Echoes From the Campfire

Life was sunshine and storm—youth and age.”
              –Zane Grey  (The Desert of Wheat)

    “He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.”
              –1 John 5:12 (NKJV)
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It has been a while since we had our study in the Psalms.  Before vacation I left off at Psalm 48, and we are on the last portion of that Psalm.  What a powerful few words, especially for the time in which we live.  Right from the start the words jump out at us.

         “God, within Your temple, we contemplate Your faithful love.” (verse 9, HCSB)

One of the lost disciplines of the believer is that of meditation/contemplation.  People go to church (if their’s is open) and hop around some, sing some songs (hopefully they are truly worshipful), hear a short message mostly to appease the ears, then go home.  But LOOK!  We are to contemplate on His faithful love (other versions have “unfailing love”).  Now that takes some time and effort and concentration.  More than that, since we are the “temple of the Holy Spirit” we should be contemplating on his “faithful love.”  His grace, His mercy, His love are to be in our thoughts.  I like what H. Norman Pell says, “I praise God because he not only guides my directions but overrules my mistakes.”

         10 – “Your name, God, like Your praise, reaches to the ends of the earth; Your right hand is filled with justice.
         11 – Mount Zion is glad.  The towns of Judah rejoice because of Your judgments.”

We may be crying in our haste and in our own way of thinking wondering where is the justice of God.  Ah, but remember His ways are much higher than ours.  He holds justice and judgment in His hand.  The people around the old city of Jerusalem rejoice because of His justice.  It is coming, are you ready?

         12 – “Go around Zion, encircle it; count its towers,
         13 – note its ramparts; tour its citadels so that you can tell a future generation:
         14 – ‘This God, our God forever and ever—He will always lead us.’”

Being the “temple of the Holy Spirit” what is it that people see when they walk around us?  What do they see when they looks at us?  Does our appearance represent the holy God Almighty?  Oh, despite what some may claim, appearance does count, but it is not the main thing.  When we are with people what do they see in our character?  Are they confused because of what we proclaim, what we look like, and what we do?
    One of most important responsibilities and obligations is to represent the Lord in all we say and do.  It is imperative that we tell them, especially those of our family of the wondrous works of God.  We are to explain who He is, what He has done, how He has blest us.  We should speak of the way He has kept us, how He has healed us, how He has guided us.

         “For that is what God is like.  He is our God forever and ever, and he will be our guide until we die.” (verse 14, NLT)

    God is like that citadel.  He is our fortress, are we telling our children and grandchildren that?  Forever will that fortress stand unlike the ones made by human hands.  Oh, and look at the end, He will be there all the time until we die.  His mercies are new every morning!  

              “Let strangers walk around the city where we dwell;
               Compass and view thy holy ground, and mark the building well;
               The order of thy house, the worship of thy court,
               The cheerful songs, the solemn vows, and make a fair report.”
                        –Isaac Watts

Take some time to contemplate God’s unfailing love and the rest of Psalm 48 this week.