Reading and Remembering

I’ve been reading in the Psalms this summer. And we’ve been studying in the Psalms on Sunday mornings in our church. Our class studied Psalm 42 this week. It’s one of my favorites. Every time I come to Psalm 42, I remember.

Even if you aren't sure that it's the 42nd Psalm, you're probably familiar with it.

As the deer panteth for the water, so my soul longeth after Thee......

I've been reading this Psalm for years. I've been singing these words for years. But they really came alive to me on a December Sunday morning at Ein Gedi, in Israel.

It was on that Sunday morning that I saw this:

 

 

 

These are ibex, the "deer" referred to in this Psalm. And as the photo indicates, they live in a dry, barren environment. There's not a lot of water there. The Dead Sea is in the background, but there's no drinking water there. Not even for an ibex. A deer could get pretty thirsty in an environment like this. As I think about that, and as I look at this picture, I ask myself just how thirsty I am.

 

Here in the Carolinas, we have a different kind of deer. And a different environment. A deer doesn't have to go far to get a drink of water. Even in the hot summer like we have experienced this year.

 

 

 

 

It occurs to me that the contrasting environments illustrated by these contrasting photos also illustrate a truth about Christianity in America today. We're surrounded by "water" in the sense that we have an abundance of opportunities for Bible study, an abundance of Christian books, Bibles in multiple translations, an abundance of opportunities to drink deep of the water of the Word. Yet the downward shift in our culture would make it seem that we are in a dry and barren land. Why is that the case? How did we get to this point? Is it because we have such abundance that we have become complacent? Is it that we just aren't thirsty enough? Something to think about.

 

But I digress. As I read Psalm 42 this week, I remembered. I first visited Ein Gedi when we traveled to Israel in 2010. We were at Ein Gedi on a Sunday morning, and it was there that we had our morning worship. As we sat there, watching the ibex, in this oasis in the desert, Dr. Wilton read Psalm 42. And so I will forever associate that Psalm with my memories of being in that place.

 

As I'm remembering, I also remember a conversation with Dr. Wilton on that same day. We were at Masada, just a few miles down the road. As our group was gathering to ride the cable car back down to the base of the mountain, the few of us standing there were having a chat. I remarked that I was on overload.  And I was! Sensory overload. Information overload. Just overloaded and overwhelmed by what I had already experienced. And we hadn't even "walked where Jesus walked" yet!

 

We had spent a few days in Cairo, Egypt, and then had journeyed through the Sinai, following the Exodus route. We had arrived in Israel the afternoon before. We had seen pyramids and papyrus. We had visited Christian churches in Egypt. We had been to Mt. Sinai. I was trying to remember everything, so afraid I would forget something. And I was just overwhelmed.

 

Dr. Wilton gave me some good advice that day. He said not to try to remember every detail. Just experience it. And then, he said, when you get back home you will never read the Scriptures in the same way again. When you read the Word, your mind will recall where you were and what you saw and what you experienced. You will see it all in a completely new way. He was right. I often remember that conversation. As I did this week when I read Psalm 42.  

 

But there's more to that Psalm than deer thirsting for water and the parallel to our souls thirsting for God.

 

Before he became king,  David was on the run. King Saul wanted to kill him.  And so David hid in a cave.  A cave at Ein Gedi.

 

 

 

 

 

Psalm 42 is not just about thirsting after God. It also contains these words:

 

"Why are you in despair, O my soul?  And why have you become disturbed within me?  Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him for the help of His presence."               

(Psalm 42:5 NASB)

 

Probably no one is trying to kill you today. But you may be in despair for some other reason.

 

Perhaps the issue that troubles you is a health concern. Or a financial need. Or perhaps you've experienced a loss. If we could all gather in once place and share the burdens of our hearts, I'm sure there would be quite a long and varied list of issues.

 

But in all those situations, these words hold true, just as they did so long ago when this psalm was written.

 

Why are you in despair?  Hope in God.

 

That's an important truth worth remembering.

 

 

As the deer panteth for the water, so my soul longeth after Thee.

You alone are my heart's desire, and I long to worship Thee.

You alone are my strength, my shield;

To You alone may my spirit yield.

You alone are my heart's desire

And I long to worship Thee.

 

(-Martin Nystrom)

 



 

 

Backwards

 I came across this quote earlier this morning on Keith and Kristyn Getty’s Instagram feed.

“How we worship shapes how we see God, how we see ourselves, how we see our neighbor, and how we see the Christian life."

- Matt Boswell at Sing2025

I have to disagree with Matt Boswell. I think what he said is backwards.

The truth is this: how we view God shapes how we worship. When we have a high view of God, then not only is our worship properly focused, but we have a right view of others as well as a right view of how to live the Christian life.

However, when we have a high view of self or a wrong view of God (viewing God as we wish Him to be rather than as He is), our worship of God is distorted.

We need to think carefully before we blindly accept everything we read or hear, even from people whose work we admire. We must be careful to hold everything we read and hear up to the plumbline of scripture.

