Closer: 21 Days of Prayer (2024)
Closer Day 21
February 3, 2024
Read: Psalm 44 1O God, we have heard with our ears, our fathers have told us, what deeds you performed in their days, in the days of old: 2 you with your own hand drove out the nations, but them you planted; you afflicted the peoples, but them you set free; 3 for not by their own sword did they win the land, nor did their own arm save them, but your right hand and your arm, and the light of your face, for you delighted in them. 4 You are my King, O God; ordain salvation for Jacob! 5 Through you we push down our foes; through your name we tread down those who rise up against us. 6 For not in my bow do I trust, nor can my sword save me. 7 But you have saved us from our foes and have put to shame those who hate us. 8 In God we have boasted continually, and we will give thanks to your name forever. Selah 9 But you have rejected us and disgraced us and have not gone out with our armies. 10 You have made us turn back from the foe, and those who hate us have gotten spoil. 11 You have made us like sheep for slaughter and have scattered us among the nations. 12 You have sold your people for a trifle, demanding no high price for them. 13 You have made us the taunt of our neighbors, the derision and scorn of those around us. 14 You have made us a byword among the nations, a laughingstock among the peoples. 15 All day long my disgrace is before me, and shame has covered my face 16 at the sound of the taunter and reviler, at the sight of the enemy and the avenger. 17 All this has come upon us, though we have not forgotten you, and we have not been false to your covenant. 18 Our heart has not turned back, nor have our steps departed from your way; 19 yet you have broken us in the place of jackals and covered us with the shadow of death. 20 If we had forgotten the name of our God or spread out our hands to a foreign god, 21 would not God discover this? For he knows the secrets of the heart. 22 Yet for your sake we are killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered. 23 Awake! Why are you sleeping, O Lord? Rouse yourself! Do not reject us forever! 24 Why do you hide your face? Why do you forget our affliction and oppression? 25 For our soul is bowed down to the dust; our belly clings to the ground. 26 Rise up; come to our help! Redeem us for the sake of your steadfast love! Reflect: Humiliation and failure can lead us to some pretty scary places. When these things happen, it can be easy to question God and His goodness. This reality is seen through Psalm 44. The beginning of the psalm (v.1-8) reflects God’s faithfulness as He has given Israel victory over their enemies time and time again. However, past performance does not always mean future success. It seems that Israel was dealt a humiliating defeat at the hands of the nation’s enemies. This leads the psalmist to accuse God of abandonment (v. 9), of making Israel the object of disgrace and shame (v. 15) and leading them to death (v. 22). We can't know the entire context of Psalm 44, but we can hear the disappointment and frustration of the psalmist in their failure. Isn't it amazing how quick we can be to accuse God when we put expectations on Him that He doesn't meet? Although this can be a natural response, we can’t stay in this place forever. Even when it feels like everything you had planned goes down the drain, we have a God that uses and redeems our failure and even our humiliation (Rom. 8:28). God has done this all through Scripture and continues to do this in the lives of His people each and every day. Even while under the shadow of failure, the psalmist remembers that God does not fail. Although the sting of humiliation and defeat are like an open wound, he remembers the unending love of God and goes to Him in prayer in expectation of His rescue (v. 26). Life has a way of bringing us to our knees and even bringing out frustration towards God. However, in those moments, all we have to do is fix our eyes on the cross of Christ and know that God has done more for us than we could ever ask in giving us Jesus. Prayer: God, thank you for being a God that wastes nothing. Even in failure and humiliation, You are piecing together a perfect story in spite of our failure. Through Your Spirit, free us from feelings of anger, frustration, or even entitlement as things turn out differently than how we planned. Thank you for Your steadfast love.
