Psalms in the Night.......
With so many wonderful Biblical promises and powerful examples of God's interaction with mankind, see Psalms of Delight, Psalms in the Night are a way of exploring and sharing some of the thoughts, feelings and experiences God's people encounter while endeavoring to fully enjoy His presence, power and protection in greater ways for themselves, their families and others.
The Answer Summary
Human existence is filled with questions. From the cares of modern life to more ultimate concerns, we each face a myriad of choices for which we are more or less prepared. In the end, the realities of mortality dictate we prepare ourselves as best we can to face the question of eternity. Seeing Scripture explains we shall give account both individually and corporately, wisdom suggests we get together to prep for the final exam.
Up at 5AM on Father’s Day 2015 I walk and bike around my modest neighborhood wondering for the millionth time why humanity, and particularly modern Christianity, should be estranged from Ours. Having invested more than 70,000 hours of strategically seeking and serving You, in many ways I remain as much at arms distance as billions with lesser or no spiritual portfolios. Pastorates and directorships notwithstanding, tens of thousand of modern proverbs and psalms, articles and books, projects and prayers later, I’ve yet to be able to say with Job, “I heard about you from others; now I have seen you with my own eyes.”
As I’m want to do, I search Scripture diligently for clues as to why we remain alienated form so glorious a Creator and Savior. So much so that secular society is increasingly filled with atheists and Churchianity practical agnostics. This as individually and collectively we inch ever closer to great tribulation and judgment both in time and eternity. Doing so has provided many answers including a unique glimpse into the very history of heaven, which in turn raises additional questions and so on. An imperfect yet important process, which sadly again on this Father’s Day I’m forced to admit has yet to bridge the gap between us.
How I wish I were writing a different story, the authors of old:
- “Is there anyplace I can go to avoid your Spirit? to be out of your sight? If I climb to the sky, you’re there! If I go underground, you’re there! If I flew on morning’s wings to the far western horizon, You’d find me in a minute— you’re already there waiting! Then I said to myself, “Oh, he even sees me in the dark! At night I’m immersed in the light!” It’s a fact: darkness isn’t dark to you; night and day, darkness and light, they’re all the same to you.: Psalm 139:7-12 MSG
- “From the very first day, we were there, taking it all in—we heard it with our own ears, saw it with our own eyes, verified it with our own hands. The Word of Life appeared right before our eyes; we saw it happen! And now we’re telling you in most sober prose that what we witnessed was, incredibly, this: The infinite Life of God himself took shape before us. We saw it, we heard it, and now we’re telling you so you can experience it along with us, this experience of communion with the Father and his Son, Jesus Christ. Our motive for writing is simply this: We want you to enjoy this, too. Your joy will double our joy!” 1 John 1:1-4 MSG
- “My response is to get down on my knees before the Father, this magnificent Father who parcels out all heaven and earth. I ask him to strengthen you by his Spirit—not a brute strength but a glorious inner strength—that Christ will live in you as you open the door and invite him in. And I ask him that with both feet planted firmly on love, you’ll be able to take in with all followers of Jesus the extravagant dimensions of Christ’s love. Reach out and experience the breadth! Test its length! Plumb the depths! Rise to the heights! Live full lives, full in the fullness of God. God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us. Glory to God in the church! Glory to God in the Messiah, in Jesus! Glory down all the generations! Glory through all millennia! Oh, yes!” Ephesians 3:14-21 MSG