“……examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things are so.” Acts 14:11 NASB

Already?

Summer has two bookends - Memorial Day and Labor Day - and here we are. Heading into the Labor Day weekend when it seems summer just started yesterday! 

The signs of the season change are already evident. The crape myrtles that line my street are losing their blooms. The apple orchards are open. We're beginning to see pumpkin everything - Cheerios, pancakes, and coffee creamer, to name a few - everywhere we turn. I even had a pumpkin spice iced coffee this week! And it's time for some football! Go, Gamecocks!

I love September. There's a subtle change in the temperatures, which around here usually means mostly upper 80s instead of upper 90s. But hey, we'll take what we can get! And it’s the time when we move to lower humidity, a welcome change for us all.

All these signs point to one thing. It's time for fall, y'all!

I know fall doesn't officially make an appearance for about three more weeks. But turning the calendar page to September means it's that time again. Add in the fact that it’s the Labor Day weekend, and it's as good as official.  

Fall has arrived. The signs are everywhere. You can't help but notice.

There are other signs that are obvious as well.

"But understand this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power."       (2 Timothy 3:1-6a NASB)

I'm certain you have noticed some of these things in our culture. They are just as obvious as cooler temperatures and football season.

A Time to Remember

 

The Memorial Day weekend is usually viewed simply as a kick-off to the summer vacation season. But Memorial Day is so much more than!

This is a holiday which has its roots in the days following the Civil War and which began as a way to honor and remember those who had died in that war. In those days, it was known as Decoration Day. Although in recent years it has been observed much like other patriotic holidays (Independence Day and Veterans' Day) as a way to honor all the men and women who serve in our nation's military, I believe it is important to remember why we have this particular holiday.  

 

This day is so much more than a day to honor the military, as important as that is. We have Armed Forces Day (the third Saturday in May) to honor those who are now serving in our nation's military. Sadly, unless you are part of a military family or you live in a community near a military base, you may not even be aware of this holiday. And we have Veterans' Day in November to honor all those who have served in our nation's military.

This holiday, Memorial Day, is a day set aside to remember those who have died in service to our country. To remember that freedom isn't free. To remember that all those who went off to war didn't come home. Memorial Day is a day to remember.

In places like Gettysburg and Vicksburg. At Bull Run and Bunker Hill. In faraway places like Normandy and Argonne. Korea and Vietnam. Baghdad and Mosul. Kabul and Kandahar. In all these places and many more, somebody died for you. Memorial Day is a day to remember that. Somebody died for you.

As you're celebrating Memorial Day with family and friends, let's remember.

This weekend, while you're enjoying your day off from work, or your day at the beach, or your barbecue, take time to remember.

Freedom isn't free.  

Remember.

Somebody paid the ultimate price so you can enjoy all these things.

Remember.

Somebody died for you.

Remember.


"Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends."  (John 15:13 ESV)

Remembering. And Grateful.

Much has been written this week about the life and ministry of Kay Arthur. I feel compelled to add my voice to the mix. But first a little background.

I was born to godly Christian parents. My godly grandmother lived next door. We lived in the shadow of our Baptist church, the church my grandfather had pastored until his death in 1949. I was in the cradle roll. I went to Sunday School, Training Union, Sunbeams, GAs, YWA’s, study courses, GA camp. I did the sword drills. If you did not grow up in a Southern Baptist Church, some of these things may seem foreign to you. But the bottom line is I had been taught to the Bible, I had read the Bible, I had memorized scripture.

As a young adult, I married a godly man and we made our home in West Columbia, South Carolina, his hometown. We were very involved in our local church. We taught teenagers in Sunday School. We taught preschoolers. I was very involved in music ministry, both in choir, leading children’s choir, and playing piano for worship. I attended Bible studies. I even led Bible studies.

But they’re always seem to be something missing. Like a missing piece of a jigsaw puzzle.

In my mid 30s, we moved across the country to Colorado. That was a culture shock certainly, and not just because of the weather. But one day I met one of my new neighbors, and she invited me to go to Bible study with her. I happily accepted. And I am eternally grateful.

That was my introduction to Kay Arthur and Precept Ministries. We were studying in Covenant. The course had already started so I was a couple of weeks behind, but I didn’t even care. I was so excited! I had found my place. I had found the missing piece. I had found my people!

In the study, not only did I learn so much about God and about his covenant promises, I learned how to dig out those truths from scripture myself. I learned to study inductively. I learned not to rely on commentaries and Bible teachers, but to let the Holy Spirit be my teacher. I learned to let the word speak for itself.

Over these years, I only had the privilege of meeting Kay Arthur face-to-face on a handful of occasions. Even so, Kay Arthur was my mentor. My mentor from a distance, if you will. I learned so much about the Bible from listening to her. I learned even more about how to study the Bible from listening to her. I learned how to teach the Bible.

As a result, I am a better Bible student. I’m a better Bible teacher. And I’m better equipped to help others learn the truths of God‘s Word for themselves.

