foreign land? 

 5  If I forget you, O Jerusalem, 

let my right hand forget its skill! 

 6  Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth, 

if I do not remember you, 

  if I do not set Jerusalem 

above my highest joy! 

 7  Remember, O Lord, against the Edomites 

the day of Jerusalem, 

  how they said, “Lay it bare, lay it bare, 

down to its foundations!” 

 8  O daughter of Babylon, doomed to be destroyed, 

blessed shall he be who repays you 

with what you have done to us! 

 9  Blessed shall he be who takes your little ones 

and dashes them against the rock! 

The people of God have a sorrow that no-one else understands. The things that are lost when people and nations turn away from the truth of Scripture is heartbreaking. Throwing away teaching the principles and stories of the Bible in favour of 'new' thinking, or because some truths are uncomfortable as society accepts ways that the Bible does not. These things cause the people of God to lament. 

I think of how in my lifetime England has changed. Hymns, prayer and biblical teaching were an everyday part of primary school life. Teaching Biblical stories and principles commonplace in the home and community, like; treating others as you want to be treated, honouring your parents and those in authority. These were unwritten rules that you were expected to abide by, it was the same for everyone, and even unknowingly, communities and families were embedding principles and guidance from Scripture into their children's lives, in the workplace, and wider community. Alongside this culture, the laws of this land once reflected the truths of the Gospel, just like in Israel before this exile. Then men started to be persuaded that God’s way wasn’t as good as other ways. Other nations lived differently and had new ideas and ideals, so the law of the land changed to deviate from the truth of God. Kings desired divorce, men desired men, and women, women. Lying is acceptable if you are a politician or salesperson, sex before marriage no longer outrageous but expected. Children not expected to be in submission to parents or authority, instead expected and supported to rebel. Free speech is no longer free, even people who silently pray can be arrested. What has happened?! As a person of God, does this not cause your heart to grieve? 

Such recollections must have caused the grief that penned this psalm. For Israel, their nation had not only deviated from Scripture, but as a result they had been kicked out! Their nation was defeated and the people captured by the Babylonian empire. Yet even through the taunts of their enemy, Israel remembered the joy of Jerusalem, and the privilege of singing praise and making music to their God. They could no longer do this as grief had replaced joy because they were away from the centre of God’s presence (Jerusalem), so their hearts were heavy. They could not even pick up their instruments. As they were dragged into exile ‘we hung up our lyres’ and ‘sat down and wept’ demonstrating the level of grief they experienced. Is your heart aggrieved for the condition of your nation? 

Although the Israelites grieved what was lost, and lamented it, they did not conform, but they continued as best as they could to live as Israelites in this foreign land. Their God was still their God, they remembered the storied of deliverance, the commands, followed the laws, and taught each generation about The God of Israel. They made an effort to remember, to recall the songs, the teachings, the joy of Jerusalem, and they prayed for deliverance. Are you doing the same? 

When Christianity was the main religion of England, schools and hospitals were created, and charities founded. It is because of christians putting their faith into action through caring for others that these institutions exist. How much have those sectors deviated from their roots and the truth! How sad that their history is hidden, and the truth of God removed from those settings. It is like being in a foreign land where God is not known. How can the beautiful truth be forgotten? (v5-6). As people of God, let us not forget. Let us not forget the foundations of faith, the importance of the values of the Kingdom of God. For even if it feels that we are in a foreign land like the Israelites were, we can still live by and apply the truths and laws of the Kingdom of God. For though the Israelites were taken into exile, it did not stop them being Israelites! They knew they were still the people of God, no matter where they were. They still carried songs of praise in their hearts and poured out their hearts in grief to Him. They still remembered the goodness of God and the greatness of worship, and so can you. The Israelites said, ‘Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth, if i do not remember you’. Therefore recall the goodness of God. Remember the times when God was made known and extolled where you live, and teach the younger generation. Show them what God has done and teach them to hold onto the truth even in a foreign land and era. Do not forget ‘my highest joy’!

Even though times, culture, and laws have changed, and expectations, behaviours and language may seem foreign to you, do not forget. God is still God, even if you feel like a stranger or an exile as the Israelites did. They felt downhearted and distraught, but they could not forget the truth of God. They did not forget the songs of joy, hymns of faith, or the praise and worship of the temple. They would remind each other and encourage one another to remember and pray. They knew that one day, the situation would change, so they had to remember and teach their young ones what to look forward to. One day, like Babylon, this godless age is ‘doomed to be destroyed’. God’s people and His kingdom will once again ‘sing the Lord’s song’ in joy and unity! So remember, wait, and seek the return of God’s reign wherever you are right now. God will repay evil, and He will also repay righteousness. So are you remembering who He is and what life with God is like for yourself, your community and nation? Are you teaching the generation to come about God and how to worship Him? For they will need to know, and they need to be prepared. Even in a dark and disparate nation, people need to be told and encouraged that better times are coming, that there is joy beyond a nation, a situation and beyond this life! The highest joy is that there is a God that loves and cares, who is powerful and kind, who is King and who deserves to be remembered and honoured. Are you remembering Him, and sharing that joy with those around you? 

