Prayer of a Fugitive

Sweet Savior,

A confused fugitive,
I tend to run from You
wasting precious years and months,
loping, darting, scurrying, dashing, gliding,
and foolishly attempting to hide from You --
You, the Source of all joy and life and peace.

I looked away.
I sought all else.
I clung to worthless idols.
I owed and owed You so very much.
My debt was so immense that I feared Your wrath --
not a holy fear, but an ominous and disquieting dread 
that kept my feet running and running as far away from You.

O, joy of all joys!

You planted in the ground, on a glorious Friday,
an old rugged cross soaked with Your redeeming blood,
an impregnable wall that halted my dizzying and zipping feet.
There, I stopped sprinting and yielded my running shoes to You.
There, I found life in You -- You who interceded on my behalf,
You who paid the price for my sins and turned my feet northward,
rendering them beautiful and prepared to carry the gospel of peace.

By Your grace, I will run no more.
Through Your love, I will no longer flee.
Wrapped in Your embrace, I will be still and satisfied.
For Your glory and honor, I will live and sing and testify.

You are my Home. 

Home

Ostinato -- a term that signifies a continually repeated rhythmic pattern.

Usually, people discuss the above term in music. Notwithstanding my own musical life, I have learned to recognize "ostinato" in my life in general. The "continually repeated rhythmic pattern" that seems to plague my life on this earth comprises many things, including:

- tears
- trials
- torments
- temptations

Every day, it seems, the stars align to pounce on my mind, body, and spirit with a series of attacks that threaten to undo me. In fact, a friend recently teased me with this question, "Are you applying for Job's position?"

"No, I couldn't possibly fill his shoes," I responded.

Yet, deep inside, I know how easily I plunge into the "Woe is Lou" mindset. Gratefully, divine grace prods my ever-aching heart to accept the tears, trials, torments, and temptations that come my way as daily reminders that I am a sojourner in this world -- I am not yet home.

I long for my true Home.
I yearn for my blessed Hope.
I crave the Heartbeat of Heaven.

Attentive to the stirrings within my breast, Christ's voice comes to me and says, "My beloved, weary and heartbroken though you are, as long as you come to ME with all your heart and soul and mind and strength, you are home right now, in this world and the next, because I have already overcome the world. I AM your HOME."

"Come home, come home,

Ye who are weary, come home

Earnestly, tenderly Jesus is calling

Come home, O sinner, come home."

Extracted from Softly and Tenderly Jesus Is Calling by Will L. Thompson

He is my HOME!

Oh, how I hate to admit that I do not always see it in that light!

Sheer honesty reveals the impossibility of my coming home -- loving Christ with ALL my heart and soul and mind and strength. On my own, I find myself clinging to worries and warts that are too unsightly for the beautiful, holy, and amazing HOME that He is. Hence, He leads me with cords of kindness, with the bands of love, and He becomes to me as one who eases the yoke on my jaw, bending down to me and feeding me His unfathomable grace and favor.

Indeed, it His grace that will lead me HOME.

So, today, I pray for the perspective and strength to surrender my longings, yearnings, and cravings to Christ, the Hound of Heaven. Through His gracious love, may He continually pursue me through the "ostinato" of tears, trials, torments, temptations, and whatever else this world hurls or throws at me!

Is there a Cure?

There is a common occurrence I have observed through the years -- in our interactions, we either easily dismiss those whose core beliefs are different from our own or we mindlessly nod simply because we perceive their beliefs to be similar to ours.

I am burdened to speak about beliefs because human behavior IS a direct reflection of long-held beliefs, whether conscious or unconscious.

Belief affects behavior.
Behavior reflects belief.

Belief

We eat (because we believe food is essential to our sustenance, maintenance, and advance).
We speak (because we believe communication is vital to the efficient functioning of a community).
We sleep (because we believe rest is a sine qua non ingredient in the recipe of overall human wellness).

 Behavior

We eat sugar-loaded and greasy foods because, despite what we declare to family and friends, we secretly believe it is fine to forgo the warnings of nutritionists . . . until obesity, heart failure, high blood pressure, and the like force us to pay attention.

We speak vicious, reckless, slanderous, and harmful words because, despite what we assert to one and all, we inherently believe it is no big deal to destroy and demean other human beings . . . until divorce, separation, or estrangement leads us to see the light.