Kay Arthur was a giant among women. But Kay would not want us to be calling attention to her. She would want us to be fixing your eyes on Jesus. She would want us to be pointing others to His Word. She would want us to be knowing God‘s Word.

As those of us who wish to honor Kay and her memory, may we be doing exactly that. May we be pointing others to Jesus. May we be fixing our eyes on Him. May we know our God.

“The people who know their God will be strong and take action.” - Daniel 11:32.     

Perception vs. Reality

 

When we lived in the mountains of Western North Carolina, we often woke to foggy mornings like this one. When I would look out the front windows, or when I stood on the front porch, on mornings like this, visibility was very limited. All I could see was shades of black and white and gray.  

Even though I knew there was a world out there, I couldn’t see it. 

 

Reality was this beautiful view on the other side of the fog. But I couldn’t see it. My perception was not my reality. It looked like I was cut off from the rest of the world. And if one of those foggy days happened to be a day when the internet was down, then I really did feel isolated. Cut off from the world. Because my communication channel was cut off. Most of the time, once the reset button on the router was pushed, communication was restored and all was well.

I recently read the story of Joseph Scriven. I was not familiar with Scriven's story, but I haven't been able to get it out of my mind. Joseph Scriven was an Irish poet whose fiancée drowned the night before they were to be married. Grieving deeply, he decided to move to Canada and begin a new life there. Out of this experience and several others, he penned these words:

What a friend we have in Jesus,

All our sins and griefs to bear!

What a privilege to carry

Everything to God in prayer!

Oh, what peace we often forfeit,

Oh, what needless pain we bear,

All because we do not carry

Everything to God in prayer.

 

What's the common thread here? What ties these somewhat disparate things together?

 

Communication. And perception. What it feels like isn't always reality. Feelings aren't always reliable.

 

Some days, like those really cloudy days in the mountains, or on days when I’m spending most of my time home alone, it feels like I'm cut off from the world. But I'm not.

Joseph Scriven felt deep despair. Yet in spite of that he learned deep truths about God and about prayer.  Truths which he shared with us by writing these words we have come to know as the hymn What a Friend We Have in Jesus.

 

The reality is that, no matter the circumstances and no matter how I may feel, I can always communicate with my heavenly Father. On the clear days. On the foggy days. When the internet works. When it doesn't.  In the happy times. In the sad times. And in all the in between times. In all circumstances. About everything. About anything.  

 

The picture of fog reminds me of that this morning. It gave the illusion that I was completely cut off from the world, isolated and alone.  

 

But it's only an illusion. Perception isn't reality.

 

The reality is that I am never alone.The reality is that, regardless of circumstance, God is still God and He is still good.  And the reality is that I can communicate, through prayer, with the One who knows me best and loves me most. The same can be true for you. What a privilege! 

 

"Draw near to God and he will draw near to you."  (James 4:8 ESV)

 



A Favorite Picture. A Favorite Place. A Favorite Memory. And a Lesson Learned.

 

 

 

This is one of my favorite pictures. There we are, Al and I, just walking along with our group, yet completely oblivious to those around us. Strolling along, hand in hand, having a chat. No clue that a friend with a camera was snapping this photo.

 

It's one of my favorite pictures. And taken in one of my favorite places on earth, Jerusalem. We're just outside the Temple Mount, on the southern side. As we walk through the arches just ahead, and then make a left turn, we arrive at one of my favorite places in that favorite city, the southern steps to the Temple Mount.

 



This photo below, taken from the Mount of Olives, can put that into context for you. The walled area in the center of the photo is the Temple Mount. The Dome of the Rock is just out of the photo, to the far right just beyond the trees. The Southern Steps are there in the center, just outside the wall of the Temple Mount, just above a small clump of trees.

On each of our trips to Jerusalem, we have had opportunity to sit on those steps and worship. What precious memories I have of those times. Being in that place, very near where Peter preached on Pentecost and 3000 souls were saved (Acts 2:14-41). Hearing the Word proclaimed to us by our pastor in that same place. Praying there on those steps. Worshiping. Those are favorite memories indeed.

There's an important lesson to be learned from those Southern Steps up to the Temple Mount. You see, the interesting thing to me about these steps is that they are uneven. Some are wide, some are narrow, some are in-between. The result is that there would have been no casual skipping up the steps to worship at the Temple. The nature of the steps requires that the approach be slow and deliberate.

And therein lies the lesson. Have we become too casual in our approach to worship?  

Consider this quote from Oswald Chambers:  "If we have never had the experience of taking our casual, religious shoes off our casual, religious feet - getting rid of the excessive informality with which we approach God - it is questionable whether we have ever stood in His presence."

May we - may I - never be too casual, too hurried, in our approach to a holy God! This is the lesson of the Southern Steps.

"Who may ascend into the hill of the LORD? And who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not lifted up his soul to falsehood and has not sworn deceitfully. He shall receive a blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation."  (Psalm 24:4-5 NASB)


"Holy, Holy, Holy, is the LORD of hosts."  (Isaiah 6:3 NASB

Originally published 2015 by www.susanssittingroom.com