Welcome to Scripture Saturday!

Those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved, but abides forever. As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the LORD surrounds His people, from this time forth and forever more. (Psalm 125:1,2)

Knowing that God surrounds me with His presence, protection, and faithfulness shows me that I can always be confident of His goodness and grace for me.

As a song of Ascent, this Psalm was sung as pilgrims were journeying to Jerusalem. On their walk they would climb the hills and rugged mountains surrounding Jerusalem. I am sure those pilgrims couldn’t help but meditate on the beauty of what they were seeing. 

The writer of this psalm makes a comparison of “those who trust in the LORD” to Mount Zion. Mount Zion is rock solid. It cannot be shaken. We, as believers, are on solid ground. Our rock is the Lord Jesus, and Who He is, What He has done, and His promises to us, His people, stand fast forever and ever. 

He goes on to remind us that the Lord God surrounds and protects His chosen nation, His people. He protects them from “this time forth and forever more” and from every direction. God had proved Himself faithful to His people in the past and they were confident of His continuing goodness and grace towards them. I know that He has proven Himself to be faithful in my life time and time again, so I can be confident that He will continue His goodness and grace towards me!

Ladies, we are surrounded by God. He will protect us. We cannot be shaken if our trust is in Him. He will always be with us. We are safe because we are surrounded!

Here is this coming week’s schedule of readings…

            Seeing Jesus/Going beyond        God’s attribute(s)

                                        that I found in the

                                          Psalm

Monday 4/3 Psalm 126     2 Sam 5:17-25 and 

                  John 25:4-5 again

Tuesday 4/4 Psalm 127     2 Sam 5:17-25 and

                  John 25:4-5 again

Wednesday  4/5  Psalm 128     Hebrews 5:7-10

Thursday 4/6 Psalm 129     Rev 21:1-4

Friday  4/7  Psalm 130             Hebrews 5:7-10 and

                  Rev 21:1-4 again

*Knowing that God is _____________ shows me that _________________________________.

Don't forget to share with us the attribute of God that most spoke to you this week!

Here is the link to our study on Facebook...WitW Facebook Page

Have a blessed week everyone!

Sandra

*from Jen Wilkin’s book,  Women of the Word.

Today’s reading: Psalm 124, 2 Samuel 5:17-25

This psalm is titled “A Song of Ascents of David”. In Psalm 122:4 we find that the pilgrims gathered in Jerusalem to give thanks. In today’s Psalm we see David leading Israel to give thanks to God for the help for His deliverance from the past and to express their confidence in His continuing help for His people:

The Psalmist repeats the expression “If it had not been the Lord who was on our side…”, which had a special significance, as C.H. Spurgeon explains:

 “This repetition is not in vain. For whilst we are in danger, our fear is without measure; but when it is once past, we imagine it to have been less than it was indeed. And this is the delusion of Satan, to diminish and obscure the grace of God.” (Luther, cited in Spurgeon)

Also the phrase ‘had been on our side’ (hayah lanu) is the past tense of Immanuel (‘God is with us’). Isn’t that amazing? He is and always will be with His people!

These first verses express the deliverance from the attack of men, most likely during the time of war and if it wasn’t for the Lord, the Psalmist expressed that:

Although most of us have not had the experience of physically been fighting in a war, I can remember a couple of times I was fighting in a terrible spiritual war! (Ephesians 6:12)  I felt hopeless…. that there was no escape from my own mistakes; from the consequences of my sin and shame! I can picture myself like a little bird at the mercy of Satan who had me captive (as in a cage) and only until I cried for deliverance with a humble and repentant heart, the Lord heard and saved me! If it wasn’t for the Lord’s Saving Grace and forgiveness, I don’t know what would have been of my life!!

⁶ Blessed be the Lord, Who has not given us as prey to be torn by their teeth.⁷ We have escaped like a bird from the snare of the fowlers; The trap is broken and we have escaped.” (124:6-7)

-How about you: do you feel you are in the middle of a raging war and that your enemy has taken ground and is about to “swallow” you alive?

Let me encourage you to cry out to the Lord from the bottom of your heart, for as David mentions in these last verses:

⁸ Our help is in the name of the Lord, Who made heaven and earth.” (124:8)

He also made you for a special purpose! AND He loves you!

“By this the love of God was displayed in us, in that God has sent His [One and] only begotten Son [the One who is truly unique, the only One of His kind] into the world so that we might live through Him. ¹⁰ In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation [that is, the atoning sacrifice, and the satisfying offering] for our sins [fulfilling God’s requirement for justice against sin and placating His wrath]” (1 John 4:10-11 AMP)

Thank you Heavenly Father for Your amazing love for us! If it wasn’t for you Lord, if it wasn’t for you!! Thank you for rescuing our lives from perishing in the hands of our enemy! Forgive me for the times I feel there is no way of escaping the troubles I may be facing, forgetting that only in You I find the answer and the victory to my problems! Your Word teaches us that “You are love, and the one who abides in love abides in You, and You abide continually in us…” and that “¹⁷ In this [union and fellowship with Him], love is completed and perfected with us (1 John 4:16b-17). May I continually seek you and abide in you! May I always display Your love to others, as You have loved us! In Jesus‘ Name we pray! Amen!

