Down an Unfamiliar Road

HIS HAND IS ALWAYS THERE TO HOLD –

In continuing the Song of Ascents, the compilers add another psalm that deals with the pilgrim’s testimony about what it is like to serve the Lord while living in a contrary society, so that their children will understand and be aware of the journey ahead. Since no one is perfect, then everyone must be ready to deal with their errors; to be honest with themselves; and to have complete faith in God’s willingness to accept the prayer of a child under conviction who is seeking forgiveness.

“O LORD Eternal, I’ve never felt such deep pain and agony as I cry out to You. O Heavenly Master, please let my cries get Your attention; yes, please let my pleading cries be detected by Your ears. O LORD, I know that if You kept track of all man’s faults and failures, O Heavenly Master, no one could survive. You’re the only One who forgives sin, that makes You all the more awe inspiring. My soul tarries as I eagerly await Your answer, O LORD Eternal, because You’re the only one whose word I trust. Yes, my soul anticipates what my Heavenly Master has to say more intensely than those who can hardly wait for the sun to rise. To all believers I say, put your trust in the LORD Eternal; because with Him there is complete forgiveness; for He will paid the ransom for all believers.” Psalm 130:1-8

Reflection: On Friday, December 29, 1876, Philip Bliss, one of America’s most prolific hymn writers, sat on a train with his wife headed for Ashtabula, Ohio for a New Year’s holiday. Suddenly the train lurched as the bridge it was crossing collapsed, throwing Philip Bliss out of the railroad car. Though he was injured, Bliss charged back into the burning wreckage to try and find his wife trapped inside. Unfortunately, neither Philip nor his wife Lucy emerged alive. This occurred, only a short time after Bliss had written his last song. Perhaps the words of that hymn echoed through his mind as he and his wife lay dying inside the burning train: “Sing, oh sing, of my Redeemer, with His blood, He purchased me. On the cross, he sealed my pardon, paid the debt, and made me free.” We don’t know about the perilous conditions that surrounded the psalmist who wrote this psalm, but we do see that both he and Philip Bliss expressed the same faith in God’s paid redemption. So, in their time of greatest need, they relied on any remaining debt for sin to be fully covered, so they could have blessed assurance. What a great sense of peace and security that brings to any soul, especially when the circumstances might include the end of life. Since it proved true and consoling for these song writers back then, it will prove just as reliable and comforting for us right now. So, just as you reach for a light when you are suddenly enveloped by darkness, reach for God’s hand when you can’t see you way because of uncertainly or despair. You will see that your Redeemer is always there for you.

WHOSE SORRY NOW! –

The compilers of the Psalter and the Songs of Ascent have been emphasizing the family involvement in serving and worshiping God as their chosen way of life, in order to accomplish all that God has planned for them. What better way to train children than through family devotions; to share with them what they may one day face and how to cope with it. So as the pilgrims make their way to the Holy of Holies they are given a psalm that emphasizes the need for commitment and dedication to God’s way of doing things; for in following God’s plan for your life you may stumble, fall, and be tempted to quit. But as long as you are doing His will, He never sees you as a failure as long as you are faithful.

“Many times I’ve been made fun of while growing up; let everyone say this with me, ‘Many times I’ve been made fun of while growing up, but I never let it get the best of me.’ The emotional wounds I’ve suffered remind me of a plowed field; they are as deep as furrows. But the LORD Eternal was always there to help; He took away the power my distractors had over me. In fact, all those who hate believers will one day be humiliated and rendered powerless. So let them be like wind-blown seeds that take root and grow on top of our flat rooftops; that wither before they can ever be harvested. That way, no reaper will ever carry away handfuls of grain, nor will a harvester be able to fill his arms with bundles of sheaves. Also, no passer-by will be inspired to say, ‘Looks like the LORD Eternal has blessed you;’ or, ‘In the name of LORD Eternal we congratulate you!’” Psalm 129:1-8

