Psalm 21

[on the enemies of God]

verses 11 and 12:

Though they plan evil against you,

though they devise mischief, they will not succeed.

For you will put them to flight;

you will aim at their faces with your bows.

wow, let's inahle and exhale deeply - that is ridiculously intense.

you will aim at their face with your bows?

over the summer, I began to see and experience God as Fierce Judge. Think of God as revealed in the Old Testament. and I don't totally understand him and his decisions. head-knowledge, yes. soul knowledge, yes. heart knowledge? not yet. and maybe not in this lifetime. i am learning that is ok. He is God. I am me.

what has been life and faith changing is that because of Jesus' sacrifice, I am able to stand totally clean and blameless before this Fierce Judge. I am able to be guided, doted upon, and loved by a God who aims at the faces of his enemies with his bows completely unafraid, but rather, protected.

I stand in the eye of a hurricane because of Jesus Christ.

Because of him, his former enemies are made dearly loved children, siblings, co-heirs, workers, and servants of Christ. I pray that we would continue to let the truth that we receive mercy, even grace, instead of wrath steep deeply in out lives.

Psalm 20

verse 7:

Some trust in chariots and some in horses,

but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.

Some trust in GPAs and GRE scores,

but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.

Some trust in internships and high salaries,

but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.

Some trust in power and the stock market,

but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.

Some trust in titles and graduate schools,

but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.

Some trust in choosing the right job and spouse,

but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.

Some trust in being good parents and moving into the right neighborhoods,

but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.

Some trust in successful ministry and fellowship attendance,

but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.

Some trust in conversion numbers and membership growth,

but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.

Some trust in self-preservation and self-righteousness,

but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.

Psalm 19

verses 13 and 14:

Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins;

let them not have dominion over me!

Then I shall be blameless,

and innocent of great transgression.

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart

be acceptable in your sight,

O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.

For those of us living in a post-Resurrection world, Jesus has completed this sinless life for us because we couldn't and didn't want to and honestly, didn't even know where to begin. It is such a tricky thing, desiring blamelessness before God because we aren't trying to earn his favor, but rather, this is how we can express it! I pray that we wouldn't pursue righteousness for our own holiness-levels, but so that we may point others to God's Holiness and Goodness through our lives.