January 20, 2017: Day 20 – Psalm 20

On this day of the inauguration some would see it as somewhat fitting that we hear a psalm of victory.  We could focus on vs.7 which states that some place their trust in their military might, but we will take our stand on the Lord Jesus Christ.  Now, I don’t want that last statement to come across as a reactionary fundamentalist approach which some may have that implies that all I care about is my relationship with Jesus and anything else is insignificant.  I care about those things that Jesus cares about.  What are those things?

Jesus speaks more about the kingdom of God than anything else and a close second is what we do with our finances.  Look at Matthew 25:31-46 and you see what is important to our Savior: feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, showing hospitality to an immigrant or stranger, clothing the naked, caring for the sick, visiting those in prison.  We can never imagine that all Jesus cares about is our relationship with him.

That is absolutely where it starts but many of us see that as the beginning and the ending.  It is not, it is only a beginning.  A relationship with Jesus needs to lead to action in Jesus’ name.  When the psalmist prays for help from the Lord in the midst of his sanctuary, it is a legitimate cry for help that comes from a life lived where help has been needed.  The prayer is that God would fulfill all of our plans.  Once again, our plans ought to be the Lord’s plans.  They should not diverge.  What are the Lord’s plans?  See above and Matthew 25 and repeat.  It is not complicated at all.  We should be able to see in this Psalm a simple assurance that is not quid pro quo (I follow God’s will and God will protect me).  But rather just an assurance that God is absolutely going to protect us and keep us.