We sleep too much or too little because, despite what we publicly affirm, we seriously believe our sleep patterns are inconsequential . . . until serious health concerns arise (in the case of not enough sleep) or until the loss of a job (in the case of too much sleep).

A Matter of the Heart

Today, I invite to examine yourself to see where you stand.

Are you conscious of your beliefs?
Do you know why you do what you do?
Are you aware of your behavior?
Do you know what your actions reveal?

Would you open your heart and consider the following with me?

Joy.
Hope.
Peace.

Do you ever wonder why as homo sapiens we long for the above three and other such virtues when day in and day out the world exhibits grief, anger, despair, apathy, cruelty, angst, discord . . . and a slew of other human oddities and malfunctions?

One compound word for you:

Self-transcendence

Deep within, you and I sense and know we were made for something better. Even when we are seemingly satisfied or distracted by lesser joys, hopes, and peace treaties, we aspire for a higher state of mind, a better condition of the heart, and a healthier functioning of the body.

We want to grow.
We want to improve.
We want to become more.

We also recognize that the best of intentions amount to less than nothing unless they turn into actions. And so, we tire ourselves out seeking to come up with the panacea, the solution that will cure the ills of the world.

Sadly, with each invented or man-made panacea come newer ways for mankind to practice evil:

Government. Originally intended to protect and defend people, it has unfortunately been used frequently to do the exact opposite.

Money. Famously seen as a means to eradicate poverty in the world, the greed money grievously engenders all too often becomes the mother of all other vices.

Education. Understandably regarded as a most laudable answer, it too has failed to solve the world's problems. Too often, the very knowledge acquired dangerously turns into a way for the learned to feel puffed up without building up the illiterate.

A Place of Need

Barely touching on the above would-be answers, honesty invites us to recognize that, owing to our advances, we have merely evolved into sophisticated predators, clinical extortionists, well-read belittlers, invisible voyeurs, unfeeling murderers -- doing evil with greater skill and less remorse, greater speed and less consideration. And this escalating, engulfing evil keeps us ever more needful and desirous of self-transcendence, wanting to reach the holistic wellness that lies above and beyond this fatal malady.

We are thus unhappy and dissatisfied when we are left to fend for ourselves. And since we need joy, hope, and peace, help must come from somewhere else.

I need not, cannot rely on myself.
I need to rely on a rich-solid foundation come rain or shine, sickness or health, enmity or friendship, poverty or wealth, divorce or marriage, infertility or fruitfulness.

That undisputed need is one of the vehicles driving me to believe in God. As of yet, no philosophy provides the workable, pragmatic, corresponding, and coherent solution I find in Scripture:

God is the Source of all life (I will never fully know how it all functions but He does perfectly).
Humanity is in dire need of everything God provides (including joy, hope, and peace).
Only God is the panacea, the solution that can cure the ills of the universe (I can grow only if I accept His healing hand daily, hourly, all the time).
Humanity will, one day, with God's help, transcend this base state of repetitive evil and live with ever-growing fulfillment.

I recognize and acknowledge my need.
Do you, my friend?

May you and I grow and grow in the grace of God!

Owe One Thing Only

I voted yesterday.
I performed my civic duty.

I am a US citizen living in the US. No American, indeed no singer, is more thrilled singing the inspiring words of our National Anthem than I, happily touting "the land of the free and the home of the brave."  Yet most of us are a far cry from being truly free, let alone brave. 

We are not free.
We are not brave.
We are heavily restricted.

We are ensnared by a four-letter word.

DEBT.

In fact, according to davemanuel.com, as of today's date "the current outstanding public debt of the United States is $17,535,731,914,061.53." Other than the 53 cents tacked to the trillions of dollars marking our indebtedness, my brain deems that amount unfathomable. I do, however, understand this one:

"Every man, woman, and child in the United States currently owes $57,717 for their share of the US public debt."-- a consensus reached by many financial analysts.

True statement.

We owe big bucks to China and Japan -- close to 2500 billion dollars. Whoa!

We owe money to other countries such as Belgium, Brazil, England, Taiwan, Switzerland, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Bermuda, the Cayman Islands, and others.

We owe money to mutual funds, pension funds, foreign investors, American investors, oil exporters, banking centers, etc.

