"Only those whose hands and hearts are pure, who do not worship idols and never tell lies." Psalm 24:4
Yesterday in Psalm 15 David gave the how-to instructions for entering into the Lord's presence on the Holy Hill. "Such people" who heeded the instructions would stand firm forever. Now, nine Psalms later David once again brooches the subject of the Lord's Holy place.
David, as in Psalm 15, very clearly spells out the criteria for climbing toward and standing on the mountain of God, His Holy place. He gives four criteria: hands are pure, hearts are pure, never tell lies, and does not worship idols.
If asked the question after examining my life based on the definitions of idol and worship, I would have to confess that I have other gods in my life. A big one right now is "Me time" and "Sleep." (Just to name two-I am sad to say the list could go on.) God is a jealous God. (Deut. 4:24) He will not share His glory with another. If He will not share His glory, I don't think He would be willing to share His Holy Hill. I should not be so willing to share the extreme, intense love, and admiration of my heart.
The ability to meet these criteria is impossible on our own but with God all these are possible. (Mark 10:27) There is a reward for us for keeping our hands and heart pure, being truthful in our dealings with people, and having only on God. The Lord's blessing and a right relationship with God our Savior is given to "such people." A reward like this is worth washing our hands, purifying our hearts, throwing our idols in a fire, and guarding our words as we work in cooperation with others. God and I have some cleaning, purifying, fire lighting, and tongue guarding to do.
David, as in Psalm 15, very clearly spells out the criteria for climbing toward and standing on the mountain of God, His Holy place. He gives four criteria: hands are pure, hearts are pure, never tell lies, and does not worship idols.
- Purity of hands examines what we do with our hands, undefiled as Henry refers to it. What are we doing with our hands?
- Purity of heart examines the impurities, sin, and wickedness of our hearts. Do we have a repented heart?
- Never tells lies examines the integrity of our dealings with others. Do we break promises, violate contracts and agreements or speak falsehoods for our advantage?
- Don't worship idols examines the gods in our lives. What or who am I devoted to?
If asked the question after examining my life based on the definitions of idol and worship, I would have to confess that I have other gods in my life. A big one right now is "Me time" and "Sleep." (Just to name two-I am sad to say the list could go on.) God is a jealous God. (Deut. 4:24) He will not share His glory with another. If He will not share His glory, I don't think He would be willing to share His Holy Hill. I should not be so willing to share the extreme, intense love, and admiration of my heart.
The ability to meet these criteria is impossible on our own but with God all these are possible. (Mark 10:27) There is a reward for us for keeping our hands and heart pure, being truthful in our dealings with people, and having only on God. The Lord's blessing and a right relationship with God our Savior is given to "such people." A reward like this is worth washing our hands, purifying our hearts, throwing our idols in a fire, and guarding our words as we work in cooperation with others. God and I have some cleaning, purifying, fire lighting, and tongue guarding to do.
9 Comments:
Once again, I love the foreshadowing of Christ in Psalm 22 16-18. "They have pierced my hands and feet" They divide my garments among themselves and throw dice for my clothing".
That my friends is such a reassurance to me of a loving God who was on His way all along to rescue us! Like a knight in shining armor coming to rescue his princess! I feel loved!
Happy Friday.
Morgen
Wendy ~ I love what you wrote today --- I did not even realize that verse (24:4) was a review of Psalm 15!
Once you've been in God's Presence, and you've experienced how sweet it is, your desires, bit by bit, keep you returning! I used to spend many frivolous days away, not even realizing I was not in God's presence. I thought I was doing everything the way it was suppose to be done. God's Spirit began leading me to pray. Innocently, I obeyed, but really did not have any idea where I was headed! It's amazing to me how God begins working in our lives when we seek Him.
