Down an Unfamiliar Road

YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES –

After David had the Ark of the Covenant brought into Jerusalem with great fanfare and celebration, and placed it under the tent he ordered erected to provide a holy sanctuary where the people could gather and worship God; he appointed a young man named Asaph to lead the music ministry. Asaph continued to serve in the same position under Solomon. But when Solomon’s son Rehoboam took over, Asaph saw a tragic decline in the importance of the temple Solomon built to replace David’s tent, because Rehoboam became unfaithful to the LORD. It broke Asaph’s heart, so he expressed his frustration and feelings as one of those caught up in Rehoboam’s folly, hoping that those who would hear this hymn would see themselves. By this psalm being placed at the beginning of Book III of the Psalter, it sets the tone for what follows.

“Truly, our One True God is gracious to believers with sincere hearts. But I took a wrong turn and almost backslid. I envied these carefree sinners; how contented they seemed to be. They showed no signs of worrying about dying because they were so fit and healthy. They didn’t struggle with the same problems we did; they considered themselves as exceptions to the rule. Their pride drove them to dress like arrogant, assertive snobs. They couldn’t wait to be part of an orgy and enjoyed describing their fantasies. They love to finds ways of intimidating others by speaking to them with condescending rudeness. They have no time for anything spiritual because they are so caught up in carnal pleasures. Unfortunately, some of Your people went along with them until they were squeezed dry of their possessions. Then they turned around and taunted them with insults like, “Didn’t your God know what you were doing? Isn’t your God Most High aware of what’s going on?” This made me so upset and bitter; I was an emotional wreck. I acted like an empty-headed fool toward You; I looked like a stupid animal. Yet I could not give up my faith in You, and You reached out and grabbed my hand. You will never give up guiding me with Your counsel until You complete what You started in me. You’re the only One I have above, and no one compares to You here below. I may fail You in the flesh, but You are the joy of my heart, and all I’ll ever want. Those who stray from You will be lost. But as for me, I want only to stay near You. And I tell everyone proudly: You are the one who saved me!” Psalm 73:1-11, 21-28

Reflection: In the 1835 a young American lawyer suffered such deep depression that his friends did everything possible to keep razors and knives away from him. He once wrote, “I am now the most miserable man living. Whether I shall be better, I cannot tell. I awfully forebode I shall not.” Also, one of the greatest preachers of the 19^th century experienced periods of severe depression. Times came when he felt so depressed he refused to leave the parsonage and go to church. On more than one occasion his deacons came and physically carried him to the pulpit. Add to this a great British statesman during WWII saying, “Depression followed me around like a black dog all my life.” Nevertheless, that young lawyer became the 16^th President of the United States; his name—Abraham Lincoln. That great preacher became an icon of evangelistic preaching and his books are still read today; his name—Charles H. Spurgeon. And that British politician is still acclaimed as the one man who helped England weather the onslaught of Nazi Germany’s bombardments and lead them to victory; his name—Winston Churchill. Asaph went through similar valleys of despair as he went from experiencing the elation and joy of seeing the Ark of the Covenant come to rest on Mt. Zion, and observe the transformation it brought; the lives that it changed; and the praise and honor it bestowed on the God of Israel. But depression set in as he watched, heartbroken and in horror as people began to stray and return to their old habits. To make matters worse, they prospered while the faithful struggled to make ends meet. But in the end God helped him understand that although a person may possess little else in this world other than faith, they had everything they needed to bring them through. It still works today, but only if we choose to believe it, accept it, and act on it.

BEING REAL IS REAL –

There’s an old saying that all’s well that ends well. But what goes on in between may not look well at times, and begin to cause doubt that things will turn out for the good after all. But lack of action or no action may cause a reaction that spoils the whole thing. When David’s eldest son, Adonijah, schemed to usurp the throne from Solomon, the intended heir, the prophet Nathan went to Bathsheba and advised her on how to put a stop to this treacherous act. So Bathsheba ran to David and pleaded with him not to let Adonijah succeed because it would cost Solomon his life. Once David brought Adonijah’s plot to an end, he decided to make Solomon’s ascendance to the throne official, and prepared this Psalm to be read before the elders at the coronation.

