Leaning In and Breathing Deep

Before I go any further, I do want to say a word to our Mission Woods family. I miss you, my mom misses you, my service dog “Dudley” misses you. I so look forward to being together in person again. I hope that you will be able to join us for our Virtual Coffee hour at 10:30am this morning (Sunday, Mar 29, 2020). For now, seeing each other virtually will need to suffice.

We’re going to get into God’s Word in must a moment, and as we prepare to do that, let’s take a moment of silence and quiet ourselves from all the issues that have bombarded our minds and our hearts this past week. You might want to stop this recording and go find a place where you can be quiet and undisturbed for the next 25-30 minutes so you can really listen and allow God to speak to your heart in our time together.

Okay, let’s quiet our hearts...

Please join me in prayer:

Holy, Mighty, Immortal, All-knowing, Sovereign, All-powerful, Loving God,

Many of us are tired. Many of us are bewildered and worried. Many of us have spent this past week struggling to not worry about the future. We know your word - we know that you are with us, and yet…and yet…we struggle. What we will be in the future has yet to be made known, but when you appear we will be like you. As we continue to grow in our understanding of your Word, and who you are, God we want to take this time to just be in your presence. We want to sit in your presence and find that rest for our souls; to find peace that guards our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Help us Lord to see ourselves as you see us…your beloved and dear children.

Quiet us with your holiness and rejoice over us, Lord (Zeph 3:17) as we listen for your voice. Speak Lord, for your servants are indeed listening. Amen.

The Psalms

There are not many times that I have preached from the psalms, and there are few that I know who have preached their way through the Psalms. Perhaps thats because the book of Psalms is a book of prayers to God. In essence, the book of Psalms is the Church’s prayer book and since many of these prayers were put to music we may also call it the first hymnal.

When I approach the Bible I believe that this is God’s written word. I believe that there is nothing in their that is not supposed to be there.

For the last dozen years or so I’ve had a practice of praying through the book of Psalms every month or so. It is so rich with every emotion and it’s raw in its honesty before God.

This past week I was thinking about the contrasts that we can find in there, and I think it applies to our current situation. We’re going to spend some time in a very familiar psalm this morning that I think just about all of you have at least part of it memorized…it’s Psalm 23.

But before we get there, I want to contrast the opening verse of Psalm 23 with the Psalm that comes directly prior - Psalm 22.

Psalm 22 begins with:

Psalm 22:1 ESV

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning?

Have you ever felt that way? I know I have. When everything seems to be so out of our control in our lives we often cry out to God - but our cries are most often focused upon ourselves. As you read through Psalm 22, you might see the same thing. In fact it may feel very familiar as that opening verse are the very words Jesus cried out from the cross. And as you read through Psalm 22 you realize why he chose those words as they appear to describe our Lord’s experience in the crucifixion.

But contrast that with Psalm 23, the very next psalm which opens with:

Psalm 23:1 ESV

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

Let’s read the entire Psalm. I’m reading from the ESV version:

Psalm 23 ESV

A Psalm of David. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Two incredibly vivid images are expressed in this Psalm for our Lord:

The Shepherd

As Shepherd - providing for his flock, making them rest in good places, leading them to quench their thirst, restoring their souls, comforting them with his direction.

The Host

And as Host - preparing a table for his guest, anointing his guests heads,

Sheep’s Experience

No need or want, well fed, thirst is quenched, soul restored. Don’t fear because the Shepherd is with them and they are comforted.

Guest’s Experience

Their enemies are powerless in preventing the guests enjoyment of the Lord’s generous hospitality. Anointed, given generous helpings, and given a place to dwell forever.

It’s so cool that both of these psalms come together in our Bibles.

TRUTH:

They both point to a very central truths about God and about us.

God is in control.

God remains on His throne.

God loves you.

Reading through Psalm 22, it’s hard not to see the comparison to the crucifixion. If you’ve never considered it before, God loves you so much that he sent his son to pay any and ALL debt that you might have for your sins. God knew that you wouldn’t be able to come to him covered in sin, so God took care of it.

God loves you anyways.

If you know anything about sheep, they’re not very clean animals. Imagine if you were white, everything you walk through, lie in, whatever, would cling to that wooly coat of yours. Mud, branches, leaves, dirt, grass, etc. It’s all in there.

The same is true for all that we’ve gotten ourselves into. And God loves us anyway.

God’s love for you is not a mistake!

I don’t know anyone that would say that God’s love is a mistake, as Christians we, for the most part, understand loving is in God’s nature. However, when it comes to the idea that God loves each of us more than we can imagine - we tend to come up with all sorts of reasons why God shouldn’t love us.