Closer Day 20
February 2, 2024
Read: Psalm 43 1 Vindicate me, O God, and defend my cause against an ungodly people, from the deceitful and unjust man deliver me! 2 For you are the God in whom I take refuge; why have you rejected me? Why do I go about mourning because of the oppression of the enemy? 3 Send out your light and your truth; let them lead me; let them bring me to your holy hill and to your dwelling! 4 Then I will go to the altar of God, to God my exceeding joy, and I will praise you with the lyre, O God, my God. 5 Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God. Reflect: The Psalms have many strong characteristics, but one of the strongest is the honesty that can be found in these texts. There is no sugar-coating or taking the edge off of any emotion that is directed at God. It’s great news to know that we can go to our King without having to fix ourselves or manage our emotions, but in full honesty, we can talk to God and know that He not only listens but also that He deeply cares. In Psalm 43, we see this honesty in vivid detail as the psalmist is dealing with hatred and oppression that is coming from his enemies. In the midst of these attacks, he cries out, “why have you rejected me? (v.2)” Although we are not facing enemies on a literal battlefield, we are at odds with the broader culture that surrounds us. As we walk through and navigate life, there might even be times where you feel alone and isolated as you seek to follow the Lord. In these times, take heart: God has never left your side. In spite of the honest cries of abandonment from the psalmist, he ultimately comes back to finding comfort in the presence of an unfailing God. The writer shares that God’s faithfulness and light leads him to a “holy mountain” (v. 3). It is this precious place where we will experience God as our joy and delight, regardless of what is going on around us. Prayer: Father, we are grateful that You allow us to come to You with our emotions and pleas with full honesty. The fact that You receive us as loved sons and daughters is a gift that we do not deserve. Thank you for not abandoning us even when we lack faith. Encourage us and strengthen us as we live out the mission You have given each of us in a world that continues to grow more challenging for those who are trying to be faithful to You and Your Kingdom.
Closer Day 19
February 1, 2024
Read: Psalm 42 1As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. 2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God? 3 My tears have been my food day and night, while they say to me all the day long, “Where is your God?” 4 These things I remember, as I pour out my soul: how I would go with the throng and lead them in procession to the house of God with glad shouts and songs of praise, a multitude keeping festival. 5 Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation 6 and my God. My soul is cast down within me; therefore I remember you from the land of Jordan and of Hermon, from Mount Mizar. 7 Deep calls to deep at the roar of your waterfalls; all your breakers and your waves have gone over me. 8 By day the Lord commands his steadfast love, and at night his song is with me, a prayer to the God of my life. 9 I say to God, my rock: “Why have you forgotten me? Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?” 10 As with a deadly wound in my bones, my adversaries taunt me, while they say to me all the day long, “Where is your God?” 11 Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God. Reflect: To have an encounter with God starts with a desire for Him. It is not something that we can conjure up or will into happening. The experience of intimacy with God comes when it is the very thing that we want the most. In our text, we see the psalmist say that they yearn for God as a deer “pants for flowing streams (v. 1).” This is someone who desperately yearns for what only God can give. As the psalm progresses, we see that one of the reasons the psalmist is so desperate for God is that they are struggling. They are in a dark moment of life that they describe as so painful that they cry out, “tears have been my food day and night (v. 3).” That sounds about as dark as it gets. Have you ever been there? Somewhere where the pain is great, and there seems to be no hope in sight. Although these places are scary, they are also places where we trust God with pain and fear. He is our everything. He is our only place of comfort and peace. In the middle of the despair of the psalmist, he comes back to the foundation of his life. In the midst of difficulty and an attack from those who hate him, he finds a ray of hope. This hope drives a renewed perspective, even in the valley of life, that causes him to plead hope over his soul. To his soul, he cries out to “hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God (v.11).” This might be the very thing that God is calling you to do today. Even if you don’t feel like praising God because of the circumstances that you find yourself in, to command your soul to remember the hope of your salvation breathes new life, a new hope, into our hearts. It is this hope that reminds us that there is nothing in this life or this world that we have to fear. This truth should provide comfort and peace to us even in the lowest points of our lives. Prayer: Thank you for being a God who saves. Thank you for being a God that uses and redeems all things in our life for Your glory and our good. Help me to trust You more. Through Your Spirit, remind me of the unshakable hope that You have given me through salvation. Fortify my soul, drive out fear and anxiety, and allow me to experience Your peace, knowing that You can be trusted with everything.
