Psalm Twenty - Eight

"Do not drag me away with the wicked, with those who do evil, who speak cordially with their neighbors but harbor malice in their hearts."
-----Psalms 28:3

Civility is necessary in the world if we all want to make progress both professionally and relationally. When hearts get involved in certain situations there is always the possibility for conflict. People can be irritating, inconvenient, messy, and just a plain pain in the butt. However, this does not mean that they do not have value.

It also does not necessarily mean that it is your duty to tell them what you think of them. (Have you ever noticed when a person claims that they 'just speak their mind' it is usually in defense of a harsh comment they made.) "Getting along" with others is something we teach kids in kindergarten. Being cordial is not the issue here, we can pretend that. The issue is much deeper.

Our danger is harboring malice in our hearts. Jesus said, "what comes out of the mouth, comes from the heart." What we must do is take a continual inventory of what emotions we are allowing to rest in the chambers of our hearts. Allow hate to build long enough and don't be surprised if that is how you view the world you live in. Allow love to build and watch just how fulfilled you feel as you are showing people glimpses of God. Love is God and God is love.

Heart and Soul,
BAG
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Psalm Twenty - Seven

"Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD."
-----Psalms 27:14

David seemed to understand how to wait for God to make His move. Anointed king around 16 years old, he had to wait until he was about 30 to lead the nation. In the years between oil and governing, he was chased by Saul. He lived in caves and foreign lands. When the opportunity came to take control, he chose not to and was committed to seeing God open the necessary doors.

Waiting can seem to be one of the most difficult things we have to do. We are a society of impatient people. Our attention spans are short, we want the quick fix and the immediate gratification of what life has to offer. Sometimes however, the old cliche' rings true, "Good things come to those who wait." David at 16, would more than likely have been a horrible king. He had no experience leading men into battle and taking care of the needs of a nation. His interim time taught him some of the greatest lessons he could learn. Through his waiting time he earned the loyalty of an army, he gained insight on how to respect authority, (which was noticed by the people following him) and developed a perspective in how to lead a nation into one of it's most prosperous times in history.

Sometimes the waiting has a purpose.

Heart and Soul,
BAG
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Psalm Twenty - Six

David's admittance of living a 'blameless' life is different than claiming a 'sinless' one. This was a stumbling block for me when I first started reading God's word. In claiming that he has led a blameless life, David is saying that he has asked and received forgiveness for the sins that he has committed. He understood that there were consequences for the actions he chose to make. It is thought that this Psalm was written as his son Absalom was leading a rebellion and taking control of the City of David. The issue here is not perfection but righteousness. Because of Jesus we have been made right in God's sight. His blood has made an atonement for our sins. His promise has made possible for an incredible relationship with the Almighty. God is good.

Heart and Soul,
BAG
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