Coffee With The Lord

One of the toughest things to handle is accusation – unjust accusation! It stings – it hurts! Every cell in our psyche wants to retaliate! How could they do this to me?! And worse yet, sometimes the attack comes from a so-called “friend!”

That’s the situational context behind Psalm 55 – my Bible reading during “coffee with the Lord” this morning… (Listen, someone who is going through that kind of crisis, needs the inspired words – the Godly instruction of this Psalm today!)

The issue… How to respond in a Godly way when it happens to YOU! Here’s an excerpt from the Psalm that I believe gives us guidance… (It comes as a prayer and a word of assurance…)

“Give ear to my prayer, O God – hide not Yourself from my plea for mercy! Attend to me [i.e.. Pay attention to my prayer] and answer me!

“It is not an enemy who taunts me – then I could bear it! It is not an adversary who deals insolently with me – then I could hide from him! But it is my equal, my companion, my familiar friend! We used to take sweet counsel together, within God’s house…

“But I call to God, and the Lord will save me! Evening and morning and at noon I utter my complaint and moan, and He hears my voice!

“OH CAST YOUR BURDEN ON THE LORD, AND HE WILL SUSTAIN YOU! HE WILL NEVER PERMIT THE RIGHTEOUS TO BE MOVED!” (From Psalm 55)

Seems like a good solution to me! Find a private place for prayer… pour out you heart – your feelings to the Lord! Ask Him to help you – defend you – guide you! Put it all in the Lord’s hands! Trust him to act on your behalf! He will!!!

I heard a frustrated voice beside me utter these words: “Whose idea was this anyway!?” Someone had taken it upon themselves to do something ill advised, marked by foolish self-will, and problematic for others! Not a good idea – a foolish frustration producer!

Hey, it really matters whose idea something is – God’s idea or ours!

I read about it this morning during my time of “coffee with the Lord”– Number 1 in your Bible. God had ordered a census – It was HIS idea – it was God’s idea and command!

“The Lord spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the tent of meeting, on the first day of the second month, in the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt, saying, ‘Take a census of all the congregation of the people of Israel, by clans, by fathers’ houses, according to the number of names, every male, head by head. From twenty years old and upward, all in Israel who are able to go to war, you and Aaron shall list them, company by company.’”

But in another location at a later time a census was merely a human idea. In fact it was King David’s prideful idea and it resulted in judgment and loss of life (read it for yourself in 2 Samuel 24). David’s key military leader, Joab, tried to talk King David out of doing it, but David was in no frame of mind to listen… Sinful, self-will!!

Listen, If something is God’s idea and command it must be followed! If it is merely a human idea, generated by arrogance, self-will and pride, not only does God frustrate such plans, it often results in His discipline and judgment.

Just take it from me – I WANT TO BE ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THAT ISSUE!

I hate to admit it, but might as well… I’ve had to make David’s prayer in Psalm 51 my prayer more often than I’d like to acknowledge.   Covering up sin doesn’t help…  “Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.” (Proverbs 28:13 ESV)  Acknowledging my sin to God and asking Him to forgive me has been the only effective solution to deal with guilt that I’m aware of… (“If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.  If we confess (acknowledge) our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive our sin and purify us from all unrighteousness.” – 1 John 1.8-9)

So here are David’s words from Psalm 51 that I read again this morning (words, I’ve had to make my own on more occasions than I’d like to admit).  …Word’s you might want to keep handy, if you’re at all like me …Words, that if you pray them sincerely from your heart, God has promised to honor and heed!!

 ^“Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.  For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me.  Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight… Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.  Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.  Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me… You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.  The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.”  (From Psalm 51)