Closer Day 18
January 31, 2024
Read: Psalm 41 1 Blessed is the one who considers the poor! In the day of trouble the Lord delivers him; 2 the Lord protects him and keeps him alive; he is called blessed in the land; you do not give him up to the will of his enemies. 3 The Lord sustains him on his sickbed; in his illness you restore him to full health. 4 As for me, I said, “O Lord, be gracious to me; heal me,[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm%2041&version=esv#fen-esv-14547c] for I have sinned against you!” 5 My enemies say of me in malice, “When will he die, and his name perish?” 6 And when one comes to see me, he utters empty words, while his heart gathers iniquity; when he goes out, he tells it abroad. 7 All who hate me whisper together about me; they imagine the worst for me. 8 They say, “A deadly thing is poured out on him; he will not rise again from where he lies.” 9 Even my close friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted his heel against me. 10 But you, O Lord, be gracious to me, and raise me up, that I may repay them! 11 By this I know that you delight in me: my enemy will not shout in triumph over me. 12 But you have upheld me because of my integrity, and set me in your presence forever. 13 Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting! Amen and Amen. Reflect: When we understand our need for Christ, we grow more sensitive to the needs of others. The needs of others may be spiritual, physical, financial, or emotional. Regardless of the need, God sees and cares about all of them. When we step in and care for the needs of those around us, we rightly bear the image of Christ to our world. Our effort to care for others is not because we are good, but because Christ has been good to us. The more we realize this, and how gracious God has been to us, the more our hearts bend outwardly to care for the needs of others and desire for them to experience the same provision and grace that we have received. Living with this perspective and selflessness is pleasing to God. David says in this passage that God delights in him and gives him triumph over His enemies. We do not serve others to gain but to give and share the loving nature of God. When we share that love, we are living out God’s will for our lives by bearing His image. God wants to preserve our efforts in this life to continue that work so all may come to know Him. Reflect on how God has met your needs in the past and ask Him to humbly help you see, consider, and meet the needs of others around you so they may experience the love and hope of Christ for themselves. Prayer: God, reveal to me and remind me of how merciful and gracious You have been to me. You compassionately meet all of my needs, and I thank You for your kindness towards me in my weakness and neediness. I ask that Your grace humbles me to serve those around me so I may glorify You by reflecting to them the grace, love, and mercy that I have received.
Closer Day 17
January 30, 2024
Read: Psalm 40:11-17 11 As for you, O Lord, you will not restrain your mercy from me; your steadfast love and your faithfulness will ever preserve me! 12 For evils have encompassed me beyond number; my iniquities have overtaken me, and I cannot see; they are more than the hairs of my head; my heart fails me. 13 Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me! O Lord, make haste to help me! 14 Let those be put to shame and disappointed altogether who seek to snatch away my life; let those be turned back and brought to dishonor who delight in my hurt! 15 Let those be appalled because of their shame who say to me, “Aha, Aha!” 16 But may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; may those who love your salvation say continually, “Great is the Lord!” 17 As for me, I am poor and needy, but the Lord takes thought for me. You are my help and my deliverer; do not delay, O my God! Reflect: We can find rest knowing that God’s mercy and steadfast love is present in times of danger. Not only are they present, but they are also triumphant over the danger. In this Psalm, David acknowledges his poor and needy state, but his poor and needy state does not shake his confidence in the Lord. In the midst of his trouble, he knows the Lord’s steadfast love and faithfulness preserves him from ultimate danger. When you are in a battle and sense danger, do you rest in the fact that you are preserved by God’s steadfast love and faithfulness? Or do you tend to focus on your inability to win the battle? Today, acknowledge and accept your limitations and be needy for the Lord, who is limitless in power and loves to help His children. Know that He believes you are worth fighting for and will stay by your side regardless of what life throws your way. Prayer: God, thank you for not seeing me or my battle as a lost cause and for Your steadfast love and mercy towards me. Help me to hold to this truth when the fight comes and causes me to doubt and have fear. Give me the boldness to be desperate for You and to trust more in Your strength rather than focusing on the strength that I lack.
Closer Day 16
January 29, 2024
Read: Psalm 40:1-10 1I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry. 2 He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure. 3 He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the Lord. 4 Blessed is the man who makes the Lord his trust, who does not turn to the proud, to those who go astray after a lie! 5 You have multiplied, O Lord my God, your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us; none can compare with you! I will proclaim and tell of them, yet they are more than can be told. 6 In sacrifice and offering you have not delighted, but you have given me an open ear. Burnt offering and sin offering you have not required. 7 Then I said, “Behold, I have come; in the scroll of the book it is written of me: 8 I delight to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart.” 9 I have told the glad news of deliverance in the great congregation; behold, I have not restrained my lips, as you know, O Lord. 10 I have not hidden your deliverance within my heart; I have spoken of your faithfulness and your salvation; I have not concealed your steadfast love and your faithfulness from the great congregation. Reflect: Waiting on the Lord is no easy task. At times, the longer we wait, the more we begin to doubt God’s goodness and His desire to provide for us. This is especially true in difficult seasons of life when we are facing hardships, trials, and uncertainty over our future. In these times of waiting and uncertainty, it is important that we realize that waiting is not a passive act but a proactive act of surrender where we choose to trust God with our lives more than we trust ourselves. Fear and anxiety arise when we try to take life into our own hands and figure everything out. Peace and hope arise when we put our lives in God’s hands because He already has everything figured out. The encouragement of this Scripture for us as believers is to not waste our waiting but to take advantage of the times when we are ultimately dependent on the Lord to provide for us in situations that are outside of our control. In this psalm, David talks about how he waited patiently on the Lord and delighted in His will for his life as the Lord set his feet upon a rock. The rock here is Christ and the victor. He defeated sin, death, and the enemy, ultimately securing for us an eternal hope. No matter what happens in our current situations and lifetime, we can proactively wait with peace and hope by choosing to fix our eyes on our Savior rather than our situation, knowing that in the end, because of Jesus, we will win. Today, don’t waste your waiting; instead surrender your timeline to God, allowing Him to mold you and grow you, and set your feet upon the Rock. Prayer: Thank you Lord, for being worthy of my trust and surrender. I ask that today, that You help me fix my eyes on Jesus and not my situation and to grow my faith in the midst of difficult seasons as I delight in Your will and your ways. Thank you for giving me hope, peace, and purpose beyond my pain.