Reflection: At a well-known Ohio university years ago some 1000 students gathered for their Calculus final exam. Students in this class didn’t like their professor. He’d walk around the classroom yelling out the time remaining before the end of the test. He told the students that when they finished to stack their completed exams on his desk. One young man, who needed a good grade to pass the class, always did poorly when under pressure; however, he barely flinched when the professor screamed, “Pencils down! Submit your exams!” He remained in the classroom for about an hour before he finally walked to the front to submit his test. “What are you doing?” the professor hollered! “I’m turning in my exam,” the student said quietly. “I’ve got bad news for you!” the professor gloated, You’re too late! I’ll see you back here next semester!” “Do you know who I am?” the student quizzed. “What?” growled the professor; the student rephrased his query, “Do you know my name?” “No!” snarled the professor. The student looked the professor straight in the eye as he slowly lifted up the top half of one of the stacks and slid his test neatly into the pile before letting it fall back down, burying his exam precisely in the stack. He then turned around and walked casually out of the lecture hall leaving an angry professor behind trying to find his exam without knowing his name. The psalmist endured similar pressure to do things the way others thought it should be done, with no encouragement, but only criticism without any leniency. But he kept his cool and followed the still small voice guiding him from his conscience. In the end, God saw to it that he did complete the task given to him without affording his adversaries any chance to gloat over his shortcomings. What wonderful examples both the psalmist and this crafty student give us concerning grace under fire. Since the Bible does not accredit Satan with omnipresence or omniscience, there’s a good chance he has never met you and doesn’t even know your name. Besides, with God walking beside you, the devil may have little interest in even bothering with you.

THROUGH IT ALL –

The compilers of the Psalter wanted to continue the theme of family involvement as part of their Songs of Ascent. There is something unsettling when only one parent in a family is dedicated to God and His purpose and destiny for their lives. Children tend to become confused and develop divided feelings of loyalty. The psalmist wanted to emphasize the importance of a family praying together and staying together. It is difficult for children to develop respect for God, His Word, and His sanctuary, if they do not see it in their parents. In that vein, parents can decide whether to become “zeros” or “heroes” to their children and extended family.

“Count your blessings if you reverence the LORD Eternal, and pattern your life after His plan for living right. When you are satisfied with what you’ve worked to accomplish, you will be successful and have a good life. Your spouse will support you as head of the house, and when you sit around the table with your children, they will be like branches off the same tree. I’m telling you, that’s how a person who respects the LORD Eternal will be honored. May the LORD Eternal bless you from His sanctuary; and may you share in all the good things available in the City of God for the rest of your life; and may you live to see your grandchildren grow up to adulthood. Peace be upon all believers.” Psalm 128:1-5

Reflection: At the 1976 Olympics in Montreal, Canada, as Japanese gymnast Shun Fujimoto completed his floor exercise in the team competition with one final tumble run. Upon landing he experienced an awful searing sensation in his right leg. Fact was, he had shattered his kneecap. But the 26 year old Fujimoto reasoned that his team needed whatever points he might accumulate to upset the favored Soviets. Fujimoto decided to tell no one, not even coach Yakuji Hayata. In the next event, the pommel horse, Fujimoto agonized in pain during the routine. Yet, his intense concentration helped him score a 9.5. Then the last event, the rings, presented him with a daring challenge because it required a high-flying dismount from some 15 feet in the air. But Fujimoto gave the performance of his life on the rings, hurling his 123 pounds into a twisting triple-somersault dismount, bringing him down to a hard landing on the mat. He said later, that the pain sliced through him like a knife but he managed to keep his balance, with his right leg buckling only slightly. In spite of the agony he gritted his teeth, and with tears in his eyes he raised his arms in the traditional finish. The judged awarded him a 9.7, the highest score he’d ever earned on the rings. Even though his days as an active competitor ended on that fateful afternoon, Fujimoto, whose knee still troubles him periodically, will never be forgotten in Japan. To them, he is a hero. The psalmist calls on a similar form of courage for all those who perform as part of life’s team – the family. He wants to challenge every pilgrim to concentrate on the task at hand, and depend on God to help with the pain that comes with discipline and making rough decisions. Ask yourself, can your family depend on you to be courageous enough to keep going in spite of what must be endured? Just remember, your performance benefits them as much as it does you. In the end, faithfulness and commitment will make winners out of you all.

