I love this story: a boy gives a gift (a nickel) to his father, yet he doesn't think about where the nickle came from (the father). Thus are the gifts we give to God -- only small tokens of what has been given to us.
Yet God wants us to make that sacrifice, just as we as parents are touched by the small sacrifices of our children. We see them leaning into the beauty of selflessness. We see them growing with each gift. This adorable little girl (part of my series on the Psalms) speaks to the innocence and naivete of any gift which we might consider giving to God. God, the Creator, made the heavens and the earth, the stars, the trees and the animals, yet she stands there, hoping to please the Master with those same gifts. Although she speaks of innocence, the Psalm that inspired this girl is full of violence and anger. But that is one thing I love about the Psalms - they are real. The world is full of problems, and the writers of the Psalms were enmeshed in those problems. They were fighting for survival and needed a God to lead them. And while swirling around in those problems and while praising God for his mighty deeds, the author reminds us that even though it may seem naive, we should bring gifts to our God. And so we, like this little girl, bring our gifts, as small as they are. May God use them for his glory. Psalm 76 (EXB) People in Judah know God; his fame is great in Israel. His Tent is in Jerusalem; his home is on Mount Zion. There God broke the flaming arrows, the shields, the swords, and the weapons of war. ·Selah God, how wonderful you are! You are more splendid than the hills full of animals. The brave soldiers were stripped as they lay asleep in death. Not one warrior had the strength to stop it. God of Jacob, when you spoke strongly, horses and riders fell dead. You are feared; no one can stand against you when you are angry. From heaven you gave the decision, and the earth was afraid and silent. God, you stood up to judge and to save the needy people of the earth. ·Selah People praise you for your anger against evil. Those who live through your anger are stopped from doing more evil. Make and keep your promises to the Lord your God. From all around, gifts should come to the God we worship. God breaks the spirits of great leaders; the kings on earth fear him.
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I feel in love with Psalm 4 when I heard this beautiful version of it by Melissa Breems.
This piece (another in the series The Psalms) is one of my earlier scenes, and I have been reluctant to post it. I love this Psalm so very much. And I just wasn't able to capture the intensity of the Psalm. I am not doing it justice. But tonight I decided to post it anyhow. God is looking down on this woman, resting in peace because of Him. Even though my attempts at capturing the beauty of this Psalm are feeble, I am praying that God will speak through it to one of you. May you sleep in peace, tonight and every night, knowing that God is with you. Psalm 4 (EXB) Answer me when I pray to you, my God who does what is right. ·Make things easier for me when I am in trouble. Have mercy on me and hear my prayer. People, how long will you turn my ·honor into shame? How long will you love what is ·false and ·look for lies? You know that the Lord has chosen for himself those who are loyal to him. The Lord listens when I pray to him. When you are angry, do not sin. Think about these things quietly as you go to bed. Do what is right as a sacrifice to the Lord and trust the Lord. Many people ask, “Who will give us anything good?” Lord, ·be kind to us. But you have ·made me very happy, happier than they are, even with all their grain and new wine. I ·go to bed and sleep in peace, because, Lord, only you keep me safe [make me secure. This is another piece in my series about The Psalms. I just can't stop myself!
This Psalm is true worship. And I just finished "Teaching Kids Authentic Worship" by Kathleen Chapman. It gives beautiful insight into this rather cryptic idea of "worship" that is often discussed -- but less often understood. First, she says, worship is about God. Only God. Nothing else. There are no "me's" or "I's" in worship. Only God. You spend time naming God, praising God, revealing in God's greatness. Yet you never mention yourself or your needs or your plans. Chapman's main idea is that true worship creates a relationship with God that goes above and beyond anything we could imagine. The Psalmist understood this at a level few of us in this world today can understand. Yet we can catch glimpses. And in those glimpses, we see the glory. May we all spend more time reveling in that beautiful power. Psalm 149 (EXB) Praise the Lord! Sing a new song to the Lord; sing his praise in the meeting of his people. Let the Israelites be happy because of God, their Maker. Let the people of Jerusalem rejoice because of their King. They should praise him with dancing. They should sing praises to him with tambourines and harps. The Lord is pleased with his people; he saves the humble. Let those who worship him rejoice in his glory. Let them sing for joy even in bed! Let them shout his praise with their two-edged swords in their hands. They will punish the nations and defeat the people. They will put those kings in chains and those important men in iron bands. They will punish them as God has written. God is honored by ·all who worship him. Praise the Lord! My mother really wanted us to have the law within our hearts. I remember the warm light in the yellow bedroom where we memorized verses that live before our bodies rested.