Closer Day 15
January 28, 2024
Read: Psalm 39 1I said, “I will guard my ways, that I may not sin with my tongue; I will guard my mouth with a muzzle, so long as the wicked are in my presence.” 2 I was mute and silent; I held my peace to no avail, and my distress grew worse. 3 My heart became hot within me. As I mused, the fire burned; then I spoke with my tongue: 4 “O Lord, make me know my end and what is the measure of my days; let me know how fleeting I am! 5 Behold, you have made my days a few handbreadths, and my lifetime is as nothing before you. Surely all mankind stands as a mere breath! Selah 6 Surely a man goes about as a shadow! Surely for nothing they are in turmoil; man heaps up wealth and does not know who will gather! 7 “And now, O Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in you. 8 Deliver me from all my transgressions. Do not make me the scorn of the fool! 9 I am mute; I do not open my mouth, for it is you who have done it. 10 Remove your stroke from me; I am spent by the hostility of your hand. 11 When you discipline a man with rebukes for sin, you consume like a moth what is dear to him; surely all mankind is a mere breath! Selah 12 “Hear my prayer, O Lord, and give ear to my cry; hold not your peace at my tears! For I am a sojourner with you, a guest, like all my fathers. 13 Look away from me, that I may smile again, before I depart and am no more!” Reflect: Psalm 39 is a psalm of desperation. Very honest desperation. I love what Pastor Tim Keller writes, “It is remarkable that God not only allows his creatures to complain to him of their ills but actually records those wails in his Word…the very presence of such prayers in Scripture is a witness to His understanding. He knows how men speak when they are desperate.” I love that! God knows how we speak when we are desperate. So, when we are suffering, hurting, and desperate, let’s not heap up empty, worthless prayers trying to please God or hold back the truth, but be honest with Him. Tell him of your suffering. Tell him when you're upset, worried, confused, whatever it is. I believe when we’re honest with God and speaking to Him like we would a loving Father, we actually begin to believe He is listening. When we believe God is listening, at some point, we’ll stop and wait to hear back from Him. As David says, “And now, O Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in you.” Prayer: Pray and be honest with God today. If things are going well, then give thanks for those things. If things are hard, tell Him. Ask Him to bring relief. But most of all, trust that God hears. And He loves you. He loves you just as much when you’re suffering as when you’re giving thanks.
Closer Day 14
January 27, 2024
Read: 13 But I am like a deaf man; I do not hear, like a mute man who does not open his mouth. 14 I have become like a man who does not hear, and in whose mouth are no rebukes. 15 But for you, O Lord, do I wait; it is you, O Lord my God, who will answer. 16 For I said, “Only let them not rejoice over me, who boast against me when my foot slips!” 17 For I am ready to fall, and my pain is ever before me. 18 I confess my iniquity; I am sorry for my sin. 19 But my foes are vigorous, they are mighty, and many are those who hate me wrongfully. 20 Those who render me evil for good accuse me because I follow after good. 21 Do not forsake me, O Lord! O my God, be not far from me! 22 Make haste to help me, O Lord, my salvation! Reflect: Saying “I’m sorry” has become a daily occurrence for me. Whether it’s to my children, my wife, or my co-workers for something that I have done that was hurtful or rude, I say “I’m sorry” a good bit. When I say I’m sorry, I express in detail what and why I am sorry because context matters for the other person along with myself. Do I actually know and believe what I’m sorry for? Or, is my apology without context providing a way to avoid the reality that I’ve disappointed or caused someone hurt? When it comes to our sin, confession is healthy and necessary. Here, we see David confess his sin and literally tell God he is sorry. And he means it. David writes, “But for you, O Lord, do I wait; it is you, O Lord my God, who will answer.” I love that, even though he is suffering, guilty, and feeling regret, David trusts in the promise that God hears him and will answer his prayer and forgive him. We, too can hold fast to the promise that God will give us this same grace and mercy. We have a Savior who bore our sin, suffered on the cross, died, and was then resurrected to ultimately defeat death and hell, securing an eternal hope in Him. This hope reminds us that regardless of where we have failed and fallen short, God’s grace is sufficient for us. Prayer: If you are in a season of suffering, whether it’s of your own doing or not, cry out to God today, confessing your sin and your need for Him. Tell Him you’re sorry, but also receive His grace over you and know you are forgiven. Trust the promise that God loves you, and He hears you.