My Mother-in-Law, (truly) gives us bags of magazines, quite often. She must get most every subscription that is out there! Much of my free time would be spent browsing through the pages...or flipping through the catalogs. God showed me how much time I was spending perusing these. They cluttered my life and I did not even know it. I began reading Christian novels, and "other" material that brought me closer to God. When we go to Him and ask him to show us what we need to change...He does. He truly listens to us. I never thought I'd reach a point where I'd REALLY want to read my Bible! Now, I find myself picking it up every chance I get. He is giving me this desire to seek Him. As I experience His presence, that is where I want to be. He's got me hooked on Him; it's right where I want to be, and I love it!
"The LORD is my shepherd; I have all that I need."
Girls, it's Friday and Mother's Day weekend! (I let my family know, starting on the Monday before, {because boy's are clueless about this sort of thing} that Mother's Day WEEKEND is coming up...not Mother's Day!} :)
Enjoy. Enjoy.. Enjoy...
Lori - AZ
Morgen,
I so agree! I was struck a number of times in Psalm 22!
Have a wonderful Mother's Day weekend all of you who are mothers! For those of you who are not, may this weekend be special for you in time you spend seeking the face of God!
I am in (snowy) Montana for my daughter's gradutation this weekend and then I am taking my mother to Yellowstone. You ladies in AZ enjoy the heat because we could use some up here!
My next stop is Basel Switzerland on a job interview before I go home. I may not be able to post much in the upcoming week, but I will keep you all in my prayers and I will keep up with the readings.
Blessings to you all,
Karen
Wendy;
Thank you for your vulnerable heart. None us want to admit that we have idols or unclean hands or lips or hearts that lie. Your willingness to share your heart here has caused me to search mine before God, His blessing on my life, could very well be in a holding pattern just waiting for me to bend the knee and submit to his refining fire.
susan j silva
A good morning to all!
David certainly practiced being in the Presence of God in the writing of these Psalms. He seems to hold nothing back from God. But then why should he or why should we?
Psalm 139, "O Lord, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O Lord."
David comes into the presence of the Almighty God often. His conversations are prayers, praises, pleas, and are emotion packed. He shares his joy, his fears, his sorrows,his anxieties, his anger, his thankfulness, his shame. He seeks the Lord's love, wisdom, comfort, forgiveness, healing and justice.
There are times that I unintentionally and sometimes intentionally try to hide my thoughts, feelings, and actions from God as if He can't already hear them and see them. Does that ever happen to you?
So I guess we should pull up a chair to a "table for two God and you." Pour our hearts out as David so beautifully demonstrates. Perhaps writing our own book of Psalms/Conversations with God.
HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!
"Blessed is the mother who has character enough to withstand the thoughtless remarks and resentments of the growing child, for again, in due time, she shall be honored." by Lenora Zearfoss
Sounds a lot like the Proverbs 31 Woman! Enjoy the weekend!
Love from Debbie in Illinois
It is amazing to me that God speaks to me through you all! I was reading Kristen's blog and she mentioned, "one of the greatest ways that we can share God's love with those around us is by praying for them." It made me think about yesterday when I was at my nephew's house. We were in his bedroom and I noticed a little picture he had made at school. It said, "remember to pray for Mom and Dad," and then below that it said, pray for my brother." My heart at that moment swelled up so big, thinking that this little child of 5 is praying for his family. The visual reminder touched me so, that I could not get it out of my mind. His little cherub face and the sweet little mouth that never stopped! So refreshing after dropping teenager's off at school. I remember, just like it was yesterday when my 2 boys would talk nonstop. So full of questions...so full of excitement...so exhausting for me! Then, over night it changes. They grow up and don't have the same questions because they think they have all the answers! They don't need us in the same ways that they did before!
I decided I'm going to write my 2 sons a letter, letting them know how special they each are to me. I know they know, but I want them to know too, that there isn't anything I want, (materialistic) from them this year. What I'm going to ask them for, is that they remember to pray for me each day. That they remember to pray for their father each day, and that they remember to pray for each other each day. There is no other gift to me than the thought, of my 2 sons saying a little prayer for their mom before closing their eyes at night.
Thanks, Kristen!
Lori - AZ
I love reading these Psalms of David. I can't believe how much more meaningful they are to me after reading about David's life.
