Category Archives: Love (of God)

“Sin Whispers, But God’s Love Shouts!” from Psalm 36 (#dailyPSALMSchallenge)

How precious is Your steadfast love, O God! The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of Your wings.

Psalm 36:7

Psalm 36 presents a striking contrast between the wickedness of sinful man and the steadfast love of God. David opens the psalm with a sobering description of human sinfulness (which describes every one of us at some point). The wicked are deceived by their own arrogance (v. 2). Their words bring trouble and deceit (v.3). And they “do not reject evil” (v. 4). 

What is at the root of all of this sin? David clarified that back in v. 1: “There is no fear of God before [the wicked’s] eyes”. Sin speaks to the hearts of the wicked because they do not fear the Lord and leads them further and further into wickedness and darkness.

But, in contrast to the darkness, the love of God shines brilliantly! David exalts God’s steadfast love, faithfulness, righteousness, and justice (vv. 5-6). These attributes of God are described in magnificently limitless terms in v. 5: “ Your steadfast love, O LORD, extends to the heavens, Your faithfulness to the clouds.” God’s righteousness is described as firm as mountain, and His judgments as deep as the oceans (v. 6). 

This steadfast love is at the root of His covenant with His people, leading Him to offer abundant blessings to those who trust in Him. Those who trust in Him “feast on the abundance of [His] house” and drink deeply from “the river of [His] delights” (v. 8). This is a picture of deep satisfaction found only in relationship and refuge in the Lord. He Himself is the “fountain of life” (v. 9), the source of all true joy, meaning, and fulfillment.

David closes Psalm 36 with a prayer for God’s continued love and protection for His people (vv. 10-12). He asks that pride and wickedness – that he understood was a danger to his own sinsick heart – would not overtake him and that God’s enemies would ultimately fall.

This leaves all reading Psalm 36 with a clear choice: will we walk in the way of the wicked, or will we seek shelter under the wings of a loving God?

Seeing Jesus in Psalm 36

Jesus is not only the fulfillment of Psalm 36 but the perfect embodiment and demonstration of God’s steadfast love. The apostle John showed this clearly in 1 John 4:9-10 – that in Jesus the love of God is illustrated, illuminated, and literally embodied:

“In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent His only Son into the world, so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation of our sins.”

Not only does Jesus encapsulate the love of God, but He is the fullest expression of the way God’s love was shown throughout Psalm 36. He is the Good Shepherd (John 10:11), the Bread of Life (John 6:35), the Fountain of Living Water (John 7:37-38), and the Light of the World (John 8:12). It is in Jesus alone that we experience the inexhaustible and ever-present satisfaction that David spoke of in his deepest longings. 

Refection

What David prayed for, we can know fully in Jesus. The world offers temporary pleasures, but Jesus not only embodies David’s longings but offers His fulfillment of them to all who trust in Him. That’s good news!

As you meditate on the beauty of God’s love in Christ, consider the following questions:

  • Do you recognize the voice of sin whispering in your own heart? How can you guard against it?
  • What does it mean to take refuge in God’s steadfast love? Where are you seeking satisfaction apart from Him?

The world offers fleeting joys, but true and lasting joy is found in His presence – presence that we can experience through His Spirit within us. 

Run to Him.

Take refuge under His wings.

Rest in the promise of His never-stopping, never-failing, never-giving-up steadfast love.

Here’s a song inspired by Psalm 36:

The #dailyPSALMSchallenge gives us the opportunity to start 2025 in God’s Word by digging into a psalm a day. Each day will identify a key passage for us to meditate on as well as seeking to help us see Jesus in the psalm and reflect on what we have read.

Won’t you take the challenge?

“Responding to God’s Love and Faithfulness with Worship” from Psalm 33 (#dailyPSALMSchallenge)

The counsel of the LORD stands forever, the plans of His heart to all generations.

Psalm 33:11

Psalm 33 is a call to worship by joyfully celebrating God’s sovereignty and trusting in His steadfast love. It begins with a command for the righteous to “shout for joy in the LORD” and a reminder that praise “befits the upright” (v. 1). Praise is a natural and appropriate response for those who trust in God. His worshipers are invited to sing a new song and play a plethora of instruments with skill (vv. 2-3), emphasizing that God is worthy of quality worship as an outpouring of gratitude.