“O, One True God, anoint this king with Your wisdom, yes, endow my royal son with Your principles of justice. May he judge people honestly with fairness. May the nation become prosperous as the hills and valleys produce generous crops to reward their hard work. May he defend the poor, give relief to the needy and keep them from being exploited. May he be revered as long as the sun shines and moon glows, generation after generation. May he rule from sea to shining sea. May everyone everywhere, from kings to commoners bow down before him to honor his reign. May his memory be honored forever and ever; may nations be blessed because of his sovereignty; and may he be looked up to as one of our greatest leaders.” Psalm 72:1-5, 8-9, 17

Reflection: According to an ancient Chinese story, a childless Emperor needed to choose his successor. So he devised a unique way of doing so by calling a large group of boys together and giving each of them a seed to plant. After doing so he ordered them to return in a year and show him what they grew. One young lad, named Ling, let his mother help him plant his seed in a large clay pot. He tended to it and watered it with great dedication. But while the seeds the other boys planted grew and produced trees and plants, Ling’s laid dormant beneath the soil. When the young boys were ordered back to show the Emperor the results, Ling arrived with his clay pot’s soil bare of any vegetation. The Emperor looked over the other pots and saw many plants, and those with the tallest had the biggest smiles. After surveying the situation, the Emperor suddenly called Ling to come stand in front of him. Ling’s heart sank; he felt panicky inside thinking the Emperor might punish him for being a failure. After asking Ling for his name, the Emperor turned and announced, “Behold, your new Emperor, Ling!” Everyone was stunned until the Emperor explained. One year ago I gave every one of you a boiled seed incapable of growing. All of you, except Ling, substituted another seed just to impress me. But because Ling did not try to cheat, and showed courage and honesty by bringing his barren pot, he is your new Emperor. David wanted to be replaced by a king whose reign would be based on integrity and honesty. Such longing should resonate in the heart of any citizen for this kind of leader. Although Ling’s story may be one of fiction, his character and virtues represent what David desired in the one who succeed him. Even Jesus said that on judgment day there will be many who will show up and try to pass off wonders and miracles they performed using His name, but will be exposed as frauds and impersonators. God loves honesty, integrity, honor, decency and trustworthiness. May we all pray for a special anointing of these virtues on our leaders today.

IT DOES MAKE SENSE –

David continues expressing his faith in God’s ability to keep him going as he copes with the backlash that came after his insistence on an unlawful census; one that brought death and destruction to his people, including members of his own family. It weakened him politically; depleted his health, and made him so vulnerable that his eldest son, Adonijah, tried to take the throne away from Solomon, David’s intended heir. But through it all David vowed to rely on God for the answer. He knew that the important things God placed in his life would be protected by His heavenly Father. He believed that God did not chose his destiny without the commitment of helping him make it there.

“It was I who came running to you, O LORD Eternal; so don’t let me end up regretting my choice. And since You are so renown for being fair-minded, please advise me and help me find a way out of this mess; You’re the only one who can do what’s needed to rescue me. Also provide a safe sanctuary for me in a place where the enemy cannot reach me; proving that You are my lofty rock and high fortress for safety. O my One True God, all I want is to get beyond the reach of those who want to harm me because they are evil-minded, unjust and cruel in their intentions. From my youngest days You have been my sure and blessed hope, O my Lord Divine, my LORD God; yes, from infancy You had Your hand on me. And because You are the reason I was born, I will always lift You up in praise. And because You chose me, I have become an example to others as they see how much I trust in You. That’s why I can’t stop praising You for being so marvelous and wonderful. So now that I’m old, don’t throw me away and walk off and leave me because I’m of no further use to You. For I know that although You’ve allowed me to go through many difficult times, You’ll get me back on my feet once I’m out of this mess. I’ll still have a good reputation because You stood with me. Then I’ll worship You with music to tell how dependable You are, O One True God, yes, I’ll praise You loudly in song, O Holy One of Israel, because You restored me. Everyone will hear me constantly testify about how you were so caring and forgiving; and how You caused those who opposed me to be humiliated and lose their sarcastic grins.” Psalm 71:1-9, 20-24

