Psalm 119.18, Chapter 2

Posted on May 22, 2013 by Robert Franklin

hiding under blanketOpen my eyes to see the wonderful truths in your instructions. Psalm 119.18 NLT

I recently watched a movie described on Netflix as “teen scream.” It was mostly silliness, but in several key scenes I noticed that my wife had hid her face in a pillow or behind a blanket, even as my daughter made fun of her. The reason for the eye-shield was obvious; I did not need to ask. My wife knew whatever was “next” would not be something she wanted to see. It would be scary.

I think we often approach God’s word in the same manner. We close our eyes so we don’t have to face things in our lives that deeply trouble us. God’s word is said to operate at the most secret place of our being, the place where all the stuff too scary to look upon is tucked away. We think, perhaps, if we don’t open our “inner” eyes the frightening may just disappear with the next change of the scene.

Of course this is not true, the scary things in our lives do not go away like the monsters under our bed if we just pull the covers over our head. This line in the song is actually an announcement of the return of day, not a call to peer into the heart of darkness.

Imagine what it would be like to squeeze your eyes tight in terror only to be gently, but firmly, informed by a trusted loved one that there is no reason to fear. You cast a furtive peek from the smallest slit possible and to your delight the oppression of the past is erased by the instructed present. No longer will uncertainty and the unknown rule in ugly terror. The way ahead is illumined and directly in front. There is no creeper lurking behind a partially opened door, nothing to startle from the shadows of the dim corner. Only wonderful, applicable, truth. Truth you may have missed previously because you could not see it, but you know in the same way you know the best way to eliminate the suspense of the moment is to flip the light switch on to reveal the contents of a room.

So why stumble around in the dark, knowing evil is prowling when all we must do is ask our Lord to raise up our face from the pillow or to remove the blanket and introduce us to His wonderful truth?

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…Psalm 119.11b…

Posted on May 21, 2013 by Robert Franklin

…that I might not sin against you. (Psalm 119.11b)

Most people understand this phrase in a purely religious sense: “I must not violate the demands of God.”

The intent of this part of the song is much different, however. The first phrase of this line speaks to what is in the heart. Hiding the treasure of God’s word in the heart is the prerequisite for “not sinning against.” This is a personal and intimate confession not a religious check box. This phrase is not a declaration against murder or stealing or even refusing to rest on the Sabbath day. It is the heart’s cry against its own self-exalting inclination to instead remain fully yielded to the Sovereign of the Universe.  Yes, the same Sovereign who quite mysteriously finds a means to implant His immense Spirit into the deepest part of those whom He loves.

We dismiss the power of this confession at our own peril. The word translated “sin” means quite simply to “miss the mark.” To the modern mind it makes no sense unless it is understood that the “mark” for which we aim is the very character and authority of God. Which one of us would consider ourselves sane and in the same breath declare ourselves God? Yet that is what we do silently, day by day, as we exercise our will either against, or often without regard, to the only true Authority.

God’s word hidden at the center of our person facilitates the knowledge of God’s will, the desire to do that will and the ability to act on the desire. What impact has hiding God’s word in your heart had on you?

I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you-Psalm 119.11 NLT

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My Psalm 119 story…in process

Posted on May 20, 2013 by Robert Franklin

Psalm 119.11 (NLT) I have hidden Your word in my heart…

Most of us hide things for one of two reasons:

  1. We are ashamed or embarrassed by something or,
  2. the thing hidden is of value and should be protected against the destructive forces of this world.

In the case of God’s word, it must be hidden as a confession of its worth. God’s word is said to abide through the generations. What other treasure do you have that will last that long? God’s word is said to be the basis for life in the same way eating is the basis for life. What other food do you possess that never expires, never decays? God’s word is said to be the key to “understanding and wisdom.” I have a key to my house, to my office, to my car. All these keys give me access to important resources, none gives me entry to comprehending my complicated life one bit better. Do you have a key giving you access to the comprehension of the mysteries of your life?

Tucked away in my heart are the people for whom I am most passionate: My wife, my children, my family, my closest friends. At the center of the center of passion is the Source, my Creator, who declares His unrestrained, furious love. His words wooing me to follow must spring from my heart, one of billions He uniquely fashioned “in secret”. Does God’s passion reside in and flow from the center of you? In my heart are the experiences, thoughts, and interests I reserve against the consumption of the world at large. These are the precious things “of me” which are only summoned for sharing among my closest and most trusted confidants. God’s word, deposited and growing in this secret and sacred space, is a revolution within me and impels me to become that which I could never aspire to be on my own and to freely give away what I could never attain by my effort. How does God’s word in your heart change your inside?

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Naked, Needy, and No Instructions

Posted on November 23, 2012 by Robert Franklin

So this is the time of year where “pretend” rules the culture.  We pretend we have money, so we spend a lot. We pretend we believe in something so we either go to church or Macy’s, whichever suits. I could go on, but since this is Black Friday and many have already seen the best and worst our culture has to offer today, I will save the rant for another time.