Why worship? Psalm 33 gives three main reasons:

  1. God’s Word is Upright. Everything He speaks and does is faithful and true. He created the heavens by His Word and commands all things with authority (vv. 4-9). His Word is not only creatively powerful but also in sustaining and guiding His people.
  2. God’s Sovereignty is Unshakable. While nations make their own plans, “the counsel of the Lord stands forever” (v. 11). Governments rise and fall, but God’s purposes endure eternally. Those who belong to Him are truly blessed (v. 12), for He has chosen them as His heritage.
  3. God’s Steadfast Love Watches Over His People. Earthly power and strength can be deceptive – “the king is not saved by his great army, a warrior is not delivered by his great strength” (v. 16). The only true and faithful source of protection and provision is the Lord, whose eye “is on those who fear Him” and “hope in His steadfast love” (v. 18). 

Psalm 33 concludes with a declaration of trust: “Our soul waits for the Lord; He is our help and our shield” (v. 20). Worship is about more than singing; it is about placing our full confidence in God’s steadfast love and character. When we trust Him, our hearts rejoice (v. 21), and we find true hope in His faithfulness (v. 22).

Seeing Jesus in Psalm 33

Psalm 33 finds its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus. He is the Word through whom all things were made (John 1:3). The counsel of the Lord that stands forever is fully revealed in Him whose Kingdom will never end (Luke 1:33). 

As the psalmist calls us to place our hope in God’s steadfast love, we can recognize its greatest display in Jesus, who laid down His life to deliver us from sin and death (Romans 5:8).

Reflection

As Psalm 33 is a call to worship, the most appropriate response would be to, well, worship. Consider the following questions and ask the Lord to move your heart to worship Him.

Where do you place your confidence? Is it in your own strength, resources, or plans, or is it rooted in Jesus’s strength and plans?

How does remembering God’s unchanging and gracious plans bring you peace in times of uncertainty?

What song or hymn of praise can you sing today to worship the Lord by considering His steadfast love?

May our hearts be stirred to shout for joy and place our hope fully in the unshakable faithfulness of our God!

The #dailyPSALMSchallenge gives us the opportunity to start 2025 in God’s Word by digging into a psalm a day. Each day will identify a key passage for us to meditate on as well as seeking to help us see Jesus in the psalm and reflect on what we have read.

Won’t you take the challenge?

“The Joy of Forgiveness” from Psalm 32 (#dailyPSALMSchallenge)

Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.

Psalm 32:1

Psalm 32 is a joyful song of relief – the rejoicing of a sinner who has experienced the forgiving and redeeming grace of God! David begins this psalm with a double blessing – blessed is “the one whose transgression is forgiven” and blessed is “the man against whom the Lord counts no iniquity” (vv. 1-2). The word translated “blessed” here means happy, but it is not the surface-level happiness people often think of. It is the deep joy of knowing that sin has been wiped away and the burden of guilt lifted.

David speaks here from experience. When he tried to conceal his sin, his “bones wasted away through…groaning all day long” (v. 3). He gives the illustration of God’s hand pressing on him as an image of conviction that led from exhaustion and despair (v. 4) to finally coming out of hiding and confessing, immediately finding forgiveness when he “acknowledged his sin” (v. 5). This psalm teaches us a crucial lesson about joy and blessing: it doesn’t come from us trying to cover our sin but by God covering it. 

When we humble ourselves and confess, we are not met with condemnation but with mercy. This is why David calls us to respond by offering prayer to God in a time when He may be found (v. 6). Sin hardens our hearts – especially that which we try to hide or ignore – making confession more difficult. Instead of resisting and trying to hide, we should run to God who is our hiding place and protector in trouble (v. 7). Rather than being like a stubborn mule that resists correction (v. 9), we should trust in the Lord, for “steadfast love surrounds the one who trusts in the Lord” (v. 10).

The psalm ends with a call to celebration and reminds us again that the forgiven heart is a joyful heart.

Seeing Jesus in Psalm 32

Psalm 32 finds its fulfillment in Jesus. Paul quotes Psalm 32 in Romans 4:7-8 to show that justification comes by faith in Him and not by our works. 

The blessing of forgiveness is only possible because of Him. He bore our iniquities and covered our sin with His own righteousness. Jesus endured the penalty for our transgressions on the cross so that we can receive the blessing of forgiveness. And when we confess our sins to Him, we do so in confidence that “if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

Reflection

Have you ever tried to ignore or hide your guilt or, like David, live carrying unconfessed sin? That’s an easy question to answer for every one of us: yes – too often. God’s invitation for us here is clear: “Let everyone who is godly offer prayer…at a time when [He] may be found” (v. 6). 

Don’t wait.

Come to the Lord in confession and receive the joy of His forgiveness. Meditate on the double blessing of vv. 1-2 and know that, if you are in Christ, your transgressions are forgiven, your sin is governed, and God does not count your iniquity against you.

That’s good news and reason for rejoicing!

