Garry Mullen

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Today’s Scripture Reading (February 7, 2012): Psalm 141 & 142

I am always intrigued by spiritual experiences that include all of the senses. Worship experiences that include the smell of incense, and the touch of oil or water, the taste of bread or wine, the sound of bells and the sight of art. All have the ability to enhance our worship. And I love it when we find innovative ways of allowing these things to enhance our worship times – and admittedly I don’t find enough ways to utilize them.

But they also present a danger. These items can become a substitute for the essentials of worship. There is a running theme throughout the Bible of the community of God doing exactly that. They wanted to substitute the sacrifice of animals for obedience to God. They wanted to replace a molding of the heart with the keeping of rule. Rule keeping and sacrifice are so much easier than obedience.

The Psalmist reminds the worshipper that incense might be nice in our worship, but to God our rising prayer is his incense. God desires to be in communication with us, our prayer – our praises and petitions – carry a pleasant smell to God. Even the simple act of lifting of our hands indicate our worship and our honor of God.

One of the common elements between prayer and the lifting up of hands is that it acknowledges the existence of the other. In those actions, we come in contact with God and we affirm that we believe in him. It is in that act of faith that God is allowed to move.

A medical missionary that I had the privilege to speak with recently remarked that when he went to Africa he thought that he was bringing with him the medical marvels of the west. Except that they didn’t work as well as he thought they would. But what did was prayer. It was what they expected to work. God moves through our faith, our knowledge that he is there. Our prayers and lifted hands are the start of a faith through which God will move. And we need to see God move.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Psalm 143

Today’s Scripture Reading (February 6, 2012): Obadiah 1

One of the questions that seem to be asked is “why does evil prosper?” Oh, we dress it up in a number of different ways, but the bottom line is always the same – why is it that I do everything right and yet they (usually indicating those that have not done everything right, at least in our view) get all of the benefits. It is not fair. And part of the problem is that we seem to attack our behavior pattern as if it is something that we should be paid for – rather than just something that we do with a sense of honor.

Obadiah has a vision and in the vision God speaks to him about those that seem to fly like eagles and make their nest in the stars. And God reminds Obadiah that even though they may seem to be out of reach, no one is out of reach of God.

Maybe the hardest thing for us to come to a realization of is that God truly is in control – he is beyond our bribing him (even with our actions) and he is the author of everything that happens. Nothing happens without his knowledge, nor does he need our permission to act – either to bless or to curse. Sometimes it seems that we expect God to earn our respect. But he just – is.

It is the message that he gave to Moses from the burning bush – I am that I am – and it doesn’t matter that you, Moses, are just a shepherd. It also doesn’t matter the Pharaoh is the most important and powerful person that you may be aware of. Because I am!

As high as we may get, whatever the heights that we might achieve – God is still above us. And he has the ability to lay us low. God is – and that is all we need to know. Whether we fly with the eagles or run with the turkeys.   

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Psalm 141 & 142

Today’s Scripture Reading (February 5, 2012): Psalm 140

We need to be continually reminded that none of us have lived perfect lives. We are surrounded by our mistakes. Even if our mistakes and errors happened when no one was around or know one knows the acts that we have committed, we still know that they are there. We run as fast as we can away from them, but they seem to run even faster. Our mistakes and errors stay a lot closer than we wish. They are always there.

Maybe the worst curse that anyone could wish on us is that the trouble that our lips have caused would be found on our heads – because we all have caused harm. Don’t trust anyone that believes that they have never harmed anyone, because they are at best blind to the events of their own lives and at worst they are lying to you and, probably, to themselves.

I am amazed at the truth of this concept. Earlier this week I had a conversation with some friends that were complaining about a few other people in their circle of influence. They were well worn complaints that I had heard before, but recently I had started to hear the exact same complaints about them. And this scenario is repeated over and over again. The trouble that found its existence on our lips is returned to us until it rests on our heads. In fact, I am convinced that we sometimes react the way we do because we see others committing the same mistakes and sin that have found a home inside of us – and we just don’t need to be reminded of them.  

So the psalmist offers the curse. Really it is a curse that doesn’t need to be offered. Nature kind of works that way anyway. The trick is actually in the reverse. This Psalm is a warning about the way the world works, but the answer is found in Jesus Christ through whom God has removed our sin and separated them from us as far as the east is from the west.

