Coffee With The Lord

There’s an old saying… “Unless you can __________________  you can’t even get to 1^st base!”

Think about that saying for a minute and what it communicates… think about the imagery behind it! 

What I see is a young, inexperienced child, who has never played the game of baseball.  He’s at his first day of “Pee-wee baseball” and the coach is trying to help him understand what he needs to do in order to play the game.  He doesn’t know how to hold the bat, he doesn’t know the rules of the game, he has no idea how fast the ball will come toward him when it is pitched… and when it comes, he swings wildly, ducking out of the way, and misses the ball completely!  The coach comes over and helpfully tries to give him some instruction, but he won’t receive it!  The tragedy is, he thinks he knows what to do, but he really doesn’t have a clue!  The coach tries to show him how to stand, how to hold the bat, what the object of the game is all about; but he won’t listen… Finally in desperation, the coach says, “Son, if you won’t listen to me and do what I tell you do, YOU WON’T EVEN GET TO 1^st BASE!”

Now, consider what the Bible says… “THE FEAR [OR REVERENCE] OF THE LORD IS THE BEGINNING OF KNOWLEDGE [OR WISDOM]!  FOOLS DESPISE WISDOM AND INSTRUCTION!” (Proverbs 1:7) 

It all begins right there in the “game of life!”  If a person doesn’t do that, “they can’t even get to 1^st base!”  And yet all around us, we see individuals who tragically reject that basic beginning to successful and productive living!  They refuse to acknowledge God, to honor God, or reverence God.  They strike out on their own – they try to do it their way – they refuse to accept Divine instruction.  They are like the inexperienced child in “Pee-wee baseball” who refuses to listen to the coach!  Proverbs 1:7 says, IT IS “FOOLS WHO DESPISE WISDOM AND INSTRUCTION!”

I don’t want to be like that!!!  I want to listen to God… I want to honor Him… I want to reverence and trust Him!  Hey, a successful, fruitful life all begins (and continues with) that!  WITHOUT “THE FEAR OF THE LORD,” I CAN’T EVEN GET TO 1^st BASE!

Getting it right or getting it wrong… Purpose clues matter!

Yup, over the years in my “signature class” I’ve taught at SAGU – Bible Study – I’ve emphasized to my students you’ve got to honor the clues you find in a passage of Scripture that indicate the Biblical writer’s inspired purpose – “purpose clues” if you please…  The writer’s inspired purpose or clues that point to God’s purpose in a passage.  If you don’t, your interpretation and application of a passage can be VERY wrong!

Now not all “purpose clues” are obvious (they can be subtle)… But some are glaringly obvious – pretty hard to miss them!  The passage I read this morning during “coffee with the Lord” – Psalm 150 – The last of the “Hallel Psalms” is of the very obvious sort… Pretty hard to miss!

“Praise the Lord!

    Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens!

    Praise him for his mighty deeds; praise him according to his excellent greatness!

    Praise him with trumpet sound; praise him with lute and harp!

    Praise him with tambourine and dance; praise him with strings and pipe!

    Praise him with sounding cymbals; praise him with loud clashing cymbals!

    Let everything that has breath praise the Lord!

Praise the Lord!” (Psalm 150 ESV)

When you read and reflect on it’s message, just ask yourself, What should be the result of reading and  responding to what this Psalm teaches?  What did the inspired psalmist envision as the result of what he wrote?

• Was he primarily trying to identify where God could be worshipped?
• Was his main purpose the delineate why we ought to worship God?
• How about identifying the appropriate musical instruments that can be used in a worship setting?  Was that his main purpose?
• Or perhaps was his main agenda to suggest forms and expressions of worship?

All of those things can be found in one form or another in the Psalm (check it out!)  But clearly none of those things were his main purpose!  And any attempt to make them the main purpose actually ends up distorting the Psalmist’s purpose.

His main purpose is clearly communicated in verse 1 and 6:  “PRAISE THE LORD! … LET EVERYTHING THAT BREATHES PRAISE THE LORD!” …And the implied message? “YOU” – or as we say it in Texas, “Ya’all – praise the Lord!”

A well-known sports outfitter has a slogan that fits here that is in keeping with the writer’s clear purpose… “JUST DO IT!”  …And I’m going to… wherever I can, for whatever I can, however I can, whenever I can, with whatever I can!

Every year when I’m in Montana I have an opportunity to do some mountain climbing in Western Montana near or in Glacier National Park.  The trails often wind through beautiful forest, crossing  refreshing mountain creeks, featuring beautiful waterfalls, and all along the way – but especially at the summits – afford a stunning panoramic views of the entire Mountain Range.  That’s especially true of one trail in Glacier National Park, the Highline Trail.

About half way up the trail this year with friends I just couldn’t resist it anymore… I stopped at a turn in the trail, rested a moment, and Psalm 148, the passage I read this morning during devotions,  came to mind… Psalm 148 – one of the great “Hallel (Praise the Lord!) Psalms!”  Here’s the Psalm…

“Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord from the heavens; praise him in the heights!  Praise him, all his angels; praise him, all his hosts!  Praise him, sun and moon, praise him, all you shining stars!  Praise him, you highest heavens, and you waters above the heavens!  Let them praise the name of the Lord! For he commanded and they were created.  And he established them forever and ever; he gave a decree, and it shall not pass away.  Praise the Lord from the earth, you great sea creatures and all deeps, fire and hail, snow and mist, stormy wind fulfilling his word!  Mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars!  Beasts and all livestock, creeping things and flying birds!  Kings of the earth and all peoples, princes and all rulers of the earth!  Young men and maidens together, old men and children!  Let them praise the name of the Lord, for his name alone is exalted; his majesty is above earth and heaven. ¹⁴ He has raised up a horn for his people, praise for all his saints, for His people who are near to him. Praise the Lord!”

So here’s the deal… Every morning when the sun pushes out the night and awakens the dawn… every evening when it sets and the night sky is filled with stars in doxology on the day… every squirrel that scampers across the path… every deer standing silently in a mountain meadow… every pine and poplar along the trail… the gurgling brook and the cascading water fall… even the delicate tapestry of a leaf on a mountain oak… and hikers traverse a mountain trail heading to a summit where the view takes your breath away… THESE ALL BECOME A REASON… NO, MORE THAN THAT, AN IMPERATIVE… TO PRAISE THE LORD, OUR CREATOR GOD! And believe me, that is what this hiker did!

How about you… what opportunities do you have to praise “Creator God” today?