"The Sactuary of God"

"...Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I understood..." {Psalm 73:17}

Psalm 73 seems to be one of the most literal Psalms about almost giving up. I don't know anything about Asaph besides the fact that he wrote a number of Psalms. I assume he must've had a heart of love after God, because he wrote some beautiful songs of praise. But he struggled with the way things look on the outside, just like us! And he found grace and hope again ~ after he almost gave up. He had to take God's goodness from head knowledge to heart knowledge. And he portrays this journey very vividly in Psalm 73.

"Truly God is good to Israel, to such as are pure in heart. But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled; My steps had nearly slipped. For I was envious of the boastful, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked."

Haven't I been in the exact place? "But God! Why do these people who despise You have a better life than me? They have money, friends, popularity and flit from pleasure to pleasure like bees go from flower to flower, filling up on the sweet things in life." I can get so discouraged and life looks all upside down and backwards. But where am I looking? I am looking out instead of up! I am looking at the temporary things in life, instead of the eternal.

Asaph goes on for quite a  few verses, describing the easy life of the wicked. I suspect he even thought he was justified in complaining because he quotes the wicked as saying: "'How does God know? And is there knowledge in the Most High?' Behold these are the ungodly." 

He seems to be trying to remind God how horrible these people are. "These people are evil, God! They're saying You aren't paying attention. You don't know what's going on. They say you don't care about your people. I know that's not true - You know that's not true! Come on God! These people are belittling You! Do something!" When deep in his heart, Asaph just wants revenge. He wants them to suffer too, because he, who is surely better than them, is suffering. Shouldn't they be worse off than him?

This was a very real struggle for Asaph! He struggled with this every waking hour. For while his mind complained, his heart knew God is always good. He knew if there was actual truth in his complaints he would have to wipe out the truth of all of God's acts of goodness in past generations. "Surely I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocence. For all day long I have been plagued and chastened every morning. If I had said 'I will speak thus' behold I would have been untrue to the generation of Your children." 

So now what can he do? He went around full circle with his thoughts of unfairness and at the end knew he either had to choose to believe God was not truly good or that there was reason, even if he couldn't see it. So he goes to the only place he can. To God.

"When I thought how to understand this, it was to painful for me - until I went to the Sanctuary of God; then I understood their end."

 Oh to always remember that the answer to all of our complaints and problems is right there in the Sanctuary of God. To choose to allow God to speak to us, to take His words to heart. To trust His goodness, even if we still don't understand the reason. This is surely where we would find victory, every time. It's been said before, but I don't think we can ever stress the importance of it enough. There is victory in surrender to His will.

After stopping to listen, after he becomes quiet, after he quits complaining and allows God to speak, Asaph makes some discoveries: "Surely you set them in slippery places...thus my heart was grieved, and I was vexed in my mind. I was so foolish and ignorant; I was like a beast before you. Nevertheless I am continually with You; You hold me by my right hand. You will guide me with Your counsel, and afterward receive me to glory."

He goes from complaining to praising in almost an instant. Everything is surrendered to God and now he's not seeing everything from the outside, but from the inside. He's catching a glimpse from God's point of view. He may not understand everything yet, but he's caught up in the glories and the love of God. It's not about the wicked getting their just rewards, even though he does mention it, it's about trusting God and being confident in His infinite purpose.

"Whom have I in Heaven but You? And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You. My flesh and my heart fail; but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. For indeed, those who are far from You shall perish...But it is good for me to draw near to God; I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all Your works." 

By the time Asaph is ready to leave the sanctuary he is back on the right path. His sole aim is to declare God's works. Wouldn't it be wonderful to always be in that place? To be willing to let God take our selfishness and give us praise instead? Sometimes I find myself wanting to hang onto my selfishness because it feels good. Because it might bring me pity or attention. How much I am loosing when I let myself fall into this! There is a life of joy for me, if I am willing to go to God's sanctuary and surrender my own thoughts and feelings. Why am I waiting?
 

The Spirit of our Conversation

"...and avoid empty words in which there is no benefit, for they will all the more add to the wickedness of those who converse in them...If a man will purify himself from these things, he is a pure vessel for honor, suitable for the use of his Lord and ready for every good work." {2 Timothy 2}

 Conversation. It's a huge part of our lives. We spend our day conversing with our husband, our children, our family, our friends and with God. We talk face to face, on the phone, email, chat and text. When we're not talking with with somebody, chances are we are processing thoughts, stories and feelings that we will share with at least one person at sometime. 

God has made us to desire and need to share our thoughts with other people. But when is the last time I stopped and considered the spirit I bring to a conversation? Do I use my words to bring life? Or do I have a reputation for bringing the latest bit of negative news along with me?

Our  words determine the spirit of a conversation and our thoughts and attitudes determine our words. If I want to become a vessel for HIS honor then I am going to have to deliberately purify my thought life. If I allow my mind to run along in "empty" subjects, subjects that belittle my friends, my family through Jesus, then those thoughts will be the subject of my conversation. And "they will all the more add to the wickedness of those who converse in them" 

So, not only will I be in the wrong, I will at the very least be putting temptation in front of my friends by putting empty thoughts into their minds. Which means I am letting myself be used as a vessel of dishonor for the enemy." It's a scary thought!! 

Now I am going to hear negative thoughts and stories, most likely every day. And if I don't hear them, I will probably be tempted to come up with some myself. But I don't have to give in! There are negative things in this world, but we don't have to talk about each of them to other people. We have a great and wonderful God who is willing to hear each of our thoughts. We can turn these negative thoughts into prayers! Not prayer requests that we pass along to other people, because that can be a sure fire way to get the news spread {even if it makes me feel holy, it can be very hypocritical!}. I'm sure  there is a time and a place to share prayer needs with other people, but I need to deliberately take time to think it through before I share.

I can also bring a deriding spirit to conversations. Maybe I have a friend who does things differently, or dresses in a way I consider completely tacky. Do I let my mind deride her or do I look past the clothes to the sparkly, fun loving eyes, the ever present smile and the desire to serve Jesus. After all, we are sisters. What right do I have to mock her style of dress? {You know if we think it, it will come out at some point in time. We can disguise it as an offhand remark, but the spirit is still there. Yikes!!}

Or how about the way I see people who are not part of the family of God. I can feel disgust when I see sensually dressed belly dancers at the local farmer's market with men lounging around watching. I can feel disgust when a man that looks more like a woman talks to Jakki. I can try wait to give the little shiver of contempt until my back is turned. But people can pick it up. And if they don't God always does. I still must confess it to Him. What if my little smirk of disgust doesn't go unnoticed by the person and I become responsible for their distrust or dislike of Christianity? Then I am, in someway at least, responsible for their eternity. What if I turned someone away from seeking Jesus by being a poor representative of His?

When I begin to think through this subject I can feel so unworthy. I can feel like it is an impossible mountain to tackle. But it's not! God does not demand perfection in a day, or even a week or year. Even the Apostle Paul says "I don't mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me." 

 If a man who wrote a good part of the New Testament has not attained, there is hope for us! But the key is to "press on" I can't expect God to someday magically make me perfect when I have not even tried. It's an uphill battle. It's a daily battle. But the victory is there for the taking! Let's press forward to the high calling!

"I'm pressing on the upward way;

New heights I'm gaining every day!

Still praying as I'm onward bound,

'Lord plant my feet on higher ground!'

"Lord lift me up and let me stand

By faith on heaven's table land;

A higher plane than I have found,

Lord, plant my feet on higher ground."