The #dailyPSALMSchallenge gives us the opportunity to start 2025 in God’s Word by digging into a psalm a day. Each day will identify a key passage for us to meditate on as well as seeking to help us see Jesus in the psalm and reflect on what we have read.

Won’t you take the challenge?

“Placing Our Times in God’s Sure and Steady Hands” from Psalm 31 (#dailyPSALMSchallenge)

But I trust in You, O LORD; I say, “You are my God.” My times are in Your hand; rescue me from the hand of my enemies and from my persecutors!

Psalm 31:14-15

Psalm 31 is a deeply emotional and personal psalm showing David’s trust for the Lord as he sought refuge amidst life-threatening circumstances. This psalm moves from David’s desperate cries for deliverance to an unwavering declaration in God’s sovereignty and goodness. In v. 5, David proclaims, “Into Your hand I commit my spirit”, words later echoed by Jesus on the cross (Luke 23:46), showing Psalm 31 to be a testament to the reality of suffering, the sufficiency of God’s grace, and the assurance of His steadfast love for His people.

David begins with the heartfelt plea for God to never let him “be put to shame” and for God to deliver him (v. 1). He describes God as his rock and fortress, emphasizing his complete dependence on the Lord for guidance, rescue, and protection (v. 3). In the midst of overwhelming affliction, David places his life in God’s hands.

David’s honesty about his pain is striking: “For my life is spent with sorrow, and my years with sighing”, citing his failing strength and bones wasting away (v. 10). He feels forgotten and rejected, yet he does not lose sight of God’s faithfulness. Instead, he declares his trust for the Lord and confess that He is his God (vv. 14-15). This declaration of faith reveals David’s confidence in God’s control over his times – literally every moment of his life, even and especially the darkness seasons and moments.

Psalm 31 concludes with a call to worship: “Love the Lord, all you His saints! The Lord preserves the faithful but abundantly repays the one who acts in pride. Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the Lord!” (vv. 23-24). 

Seeing Jesus in Psalm 31

Psalm 31 points us directly to Jesus, who embodied perfect trust in the Father even in His most excruciating moment on the cross. When Jesus quoted v. 5, He demonstrated complete dependence on the Father, trusting Him even in death. His resurrection assures us that God’s goodness and steadfast love triumph over sin, suffering and death. 

Reflection

Psalm 31 challenges us to entrust every aspect of our lives to God’s sovereign care. Through Jesus, we can confidently declare, “My times are in Your hand”, knowing that our lives are secure in Him, both now and forever. 

Are there areas where you struggle to trust God’s timing or provision?

How does Jesus’s example committing His spirit to His Father encourage you to trust God, even in seasons of uncertainty or pain?

Take time today to entrust your burdens to the Lord, knowing that His steadfast love is abundant, His goodness is stored up for His people, and His plans for you are always perfect.

The #dailyPSALMSchallenge gives us the opportunity to start 2025 in God’s Word by digging into a psalm a day. Each day will identify a key passage for us to meditate on as well as seeking to help us see Jesus in the psalm and reflect on what we have read.

Won’t you take the challenge?

“Trusting the God of Our Salvation” from Psalm 25 (#dailyPSALMSchallenge)

Make me to know Your ways, O LORD; teach me Your paths. Let me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; for You I wait all the day long.

Psalm 25:4-5

Psalm 25 is a heartfelt prayer of dependence on God’s guidance, forgiveness, and protection. David pours out his soul, expressing trust in God while seeking to be delivered from enemies, wisdom for life, and mercy for past sin. This is an acrostic poem, meaning that (for the most part) each verse beginning with a Hebrew letter A-Z (actually aleph א to tav ת), and emphasizes themes like trust, humility, and God’s covenant faithfulness.

David opens the psalm by lifting his soul to the Lord and declaring His trust in Him (vv. 1-2). This is active trust, not passive – a confident reliance on God’s character and promises. He boldly asks that he not be put to shame, knowing that those who wait on the Lord will not be disappointed in that regard (v. 3).

The heart of Psalm 25 is David’s plea for guidance and instruction. He desires to know God’s ways, to walk in His truth, and to live in obedience to Him (vv. 4-5). This humble plea reflects an awareness of his (and our) limitations and the need for God’s wisdom. David’s cry also reveals his teachable spirit, acknowledging that true wisdom comes only from the Lord.

David transitions to seeking forgiveness for his sins, particularly the sins of his youth (vv. 6-7). People often remark that it seems odd that David would be known as a man after God’s own heart when he very clearly is a sinner; vv. 6-7 give a good indication for what set him apart, namely repenting of his sin and seeking God’s mercy and steadfast love. David consistently holds to the consistency of God’s character and His steadfast love. It is also important to note that David acknowledges that God’s forgiveness is given and not earned – that it flows from God’s goodness and covenant faithfulness (v. 11).