YOU ARE MY EVERYTHING –

The compilers of the Psalter, who collected the psalms to be used in the Songs of the Ascent, knew that the pilgrim was not in this for himself; he also needed to account for his family and their welfare. It was incumbent upon each head of the house to make sure that each generation that followed was instructed in the ways of the LORD. Therefore he learned, one should not concentrate merely on toiling day and night in pursuit of a livelihood and forsake the care and cultivating of one’s family’s need to enjoy life and remain faithful to the code of beliefs passed on to them. Keeping up with one’s ambitions, finances, and social status cannot outweigh one’s commitment to family responsibilities and spiritual nurturing. These pilgrims knew they couldn’t make it on their own, they needed God’s help to survive.

“If the LORD Eternal is not the head of your household, the home life you built was a waste of time; if the LORD is not protecting your family, your efforts to protect it are in vain. So why get up early and stay up late trying to make a good life, when in fact God gives this to His beloved when they are not even looking. Keep this in mind, children are part of your inheritance from the LORD Eternal; each child should be considered a reward. And just like arrows in the hand of a warrior help him provide for his family, likewise children born while you are young will provide for you later. So count your blessings if you are blessed with a large family; and raise all of them right so they won’t become an embarrassment to you later.” Psalm 127:1-5

Reflection: In his second inaugural address, President Abraham Lincoln, one of America’s greatest leaders, concluded his speech with these words: “With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation’s wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan, to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations.” Earlier in the same speech, Lincoln warned against departure from those divine attributes given by God to His followers. Little did President Lincoln, the nation, or the world know that in 41 days he would die of an assassin’s bullet. Like the psalmist, President Lincoln believed that the United States stood firmly founded on principles derived from God’s Word, and that any future success it achieved must remain firmly secured to those principles. They served as an anchor that kept society from drifting away from shore, only to become lost at sea; they are like the oxygen we breathe that keeps us alive; and the water we drink that prevents us from becoming dehydrated and dying of thirst. So with the assault we see today on these precepts, let God again intervene to bring this nation back to its senses. As President George W. Bush so often ended his speeches with the words, “God bless you, and God bless America,” may it ever be so. But this does not start in the White House; it must begin in every house, on every block, in every neighborhood, in every borough, in every city, and in every State. We’ve come this far by faith; let us not turn our future over to fate.

DREAMS CAN COME TRUE –

As in the previous psalm, the possibility of some pilgrims being sidetracked and becoming distracted on their journey is addressed again. Only this time, the compilers of the Songs of Ascent wanted to choose a psalm that illustrated the ongoing love and care God has in restoring those who lose their way or became captives to what the world has to offer. They wanted pilgrims to know that just because they faltered in their relationship with God, God does not sever His relationship with them. Every believer must realize that life does not function like a lottery; things just don’t happen at random. God is in control of their lives and will fight to keep what He has paid such a high price to ransom.

“When the LORD Eternal restores believers from captivity, it’s like a dream come true; it fills their mouths with laughter, as their voices are filled with songs of joy. Even unbelievers will be prompted to admit, ‘The LORD Eternal performed a miracle on them.’ Yes, the LORD Eternal has performed such miracles for all of us, and we are overjoyed. O LORD Eternal, free even more captives, let them stream back like a river through the desert. Those who wept as they sowed seeds of encouragement will break out in songs of joy as they reap their harvest. Yes, those who went out carrying the Word, will surely return with shouts of joy as they carry in their harvest.” Psalm 126:1-6