Reflection: Someyears ago a patient undergoing chemotherapy for cancer anonymously wrote these words about their struggle against this killer disease: “Cancer is so limited…It cannot cripple love. It cannot shatter hope. It cannot corrode faith. It cannot destroy peace. It cannot kill friendship. It cannot suppress memories. It cannot silence courage. It cannot invade the soul. It cannot steal eternal life. It cannot conquer the spirit.” This statement now hangs on the walls of many hospitals, hospices, clinics, and lodges where cancer patients stay while undergoing treatment. It serves as an expression of encouragement for people to continue battling this monster; not to simply give in and let it win without a fight. David saw his struggle in much the same way. He refused to lie down and let these ingrates do as they pleased just because of a momentary failure. David knew he did not walk alone; his God walked with him, through every valley and over each mountain; through every river and over every fiery coal. God simply refused to let David suffer alone. As long as you hold on to His unchanging love He will do the same for you. People and circumstances may deny you many things, but there is nothing in this world that can separate you from God’s undying love.

GOD SAYS YOU’RE WORTH SAVING –

This Psalm is a repeat of Psalm 40:13-17. But the compilers of the Psalter felt it necessary to include it again at this point because it follows the theme of this section. In this location, it emphasizes David’s desire to be reconciled with God after his sinful act of adultery with Bathsheba. Although devastated by his fall and buried beneath a mountain of guilt, David knew his only way back was through the grace and mercy of God. He decided that no matter what was taken away from him because of disobedience, he would rather die than lose his faith in a gracious and forgiving God. For David, living without God in his life was unthinkable, so he humbled himself and poured out his heart on the mercy seat of his Heavenly Father.

“O LORD Eternal, I need Your grace now more than ever; please, O LORD Eternal, act quickly before it’s too late. And do something about those whose intent is to ruin my life; let them know what it feels like to be humiliated and disgraced; yes, let those who seek to make my life miserable be ashamed of themselves. And let those who come around taunting me saying, “Aha! Aha!” experience what it means to be dejected, especially when they don’t succeed in making me give up. On the other hand, let everyone who seeks You be given a reason to rejoice because they know You; yes, may all those who eagerly turn to You for deliverance by able to say, ‘Magnify the LORD Eternal with me!’ Even though I feel worthless and see no reason to go on, I know my Divine Master wants me to keep going. That’s why I look to You as my Savior and believe You came to save me. O One True God, please do something soon.” Psalm 70:1-5

Reflection: After praise and worship the pastor introduced a visiting minister. He told the congregation this was one of his dearest friends since childhood. The elderly gentleman he introduced walked to the pulpit began to tell this story: “A father, his son, and his son’s friend were sailing off the Pacific Coast, when a fast approaching storm prevented any attempt of their getting back to shore. The waves were so high, that even though the father was an experienced sailor he could not keep the boat upright, and the three were thrown into the ocean as the boat capsized. Grabbing the only rescue line the father had, he was forced to make an excruciating decision: to which boy he would throw the lifeline. He had only seconds to make up his mind. This father’s son was already a believer, but his son’s friend was not. With great agony the father yelled, ‘I love you, son!’, as he threw the lifeline to his son’s friend. By the time he pulled the friend back to the capsized boat, his son disappeared beneath the raging swells into the black of night. His body was never recovered.” As the old gentleman was speaking, he spotted two teenagers sitting up straight in their pew anxiously waiting for what happened next. The visiting minister continued: “The father knew his son would go into eternity with Jesus, but he could not bear letting his son’s friend step into an eternity without a Savior. Therefore, he sacrificed his son to save the son’s friend.” The guest minister then asked, “How great is the love of God that He would do the same for us.” After the service the two teenagers shook hands with the visiting speaker. “That was a nice story,” said one of the boys, “but isn’t it unrealistic to think that a father would give up his only son’s life in hopes that the other boy would become a Christian?” “Well, you’ve got a point there,” the elderly minister replied. “But let me tell you, I understand more than most people the pain God must have felt when He gave up His only Son for lost sinners. For you see, I’m the man who lost his son to the ocean that day, and my son’s friend is now your pastor.” If God will love us that much while we were yet sinners, don’t you think He will still love us even if we go astray. So don’t let your doubt be a substitute for God’s faithfulness. Hold on to your faith in Him, even if you have little faith in yourself. He did not give up His only begotten Son just to save others, He loved you too and wants you to always be His child.