Mari

Our Reading: Psalm 123 and Isaiah 2:2-5, Jeremiah 29:7

The famous conductor and composer Leonard Bernstein was once asked what the hardest instrument to play is, and he replied “second fiddle.” The pride of man wants to be recognized and to be in the highest position of honor and esteem. But, God has a different standard. He calls us to play second fiddle and to have a servant’s heart. There may be differing opinions within the Christian faith about beliefs but the one thing that should never be disagreed about is that we must give God the spotlight and recognize that we are to serve Him. That is how the author of this Psalm reminds us to seek God, as an humble servant seeks audience with His Lord.

“To you I lift up my eyes, O you who are enthroned in the heavens! Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maidservant to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the Lord our God, till he has mercy upon us.” Psalm‬ ‭123‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭

For most of us, the life of a slave or indentured servant is something we can only read about or hear stories about. It is hard to fathom being 100% under the direction and dependence of a master for every morsel of food, scrap of clothing, or condition of shelter. It is hard to imagine where one has no personal or leisure time unless granted, and no personal items or sense of freedom to roam or travel at will. When Jesus addressed this system which was prevalent in that day, he reminded both free and those in bondage that ultimately God was the master of all and what was done should be done as unto Him. I couldn’t help but think about this in terms of being employed or in terms of responsibilities to our families and fellow believers.

“Bondservants, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ, not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man, knowing that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether he is a bondservant or is free. Masters, do the same to them, and stop your threatening, knowing that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and that there is no partiality with him.”

‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭6‬:‭5‬-‭9‬ ‭

Thankfully, in most of the world, the system of slavery has been abolished, but we are voluntarily called to be servants for God.  God’s system is opposite to the world’s system. It is not the elite or powerful or most accomplished or privileged who will be given the highest merit in God’s eyes, but the ones who genuinely and humbly take the second fiddle seat and play their lesser esteemed part to benefit others.  Jesus taught this important spiritual mindset to his disciples. ‭

“And he sat down and called the twelve. And he said to them, "If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.”  ‭‭Mark‬ ‭9‬:‭35‬ ‭

Jesus not only taught by words but most importantly, by example.

“For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."” Mark‬ ‭10‬:‭45‬ ‭

“Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”

‭‭Philippians‬ ‭2‬:‭3‬-‭8

Every situation we find ourselves in is an opportunity to be dependent upon God’s mercy and to serve Him with a humble heart. It may not be the circumstance that we like, and we may have to yield our freedoms to others, but we can do so if it is what God asks of us. We may have to give up the spotlight and do without the applause of man. We may have to do thankless and difficult tasks but we can do so to honor Him. We can learn to play second fiddle and play that part with all of our dedication, joy and passion, seeking blessing and mercy from the One who is, after all, Lord of Lords. And one day, He shall indeed reward the efforts of all hearts that yield to Him.

“Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.”‭‭ 1John‬ ‭3‬:‭2‬-‭3‬ ‭

Reflection:

1. When called to do seemingly thankless tasks, what is your attitude and perspective? Do you think about who you are truly serving?
2. Do you find yourself striving for the spotlight and the prized first seat or can you find purpose and fulfillment in playing second fiddle?
3. Do you have a servant’s heart when you seek God or do you focus on your own wants and desires?

Prayer: Father, we come to You as a servant before our gracious and honored Lord! We want to be humble and obedient to seek Your counsel and guidance and to accept the tasks that You would have us to do. May all that we do be done in a manner that reflects hearts yielded to You. Thank You for Your mercies, Your patience, Your abounding blessings! 

 Today's Scripture: Psalm 122

Psalm 122:6 actually commands us to pray for the peace of Jerusalem, but I had to wonder, why are we being commanded to pray?  

The very name Jerusalem includes this hope for peace, for the last part of Jerusalem, “salem,” comes from the Hebrew word “shalom,” which means peace, wholeness and completeness.

When we pray for the peace of Jerusalem we are praying for hostilities to cease — such as terror and missile attacks, and the enmity that exists between Israelis and Palestinians.

But I believe the command goes deeper than that in that we are also praying for the eternal peace that will come when Jesus the Messiah returns to reign.

Before we study further, however, let me ask you ... how often do you "pray for the peace of Jerusalem"? Do you include this petition as part of your daily prayers? Perhaps when we're finished here, you too may want to commit to praying for the peace of Jerusalem.