We owe boatloads, shiploads of money.

We are not free.

We are not brave.

We are heavily restricted.

We are lulled to sleep in the den of vipers to the tune of cozy, personal debt:

Consumer debt.

Educational loans.

Mortgage and Auto payments.

Not only are we in debt financially (hello 2.33 billion per day since 9/30/12!), but we have grievously added to our public and personal indebtedness:

We owe others our word.

We promise one thing, we do another.

We owe others our time.

We are tardy or absent for agreed-upon appointments. 

We owe others our toil.

We do all kinds of unprofitable things on company time.

We owe others our thanks.

We keep our mouths shut after receiving gifts or treatments from others.

We owe others our talents.

We prefer to settle and slide by instead of honing our skills to their optimum level.

We owe others our health.

We engage in gluttony and licentious living, significantly hampering our holistic wellness.

We sacrifice every single value we possess on the altars of greed, ingratitude, entitlement, and instant gratification -- entangling our feet and hearts and minds with more and more debt than we could ever imagine or comprehend.

Yet the one thing Scripture espouses in the debt category, we find all kinds of excuses to flee:

"Let no debt remain outstanding, 

except the continuing debt to love one another, 

for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law." 

Rom 13:8, NIV

We don't love.

We shun.
We vilify.
We accuse.
We demean.

Teach us how to love one another

Lead us to divine joy

Owe one thing only.
The only debt that fulfills or satisfies is love.

Do you and I want to be free?
We need to spend less and love more.
Do you and I want to be brave?
We need to owe nothing other than love.

Love.

Love elevates.
Love liberates.
Love permeates.

Love is the only currency that sufficiently outperforms all others. 

Genuine love heartens us to:

     -  spend money responsibly
     -  live according to our oaths
     -  have a healthy respect for time
     -  work with diligence and honesty
     -  recognize and thank our benefactors
     -  grow continually in our areas of giftedness
     -  take an honest look at our consuming habits

Love calls me to vote with my heart, not just a ballot.
Love beckons me to realize my human responsibility outshines any civic duty.
Love implores me to eradicate any filthy trace of debt (financial or otherwise), except the continuing one to treat myself, my neighbor, my country, my world, my God with respect and kindness and peace and humility and patience and grace and gratitude.

Love fulfills the law.

Confessions

Looking up to heaven this morning, I heartily confess:

I deserve neither love nor marriage, fatherhood, family, friendship, and myriad such gifts.

I deserve neither shelter nor food, clothing, automobile, job, paycheck, and additional benefits.

I deserve neither compassion nor respect, kindness, patience, generosity, and other divine mercies.

I deserve neither intellect nor artistry, craftsmanship, memory, imagination, and a slew of supplemental faculties.

I deserve one thing only -- death.

"For the wages of sin is death . . ." (Rom 6:23a)

The white-hot holiness of the Father demands that i be executed for my filthy rebellion, vile insurrection, and foul disobedience against the purity of His truths and His ways . . .

Called to embrace wholehearted loving, instead I love God and neighbor very little on some days and at other times find no love at all for friend or foe.

Called to embrace a life of unceasing prayer, instead I neglect prayer all too often counseling my mind that I need not pray or that I have prayed enough.

Called to embrace authentic living, I live on the one hand with a dash of hypocrisy enabling me to sin more safely because grace abounds, and on the other with a basin of posturing that lulls my mind into receiving holy teachings regularly while living unholily.

Yes, according to the Law, I deserve nothing but death.

Yet (what joy this 3-letter word encapsulates!), there is grace.

Though I deserve death, Christ grants me life!!!!

". . . but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Rom 6:23b)

I will not die.
I will but live.
I will live and live victoriously.

Sin and death will not prevail.
God's love for me will never fail.

I surrender to You, O Lord! 

Enough!

Enough!

We spend too much time counting our assets,

assessing and reconsidering our innate abilities,

measuring and testing our skills and natural strengths.

Enough!

We waste too much energy mustering our own courage,

relying on our own power rather than trusting God's hand,

dreaming that our accomplishments result from our rightness.

Enough!

We squander too many resources and opportunities,

despising instead of loving those different from our likes,

deconstructing rather than building up those who cross our paths.

Enough!