We may not say them out loud, but if you watch people’s actions there are all kinds of reasons people think God shouldn’t love them.

Reasons God shouldn’t love me.

I have Anger issues.

I drink too much.

I have impure thoughts.

I have doubts.

I smoke.

I don’t pray.

I don’t read my Bible.

I’ve done drugs.

I don’t go to church.

I don’t tithe.

I have sin in my life.

Pride.

I don’t know the Bible.

Selfishness.

God Loves You!

This is the core and central truth of the Gospel. This is not something that you need to earn. This is not something you can prevent. God simply is love, and God loves you.

Our ability to love - and all of you have it - is from God. For God is love.

We read in 1 John 4:7-8

1 John 4:7–8 ESV

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.

Look at vs. 8 a little closer.

1 John 4:8 ESV

Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.

God is love. Stick with me here. This is important.

It is so in God’s nature to love and to share that with others. This is why we were created. God wanted to share what God had created with others, so God created humankind in God’s own image.

If you need evidence of God’s love for you it’s in your own ability to love and care for anyone or anything. Your ability to love is evidence of your the imago dei, the image of God, within you.

Our problem is we tend to look to ourselves rather than God.

This past week I was reading from a book Developing Intimacy with God by Alex B. Aronis. In that book he says that in his experience the one thing that prevents people from getting close to God is that they keep looking at themselves!

“I have found, to an alarming degree, that they focus on their need to improve themselves rather than on God’s gracious acceptance of them.”

Alex B. Adonis - Developing Intimacy with God

He goes on to say that one of the reasons we so lack intimacy with God is because in our devotional life and even in our prayer life our focus is on our deficiencies rather than on the goodness and loving-kindness of God.

In other words, we see our deficiencies - our reasons why God shouldn’t love us - and then we work at trying to improve so that we would be worthy of God’s love.

So...

We are living in the middle of a time where we have before us all a tremendous opportunity. I truly believe that this time is going to change us all and we will not be the same after we’ve gone through this.

I have listened as people have shared their prayer requests for people who are sick, for their jobs, for family incomes and concern for being able to pay the bills, for the agony of being separated from loved ones and all of these things are important and good things to be bringing to the Lord.

You may recall when Jesus visited Lazarus’ home and Mary and Martha were there. Mary chose to spend time just being with the Lord - learning from him - not questioning, not doing, not earning her worth, just simply being with him.

Martha on the other hand was busy about making a meal, getting everything just right for their guest, etc. and she says to Jesus, ”Lord, tell her to help me.” And Jesus responds, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things. but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion which will not be taken away from her.” (Lk 10:40-42).

Last week I shared with you about Anxiety and Pandemic. We talked about how so much of our activity can really amount to nothing more than running on a hamster wheel. There’s a lot of activity, but you’re not getting anywhere.

Lean In - Breathe Deep

Most of us have been given a gift, whether we like it or not, of more time on our hands. Stores and businesses are closed, we’ve been asked not to be out an about, and we’re sitting at home. We can make ourselves busy…like Martha. OR

We can remember God’s love and choose to lean in to God. “The Lord is my shepherd” not because of anything we’ve done. “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.” Because God provides; the Lord gives us food, drink, and rest; the Lord leads us; prepares a table before us; anoints us.”

God loves you. Do you understand that?

GOD LOVES YOU! - not your imitation of mother Theresa or Billy Graham. Not your imitation of what you think you ought to be. God loves you right now, right there where you’re sitting.

Psalm 23:4 ESV

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

God is with us, even in the midst of this storm.

A few weeks ago, while we were still meeting together, Carlyn shared this message from Psalm 91,

Psalm 91:1–6 ESV

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and buckler. You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness, nor the destruction that wastes at noonday.

I love that picture of God covering us with his pinions - as a mother hen guards her chicks.

I hope you will take the time to lean into God, and breathe deep of his love for you.

His grace has been lavished upon you with all wisdom.

This is the God who created you. In this time of pandemic,

Lean In - Breathe Deep.

Let’s pray.

Loving God - Protector - Shield - you are the one we trust. Sometimes trust is hard. God help us to lean in, to breathe deep and know that you are in control. Thank you that you are still in control even when so much in our lives feels out of control. May we apply what we’ve learned here and take the gift of some down time to draw closer to you. Reveal yourself to us in new ways and remind us again of how much you love us. We need to hear that again and again.

Remind us again in this time of Lent as we’re leading up to easter the expression of you love in sending your son to pay the price for each and every sin. Thank you that you call us your children.