Caring through Psalm 119 - Why?
Why does the Burke Care team care to write about Psalm 119?
The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes; —Psalm 19:7-8 ESV
A reasonable answer can be found below in part of an article written by David Powlison which is found on p. 150 (May 29) in his devotional “Take Heart - Daily Devotions to Deepen Your Faith.” It was originally published as part of an article in the Journal of Biblical Counseling (ss, no. 1 (1999): 2-3) entitled “Think Globally, Act Locally.”
“Both in your own life and in the lives of those you help, it helps to keep in mind this simple goal: connect one bit of Scripture to one bit of life. What is your current struggle? How does God in Christ connect you in this? When you are learning kindness from your Savior, you will be able to teach unkind people. When you are learning to endure suffering well, you will be able to reach sufferers. It is the same with any other radiancy of the Spirit; clarity, courage, humility, patience, joy, wisdom, gratitude, mercy, teachability, generosity, and honesty.
Knowing general truths about yourself — your tendencies, typical patterns, themes that replay in your personal history — does not change you. You must be able to identify where your current struggle lies, what it means, what exactly is at stake, and where to go. Today, what is your particular battlefield? You must be able to trace the difference between truth and lies, clarity and confusion, hope and illusion, right and wrong, insight and self-deception, true need and wild desires, love and self-serving, living faith and functional godlessness.
Where do you need God’s redemption and help? When you are disoriented in your current struggle, you do not even know your choices. When your way is deep darkness, you do not know what makes you stumble. The right bit of Scripture — six words, two verses, one story — reorients you. You need help, and the LORD is very present help in trouble.”
It is Burke Care’s desire to connect individuals with scripture so that life will begin to make sense. Those of us at Burke Care understand that we live in a fallen, broken, Genesis 3 world which we were not designed to navigate alone. God placed in each of us a desire for Him and a longing for eternity.
How can Burke Care come alongside you to navigate this “already, but not yet” world in which we live? Please consider reaching out to someone on the Burke Care team today!
Father, thank you for Your wisdom. Thank You for revealing yourself through Scripture so that broken people can care for and help other broken people. Thank You for allowing us to take part as You reconcile Your children back to You. Amen!
Application Questions:
What is your current struggle? How does God in Christ connect you in this?
Today, what is your particular battlefield?
Where do you need God’s redemption and help?
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