We hinder so much biblical and cognitive growth,

concealing a life of habitual sin and spiritual laziness,

dedicating the altar of our hearts for the worship of created things.

Enough!

We cover miles upon miles on the road of idleness,

not bearing fruit, not sacrificing, not feeling, not growing,

not submitting our minds to the transforming power of renewal.

Enough!

"Withdraw your hand," says the Lord.

Enough!

Isn't it high time we stop destroying ourselves with ingratitude, idolatry, apathy, hatred, pride, self-righteousness, entitlement, ingratitude, impatience, immorality, verbal homicide, spiritual suicide, and the like? Isn't it high time we drop our exhausted souls and weary hearts at the foot of the cross where Christ harbors no anger, no condemnation, no rejection, but offers abundant grace and inexhaustible mercy?

Day in and day out, the sword of sin slashes our hearts into pieces wages war against ou

In the threshing floor of our hearts, the Holy Spirit stands ready to halt the sword of punishment we persist in inflicting upon ourselves. Instead, He offers and extends grace upon grace upon grace.

Won't we heed His hand today?

The Cross

I can weep.

I can cry.

I can mourn.

I can moan.

I can lament.

I can grieve.

I can hurt.

I can bleed.

I can feel the pain of earthly loss

and still keep my eyes on heaven.

Therefore,

in Christ

I can smile.

I can laugh.

I can rejoice.

I can guffaw.

I can giggle.

I can dance.

I can sing.

I can pray.

I can praise.

I can exult.

Purity and the Musician

"A real leader faces the music,

even when he doesn't like the tune."

Anonymous

"Music washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life."

Red Auerbach

Dear Christian musician,

I am prompted to talk to you today. The message on my heart is a decidedly unpopular tune but, since you and I have exhibited time and time again the courage to practice for extremely long hours when an upcoming concert is around the corner, let us likewise face the music:

Our purity matters.

It matters in

Every.
Single.
Area.

of our lives.

No.
Hear me well.
I am not asking us to hide in a nunnery or to join the priesthood.
I am not suggesting that we lose touch with our generation or the world.

I am saying that God saw fit to grant musicians to the world at large as a huge gift.
You and I have been granted a platform that invites us to remain untainted, unpolluted in every way.

You may not be primed (at this very moment) to answer questions but . . . do you remember what drew you to music when you got started? For me, I grew up in a family where music was played and heard all the time. My dad played the trumpet, sang, and directed the church choir. My mom sang to me and taught me numerous songs and choruses. My siblings and I sang in four-part harmony, my brothers played the guitar, my sisters sang beautifully. But, there was one specific singer from the church of my childhood who inspired me like no one else. Her contralto voice was like none other, possessing a dark and rich timbre and depths of passion I cannot begin to describe. I decided at the ripe old age of four that I would become a singer who would sing the praises of God . . .

just.
like.
her.

That singer went on to occupy a very important place in the Christian music industry in Haiti and she became the idol of many people in the Haitian church community. As it turns out, it is always a big mistake to put any one individual on a pedestal because Isaiah 2:22 cautions, "Stop trusting in mere humans, who have but a breath in their nostrils. Why hold them in esteem?" Idolizing proficient singers and instrumentalists is a dangerous practice because such pressure sets them up to fail one way or another.

Well, the day came when singing texts inspired by Scripture no longer suited her aspirations. The fact that she was my idol afforded me ample time to notice, to study really, the gradual change that took place in her. It all began with small compromises here and there -- a little sensual look here, an immodest outfit there; a questionable accompanist here, a gig in an overtly God-dishonoring place there. Soon, she started skipping worship gatherings altogether until she landed a job that paved the way for her to become an international songstress combining jazz, Haitian rhythms, and voodoo. She got married three times, each marriage ending in a divorce, but no one can fault her for not earning enough praise, fame, money, and connections as a singer. To the world, her story is a huge success but I cannot help thinking that her music fails to point people to Christ, which is the ultimate point of music making in the life of a Christian musician.

I know other musicians whose stories have gone a little differently. I remember this tenor who professed to be a Christian and held onto the core of his beliefs for a while. An unfortunate betrayal of his closest friend led him to lose focus. He then began a dangerous relationship with someone else and gradually slipped into a promiscuous lifestyle all the while singing in a traveling group praising God and representing his Christian college from church to church. After college, he lived a life of decadence and was brutally killed at a party. Just like that, his melodious voice was silenced.