Obedience in the Yes and the No

 Psalm 132:1–18 (ESV): 

1  Remember, O Lord, in David’s favour, 

all the hardships he endured, 

 2  how he swore to the Lord 

and vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob, 

 3  “I will not enter my house 

or get into my bed, 

 4  I will not give sleep to my eyes 

or slumber to my eyelids, 

 5  until I find a place for the Lord, 

a dwelling place for the Mighty One of Jacob.” 

 6  Behold, we heard of it in Ephrathah; 

we found it in the fields of Jaar. 

 7  “Let us go to his dwelling place; 

let us worship at his footstool!” 

 8  Arise, O Lord, and go to your resting place, 

you and the ark of your might. 

 9  Let your priests be clothed with righteousness, 

and let your saints shout for joy. 

 10  For the sake of your servant David, 

do not turn away the face of your anointed one. 

 11  The Lord swore to David a sure oath 

from which he will not turn back: 

  “One of the sons of your body 

I will set on your throne. 

 12  If your sons keep my covenant 

and my testimonies that I shall teach them, 

  their sons also forever 

shall sit on your throne.” 

 13  For the Lord has chosen Zion; 

he has desired it for his dwelling place: 

 14  “This is my resting place forever; 

here I will dwell, for I have desired it. 

 15  I will abundantly bless her provisions; 

I will satisfy her poor with bread. 

 16  Her priests I will clothe with salvation, 

and her saints will shout for joy. 

 17  There I will make a horn to sprout for David; 

I have prepared a lamp for my anointed. 

 18  His enemies I will clothe with shame, 

but on him his crown will shine.”

God remembers His faithful servants, whether they be paupers, kings or anything inbetween. God remembers and watches with favour those who keep their promises to Him, like David did. God loves that kind of dedication, obedience and faithfulness, and He rewards it. God does not forget what He has said, what you have done, or your quiet, steadfast dedication to Him. It is you that forgets. 

David’s passion for God caused him to feel unsettled even though he had a beautiful mansion for a home. For he knew that in some place, unknown, God’s holy presence rested in the Ark of the Covenant. David’s desire was to bring the nation to worship God, how could this happen if the presence of God that went with the nation into exile and back, is lost? This is the reason David made such a promise in the first place. Once the Ark was discovered, there had to be a permanent abode for it that was fitting for the King of Kings. David, and his team started searching, and eventually, they found the right place. David’s passion for God desired that he and the whole nation would discover what living in the presence of God was like.  So, he made his oath not to sleep until The Lord had his dwelling place amongst the nation of Israel.

When you make a promise to God and are working to fulfill it, it isn't easy. There comes a point when you wonder why you began doing it, how long it will take, and if it will get any easier. I am sure David felt like that in his search for ‘a dwelling place for the Mighty One of Jacob’. David was so dedicated to this task that he swore that he would have no sleep until he had achieved it (v4-5). That is a brave promise! When you make an oath to God, how can you fail to fulfill your word? How did David do it? It must have got difficult for him. He must have grown tired, disappointed and anxious about finding ‘a place for the Lord’. Yet he continued diligently to complete this mission. He didn't make do or give up, his love and dedication to God caused him ti succeed in his mission to serve God and the nation in this way. David would have become exhausted and despondent journeying and searching to provide the right place. Yet he did not give up, he continued his search diligently. He was faithful to his word to The Faithful One. Remember this dedication, and let it inspire you in how you follow God and keep your promises to Him. The passion can wane, the sense of calling wither away as the reality of the hardship sets in. I wonder how long David went without sleep before he achieved his aim. He kept going in his mission, he was dedicated and demonstrated how to put God first above personal comfort and desire. Do you do the same?

When the right location of the Ark was discovered, and the right spot for the temple to be built found, God spoke to David. He made a promise for the generations of his family to come, if they were to give their hearts to God as David had. David had proved his allegiance and devotion to God, and God chose to pronounce a blessing over him and his family. Isn't that a beautiful thing! Yet God also made clear to David, that although he had searched for the Ark of the Covenant, found it, and brought i to it's dwelling place, he would not be the one to build a permanent home for it. His son, Solomon would. After all of that effort, that dedication and discomfort that David went through, how do you imagine he felt hearing that? Disappointed, relieved, angry? However, despite his own personal emotional response, David honoured this instruction from God. He did not rush off and do it himself anyway although he was the one with the passion for the project. Instead, David humbly obeyed the instruction of The Lord. 