As a congregational leader, I am always looking for ways to make this season significant.  I deliberately protect Main Street from being over scheduled with “church stuff” all month-long and I try to teach truth absent of the acceptable pabulum of sentimentality attached to the next thirty-three days.

Every year I take a risk with the teaching topic for the month.  This year I am jumping out of the plane. I have actually jumped out of a plane before, would do it again. It was totally worth it.

I digress.

It is my firm conviction the generation coming is going to be the last American generation unless there is a revolution toward renewed culture unlike anything seen before. I will write about the basis of the conviction as we move through the month, but a click back here or here or here will give some background.

In the month to come I will tell the story of Jesus’ advent from the perspective of his parents. The narrative begs for this to be done by someone, so I am going to take my shot at exploring the subject. It occurred to me that Joseph and Mary were not exempt from the same terror of uncertainty known to every first time parent: how do I take care of this child? Their challenge was arguably more intense than most, but their day-to-day reality was deliberately similar to that of every parent before, and since.

How did God know Mary and Joseph wouldn’t mess up His son? What was God thinking dropping Jesus off naked, needy and with little to no instructions? I believe God knew exactly what He was doing and that we can learn much from Jesus’ upbringing as we try to guide our children today.

Here is a treat I discovered through a friend of mine in the northwest (thanks Denise).

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Thanksgiving Day

Posted on November 22, 2012 by Robert Franklin

Today is a day to spend with some of my immediate family. Today is a day I get to partake in the ridiculous abundance our country offers. Today is a day to spend concentrating on the things I take for granted every day and neglect to say, “Thank you” to the God who provides me so much without seeming to take into account that I deserve nothing.

It is my hope that I soon will learn how to be thankful for the things I do not want to endure. My gratitude simply must extend beyond the “happy” things.  To be thankful when life is tough or even awful, is a place of joy I want to be able to say I reside.

May God be continually patient as he works that character into me.

Read Psalm 92 today with your family.

 

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It is Morning and the Days Go By Quickly

Posted on October 20, 2012 by Robert Franklin

The noise of the early morning from my seat on the Shelton’s back porch: I hear the distant pounding of hammer on metal, the gobble of a turkey somewhere close, the helicopter blade “whomp, whomp, whomp” imitation of an enormous pelican-type bird as it flies from one tree to another, the songs of the children from a nearby orphanage, the myriad of communication between smaller varieties of birds and tree mammals. In the far distance the constant hum of something mechanical, perhaps a machine at the sugar factory in Jinja, is a consistent man-made backdrop for the ebb and flow of nature’s welcome of the renewed mercies of the morning.
This week the men of the team visited Jinja Remand Men’s Prison. According to the count board, the yard held 701 inmates at the time of our visit. These men were awaiting trial at the local under-resourced court.  The “normal” wait time for trial is three to five years. Those judged guilty cannot count on “time served” being removed from the incarceration order.  It is possible for a convict to be gone ten years for a five year crime. The men were friendly and kind. We were the “program” for a regular prison chaplain going by the name, Rogers. Rogers brought with him a battery powered keyboard and public address system. The prison yard is sectioned into three areas.  There is a regulation football (soccer) field , and segregated fenced yards for the convicts and the remands. The men are dressed in yellow shorts and pull-overs, many have no shoes. Rogers has an assigned spot, a large opening in the prisoner barracks, concrete floor, walls and ceiling.  A few men helped us set up the equipment and Rodgers started playing some pieces of tunes.  Men started to come.  After about fifteen minutes, we had a crowd gathered.  We sang a few songs of worship together and more men came.
Mitchell, one of our team members,  shared his testimony to relationship with Jesus and Pastor Adam gave a teaching on the two Great Commands. The men pulled out their Bibles and followed attentively.  While the teaching was good, the best part of the time was watching his interpreter trying to keep up with the Pastor.  After the teaching, one of the inmates asked why Jesus did not visit his cousin, John, while John was in prison. I have fielded a lot of questions about the Bible in the past 20 years; this question, in the context in which it was offered, was one of the most poignant I ever heard.  Pastor did a fine job answering the query.  My job fell to recapping the teaching of the day: to love God with heart, soul, mind and strength, to love our neighbor as ourselves.
The men spent a lot of time thanking us for coming. On the way to visit the guards and exit the prison, one of the older men pulled me aside. “We have a serious problem in this place,” he began. “What is troubling you?” I replied, thinking that he would complain about the treatment from the guards, the poor quality of the food, the unbearable conditions of the dormitory or some such thing. Nope! “Our problem,” he said, “is that they do not purchase for us footballs.  Can you arrange for a football to be sent in here?” Of course I did not know whether or not it is possible. I since discovered it is possible. So off to Jinja today to purchase a football.

 

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