In vv. 8-14, David highlights God’s character as good, upright, and faithful. He notes that God teaches sinners, leads the humble, and reveals His covenant to those who fear Him. This reverent fear fosters intimacy with God, described in v. 14 as “the friendship of the LORD”.

Psalm 25 concludes with David praying for deliverance from his troubles, enemies, and sins. He asks God to guard his soul and to preserve him through integrity and uprightness as he waits on the Lord (vv. 15-21). Finally, David expands his prayer to include all of Israel, asking God to redeem His people from their troubles (v. 22).

Seeing Jesus in Psalm 25

Psalm 25 finds its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus. David’s plea for forgiveness points us to the cross, where Jesus bore the penalty for sin and secured mercy for sinners. Only Jesus lived with perfect trust, humility, and obedience to God’s will, walking the path of righteousness without flaw or error.

As the God of our salvation, Jesus delivers us from sin and leads us in paths of righteousness. Like David, we can lift our souls to Him, confident that He will guide us, forgive us, and guard our lives for His glory.

Reflection

Psalm 25 calls us to trust God fully, seek His guidance, and rest in His mercy. As you do so, reflect on the following questions. 

Are you daily asking God to teach you His ways and lead you in His truth? 

Do you trust in God’s forgiveness, even for the sins of your youth? 

How does the promise of God’s friendship encourage you to walk in humility and obedience?

Lift your soul to the Lord today. Confess your need for His guidance, forgiveness, and protection. Wait on Him, knowing that He is faithful to answer and to redeem. Through Christ, you can walk in His paths with confidence and hope.

The #dailyPSALMSchallenge gives us the opportunity to start 2025 in God’s Word by digging into a psalm a day. Each day will identify a key passage for us to meditate on as well as seeking to help us see Jesus in the psalm and reflect on what we have read.

Won’t you take the challenge?

“Trusting the Good Shepherd in Green Pastures and Dark Valleys” from Psalm 23 (#dailyPSALMSchallenge)

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want…. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

Psalm 23:1, 6

Psalm 23 is among the most beloved and often quoted passages of Scripture, offering profound comfort and hope. It uses two main illustrations: the Lord as Shepherd (vv. 1-4) and the Lord as Host (vv. 5-6). These metaphors vividly illustrate God’s care, guidance, protection, and provision for His people.

David begins with the declaration that “The Lord is [his] shepherd” and that because He is he “shall not want” (v. 1). This is not just a statement of confidence but more of a deep personal affirmation of David’s trust in his Lord. In the ancient world, kings were often compared to shepherds, tasked with providing for and protecting their people. Here, David, Israel’s literal shepherd-king, acknowledges that he himself is a sheep under the care of the Chief Shepherd.

God provides abundantly for His flock. The “green pastures” and “still waters” (v. 2) symbolize rest, nourishment, and peace. The Shepherd knows what His sheep need and leads them accordingly. Even in “the valley of the shadow of death” (v. 4), the darkest and most dangerous of places, the sheep are secure. Why? Because the Shepherd is there. His rod (used for protection) and His staff (used for guidance) bring comfort and assurance.

Psalm 23 then shifts from the image of a shepherd to that of a host preparing a large and lavish banquet. The phrase “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies” (v. 5) speaks of victory, provision, and honor. In the face of opposition and perceived danger, God sustains and blesses His people. Anointing the head with oil was a sign of hospitality and joy, and the overflowing cup reflects the abundance of God’s blessings.

It concludes with the confidence that God’s goodness and mercy (His steadfast love, His chesed) will pursue His people all the days of their lives, culminating in their dwelling with Him forever (v. 6), when He will no longer pursue because we will be safe in His presence. 

Seeing Jesus in Psalm 23

Jesus is the fulfillment of Psalm 23. He is the Good Shepherd who laid down His life for His sheep (John 10:11). Just as David declared, “He restores my soul” (v. 3), Jesus restores the lives of those He saves, leading them on paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.

In the New Testament, Jesus embodies both Shepherd and Host. He leads His followers through the trials and dangers of life, offering His constant presence and peace as Emmanuel (God with us). Through His death and resurrection, He conquered the ultimate valley of death, not merely its shadow (v. 4), ensuring that His sheep will never be abandoned or forsaken.

The table prepared “in the presence of…enemies” (v. 5) points forward to the victory banquet (marriage supper) of the Lamb (Revelation 19:9), where Jesus invites His people to eternal fellowship with Him, dwelling in His house forever and His goodness and mercy will no longer follow but be the ambiance of God’s glory in His house forevermore (v. 6)!