Today, I really sat and meditated on Psalm 23:6. I had never read the NLT version of this verse, "Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever."
I love the picture of God, in his goodness and unfailing love, pursuing me and all of us. So often, I get caught up in thinking that I must be pursuing God, as if somehow I am completely responsible for our relationship. I forget that He was and is the One who pursued and continues to pursue me. I love thinking that no matter what we do, we cannot outrun His love for us!
Praying that each one of you have an amazing weekend!
Thank you to Lori for the shout too. You are such a sweetie!
Evening everyone~
Wendy your post really convicted me along with the today's reading. When you mentioned "me time" as an idol light bulbs went off in my mind. It was as if God was saying, "pay attention!" As the end of the school year is fast approaching I honestly have found myself thinking, "what am I going to do all summer without any days to myself?!" That precious time I have each week where I spend a lot of time in prayer and in the Word is going to change. Today I spent the day while Will was at school painting out master bath. As I did I listened to a series by Joyce Meyer from her women's convention last year called "Relentless." One of the CDs was being relentless in the pursuit of selflessness. Boy, was I convicted again! This summer is going to be my last summer with my son before he heads off to Kindergarten and is in school full time, not just a couple days a week. I had to stop painting and let myself cry out to God and cry a little bit as He spoke to me about what I needed to focus on. Yes, my time with Him in prayer and Bible study is very, very important, the most important thing in my life, BUT for a few months I need to scale back. Make sure I get up early to have the first hour of the day with Him and then focus on my son. I may not have 2-3 hours a day couple days a week like I do now, but once August gets here I will have more time than I probably will want to have. I may not be able to blog as much, post on here as often, but that is ok, it is just for a season and I need to take my focus off myself and more on Will and know that over the next few months I need to make this the best summer ever, one he won't forget!
I loved Psalm 23 in the NLT! In Him, I have all that I need (Psalm 23:1).
I also highlighted a bunch of Psalm 25, but the verse that really stood out was 12, "Who are those who fear the Lord? He will show them the path they should choose." If we set our eyes and hearts on Him, He will guide us in all things.
Will is wanting to play a card game so I need to go. Practice what God showed me today :)
Happy Mother's Day Sisters!
Love,
Brandee (TN)
Well, I'm very late getting here. Unexpeccted Dr's appointments due to intense pain that awakened me at 2:15am yesterday morning, filled my day and I was too tired later to visit. However, I still wanted to comment here now.
So enjoyed reading all your thoughts. It's so amazing how the Lord highlights different verses so specifically and individually. We have a great God!
Two verses appeared in bold print for me as I was reading yesterday. Psalm 22:8 was the first. "Is this the one who relies on the Lord?"
Rather than hearing that question from scoffers, in my ear I heard the Lord asking it of me, only it was a little different. "Is this the one who 'says' she relies on Me?"
Having saving faith become living faith. Relying on the Lord in every circumstance. Exchanging fear for faith. Does my walk match my talk?
I want the faith described in Psalm 26:1, "I have trusted in the LORD without wavering." Unwavering! Completely resolved that absolutely nothing can unsteady my stand and belief in my Savior. "Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me", Psalm 23:4. I desire to say with assurance and conviction, " LORD, I give my life to you. I trust in you, my God!" Psalm 25:1
Like my unexpected health concerns today, we can expect our faith to be challenged. Our faith can be stressed and pressed through so many circumstances. Those trying times are opportunities to exercise and live out our saving faith. Our biggest obstacle is ourself. We are capable people. We are smart. We have been provided with many resources. We think we can do it on our own. We must learn that no matter how confident we seem, we can only have victory through Christ.
We can have unwavering faith through extraordinary circumstances. Though we are guaranteed that waves will beat upon the shores of our lives, we can stand firm with faith that will not be washed away. We might not have oceans of faith. It might be but a single tear, silently expressing our longing to keep holding on. It is enough.
"...if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you." Matthew 17:20
It's not about the size of our faith, but the size of our God! And, He's not wavering.
Hanging on,
Joy
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