This is the God that we gather to worship – the one who knows all of the ways that we have failed in the past and forgives us anyway. Come let us Worship!  

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Obadiah 1

Today’s Scripture Reading (February 4, 2012): Psalm 137 & 138

I have to admit that sometimes things can become overwhelming. Life often seems to have a habit of coming at you fast – and people have the unfortunate habit of disappointing us. And it can be really easy to start to blame yourself and gear up for the fight. But often the blame or the fight tends to carry us in the wrong direction. They both threaten to take us away from the real battle of life that we need to fight.

Distractions are just part of life. They are the things that we have to overcome on the way to accomplishing life. And often we will find that we have to make a choice between the distraction and the thing of importance that we are chasing. There is a competition continually going on for our attention and our energy. And what ultimately get accomplished will depend on which it is that wins the battle for our attention.  

The Psalmist knew the importance of the distraction. And he knew that God was carrying him through it. In the midst of the trouble, it was God that would preserve his life – God that would take care of the distractions so that he could concentrate on the things that needed his attention.

People will rise up against us, distractions will come and life will overwhelm. But God is on our side. And the promise he gives to us is that he will take care of the extra things – so that we can concentrate on what it is that we need to accomplish. His right hand will still save us.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Psalm 140

Today’s Scripture Reading (February 3, 2012): Psalm 136

If you are part of VantagePoint Community Church, last Sunday I challenged you to find a place to write down three things that you were thankful for every evening this week. If you were on either facebook or twitter, the challenge was that you would write down the things that you are thankful for there. And if it was on twitter that you would include the hash tag #vpcc so that we can all rejoice together in what you are thankful for.

But I really don’t want you to miss the point of the exercise. We need to change the way that we think. We have allowed culture to make us one of the most critical societies on earth. I recently even heard an intro to a improve skit asking the audience for patience with the words – “After all, we are the land of the free and the home of the critical.”

The problem is that when we are extremely critical inside the church, and we actually justify our attitude because we think that we are somehow being holy – after all, we are just pointing out where our culture has already fallen short. And while the Bible does point out ways that we have fallen short, it also takes pains to simply say thank you.

The Bible’s overall theme is that we can be redeemed from the places where we have fallen short – that the way that we have failed doesn’t have to be the defining moment of our lives. It is what makes thanksgiving so easy to be a part of. But I am afraid that we have forgotten that.

So I encourage you to make a cultural revolution. To keep saying and writing what you are thankful for – because the truth is that what you are giving thanks for should mould your life more than any failure you could ever experience. And the one who created you and knows you – loves you.

So what is on your thank you list today?

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Psalm 137 & 138

Today’s Scripture Reading (February 2, 2012): Psalm 135

A couple of nights ago I went to see a concert with Downhere, Starfield and Third Day. It was a great concert. But I can’t go to a Starfield concert without remembering that a few years ago they came and performed at my church. We only had about 50 people that night – but we had a great time. The next day (Sunday) they helped with worship. And then I took them out for Pizza at Pizza Hut. It is a fun memory – and a story that people around me seem to like to remember whenever Starfield is in town.

We all have similar memories. They make up the stories of our lives. Some of the memories just fall into the fun category (my family’s Pizza Hut lunch with Starfield falls in that category.) Some are more character forming – times spent with significant family members or times of crisis that we have come through. And these are some of the things that we remember when we come together – every one of them is important.

But in our individualistic society we tend to stop there. We lose sight of the part of our story that went before us. My great grandfather was a pastor. I never had the chance to meet him, but he is part of my story. But my story goes beyond even him – back through the many relatives and stories of my ancestors – even to my Irish roots. But most of those stories are lost in antiquity.  

For the Jewish people, those stories were just too important to forget. So the stories were woven into the other accounts of the nation. They were included in the other stories – and in the songs that the community sang together. They would remember the times of formation, and the crises that God had brought them through. They were sure that remembering the past would inform the future. And they were right.

We need to remember our Egypt’s. They are important to our faith story even though we didn’t personally experience them. And that means that we need to keep telling the stories of faith – to anyone who will listen.   