Reflection

Psalm 23 invites us to rest in the care of the Good Shepherd. Are you weary, burdened, or fearful? Remember that Jesus not only walks you through life’s green pastures but also through its darkest valleys. His presence and protection are enough.

Take time today to reflect on God’s abundant provision and steadfast love in your life. Trust Him to lead, sustain, and guide you – even when the path ahead seems uncertain or fraught with danger or death. He is a Shepherd who never leaves His sheep, a Host who welcomes His people with joy, and a King who reigns with goodness and mercy.

Are you following the Shepherd’s voice today? Rest in the assurance that you are His, and He will guide you safely home.

The #dailyPSALMSchallenge gives us the opportunity to start 2025 in God’s Word by digging into a psalm a day. Each day will identify a key passage for us to meditate on as well as seeking to help us see Jesus in the psalm and reflect on what we have read.

Won’t you take the challenge?

Songs for Sunday, January 26, 2025 @ Christ Community Church

Sunday’s coming, and that’s good news!

Have y’all ever gotten something stuck in your mind that you just couldn’t get unstuck? Of course you have – everyone has experienced this at some point and time. For me, it is the key verse from John’s sermon last week, Romans 12:15:

Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.

It’s simple. Straightforward. Clear. As John explained to us, this verse is really only four words in the Greek, essentially “rejoice — rejoicers, weep — weepers”. We, those of us who are saved and have been adopted into God’s family and grafted into His church, are to be there for our brothers and sisters, hurting when they hurt. That’s what family does, right? It should especially be so in the family of God.

As I have pondered on that verse (really simmered or stewed like a crockpot), it has had me thinking on why it is to be this way. And essentially, I have arrived at the conclusion that it stems from us extending grace to others as Jesus has extended grace to us.

One Scripture that came to mind is from the Sermon on the Mount right after Jesus gave us what we call “The Lord’s Prayer”. Look at Matthew 6:14-15:

For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

This is not saying that we earn God’s forgiveness by forgiving others. If that were the case, we’d have no hope because humanity as a whole is not a forgiving people but rather quite selfish and self-serving. No, what Jesus is saying here is that the way we forgive is based on how we have been forgiven. If we understand that our sin put us at odds and enmity with Jesus and that He reconciled us to Himself and showed us love while we were still sinners, we will have an appreciation for that love and forgiveness that will show in how we forgive others.

This isn’t some theory on my part or some great epiphany. Jesus explained it similarly to Simon the Pharisee after the woman came in and washed Jesus’s feet with her tears, dried them with her hair, and anointed them with costly perfume. When Simon (and Jesus’s own disciples) were critical of the woman’s wastefulness with pouring out very expensive perfume on Jesus’s feet, Jesus told them that the woman’s sins “which are many” had been forgiven which was why she “loved much”, and He clarified that the one who has been “forgiven little, loves little” (Luke 7:47).

If you are saved, you know that you have been forgiven MUCH because your sin — no matter how the world might view it — is a LOT, and definitely more than our sinless Savior should’ve had to bear on the cross. We deserve the cross, not Jesus. We deserve death, not Jesus. But because of His great love and richness in grace and mercy, He forgave much, loved much, and gave much. That kind of forgiveness, love, and grace changes folks’ lives. If you are saved, you have received this from Jesus and cannot help but extend it to others.

Simon didn’t get it. He thought he had some earthly status as a Pharisee. But when you look at the other gospels, you get, as Paul Harvey would’ve said, the rest of the story. Matthew 26:6 doesn’t call Simon a Pharisee; there he is referred to as “Simon the leper”. You don’t have to read a lot of the Bible to know that folks typically kept their distance from lepers. They were considered unclean. Folks would walk on the opposite side of the road to keep from touching one. They surely wouldn’t touch one, much less go to his house for supper. Long story short, Jesus wasn’t at Simon’s house to honor him but because Jesus had compassion on those no one else did. Jesus was a friend to sinners. He ate with tax collectors. He showed compassionate care to those the world had thrown away. No one was lining up at Simon’s door because Simon was unclean, untouchable, and unmistakably ostracized from society. Yet he looked at that poor woman weeping at Jesus’s feet and had the audacity to remark how pitiful it is that Jesus would let her touch Him (when anyone passing by could’ve remarked how pitiful it was for Jesus to go in Simon the leper’s house).

Simon didn’t get it.

Do we?

That woman had received a lot of grace because she’d committed a lot of sin.

That woman had experienced greater love from God who not only forgave her sin but would go on to die on the cross her sin deserved.

