Good morning. And thank you all for coming.
Yesterday we met with our "preaching circles" for the first time. And one of the questions that were asked by my leader was "why are you here?". I myself am here for several reasons, a few being that I want to learn, to sharpen my craft, to network.
But truth be told: I am tired. And I need to be refilled. Maybe it's senioritis, maybe I'm calloused, dishearted bc of the lack of sown seed being reaped on my mission field- I mean my college.
As long as I'm being honest, I'll be preaching to the mirror just as much as I'll be preaching to y'all this morning. And I sincerely pray it's an encouragement to all of us.
So let's dive into the text
(READ Psalm 13)
Historians don't actually know when or why David wrote this psalm, all attempts to date it are but guesses. But whenever he wrote it, the reason why he wrote it, appears to be that he was seriously ill.
I think it sweet that this info is currently hidden from us because, if we're honest, we might often feel like David in that God has somehow withdrawn himself from us. Like, we can’t feel his presence upon our lives anymore.
We don’t know for sure why David felt this way or even when. But whatever the reason he felt as if God forsook him in his moment of need. So what kept David going in his discouragement? What was the fuel for his fire?
His faith in God & God's love.
Let's break this one down: (Read 13:5a)
1) God’s love sustains us
“Unfailing” What a unique word. Who else’s love can we say that about? Our love? Psh, nope. Man’s love? No. But God’s love, God’s love is always there, ever-present in our lives.
It always satisfies. It is the constant, the foundation of our faith, the pillar of our religion. What makes it so trustworthy?
The love by itself isn’t worth much at all. It is the giver of that love that makes it trustworthy. Love satisfies, no question. A heroin addict loves the heroine and the heroine indeed satisfies. Same goes for any drug. Same goes for any sin really. But it is not trustworthy, why? because it untimely is destroying them. Little by little.
The same way that sin destroys us little by little. A little compromise here and there and suddenly you no longer know who you are anymore, you have become so cold-hearted that you no longer desire the things of God-His love, His Spirit, His word none of it.
It is God’s love we trust. His love frees us from our sin, heals us, restores us. His love for us fuels our love for Him. For it is a supreme, satisfying love. It is unfailing.
And that's exactly what God and His love does to anyone and to us-heals and restores and sends- I almost want to say that's what Gods love does naturally but it's supernatural really.
If someone has tasted Gods love they change, why? because it's real. its real! God loves you right now. from here to eternity. It is in this love- a love that never changes that is constant-that we trust. God's word said it and that's final.
As we can see in the text God’s love turns our prayers into praises just like He did for David. And in just a few short verses no less. That’s the power of prayer, the power of faith, faith in God’s love. That is God’s love for us.
Now here's the next thing of God I see in our text for us and that's:
2) God’s salvation sustains us
David continues “my heart rejoices in your salvation”.
How many of us can say that honestly? David is in serious distress but yet his heart still rejoices in God’s salvation. And he hasn’t even seen the completed plan for salvation in Jesus but yet he still rejoiced. How many of us can be in sickness, distress, uncertainly, school, and still have joy in God?
Maybe this is a better question: Where is our Joy? In God and according to this verse In God’s salvation.
What, or rather who is God’s salvation? Jesus-His Hebrew name: Yashua-literally meaning God saves or God is salvation. We have been brought by Jesus' blood, we are free from sin and are a new creation.
Brought by Jesus blood, kept by his blood and make like him by his blood. It is by the blood we have forgiveness of sins and have free access to the Father who loves us, gives us salvation, by Jesus we have access to God’s goodness-Jesus being the ultimate expression of God’s goodness. Let our hearts rejoice in the risen King, the anchor of our souls.
I know some of us here may not rejoice that much, or often as we should. I know this because I’m one of them. we are sometimes quick to run out of fuel for our fire. We sin, we stumble, we fail and have a “woe is me” attitude thinking maybe if I’m sad, depressed enough over my sin then God will forgive me.
Beloved God has already forgiven us in Jesus. Yes, there is absolutely a place for Godly sorrow, but earthly regret does us no good and, as Paul says earthy sorrow leads to death. And beloved, we are in the business of life and joy, not death.
Even after we have sinned we rejoice knowing that we are forgiven and act in accordance with that love, that grace expressed to us.
We trust in His love and rejoice in his salvation bc we know that anything that comes against us is for our good. We have confidence in God’s love knowing that it’ll never change but always be there to full us, and out of his unfailing love springs forth His salvation for the Church and we rejoice in this knowing that Christ brought us and we can now love God and live for Him.
3) God’s goodness sustains us 13:6
At this point, David begins to deal with the external, everything before this was internal-his trust, his heart. now we move to sing. But really this is broader than just singing, really it deals with any act of worship to God, IE our lives, our good deeds, our prayers not just *just* singing.
Throughout these two verses, David has been speaking on the Lord’s goodness to him with His unfailing love and His salvation delivered to him. Likewise, This is what fuels our worship of God-His goodness.
He is good not just bc of what He has done for us but bc of who He is. His unfailing love, His salvation are good yes. But those good gifts speak to the goodness of the giver. And the giver is worthy of all our praise.
He is worthy of our worship, our lives, and our love. Singing is just a manifestation of that worthy-ness. Singing, moreover, worship has a way of renewing us, refueling us, uplifting our souls when we are low.
And I don’t have a big theological answer as to why singing/worship has a way of refueling us but it does. And I wonder if it is because of its simplicity, the simplicity of just sitting and behold God-for all that He is, for all of His goodness that is shown to us. If not yet shown to us then it will be soon to come because God said it and that's good enough to hold fast to.
Let's me finish with this thought to hopefully encourage you, if not now then maybe at a later time: The fuel for our fire is God’s love, His goodness. And His love is to be found in the worship of Him, the singing. Just like we said last night if we worship God is bound to show up.
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