Reflection: The Reverend J. Stuart Holden was the vicar of St. Paul’s Church, Portman Square, London, England. He had made plans to depart for America aboard the new luxury ship Titanic to speak at the Christian Conservation Congress (a six-day convention opening at Carnegie Hall on April 20, 1912). On April 9, 1912, one day before sailing, the Rev. Holden postponed his trip to stay at his wife’s side because she suddenly fell ill. They were booked into Cabin D-1 on the Titanic. After hearing a bout the sinking of this giant ship, Rev. Holden was telling friends about an old Scottish mansion near his little summer home back in Scotland that had been made famous by well-known artists who covered the walls in one of the rooms with sketches. One evening someone accidentally spilled a pitcher of soda water on one of the fresh paintings, leaving an ugly, runny stain. Sir Edwin Henry Landseer, an outstanding English painter happened to be a guest in the house at that time. A few days later the family went out and he stayed behind. With a few masterful strokes of a piece of charcoal, that unsightly spot became the outline of a beautiful waterfall, bordered by trees and wildlife. He had turned that disfigured wall into one of his most beautiful depictions of Scottish countryside.

Rev. Holden wanted listeners to see the connection between the unfortunate cancellation of his trip to America with the accidental spill of soda water, but how God turned it into a wonderful miracle of allowing him to continue living and ministering the Word to those who might otherwise have been lost. Likewise, the Psalmist saw those who were sitting in captivity because of the tragic disaster of a heathen king’s invasion of God’s people, as victims of a catastrophe brought on by straying from God and His Word. He too wanted a miracle of redemption and restoration; he also wanted God to do what Gloria Gaither later expressed in her song, “Something Beautiful.” So to all believers who find themselves sidelined and captive to things offered them by the world, let this psalm and Rev. Holden’s wonderful story be an encouragement to you. And, like Gloria Gaither writes in her song, “If all you have to offer Him is brokenness and strife, let Him make something beautiful out of your life.”

If you’ve ever said you want to know God better or that you want to know more about Him, just remember this: all we know about God is what He has revealed. There is no way to discover something about God that He has not openly conveyed. Rabbi Moses Maimonides once said, the only thing we know about God, is that He exists. And the reason we know He exists, is by what He has shown us. But one thing Rabbi Maimonides didn’t realize, that when God sent His Son into the world, His Son said that only by getting to know me will you get to know my Father better. So if you want to know more about God, learn more about His Son. These truths are so beautifully encased in that grand old hymn, “How Great Thou Art.” – Dr. Robert R Seyda

Sometime ago I heard a new Christian song that went like this: “I am forgiven, I have been given another chance. There’s no condemnation. Your grace is sufficient to cover my past.” An alarm bell immediately went off in my spirit. Chance! This word describes an unknown and unpredictable happening with no assignable cause. It’s associated with luck and accidental outcome, like a lottery ticket, a slot machine, a roll of the dice, or spinning a fortune wheel. Yes, English speakers have made this a synonym for opportunity, but the two could not be different. Chance comes from an old French word that simply means where something lands when it falls. Opportunity means: the right time and the right place. Receiving God’s grace is certainly more than luck or coincidence. I’m sure the songwriters meant well, and the melody is catchy. But without God sending His Holy Spirit, what chance did we have? None! And after the Holy Spirit came, was meeting Him dependent on chance? Absolutely not! God didn’t take a chance on us; He sent the Holy Spirit on purpose to called us for a reason. Once we are His, if we disobey His will, getting back in harmony with Him won’t be by chance. No, if we confess our sins, He forgives us of our sins, and we continue our relationship. He doesn’t just give us a second chance to start all over. God’s purpose for our lives is not like a dart board, so that each time we miss the mark we try again to see if we’re luckier the next time. No, He takes us by the hand and leads us where He wants us to go, so we can be what He intended for us to be. So do not depend upon chance to find your place in God’s plan for your life, let Him guide you there on purpose.