That woman had reason to weep sorrowfully over her sin against a holy God but had more reason to weep out of rejoicing that her sin was wholly forgiven by God and show love to Him in return.

What about us? Do we get it?

Look at how Paul put it in 2 Corinthians 1:3-4:

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort which we ourselves are comforted by God.

God has shown us grace and comfort because He loves us. We have the opportunity to show that grace and comfort to others. And this is sorely needed in a world today that seems like the rejoicing is getting more seldom and weeping is ever increasing.

Thankfully, Sunday’s coming. There is a coming Day when Jesus will return and gather His people to Him. The last tears of sorrow will be cried and wiped away by His nail-pierced hand. Death will be abolished. The sad things of this earth will come untrue. As the old hymn says, “What a Day — glorious Day — that will be!”

Until that day, we will gather and read God’s Word, sing God’s Word, and hear God’s Word preached. That’s what we’re singing about this Sunday: telling what Jesus has done for us. And as we do so, we will have brothers and sisters who are rejoicing about this or that. Rejoice with them. Assuredly there will be those with much to weep about. Weep with them. You have been given much grace and love. Christ Community family, it’s time to extend that grace and love to others.

Won’t you gather with us?

Here are our Scriptures & songs:

  • Scripture | Titus 3:1-7 —

1Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, 2to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people. 3For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. 4But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, 5He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to His own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, 6whom He poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7so that being justified by His grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

  • Scripture | Galatians 6:14 —

But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

  • Scripture | Revelation 1:17-18 —

17When I saw Him, I fell at His feet as though dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying, “Fear not, I am the first and the last, 18and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.

“Trusting God’s Steadfast Love in Sorrow” from Psalm 6 (#dailyPSALMSchallenge)

Turn, O LORD, deliver my life; save me for the sake of Your steadfast love.

Psalm 6:4

Psalm 6 is a cry of deep lament (which we defined in Psalm 3 as letting out one’s feelings of grief or sadness) as David is overwhelmed by distress and the apparent silence of God. This is the first of the penitential psalms (meaning Psalms of confession and repentance — including Psalms 32, 38, 51, 130, and 143). Here, rather than confessing specific sins, David cries out to God about his experiences with God’s discipline and his enemies’ torment.

David starts off with an urgent plea: “O Lord, rebuke me not in Your anger, nor discipline me in Your wrath” (v. 1). He feels the weight of God’s discipline but asks for God’s mercy instead of wrath. If God’s grace is giving His undeserved favor, His mercy is withholding punishment or wrath that we DO deserve. David’s plea for mercy is because his distress is affecting him physically and longs to know from the Lord how long the discipline will last (vv. 2-3).

The turning point in Psalm 6 comes when David appeals to God’s steadfast love (Hebrew: chesed) and sees that love as the basis for his hope. He has experienced God’s steadfast love in the past and trusts that God will not be angry with him forever and will move to rescue and save him (v. 4). David understands that God is just and does not dispute whether the discipline is warranted; knowing God loves him, though, he pleads for mercy.

What began as lament turns to worship with David pouring out his soul before the Lord. While he initially remarked that he felt God was being silent toward him, He had faith that God had heard his prayer (v. 9). This assurance fuels his boldness to call out his enemies, knowing that God is not done with him and will vindicate him.

Seeing Jesus in Psalm 6

This psalm points forward to Jesus, the Man of sorrows (Isaiah 53:3). Like David, Jesus experienced deep anguish as He prayed in the garden of Gethsemane (Luke 22:44). On the cross, He bore the full weight of God’s wrath and punishment for our sin — not His, but ours — so that we might be delivered and experience His steadfast love.

Jesus also fulfills David’s confidence that God hears the cries of the afflicted. In Him, have assurance that our prayers are heard and that our salvation is sure. More than that, Jesus’s resurrection turns our weeping to joy, proving that not even death can separate us from God’s love.

Reflection

Psalm 6 invites us to bring our deepest sorrows and fears to God, trusting in His steadfast love even when we are being disciplined (and our troubles stem from our own sin). When God seems silent, David’s faith and words in Psalm 6 can help us see that God’s mercy is greater than His discipline and that His salvation is certain for those who trust in Him.

The #dailyPSALMSchallenge gives us the opportunity to start 2025 in God’s Word by digging into a psalm a day. Each day will identify a key passage for us to meditate on as well as seeking to help us see Jesus in the psalm and reflect on what we have read.

Won’t you take the challenge?

Songs for Sunday, December 22, 2o24 @ Christ Community Church

Sunday’s coming, and I’m excited!

