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“Though Your footprints were not seen, You led Your people like a flock.” Psalm 77:19

Psalm 17- Another spiritual axiom for me, along with “if it’s important to God, it’s clear in His word,” is, “If it doesn’t make sense, keep reading.” This was a psalm for that latter one. When I started it sounded like David was asking for God’s blessing BECAUSE he was living a good life. Like he deserved what he wanted, and because he was doing well on his spiritual journey he could “expect” God to give him what he wanted. As I read on I saw that this prayer/song seemed to be more about the physical challenges he was having with his enemies, who continued to assail him, EVEN THOUGH he had done nothing wrong to deserve it. It does not appear to be a song of deserving something, as much as a song of “help, I’m being attacked unfairly.”

Psalm 47- “Sing praises to God,” because HE is still king over all and HE still wins, and He deserves to be “greatly exalted.” Just a good reminder for me this morning to focus more on the solution than the problem.

Psalm 77- Even David could have a bad day. I like that fact in this psalm, AND I like how he resolved his “bad day.” He starts, “crying out to the Lord for help… my spirit grew faint… I was too troubled to speak….

Will the Lord reject us forever?

Will He never show His favor again?

Has His unfailing love vanished forever?”

And about 5 more questions for God just like these!

“THEN I thought…

I will remember the deeds of the Lord

I will meditate on all Your works

I will consider all Your mighty deeds

I will acknowledge that:

Your ways are holy

You perform miracles

You display Your power

Your mighty arm redeems your people

Though your footprints were not seen, You continue led your people.”

It’s ok to have a bad day… it’s not ok to stay there!

Psalm 107- Another responsive song, with the leader reviewing the ways God had led His people through good and not so good times, with the people saying, “Give thanks to the Lord for He is good; His love endures forever.”

What if I kept that response posted on my bulletin board, or taped to my door, or wrote on my notebook, or carried in my pocket, SO THAT no matter where I am I will remember that it’s good to “give thanks to the Lord for He IS good, and his love DOES endure forever.” Each of the 4 times this is repeated in this song it concludes with, “Let the redeemed of the Lord say so!”

Psalm 137- As I read this song this morning my thoughts went to some of the greatest gospel music ever created—Negro spirituals—written by people in a land they did not choose, captives, mistreated for things they did not do. Yet they still saw the value of preserving their hearts and their heritage through song. In some ways the “negro spirituals” may be even richer than psalms like this, written about these Old Testament people’s captivity in Babylon. They were there because of their sins; the American slaves were here because of someone else’s selfishness; helpless victims. It was a terrible part of our history, yet we have been blessed because those people sang “hymns” of hope. I still have a lot to learn about how to respond to the difficulties life throws at me!

Have a great day knowing where to focus and to Whom to turn,

Pastor Rich

Quote for the day: “Sometimes you get what you want. Other times, you get a lesson in patience, timing, alignment, empathy, compassion, faith, perseverance, resilience, humility, trust, meaning, awareness, resistance, purpose, clarity, grief, beauty, and life. Either way, you win.” Brianna West

PS Loveology | Open small group. 6:00 p.m. | College View Church young adult room
In Loveology, John Mark Comer breaks down what relationships are all about. Sex, love, marriage, romance, dating and singleness—what went wrong after the Garden of Eden beginning? God thought the whole thing up—what does he have to say to us now? Learn a new theology of love that could change everything for you.

PPS I’ve just been learning about a really amazing site called “Adventist Young Professionals,” https://adventistyoungprofessionals.org/about

It’s a cool link for connectedness from a spiritual perspective with multiple on line small groups and other fellowship options. I would encourage you to check it out because, based on the name, I’m guessin’ I’m too old to be allowed in!! (just kidding!)

PPPS Don’t forget to send your announcements to Daniel.Klein@ucollege.edu to be included on the big screens at uGather.