Different still are the stories of some of us who are attracted to the glamour and power of music. Some of us simply can't wait to see our names in lights. We want the recognition, the awards and accolades, the empty praises of men, the flattery of women. We greedily guzzle down the ability to bring a whole congregation to its knees in broken surrender or conviction as well as the power to get it on its feet in jubilation. We pride ourselves with notions of grandeur by placing ourselves above all others. We are good at what we do -- really good. We know it and want to make sure that everybody else knows it too. We cannot wait to outplay, ousting, outperform, outshine those whom we consider our rivals. Living in that manner is like dancing with snakes or playing with fire. The time will come when Jesus will take that gift away from us.

I know yet others of us who are living lives of secrecy. We are fabulous musicians who leave people speechless by our skills and yet, deep within, there is a cancer that is ravaging our souls to the point of total despair. We indulge in all kinds of activities that satisfy the flesh but are painstakingly careful to leave no trace behind. We are greedy, jealous, conniving, disrespectful, slanderous, malicious. We are are gossips, embezzlers, liars, and thieves. We are the ones who commit adultery, who lie, who murder, who lust, and who are given to drunkenness and the influence of narcotics. We are the ones who claim to be pure but in the privacy of our homes are lulled to hours and hours of porn viewing, illicit affairs, fornication, and all forms of sensual indulgence. We are the ones who act, walk, speak provocatively outside the church environment but pretend to be the most pious bunch when in church.

Jesus says that He will come to His temple and He will wipe it clean.
Then, what is going to happen to . . . us?

You may read the pictorial stories I have just relayed and decide that, well, you don't see yourself in them. And yet, my question for you is this: Are you sure you understand what it means to live a pure life as a Christian musician? Another question might be this: Are you sure you understand the platform God has given you through music?

When it comes to the work of sanctification inherent in the gospel, God sees fit to assign to music an integral role in that holy endeavor. Surrendered to the hand of the Master Artist, music reflects and inspires the holiness God desires for His children in an unmistakably powerful way.

The Creator imbues nature with key musicians such as the ocean, the trees, the birds, the wind, etc. He also gives gifts of music to the heavenly hosts -- His angels sing, "Holy, holy, holy" day and night for all eternity. Still, He finds immense pleasure and glory when human beings partake in music (whether listening or performing). He has endowed specific individuals with unique musical abilities for His higher purposes and divine enjoyment.

In Old Testament times, trained musicians used to play and/or sing to alert the community of a special gathering or an imminent battle. Clear explanations are provided in Numbers 10:1-10 as to why the Israelite community needed silver trumpet players for those specific functions. In fact, verses 9-10 tell us a little more about those silver trumpets:

"When you go into battle in your own land

or against an enemy who is oppressing you,

sound a blast on the trumpets.

Then you will be remembered by the Lord your God 

and rescued from your enemies.

Also at your times of rejoicing . . .

you are to sound the trumpets over your burnt offerings and fellowship offerings,

and they will be a memorial for you before your God.

I am the Lord your God."

The above passage suggests that when our music is made unto the Lord, you and I are essentially calling on God to remember us, to look favorably on our community. Our music lifts praises up to God, encourages despairing hearts, strengthens weakened souls, exegetes dull minds, convicts and convinces doubters, points eyes to the cross, sensitizes people to the prompting of the Holy Spirit, and washes impure hearts with the water of God's Word. In other words, we musicians have a special calling to mediate between danger and favor -- danger is the hands of Satan while favor is in the person of Jesus Christ.

Hence, Satan works tirelessly to damage the effectiveness of Christ-following musicians by attacking our holy living, our purity. The prince of the air has a clear understanding of the purpose of music and musicians in the age-old battle between the forces of light and the powers of darkness and so, weakening our essence and efficacy is of utmost importance to him. After all, the devil was there when Moses and Miriam led the people to worship God after the Egyptian army perished in the Red Sea. He was there when God used the singing and playing of the Jewish people to crumble Jericho's walls and give Israel victory. He heard the song of Deborah and Barak when they lauded YHWH for saving Israel from the Canaanites. He was there when the music of David's harp soothed, refreshed, and relieved King Saul from the evil spirit that was tormenting him. He knows that genuine music gives God the central focus and if there is something that Satan despises more than anything else, it is when God obtains the worship of His people through sanctified and fruitful lives.