And it’s almost Christmas! Tomorrow, we will be singing about the true meaning of Christmas.

What is the true meaning of Christmas?

It is a simple question, but sometimes we make simple things complicated. The Christmas season can quickly become one of the busiest times of the year. Some say family is the true meaning of Christmas, but it is easy to get so busy or distracted that we miss out on being with our loved ones. Others say joy is the true meaning of Christmas, but many people find themselves mourning or feeling alone during the holiday season. Still others say the giving and receiving of presents is the true meaning of Christmas, but Christmas cannot be put in a box.

No, Christmas is all of these things and much more. Christmas finds its true meaning in Jesus, who gives family, joy, and gifts their meaning and place. Jesus is the true meaning of Christmas, and if you will forgive the pun, His presence illustrates that better than any presents ever could.

When I think about Jesus’s presence at Christmas, it becomes clear that there would be no Christmas without Him. The world “walked in darkness” (Isaiah 9:2), and God became flesh and dwelled among us. Jesus, the Light of the World, shined in the darkness (John 1:5, 14; 8:12). The world needed a Savior and received “Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11). God could have chosen to save us in any way, but He knew we needed His presence as Emmanuel, “God with us.” What a beautiful picture of love and grace! Better than a storybook hero, Jesus came Himself to rescue and save us—not just showing up in our time of need but living among us and remaining until He had saved “to the uttermost those who draw near to God through Him” (Hebrews 7:25).

If all Jesus had done was live on earth and die on the cross, that would have been more than enough. But death usually ends presence—except with Jesus. His presence goes beyond His first coming and His death on the cross. Jesus rose from the dead and has given us His Spirit. Emmanuel, “God with us,” is not just something from a Christmas story. Christmas reminds us that God is with us now because His Holy Spirit “dwells with you and will be in you” (John 14:17).

It is so easy to feel alone in this world, especially around the holidays. It is easy to feel joyless when people around you seem so cheerful. But if you are in Christ, He is closer than you can imagine. His presence is within you.

Finally, Christmas points to the promise of God’s presence not just in the past but also in the future. Advent, a word meaning “arrival” or “coming,” represents the anticipation Israel felt as they awaited the Messiah. Theirs was an anxious anticipation, waiting for a king to rescue them. For us, the King of kings has already come to our rescue. Ours is an expectant anticipation because we are waiting for our King to return and take us home. Jesus’s return will be one of joy, comfort, and peace, when God will dwell with us, and we will dwell with Him. His nail-scarred hands will wipe away every tear from our eyes, and His presence will remove mourning, crying, pain, and death forever (Revelation 21:3–4).

The true meaning of Christmas is found in His presence. He has come for us. He is here with us. And He is preparing a forever home for us. That’s good news! As the old Christmas hymn says, “Let every heart prepare Him room.” This Christmas, let’s make room in our hearts to feel and experience His presence, allowing His love and grace to refresh and restore us.

Lord willing, His love and grace will refresh us tomorrow as we sing to Jesus, in the presence of His Spirit, and awaiting the advent of His coming. We will lift our voices in praise. We will sit under the teaching of His Word.

Won’t you gather with us?

Here are our Scriptures & songs for Sunday:

  • Advent Reading | Love —

As the fourth candle, the candle of love, shines, ponder God’s profound love revealed through Christ’s birth and sacrifice, echoing 1 John 4:10. Reflect on John 3:16 and Romans 5:8, recognizing the Gospel as the ultimate display of God’s unconditional love. This divine love calls for embracing it fully and extending it sacrificially to others, as highlighted in Ephesians 5:2. Let Christ’s love inspire you to practice radical love in your relationships, mirroring His example.

The heart of Christmas lies in God’s immense love shown by sending His Son, Jesus, as the ultimate gift. This Advent phase illuminates the depth of the Father’s love, echoing the truth found in 1 John 4:10. Amidst the festivities, remember that Christmas revolves around God’s extraordinary love revealed through the sacrificial gift of His beloved Son for unworthy sinners like us.

9 In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. 10 In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

  • Advent Reading | Christ —

The Christ candle marks the culmination of Advent, embodying hope, peace, joy, and love of Jesus. He is the heart of the Gospel message, representing hope for humanity’s reconciliation with God. Embrace His presence, allowing His light to shine through your life, illuminating the world with the Gospel’s transformative power.

Jesus’ birth led to His sacrificial death, offering us new life through His resurrection. He is our sole hope, the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Amid the Christmas hustle, ponder the profound impact of Christ’s birth in history, changing humanity forever.

This Christmas, reflect on His birth, mourn the necessity of His death, celebrate His resurrection, and gather with fellow believers to worship Him.