PATRIOTS IN GOD’S KINGDOM –

Pilgrims not only faced obstacles and dangerous stretches along the highway on their journey to the Holy City of God, but also had to guard themselves against the possibility of letting the lure of worldly influence and power cause them to become sidetracked and complacent about their faith and continuing their passage. So the compilers of the Psalter wanted to include a Song of Ascent that reminded the pilgrims of God’s promises and His provisions to those who remain faithful and true to their calling. They wanted the pilgrims to know that real success cannot be credited to anyone who does not finish the race; does not complete their mission; or does not prove trustworthy. It is the good and faithful servant who is invited into the eternal kingdom to co-reign with the KING of kings.

“Those who absolutely trust the LORD Eternal are as immovable as a mountain; they are as solid as a rock. Yes, just like the Holy City of God has mountains that surround it, so the LORD Eternal will encircle His children from now into eternity. And He will never allow the ungodly to become leaders of the community of believers, thus keeping those who live right from becoming defensive and commit offensive acts. O LORD Eternal, we ask You to be good to those who are good to others; those who have kind and descent hearts. The LORD Eternal will deal with those who go back to a life of sin; He may march them off to judgment with other sinners. But let the believer walk in His blessed assurance.” Psalm 125:1-5

Reflection: After prayer and consultation with friends, the great reformer Martin Luther presented himself before the German Imperial Diet – Legislative Assembly – on Wednesday, April 17, 1521, in the city of Worms, Germany. He stood accused of being a heretic by Pope Leo III, and was ordered to stand trial. The moderator, a well-known theologian named Johann Maier von Eck, asked Luther if he still believed in the things he wrote concerning the church’s role in salvation. Taking a deep breath, Luther looked his accusers in the eyes and stated boldly without flinching, “Unless I am convinced by Scripture and plain reason – I do not accept the authority of the popes and councils, for they have contradicted each other – my conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and I will not recant anything, for to go against conscience is neither right nor safe. God help me! Amen.” A few weeks later, on Saturday, May 25^th, in his Edict of Worms, Emperor Charles V declared Luther to be an outlaw to the church and its teachings. Today, few people, if any, remember anything about Charles V, but around the world believers celebrate the courage of Martin Luther, and look to him as a champion of freedom from ecclesiastical powers that use their position of influence and authority to take away salvation they cannot grant. The psalmist never gave doubt or compromises a thought; he wants to remain solid and unmovable in his faith, just as God was solid and unmovable in His promises. Both the psalmist and Luther present us with awe inspiring examples of commitment in its finest and most heroic form. Ask yourself this question, “If my enemies accuse me of being a Christian so committed to God’s Word and will, that I would never compromise my faith for any reason or guaranteed advantage, will I be found innocent or guilty?”

SOMETHING TO LEAN ON –

The compilers of the Psalter now select a psalm for the Songs of Ascent that speak of being able to get through periods of persecution, trial, and testing. The pilgrim journey was never guaranteed to be free of narrow passages, rocky cliffs, long and desolate roads through dangerous territory. But rather than letting this discourage them and cause them to turn back, they persevered and dealt with each crisis as it came along, making them ripe for celebration when they finally crossed the finish line; finally arriving into the presence of the One True God where they would be safe and secure.

“Listen, were it not for the LORD Eternal being on our side; let all believers repeat these words: were it not for the LORD Eternal being on our side, when sinners persecuted us they would have done away with us because they were so angry with us. It would have been like a raging torrent engulfing us and sweeping us away in a flash flood; yes, we would have been caught in a flash flood. Therefore, let’s give the LORD Eternal credit for not throwing us to them like scraps of food. Instead, we were able to escape with our lives, much like a bird caught in a net is able to escape when the net breaks. There’s no doubt now that we owe our freedom to the LORD Eternal being who He is, the Creator of heaven and earth.” Psalm 124:1-8