David understood that God ideas are better than his own, and that God should have a say in who, where and when the temple, his earthly dwelling place should be constructed. So, although David had sacrificed sleep and rest in his search for the location, it did not mean that he was the man to fulfill the rest of the mission. David had to lay aside his desire to see a house of God being built. David had the vision, the plans and collected the materials, but he stopped there because God said so. How obedient are you to God when He tells you to hand over responsibility or to stop doing something?

David shows beautiful obedience and submission to God. He was powerful and rich, he cold command armies, and builders, but God said no, so David obeyed. That takes a lot of strength and trust. David did not get to see the fulfilment of his work and investment into people or the kingdom of God. Yet he came to terms with it because He knew God is faithful and trustworthy, so he obeyed. David’s passion and humility led to a glorious temple being built in Jerusalem, where the nation of Israel could come to worship. David’s dedication permitted and invited others into God’s presence. Yet he never saw a stone be laid. Do you have that level of obedience to God? To live beyond yourself and your generation to build and prepare for the kingdom of God to come, for the people to come?

You can impact nations and places through the simple obedience to seeing through the things God has given you passion and permission for, and stopping there. What are you passionate about doing for The Lord? Submit your ideas and passions to Him, and trust Him even if His plans are different to yours. Then you will be blessed, and so will others for generations ot come. 

What do you get excited about?

Psalm 122:1–9 (ESV):  

1  I was glad when they said to me, 

“Let us go to the house of the Lord!” 

 2  Our feet have been standing 

within your gates, O Jerusalem! 

 3  Jerusalem—built as a city 

that is bound firmly together, 

 4  to which the tribes go up, 

the tribes of the Lord, 

  as was decreed for Israel, 

to give thanks to the name of the Lord. 

 5  There thrones for judgment were set, 

the thrones of the house of David. 

 6  Pray for the peace of Jerusalem! 

“May they be secure who love you! 

 7  Peace be within your walls 

and security within your towers!” 

 8  For my brothers and companions’ sake 

I will say, “Peace be within you!” 

 9  For the sake of the house of the Lord our God, 

I will seek your good. 

It is clear that this psalmist is excited to have travelled to Jerusalem, and to be given the chance to go into the temple - look at how they marvel in verse 1 about standing just inside that city's gates! Is there anywhere that gets you excited like that? This writer recognises that Jerusalem has been a place of pilgrimage for generations of every tribe of Israel. A place where the whole nation gathers to remember and worship God. Not only that, but David chose Jerusalem to be his home when he was King of Israel, so the city has housed kings for centuries. For David there could be no better place to live than the holy city, the place where God is worshipped. Therefore Jerusalem became not only a spiritual centre, but also a political one. It became a city that draw together the earthly and the heavenly powers. No wonder the writer was excited to enter into this place of great renown and significance! They felt honoured to be there, and acknowledged the weight of significance of this city, which has been much fought over and written about. Their response to being in such an awe-inspiring place is to pray. 

They pray for this city to know peace, every part of it; the walls, towers, Israelites, friends, the house of the Lord and even unknown people who love what Jerusalem stands for. This person prays that this place, and the people who love God, should be marked by peace and security. How wonderful that this believer was so inspired and excited about being in the holy city, that they prayed. They prayed for it's peace and security, for the physical city and for those within it. 

How do you feel when you enter a place where people gather to God? Do you feel peaceful, safe, excited? The history of faith, the battles fought, and the triumph of God's kingdom should influence how you approach a place of worship. Some places are admittedly, more impressive and beautiful than others with their architecture. Yet does the thought that people of faith have entered into this place before you, sometimes for generations inspire you? Do you get excited by the faithfulness of God and His people that have impacted the city, town or village where you worship?

I wonder how you respond to the inspiring testimonies of faith, the history and faith displayed there. This psalmist prayed. He prayed that the city and the people would know peace and security. What a wonderful response to their excitement! What is your response to where you worship or live? 

Why not take some inspiration from this psalmist and start to pray for where you worship, ask God for His peace and security for this place and people. Even if you don't really like the location you can still pray, pray that ‘For the sake of the house of the Lord our God, I will seek your good.’ Desire good for the place and the people and pray for it, if not because you want to, because you love and honour God and His presence. Pray for the area, every part of it; the buildings, businesses and believers. Pray that where you gather will be a place where people come in joy, anticipation, security and peace, because the Lord has built His house there, just like He did in Jerusalem.