Closer Day 13
January 26, 2024
Read: O Lord, rebuke me not in your anger, nor discipline me in your wrath! 2 For your arrows have sunk into me, and your hand has come down on me. There is no soundness in my flesh because of your indignation; there is no health in my bones because of my sin. 4 For my iniquities have gone over my head; like a heavy burden, they are too heavy for me. 5 My wounds stink and fester because of my foolishness, 6I am utterly bowed down and prostrate; all the day I go about mourning. 7 For my sides are filled with burning, and there is no soundness in my flesh. 8I am feeble and crushed; I groan because of the tumult of my heart. 9O Lord, all my longing is before you; my sighing is not hidden from you. 10 My heart throbs; my strength fails me, and the light of my eyes—it also has gone from me. 11 My friends and companions stand aloof from my plague, and my nearest kin stand far off. 12 Those who seek my life lay their snares; those who seek my hurt speak of ruin and meditate treachery all day long. Reflect: Here David is crying out to God, sick and in pain. And as shocking as it may sound, this suffering is a result of David’s sin. Not only is he suffering in pain because of his sin, but he is also suffering under the weight of his guilt. He writes, “I am utterly bowed down and prostrate; all the day I go about mourning.” And to make things worse, this illness has isolated him from his friends and made him more vulnerable to his opponents. This is why he is crying out to God in brutal honesty. How often in your pain and suffering are you brutally honest with God? How often do you cry out to God through times of agony? Or do you isolate yourself because guilt and shame has caused you to fear that God won’t listen? When pain and suffering surround us, and there seems like no reprieve, these are the very times that we should cry out to God. Our God, who loves us as sons and daughters, will allow discipline for our sin, but He still wants us to come to Him. I believe that’s why we have psalms like this. When we don’t know how to pray, and we don’t know what it means to cry out to God because of our guilt and shame, we can come to Psalm 38 and pray the psalm back to God. We can use it as a guide in our times of suffering, knowing that He hears us. Prayer: Lord, there are times when the only thing I can do is cry out to you. And sometimes, I'm not even sure what to say. But I know that although I am overwhelmed, you are listening. I bring you all my anxieties, all my worries, all my shame and lay them at your feet. I know on the cross you took it all so I could be free. Even though I don’t feel that freedom in my suffering now, I know and trust that you will ultimately bring healing and freedom. Help me, Lord. I am in pain and I need you!
Closer Day 12
January 25, 2024
Read: Psalm 37:30-40 30 The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks justice. 31 The law of his God is in his heart; his steps do not slip. 32 The wicked watches for the righteous and seeks to put him to death. 33 The Lord will not abandon him to his power or let him be condemned when he is brought to trial. 34 Wait for the Lord and keep his way, and he will exalt you to inherit the land; you will look on when the wicked are cut off. 35 I have seen a wicked, ruthless man, spreading himself like a green laurel tree. 36 But he passed away, and behold, he was no more; though I sought him, he could not be found. 37 Mark the blameless and behold the upright, for there is a future for the man of peace. 38 But transgressors shall be altogether destroyed; the future of the wicked shall be cut off. 39 The salvation of the righteous is from the Lord; he is their stronghold in the time of trouble. 40 The Lord helps them and delivers them; he delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in him. Reflect: We can confidently stand firm and trust in the Lord as He has promised a future for those who trust in Him. Charles Spurgeon instructed that we should “Wait in obedience as a servant, in hope as an heir, in expectation as a believer.” And as we wait, we should hold onto hope despite the seeming successes of the wicked. There is no future for the wicked and ruthless ones. In David’s final words of Psalm 37, he notes that the righteous are also marked by the wisdom and justice reflected by the words they speak. We have the word of God in the pages of our Bibles, ready and accessible to all who open themselves to it. When we possess the word of God in our hearts, we have a firm foundation; our steps shall not falter. While the wicked seek to destroy the righteous and even seem to flourish, it is only temporary, as the Lord protects and provides, and the wicked will pass away. Through the Holy Spirit’s guidance, we can stand firm in the face of adversity, speaking words of wisdom and justice. The Lord saves, and help comes from the Lord as we continue on in our daily work, helping us bear burdens, face troubles, and do good. May we flee from evil and pursue good, repenting of sin and trusting in the amazing mercy of God through Jesus Christ. Prayer: God, thank you for Jesus Christ, who ultimately saves. Thank you for the Holy Spirit, who guides me in paths of truth, justice, and righteousness. Thank you Father, for Your care, protection, and love. Thank you for giving me a future and a peace. May I fix my eyes on You.