GOD IS ALWAYS ON-CALL –

David experienced what many believers often encounter; no matter how much he trusted God and wanted to do God’s will, there were times when he took matters in his own hands because he couldn’t wait for God to act. Abraham’s example with Hagar and Ismael was well known; as well as King Saul’s fall from grace when he offered sacrifices instead of waiting for the prophet Samuel to come. David found himself alienated from his people and being punished by God because of his insistence on taking a census of the people when it was strictly forbidden by the Almighty. After being confronted with reality, David realized that the One who judged him was now the only One who could save him.

“O One True God, I’m in deep trouble up to my neck and I need Your help desperately; and as I sink lower and lower in this swamp, I can’t find anything to stand on; I’m about to go under and be swept away by the current. I’m so exhausted from yelling that my throat has become hoarse and my eyes are bloodshot from the stress of waiting for my One True God to answer. All because the number people who despise me and are trying to get rid of me have increased so tremendously that I can’t count them anymore. O my One True God, I know You are fully aware of my foolishness because I cannot conceal from You what I did wrong. Yet, even though I feel depressed because I’m in such misery, O One True God, I still want Your encouragement to give me hope. Then I can sing songs in celebration, O One True God, for who You are, and give You all the thanks You deserve. That will please You more than if I try to impress You with multiple pledges and offerings. I want those who are down and out, and those who look to You for help to see how this works; how You respond and refuse to ignore those who really need You.” Psalm 69:1-5, 29-33

Reflection: While serving as chaplain on-call one night at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami, Florida, my beeper woke me up around 2 AM. I called the number and a nurse in the trauma center asked me to come quickly; a patient brought in after a terrible traffic accident wanted to see a chaplain. I rushed through the emergency section and found a young man with doctors huddled around him lying mangled and bloody on the operating room table. When the doctors saw me they drew back to let me get near him. With fear and pain showing in his eyes he struggled to tell me how he once went to church and lived a good life as a Christian, but after becoming a truck driver he drifted away from what he believed and fell into a very sinful life-style. He planned to repent one day but kept putting it off. So he believed that God used this accident as a way of getting his attention, and he wanted desperately to make things right with God. I asked him if he saw the impact coming and he nodded “Yes.” So then I asked what his thoughts were at that particular moment. With fear filling his eyes as he replied, “I yelled, ‘O God, save me!’” I bent over to be nearer to him, and while holding his hand I brushed blood-soaked hair away from his forehead. Then with all the tenderness and compassion God poured into my heart I said to him, “I can tell you, God heard your prayer.” Then together we prayed for reconciliation and God’s assurance of acceptance. As I stepped back to let the doctors try and save him; with tears streaming down his cheeks he looked up at me and with a peaceful smile on his face whispered, “Thank you Chaplain….” For David, his dilemma was not caused by an accident, but by disobedience. So in his moment of despair he called out to God for understanding and mercy. We don’t know if prophets or priests were on-call in those days, but we do know that God sent an angel to David, letting him know that He did indeed hear his prayer. I’m certain that God doesn’t respond to His children out of pity or because of moral pressure, but out of a compassionate, loving, and caring heart. Since God was willing to listen to David’s plea and the prayer of that young man in the trauma center, I’m sure He’ll hear your prayer as well. Just remember, God went to great expense to save you, and He’s not about to lose you without a fight. – Dr. Robert R Seyda