You've heard of King David. Here is a man who was a complete artist -- singer, speaker, dancer, poet, harpist, percussionist, and more. Do you remember what happened to him? The lust of his eyes led him to commit idolatry, adultery, murder, and cover-up. However, thanks be to God, the Lord's word came to him through the prophet Nathan. David confessed his sins in a penitential poem (Psalm 51) in which he promised, "I will teach transgressors Your ways, and sinners will turn back to You" (Ps 51:13, NIV).

David's life teaches you and me, transgressors that we are, that we are nowhere near above temptation. Lust, idolatry, adultery, murder, embezzlement, greed, pride, impatience, entitlement, ingratitude, immorality, fornication, pornography, etc. -- it all lurks about waiting to jump on our hearts. So, David's "Create in me a pure heart" plea invites us to ponder the importance of our own purity.

Our purity is a "thank you" note to divine grace.
Our purity tells our Lord we are committed to worship.
Our purity lightens the load of congregational disinterest.
Our purity tells others that our God is worthy to be praised.
Our purity lessens the potential of others reviling God's name.
Our purity makes our music hearable and our message believable.
Our purity can be used by the Holy Spirit to activate an "audience lean."

Yes.
Our purity matters.

May you and I rest in the grace of Christ!
May you and I rest in the power and purity of His will!
May you and I rehearse the consequences of moral failure and the blessings of purity!

And may you and I remember that it is God's grace in us, through us, and over us that keeps us pure, as Paul says in 1 Thessalonians 5:23, "May God Himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The One who calls you is faithful, and He will do it."

Prayer for the fearful

O, loving Shepherd,

The valley of the shadow of death stretches out before us __________________

flaming arrows of lost intimacy
sharp knives of spiteful discourse
vicious teeth of snarling hypocrisy
monumental barriers of peer pressure
intimidating jaws of medical diagnoses
foul and long fangs of deaths of loved ones
ever-stretching seasons of unthinkable losses

and we are afraid.

Fear of not making it
Fear of not measuring up
Fear of not meeting true love

Remind us that You did not give us a spirit of fear, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.

Thank You, O Jesus, for being our High Priest. We need not worry because in You

there is a solution for every problem,
an answer for each question,
sympathy for each pain,
and strength for each weakness of ours.

Help us to be patient and growing in Your love
as we walk daily.

Remind us that You are interceding on our behalf

even
right
now.

In the holy name of Jesus, we pray.
Amen!

Approved

In Christ, I have everything I need for life and godliness.

I am approved

I am blessed

I am chosen

I am directed

I am esteemed

I am fulfilled

I am glorified

I am hidden

I am illuminated

I am justified

I am known

I am loved

I am made

I am named

I am ordained

I am pardoned

I am qualified

I am redeemed

I am sanctified

I am touched

I am understood

I am valued

I am washed

I am x-radiated

I am yielded

I am zeal-granted

In the Great Shepherd, I lack absolutely nothing.

I am accepted

I am blameless

I am comforted

I am desired

I am empowered

I am forgiven

I am gathered

I am healed

I am increased

I am joined

I am kept

I am liberated

I am more

I am new

I am overjoyed

I am planted

I am quieted

I am raised

I am sustained

I am transformed

I am unconcerned

I am vindicated

I am watered

I am x-irradiated

I am yoked

I am Zion-bound

Thank You, Jesus!

Psalm 51 (Day 50): Pentecost Sunday

"This is the day, this is the day

that the Lord has made, that the Lord has made;

I will rejoice, I will rejoice

and be glad in it, and be glad in it.

This is the day that the Lord has made;

I will rejoice and be glad in it.

This is the day, this is the day

that the Lord has made."

-- John W. Peterson

Yes, this is the day.
This is the long-awaited day of Pentecost.

For the first time in my life, I opted to go through the 50-day journey of actively waiting for Pentecost Sunday. Though I gave my heart to Christ at age 5 and grew up in a vibrant Christian home, I was not necessarily conscious of the significance of this commemoration. Unlike increasingly more commercialized Easter and Christmas, Pentecost is relegated to non-existence as far as societal markers are concerned.