5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

  • Song | What a Beautiful Name —
    Scripture Inspiration: John 1:1, John 10:30, John 1:14, John 1:3, John 1:10, Matthew 6:13, 1 Timothy 6:15, Isaiah 40:18-20, 1 Timothy 2:3-4, John 14:6, Philippians 2:5-11, Romans 6:23, Romans 8:36-39, Isaiah 9:6, Revelation 1:18, Matthew 27:51, Romans 6:9, Revelation 19:1-6, 1 Corinthians 15:1-8, 1 Corinthians 8:6, Colossians 1:16, Deuteronomy 11:25

Good News of Great Joy | December 15 — “The Joy of God Over the Lost Being Found”

Luke 15 reveals the heart of God toward sinners—a heart full of compassion, mercy, and rejoicing. As we prepare for Christmas, these parables remind us of God’s relentless pursuit of the lost and His joy when they return to Him. The shepherd, the woman, and the father represent God’s care for every sinner, no matter how far they have strayed.

Christ Has Come: The Promised King & His Gift of Peace (Advent 2025) – Refresh & Restore | A JustKeithHarris.com Podcast

Christ Has Come – Week 3Episode Title: The Promised King & His Gift of JoyLuke 1:39–56In this Advent episode of Christ Has Come, Keith Harris turns to Luke 1 and invites us to slow down and listen to the joy that begins stirring before Bethlehem. Long before angels sing to shepherds, joy breaks the silence in the hill country of Judea—through a Spirit-filled confession, a leaping child, and the worshipful song of a young woman who trusts the promises of God.Together, we explore:What biblical joy is—and what it isn’t, distinguishing it from fleeting happiness or emotional highs.How joy appears before the word is even spoken, as John the Baptist leaps for joy in Elizabeth’s womb at the presence of the unborn Messiah.Why Mary’s joy is rooted not in circumstances but in God’s mercy, as she magnifies the Lord and rejoices in God her Savior.The meaning and message of the Magnificat, a Scripture-saturated song that celebrates God’s great reversal—lifting the lowly, filling the hungry, and humbling the proud.How Mary’s joy points beyond herself to Jesus, the promised King who fulfills God’s covenant promises and secures lasting joy through His saving work.This episode reminds us that joy is not something we manufacture—it’s something we receive, and it grows wherever Jesus is trusted. Advent teaches us that true joy is found not in having life figured out, but in the presence of Christ and the mercy He brings.If you would like to see a written version of this study, complete with footnotes and cross-references, you can find it here.
  1. Christ Has Come: The Promised King & His Gift of Peace (Advent 2025)
  2. Christ Has Come: The Promised King & His Gift of PEACE (Advent 2025)
  3. Christ Has Come: The Promised King & His Gift of HOPE (Advent 2025)
  4. Thankful: Learning to Number Our Days (Refresh & Restore)

The Parable of the Lost Sheep (15:1-7)[1]

Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. 2 And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.”

3 So he told them this parable: 4 “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? 5 And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6 And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’ 7 Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.

The Parable of the Lost Coin (15:8-10)[2]

8 “Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and seek diligently until she finds it? 9 And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.’ 10 Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

The Parable of the Prodigal Son (15:11-32)[3]

11 And he said, “There was a man who had two sons. 12 And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ And he divided his property between them. 13 Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living. 14 And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. 16 And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything.

17 “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! 18 I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.” ’ 20 And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. 21 And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 22 But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. 23 And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. 24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.

25 “Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. 27 And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.’ 28 But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, 29 but he answered his father, ‘Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’ 31 And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. 32 It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’ ”

[1] Tax collectors and sinners drew near to hear Jesus, but the Pharisees and scribes grumbled because He welcomed them. In response, Jesus told three parables, starting with the lost sheep. A shepherd leaves 99 sheep to search for one that is lost, and when he finds it, he rejoices greatly. Jesus explains that there is more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over 99 who think they need no repentance.

[2] A woman loses one of her ten silver coins and diligently searches for it, lighting a lamp and sweeping her house. When she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors to rejoice with her. Jesus emphasizes that the same joy occurs among the angels of God over one sinner who repents.

[3] A father has two sons. The younger demands his inheritance, leaves home, and squanders it in reckless living. Reduced to feeding pigs and longing to eat their food, he comes to his senses and decides to return to his father, confessing his sin. The father, seeing him from afar, runs to embrace him, clothes him with a robe, places a ring on his finger, and celebrates his return with a feast.

The older son, however, becomes angry, refusing to join the celebration. He protests that he has always been faithful but was never given such a feast. The father gently reminds him that all he has belongs to him, but it is right to celebrate because the lost son has been found.