While looking at the Fruit of the Spirit as listed by Paul in Galatians 5:22-23, a thought came to me inspired by what I read in the work of Rabbi Moses Maimonides. He told that Onkelos, a Roman Prince who left the royal palace in Rome for Jerusalem, and there converted to Judaism, was contemplating Exodus 33:23 where God responded to Moses’ request that he be able to see Him said, “I will remove my hand and let you see me from behind. But my face will not be seen.” Onkelos concluded that there are higher things of such superiority that their true nature cannot be perceived by man’s intellect. In looking at the Fruit of the Spirit I asked myself: is there any painter or artist in the world that can paint a portrait of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control as fruit? What form would they take? What would they look like? I concluded, like Onkelos, God has made some things so superior to our knowledge that we cannot perceive them without using the objects we already possess in our understanding. For instance, to paint a picture of love, an artist may show a mother holding her infant in her arms, looking down at him or her with tender eyes and a look of sweet serenity on her face. But that’s not the essence of love, only the evidence. The same goes for joy, peace, etc. That’s because all these fruit are abstract terms that can only be turned into concrete understanding through action. Thus Moses, who wanted to see God face to face, had to settle for something that would display an attribute of God, but not God Himself. But oh what joy to read in 1 John 3:2, “Dear friends, we are God’s children now. But it has not yet been shown to us what we are going to be. We know that when He comes again, we will be like Him because we will see Him as He [really] is.” – Dr. Robert R Seyda

After my two year residency as a hospital chaplain at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami, Florida, I was hired as a team chaplain for a hospice organization to provide spiritual care to the terminally ill at six nursing homes throughout the Miami-Dade County area. I always tried to make sure that each patient and their families that I saw were given all the services that I could provide, plus access to whatever resources I had available to cope with their situation. So whenever I visited a patient or family, I would try to find out their spiritual needs and do whatever I could to meet them. So on several occasions after visiting a number patients who were Roman Catholic, who responded when I asked them if they would like for me to have a priest visit them, they replied, “No! No! Please don’t ask a priest to come.” This puzzled me. So one day I ask my good friend and fellow chaplain, Father Benny, why these people were so adamant about not having me ask a priest to come. He smiled, and then told me it was because the priest is only called under those circumstances to administer the last rites, and they didn’t want that because it would mean they’ve given up. I thanked him and made sure I never did it again. But at the same time I was also having a curious reaction from Jewish patients that I didn’t understand. Whenever I would ask if they would like for me to have a Rabbi stop by, they would tell me right away, “Oh no! Please don’t bother. That’s not necessary. I don’t think I want to see a Rabbi right now. I had the privilege of mentoring a Rabbi for another team, so I asked him one day why they didn’t want me to arrange for a Rabbi to come see them. He chuckled and then told me, “It’s because they would have to pay a Rabbi to come.” That really got me to thinking. So I started taking more notice when I asked patients who were listed as Protestants in their chart if they would like for me to contact their pastor and see if he could come. Much to my surprise, when I did asked, most of them declined saying, “Oh I don’t want to bother him because he is very busy.” It was at that time I began to thank the good Lord that I could call on Him without any of these mitigating conditions being involved. That I could visit with Him in prayer each day without waiting until I’m about to die. And that I could go into His throne room of grace through prayer and not have to pay for Him to see me. But most of all that I could call on Him at any time and not find Him too busy to answer my prayer. What a marvelous God we serve! What a wonderful Savior we have! And what a fantastic Holy Spirit we possess to guide us everyday! – Dr. Robert R Seyda

LIVING WITH A LIVING GOD –

After David successfully brought the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem and installed it under the sacred tent he built for it; and after many ceremonies and sacrifices were performed in honor of this great occasion; and after hours of praise and worship were given to magnify the LORD God who once again sat in the midst of His people; David provided a benediction for this great festival, to motive the people to see it as a new beginning. David remembered the words of Moses in Numbers 10:35-36, which he then incorporated in the final hymn of this once-in-a-lifetime celebration:

“Let the One True God go forward; let all those who oppose Him scatter in every direction; yes, let those who stand against Him flee before Him. Like smoke being blown by the wind and wax being melted by fire, that’s how the evil-minded of this world will respond to the presence of our One True God. While those who live right shout with joy and celebrate in His presence, singing songs of praise telling how great He is and who He is; lifting up praise to Him who will come in the clouds; the LORD of lords, that’s who He is. So let those gathered in the holy sanctuary of the One True God be joyful in the presence of Him who is a Father to the fatherless; a companion to those who’ve been abandoned. For our One True God rescues those who are hopeless and sets free those who are bound, and lets those who are rebellious live in their failures.” Psalm 68:1-6