It thus made sense that I took the time to learn about it.
Two main areas of learning took over my being during this season -- learning about the Holy Spirit through Pentecost and learning about the Holy Word through Psalm 51.

Learning about the Holy Spirit through Pentecost

I have learned that Pentecost marks the day when the Holy Spirit came and rested on the earliest individual believers in Christ. Occurring 52 days after Good Friday, 50 days after Resurrection Sunday, and 10 days after the Ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ, Scripture details the events surrounding Pentecost in Acts 2:1-13. The following is excerpted from the referenced passage:

"Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind

came from heaven and filled the whole house

where they [the believers in Christ] were sitting.

They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated

and came to rest on each of them.

All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit

and began to speak in other tongues

as the Spirit enabled them."

Acts 2:2-4, NIV

I have also learned that Pentecost itself commemorates the birthday of the Church, the bride of Christ, to whom Jesus promised to send the Counselor and Spirit of truth as recorded in John 14:25-26; 16:5-15. The presence of the Holy Spirit is the Father's seal of approval, the engine of the church -- without the Holy Spirit, there is no church.

I have further learned to gratefully consider the sine qua non role the Holy Spirit played (and continues to play) in the launching and growth of the large-scale spreading of the message of Christ. On the day of Pentecost, a Spirit-filled Peter addressed the crowd of onlookers and, at the end of his speech, an amazing event took place -- no fewer than three thousand people were cut to the heart and asked:

"What shall we do?"

Acts 2:37, NIV

They heard the message because of the Holy Spirit.

They heeded the message because of the Holy Spirit.

And because of the Holy Spirit, Peter replied,

"Repent . . ."

Acts 2:38, NIV

As a result, they accepted God's Word, repented of their sins, and received forgiveness. 

Is that not somewhat reminiscent of the story leading to the writing of Psalm 51?

Learning about the Holy Word through Psalm 51

For 50 days, I have been pondering Psalm 51. Like Peter, the prophet Nathan was empowered by the Spirit of the living God when he addressed David. And like the crowd on the day of Pentecost, David was cut to the heart and silently asked his "What shall I do?" and repented. And through his confession and repentance, an anointed David invited so many people to join him in worship:

     -  the director of music

     -  the people of Israel

     -  the throng of believers being added daily to the fold of God

I have learned through this penitential psalm that I need to thank the Father for sending His Word to us. I have also learned to thank the Lord Jesus for His prophetic office, including all the messengers He has placed in my life to point me to His truth. Additionally, I have learned to thank the Holy Spirit for facilitating the transaction of hearing and heeding the Holy Word.

Psalm 51 has taught me that the holy Word of God exists to coat my heart with the oil of confession -- declaring the Lordship of Christ and renouncing a life of habitual sin.

In the first twelve verses, I learned to recognize the sinner's plea -- cleansing, renewal, and restoration. Then, verses 13-17 depict the sinner's promise to instruct other transgressors -- the need to turn away from sin and turn toward God. They also highlight the brokenhearted and contrite sinner's vow to present a sacrifice that is pleasing to the Lord. Lastly, verses 18 and 19 provide an example of the sinner's intercession on behalf of the true Zion, the new Jerusalem in Christ Jesus.

Where do we go from here?

It has been an extremely rich 50-day journey. I have wept and mourned with David, promised and taught with David, confessed and interceded with David, rejoiced and exulted with David, and waited and waited for the Holy Spirit to fill me more and more with His precious wisdom.  As I end this journey today, the wisdom I have received from God concerning His Word amounts to this:

I need the Holy Spirit.

I know nothing without the Holy Spirit.

I understand nothing without the Holy Spirit.
I accomplish absolutely nothing without the Holy Spirit.

It is the Holy Spirit who speaks the Holy Word.
It is the Holy Spirit who reveals the Holy Word.
It is the Holy Spirit who exegetes the Holy Word.

It is the Holy Spirit who convicts through the Holy Word.
It is the Holy Spirit who enlightens through the Holy Word.
It is the Holy Spirit who translates and transmits the Holy Word. 

Thank You, Lord, for Your gift! Where can I go but to You? Instruct me, show me, teach me, fill me, mold me, melt me, use me. Draw me to hear and heed the Holy Word. Lead me to repent and confess and intercede and worship You. May it all be for Your glory! In the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen!