Coffee With The Lord

I know and realize Psalm 21 is the personal heartfelt expression of gratitude and praise by David, as king of Israel… It is uniquely his Psalm of thanksgiving for all the Lord had done for him as the leader of God’s people.  But after having read it today during my time of “coffee with the Lord” I decided to personalize it as an expression of gratitude from a common man for all the Lord has done for me!!!  Here it is rephrased as my personal expression of praise…

“Oh Lord, in your strength I rejoice, in your salvation I greatly exult!  So many times You have given me my heart’s desire and have not withheld the request of my lips!  You’ve met me with rich blessings and have crowned my life with so many things that are precious and valuable.  I asked life of you, and you’ve have given it to me – length of days that started in the past and reach from now into forever!  I glory in your salvation!  You’ve crowned me with so much more than I deserve!  I am most blessed now and forever!  You make me glad with the joy of Your presence!  I trust in You, and through your steadfast love I will not me moved!  Be exalted, Oh Lord in Your strength!  I will sing and praise You for you are powerful!” (Psalm 21 1-7 and 13 adapted for my personal worship)

I don’t know if it captures your heart as it did mine today, but if it does, I encourage you to use it to offer your heartfelt thanksgiving and praise to the Lord for all He has done – and does for you!

I was “the father of the bride” – and my wife and Shari’s attendants were fluttering over her like a bunch of “mother hens” … the tension was palpable!  Shari had to look just right for Tim, the groom!  It was too much for me – I had to get out of there!

I went over to the “guys side” – there was banter and lighthearted joking, but you could tell the groom was more serious… He was nervous – he looked in the mirror more than once, straightened his tie, and anxiously looked at his watch!

Big event – Shari Bartel was about to become Shari Bartel Dresselhaus!  Tim was waiting for that special moment when he would see Shari for the first time on their wedding day… Shari wanted it to be perfect – she wanted to look her beautiful best.  Tim wanted to be his best for his bride!  Both of them had waited for this moment!

The music began… Shari came down the isle… I can’t tell you Tim’s emotions (his face registered incredible pleasure!) – but I, the bride’s father can tell you mine… WOW!  WOW!!  I mean WOW!!!

And this picture (and these emotions) came to mind during my Bible reading today (I think you’ll see why)…

“I will greatly rejoice in the Lord!  My soul shall exult in my God!  For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation; He has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels!” (From Isaiah 61:10)

Just let me say, the Lord incredibly beautifies us with His salvation!  His righteousness prepares us for that special moment when we are presented, along with all others who have been transformed by his grace, into “the bride of Christ” (“without spot or wrinkle”)!  I believe, on that day, He will look upon us (transformed sinners “saved by grace”) with rapturous joy and feel what I felt on Shari’s wedding day… WOW!  WOW!!  WOW!!!

The point?  When we experience salvation, the ugliness of sin is replaced by the “makeover” of Christ’s righteousness – what was “ordinary” becomes “heavenly”!!  The Bible puts it this way in another location:  “For our sake He (God, the Father) made Him (Christ Jesus) to be sin Who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God in Christ.” (2 Corinthians 5.21)

I want to be ready for that day… No, more than that, I want to live ready for that day!

I had just finished watching the evening news last night… my feelings?  Frustration, concern… almost despair!  What is our world – what is our nation – coming to?  It seems leadership doesn’t have a clue!  We flounder trying to figure out the best way to go!  We try to solve problems on our own.  The Bible is ignored, its values rejected, what it teaches abandoned.  Acrimony and accusation fill the airwaves!   Where are we headed?  The future is more than uncertain – it is frightening!  Headed for bed fuming and frustrated!

But this morning I got up, got a cup of coffee, took my Bible, and had a wonderful time of “coffee with the Lord!”  Part of my Bible reading today was Isaiah 60 … it was just what I needed!  It speaks of a wonderful future day that God will bring about for His people!  There is hope!  There is a blessed future ahead!  God Himself guarantees it!

Here is a condensed version of that chapter… Enjoy!  Take heart!  Allow hope to captivate your heart!

“Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you!  For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the Lord will arise upon you, and his glory will be seen upon you.  And nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising!  

“…In my wrath I struck you, but in my favor I have had mercy on you.  …I will make the place of my feet glorious.  …They shall call you the City of the Lord, the Zion of the Holy One of Israel.  Whereas you have been forsaken and hated, with no one passing through, I will make you majestic forever, a joy from age to age.  …You shall know that I, the Lord, am your Savior and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.

“I will make your overseers peace and your taskmasters righteousness.  Violence shall no more be heard in your land, devastation or destruction within your borders; you shall call your walls Salvation, and your gates Praise.

“The sun shall be no more your light by day, nor for brightness shall the moon give you light; but the Lord will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory.  Your sun shall no more go down, nor your moon withdraw itself; for the Lord will be your everlasting light, and your days of mourning shall be ended.  Your people shall all be righteous; they shall possess the land forever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I might be glorified… 

“I AM THE LORD; IN ITS TIME I WILL HASTEN IT!” (From Isaiah 60 ESV)

If that doesn’t bring you hope – If that doesn’t encourage your heart – If that doesn’t change your perspective about the future… You probably need to read the passage again… slowly, and pause, reading that last phrase as if God were speaking it directly to your heart!