Reflection: In the 1943 movie titled, “The Human Comedy,” nominated for Oscars at the Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Director, and Best Original Story, Mickey Rooney stars in the role of a teenage telegram delivery boy who brings notices from the War Department to families about their lost or injured servicemen, along with Van Johnson who plays a soldier. In one scene on a troop train, with Van Johnson playing a small accordion, the men are encouraged to sing a hymn written in 1887 by a Presbyterian minister named Elisha Hoffman. The second stanza goes like this: “Oh, how sweet to walk in this pilgrim way, leaning on the everlasting arms; Oh, how bright the path grows from day to day, leaning on the everlasting arms.” Like the psalmist, those who receive word that their loved ones escaped the perils of war, thank God that He was there with His safe and everlasting arms. One day in heaven, when the books are opened to reveal all the secrets since creation, the millions gathered there will hear about miracle after miracle brought about by God’s intervention at the right place and the right time for every pilgrim along their journey to that heavenly Promised Land. So why not join those soldiers now and sing the third stanza of Hoffman’s hymn: “What have I to dread, what have I to fear, leaning on the everlasting arms? I have blessed peace with my Lord so near, leaning on the everlasting arms. Leaning, leaning, safe and secure from all alarms; leaning, leaning, leaning on the everlasting arms.” Leaning on God’s arm is not a sign of weakness. Rather, it is a strong indication of complete trust.

GOD’S GUIDING VOICE –

The compilers of the Psalter continue to expand their theme of where pilgrims were to look for strength to keep them going. In Psalm 121 they emphasized that looking up to the city on the hill, whose building and maker is God, was like looking toward where the presence of God dwelled, and this would give them the motivation to keep moving toward their goal. It was important that their attitude in seeking God’s assistance and encouragement was heartfelt and real. This would help them resist any temptation they encountered along the way to become resentful or discouraged because of all they had been through, and wondering if it had been worth it.

“To the One who sits enthroned in the heavens, I turn my eyes toward You. In exactly the same way a servant keeps his eye on his master, and as a maid watches for a signal from her mistresses, that’s how we focus our eyes on You, O LORD Eternal, our One True God, until we feel Your touch of blessed assurance. So we ask You, O LORD Eternal, be patient with us because we’ve had our fill of being mocked. Yes, we’ve grown tired of being made fun of by people who seem to have everything go their way, especially with those arrogant sinners who have little or no respect for true believers.” Psalm 123:1-4

Reflection: Brian Hubbard was diagnosed with profound hearing loss at the age of four. His mother spent many painstaking hours teaching him to speak. What they didn’t notice at the time was Brian’s slow loss of vision was due to a degenerative eye disease called retinitis pigmentosa, made worse by severe cataracts in both eyes, leaving him legally blind. Nevertheless, in spite of these maladies Brian became a licensed psychotherapist while also suffering from Ushers Syndrome. But he didn’t let anything stop him. He learned how to ski, and went on to win seven gold medals, three at the national level, and one bronze. He also won the downhill race at the U.S. Alpine Ski Championships in Duluth, Minnesota, and qualified for the national team that competed in the World Games in 1987 and the Special Olympics in 1988. He did all this wearing a hearing aid while paired with a sighted skier making the run just ahead of him, and shouting directions back to Brian on when to make a right and left turn. What a vivid picture of the Psalmist’s status. Just like Brian, he could not see his instructor, the LORD Eternal, and at times did not hear well either. But as he steered through life’s hills and valleys he learned to trust every command the LORD gave him. Though some people made fun of him and didn’t believe he’d make it, he put his total confidence in a God he could trust. What wonderful examples the Psalmist and Brian give us in learning to listen for God’s directions in order to navigate life’s downhill races. Though we might not see Him with our physical eyes or hear Him with our physical ears, we do see Him by faith and hear Him with our hearts. So ask yourself, are you willing to go left or right when He speaks? Or will you simply trust your own instincts in the dark, rather than His directions in the light?