Reflection: Anyone who remembers seeing the movie Jurassic Park will recall a fascinating moment when top paleontologist Allen Grant, who devoted his life to the study of dinosaurs, suddenly came face-to-face with the real thing. He falls awestruck to the ground. The reason, even an expert may piece together the imperfect image of extinct dinosaurs by assembling old fossils and bones, but to encounter an actual living dinosaur—well that’s beyond belief. From the time the Philistines stole the Ark of the Covenant until David came to power, the children of Israel relied solely upon the stories of their elders as to its sacredness and being a source of God’s power. For a time the Tabernacle sat empty on a lonely hill called Gibeon. Later they found the Ark of the Covenant abandoned in a grove of trees miles away from Jerusalem. David wanted the people of Israel to meet God up close and personal. He wanted them to feel God’s presence and see His Shekinah glory once more. That’s why he went to all the trouble and expense of bringing the Ark to Jerusalem for all to see. Today, some people’s image of God comes by way of creeds of faith tucked away in books and manuscripts from centuries ago. It represents a bygone era for them, a time never to be repeated in their lifetime. Yet for true believers, as in David’s day, we can meet our Living God on holy ground; allow Him to walk with us as we go through enemy territory; and fill our hearts with hymns of praise and adoration to Him in both His earthly and heavenly sanctuaries, as we march toward the New Jerusalem. So if you have never encountered the abiding presence of God’s Spirit in your earthly tabernacle, do as David did, restore the covenant you made with the One True God to its rightful place on the pedestal of honor in your heart.

LIVE BY FAITH, NOT BY FATE –

There is every reason to believe that King David had a satisfied smile on his face as the final blessing was given to the people after the Ark of the Covenant rested in the Holy Tent he prepared for it. Then this happy and delighted King of Israel encouraged the priests and singers to continue the sacrifices of praise for God’s new abode. So, accompanied by the choir and musicians, they used this Psalm of Thanksgiving in their praise and worship as a satisfied king returned to his own palace where he blesses his family, as the enormity of what just happened impacts his heart and mind.

“May our One True God smile on us and treat us with such dignity and kindness that everyone will see what it means to believe in Him, and how He treats those who do. After they see this, surely they will honor You, O One True God. This will bring joy to many people and put a song in their hearts, because they see that You are just and offer guidance to those who obey. Because of this, they will surely honor You O One True God. May our One True God above all gods let prosperity come and cause us to be admired around the world. Yes, may our One True God smile on us and treat us with such dignity that people in every corner of the earth will then esteem and respect Him.” Psalm 67:1-7

Reflection: One of Chicago’s wealthiest businessmen, Horatio Spafford, stood silent as he saw his worldly possessions go up in flame during the great fire of October 1871. While he attempted to put things back together, he decided to send his wife and four daughters off to Europe for a deserved reprieve from the heartbreak that hit their family. But on the way to Europe their ship collided with another and sank, taking his four young daughters to a watery grave. As soon as his surviving wife reached Europe she sent him a telegram with the horrible news. It was like rubbing salt into his already infected wounds. So Spafford quickly booked passage on the next ship in order to join his wife and comfort her. The ship was scheduled to sail over the same spot where his daughters drowned and now lay at the ocean’s bottom. Out of respect, the captain stopped the ship at the place of this tragic scene. As Spafford stood at the railing looking out teary-eyed over the ocean’s expanse, his tears began to fall into the waves below. This moment moved him so deeply that he decided to write down the feelings that came over him during that instant. The words he wrote went like this: “When peace, like a river, attendeth my way, when sorrow like sea billows roll; whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say, it is well, it is well, with my soul.” After all David had been through running from King Saul; the criticism and uncertainly of his friends when they thought all was lost; after his unsuccessful first attempt to bring the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem resulted in death; and even after those who expressed disapproval over his complete dedication to getting the Ark back and putting it where it should be, we can hear David say at the close of this day, all is well with my soul. What a wonderful examples these two men leave us on how to best respond in troubled times with an everlasting hope in our hearts; that despite the turmoil and rampant growth of evil in our world today, because of God’s loving hand upon our lives it is truly well with our souls. So the next time you pass through some trying or painful experiences, rather than exploding with complaints and accusations, acknowledge that your complete faith and trust in God will allow you to also say in the most trying circumstances: all is well with my soul.