As I grew older, those words would resurface, sometimes when I was sad... Or scared... Or lonely... Or incredibly happy. These days I am teaching some of those same words to my daughter. And together we are learning new words to hold within our hearts. With each word that I store deep down inside my soul, I get bigger and bigger glimpses into what a true delight it is to do God's will. And it is a delight. And my soul yearns to know and see more. May today bring you time to store some words within you. And please take note! The adorable Bible used in this piece is made by Deborah over at https://www.etsy.com/shop/MiniatureBookstore?ref=s2-header-shopname. Please check out her page! Her books are adorable. Psalm 40 (NRSV) I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry. He drew me up from the desolate pit, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure. He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the Lord. Happy are those who make the Lord their trust, who do not turn to the proud, to those who go astray after false gods. You have multiplied, O Lordmy God, your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us; none can compare with you. Were I to proclaim and tell of them, they would be more than can be counted. Sacrifice and offering you do not desire, but you have given me an open ear.[b] Burnt offering and sin offering you have not required. Then I said, “Here I am; in the scroll of the book it is written of me.[c] I delight to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart.” I have told the glad news of deliverance in the great congregation; see, I have not restrained my lips, as you know, O Lord. I have not hidden your saving help within my heart, I have spoken of your faithfulness and your salvation; I have not concealed your steadfast love and your faithfulness from the great congregation. Do not, O Lord, withhold your mercy from me; let your steadfast love and your faithfulness keep me safe forever. For evils have encompassed me without number; my iniquities have overtaken me, until I cannot see; they are more than the hairs of my head, and my heart fails me. Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me; O Lord, make haste to help me. Let all those be put to shame and confusion who seek to snatch away my life; let those be turned back and brought to dishonor who desire my hurt. Let those be appalled because of their shame who say to me, “Aha, Aha!” But may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; may those who love your salvation say continually, “Great is the Lord!” As for me, I am poor and needy, but the Lord takes thought for me. You are my help and my deliverer; do not delay, O my God. I posted this piece earlier -- a Christmas present for my mother. Yet is is also a part of my series on the The Psalms, so I wanted to include it here.
This Psalm is so beautiful. Right now, it is my favorite. Every single word is so full of life and meaning. Every time I read these words, new ideas are revealed. I think that is what draws me to the Psalms. Each line is so big. So fulfilling. So new. And so tonight as I lay down to meditate on these words, I pray that these words will bring new joy and love to you, that you may sleep in peace. Psalm 63: 1-8 (CEV) You are my God. I worship you. In my heart, I long for you, as I would long for a stream in a scorching desert. I have seen your power and your glory in the place of worship. Your love means more than life to me, and I praise you. As long as I live, I will pray to you. I will sing joyful praises and be filled with excitement like a guest at a banquet. I think about you before I go to sleep, and my thoughts turn to you during the night. You have helped me, and I sing happy songs in the shadow of your wings. I stay close to you, and your powerful arm supports me. Although I have already posted one or two others, this piece is truly the first Psalm I ever made, based on Psalm 1. I learned the King James version of this Psalm, and so I have adapted it on the piece, but the original is below. The hard parts ("ungodly shall perish" and such) of the Psalms were always difficult for me to handle and pray, but recently I read that these parts should be read as a cry for justice. A voice pleading for the evil to be overcome. And there is evil in the world. And so now I enjoy many of those "harder parts", understanding them as a prayer for Love -- the beautiful love of Christ -- to win. Psalm 1 (KJV) Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away. Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish. Some days are heavy, and our spirits need more than our bodies can give. On those days, in particular, we remember to look up. And while looking, we find.
This is another piece in my series about The Psalms, based on Psalm 121, one of my favorites. Psalm 121: KJV I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth. He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber. Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord is thy keeper: the Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand. The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul. The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore. I love the Psalms. Poetry, love, praise, drama, all pointing to God. I have read and re-read those words, hiding them in my heart. More recently I've studied them deeply, inspired by authors and theologians who better understand their mystery. And I think the most important thing I've learned is the simple, yet profound truth that while praying the Psalms, I am part of something so much bigger. The Psalms have been prayed by Christians and Jews for thousands of year. When we pray these words, we pray with all of those believers, voices together as a sort of symphony of praise.
And as I meditate on these words both day and night, I lift up my voice as part of this melodious song. And these songs inspire me. And so I create and worship through these age old poems. Over the next few weeks and months, I hope to make several of these pieces, each representing a part of a Psalm that is meaningful to me. I hope they inspire you to sing your part in this heavenly chorus. Tonight we walked into the woods, holding candles and hands, to remember the beauty. I hope you day was filled with the love given by that special Baby.
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AuthorA dollmaker in a little town with lots of flowers and birds. Archives
August 2019
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