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Psalm 136

Today’s Scripture Reading (February 1, 2012): Psalm 131 & 132

The Songs of Ascent were Psalms that were sung as the people went up to Jerusalem for one of the major feasts. These Psalms were written to be sung (as most of them were) but these Psalms were short and designed to bring the singer into focus with the temple – the reason why the people were coming to Jerusalem in the first place.

Once in Jerusalem, it is also thought that the priests would sing each of the Songs of Ascent as they ascended the fifteen steps of the temple, each one reminding the worshippers of the importance of the temple in the worship of their God.

This Psalm is near the end of the journey. The people are now almost at Jerusalem, the priests are now arriving near the top of the stairs – the journey was over. And at this point the Psalmist reminds them of the beginning. The singers take the worshippers back to a time when there was no temple. A time when David was King, and David, the one that they revered who lived in a time when Israel seemed to have everything that it needed, would have traded anything – even his own comfort – to provide a temple for his God. But it was something that David would never see; the temple wouldn’t be built until after he had died.

What David could only dream of, the worshippers who gathered at the temple experienced firsthand. They were in possession of something that David would never have. But they needed to be reminded of David’s day – and David’s dream.

Sometimes, with all that we have, it is easy to forget that it hasn’t always been that way. And we need to be thankful for the churches and ministries that we have, because there was a time when they were only a dream in someone’s heart.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Psalm 135

Today’s Scripture Reading (January 31, 2012): Psalm 129 & 130

I am blessed. That is not a statement of pride, but it is the reality that I feel as a person living inside of the people of God. The statement of blessing doesn’t mean that I have never gone through hard times (I have) nor is it a statement that says that all of my dreams have been fulfilled (they haven’t.) In saying I am blessed I am also not saying that I am comfortable with the current world situation. In fact, none of that has anything to do with the blessing that I feel. My blessing is purely in the knowledge that God is working around me and he is including me in his designs.

And, to a certain extent, this seems to go against how many Christians feel. And I am not sure that I understand why. But, if we are honest, sometimes we just have to admit that Christians can be the most critical people on the planet. And part of the problem is that I think we fail to see God move. We don’t even expect God to move.

And yet, he is moving. God is at work in the world. And we can see it by the improvements that are happening wherever it is that his church has the opportunity to touch. The sick are being healed; the poor are being taken care of in ways that we have never seen. As Christians, we are right in thinking that there is still a lot to do, but what God is doing through his church is making a difference even now.

The Psalmist looks at those that want to destroy Israel and his desire is that the world would not say that they were blessed. His dream was that blessing would be seen only as a mark of God – a mark that his people would bear and others would not. If we are the people of God (and I believe that we are, along with Israel) then God’s mark of blessing should be on us.

And I think it is. But it is time for the Christian church to recognize the blessing of God that is on us – not so that we can become comfortable, but so that we can feel his assurance as we make a difference for good in the world.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Psalm 131 & 132

Today’s Scripture Reading (January 30, 2012): Psalm 126, 127 & 128

In a few hours, days, weeks – apparently any of the above is a possibility – I will become a grandfather. My daughter Alyssa and her husband Greg are expecting their first child. And with that child my title will change. And I am excited for the change, excited to be grandpa – and proud of both Alyssa and Greg.

But as the moment approaches, I begin to understand even more the words of Psalmist. As parents, we spend a major portion of our adult lives having influence over our kids. And sometimes I think that we lose sight of the why of the influence – the purpose and the reason those years are so important. The influence we hold over our children is not important just because we don’t want them to be an embarrassment to us, and it is not so that they can get good grades in school – there is a purpose that is so much more important than that. And for me that purpose is about to take center stage. The task that we have as parents is to prepare our children to be the parents of the generation that will follow them. And for our nation, there isn’t a more important task.

It is a privilege to be able to see the birth of my child’s child. And in my family, my parents will see the birth of their great grandchild and my grandmothers will see the birth of their great, great grandchild. And my hope and my prayer is that as my grandmother looks at what is happening in her family , she will be proud and will know that because of her faithfulness to her children, and their faithfulness to theirs, God’s will is still being accomplished in her family.

And there is nothing more important that any of us could ask for.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Psalm 129 & 130