YOUR REASON THE REASON –

When David arranged for the Ark of the Covenant to be brought to Jerusalem, he enthusiastically orchestrated an awesome ceremony to accompany it to the tent he had erected to cover and protect it. Try and imagine the spell-binding atmosphere that surrounded the bearers of the Ark as they slowly made their way up Mount Zion. Each time the Ark moved the sound of shouting and trumpet blasts filled the air. Think of multitudes lining the road and thousands gathered at the gate to welcome this sacred object. And as it entered the city, David turned, and with a smile and glow on his face as he chanted out this Psalm he had written just for this occasion. How it must have warmed his heart and the hearts of those who heard it to know that they welcoming their God to His new home to be the center of their daily lives.

“Everybody, give our One True God a victorious shout of praise like you really mean it! Oh yes, sing songs that extol the splendor of His majesty, and do it with all your heart and soul! Tell our One True God, ‘Everything You’ve ever done is awesome!’ And one day everyone who opposes You will acknowledge Your supremacy and kneel in submission before You; they will join the others already rejoicing as they bow before You; yes, they will all unite in singing hymns of praise to celebrate You for who You are. Let us take a look at all the wonders performed by our One True God; miracles that cause men to stare in disbelief. He once transformed a sea into dry land; then dried up a river so His children could walk across on dry ground after which they then celebrated Him in worship. His reign of sole authority will never end; thereby keeping unbelievers and those who are rebellious from ever gaining the upper hand. So let everyone begin praising our One True God; praise Him with enough enthusiasm so it can be heard everywhere; oh yes, praise the One who gave us life, and did not let us die lost and alone. O my One True God, we knew You were testing us; refining us like silver is refined. Even when we were imprisoned, with chains around our waists, by those who had control at the time; still we passed through the fire and we passed through the flood; coming out with more than we had before we went in. So I call on everyone to pay attention, especially those who have reverence for our One True God, and I will testify about what He did for me. When I needed Him the most I called out to Him, lifting Him up with words of praise. Had I not been sincere, my Divine Lord would have paid no attention to me. But my One True God did pay attention; He did listen to my call for help. So now I’m lifting up my One True God in praise because He neither turned away my call for help nor did He withhold His steadfast love from me.” Psalm 66:1-12, 16-20

Reflection: In 1977 the completed New York Citicorp Tower stood tall and gleaming. Onlookers, hailed the 59-story building for its technical elegance and singular grace. William LeMessurier, one of the country’s most distinguished structural engineers designed the steel superstructure. But one year after opening, LeMessurier received a message that exposed a terrifying truth. Experts found critical flaws in the tower’s design. During construction contractors decided to avoid the high cost of welding the steel beams joints, and used bolted braces instead. What made this so perilous involved the fact that strong side-winds could sway the building back and forth until the joints gave away. LeMessurier weighed his options. If he blew the whistle on himself, he faced potential lawsuits, possible bankruptcy and professional disgrace. But lives were at stake and LeMessurier did the right thing. He informed Citicorp and the corporate leaders; they all agreed to approve the needed welds at the cost of millions of dollars. Instead of destroying LeMessurier’s career and reputation, it enhanced it because of his courage to admit a mistake had been made and needed to be fixed. David dreamed of constructing a holy place for the Ark of the Covenant to sit among God’s people as the centerpiece for worship. On his first try he designed a fancy wagon that almost toppled over and cost a priest named Uzziah his life when he reached out to steady it. But this did not stop David from fulfilling his dream. He did not walk away in disgust or try to hide his mistake. He did what LeMessurier did, admitted an error had been made and then followed God’s instructions on how to do it properly. As a result David’s reputation grew and people’s faith in him increased. What a wonderful example these two men offer us when we face similar circumstances. The question is, do we possess the same amount of courage to do the same?