Closer Day 11
January 24, 2024
Read: Psalm 21-29 21 The wicked borrows but does not pay back, but the righteous is generous and gives; 22 for those blessed by the Lord shall inherit the land, but those cursed by him shall be cut off. 23 The steps of a man are established by the Lord, when he delights in his way; 24 though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong, for the Lord upholds his hand. 25 I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his children begging for bread. 26 He is ever lending generously, and his children become a blessing. 27 Turn away from evil and do good; so shall you dwell forever. 28 For the Lord loves justice; he will not forsake his saints. They are preserved forever, but the children of the wicked shall be cut off. 29 The righteous shall inherit the land and dwell upon it forever. Reflect: David has a perspective of God’s care and provision over time. As an old man (vs. 25), David shares the wisdom and behaviors of the righteous. We see how the wicked and the righteous deal with possessions: the wicked take and don’t give; they are greedy and selfish. The righteous are selfless and give generously. The righteous are merciful. The behaviors of the righteous mirror the “ever lending” generosity of the Lord. And while the wicked shall be cut off, God establishes the steps and upholds the hand of the righteous. David shares how he has “not seen the righteous forsaken or his children begging for bread.” (vs 25) This speaks in personal ways of how God cares and provides. David has seen many things in his lifetime, but in this later-life reflection, it stands out to him that the Lord cares deeply for His people. What a picture of the care and provision the Lord provides for those who love Him! As believers who are cared for and remembered by God, we can walk in confidence that He knows us, our lives are ordered and ordained by him, and that God takes joy in His people. Regardless of what we face in life, we can truly walk in trust that He loves and cares for us. Out of that God-confidence, we can live lives that are marked by Him: generous, selfless, merciful; reflections of the One who cares for us. Prayer: Father, I know that I will face times of challenge and struggle in my life. Help me to be strong in my confidence in Your care and provision for me. Help me to live a life marked by Your love, selfless, generous, and merciful; as an example of You to the world around me.
Closer Day 10
January 23, 2024
Read: Psalm 37:12-20 12 The wicked plots against the righteous and gnashes his teeth at him, 13 but the Lord laughs at the wicked, for he sees that his day is coming. 14 The wicked draw the sword and bend their bows to bring down the poor and needy, to slay those whose way is upright; 15 their sword shall enter their own heart, and their bows shall be broken. 16 Better is the little that the righteous has than the abundance of many wicked. 17 For the arms of the wicked shall be broken, but the Lord upholds the righteous. 18 The Lord knows the days of the blameless, and their heritage will remain forever; 19 they are not put to shame in evil times; in the days of famine they have abundance. 20 But the wicked will perish; the enemies of the Lord are like the glory of the pastures; they vanish—like smoke they vanish away. Reflect: Continuing on in Psalm 37, David writes proverb-like sayings that describe the reality of the wicked and the righteous and how the Lord responds to each of these groups of people. We read how the wicked “plot against the righteous and gnashes his teeth at him” and how they “draw the sword and bend their bows to bring down the poor and needy, to slay those whose way is upright.” These are terrifying actions of the wicked against the righteous, yet the righteous, the people of God, have no reason to worry about the occasional success of the wicked. There is a day of judgment coming. The wicked can do their worst to God’s people in this life, but God is not threatened by them. He even “laughs at the wicked, for he sees his day is coming.” God knows. His plan is being carried out. You see, fear, worry, and anxiety about the evil in this world are unwarranted. We have the promises of God in the Bible that He protects, upholds, and provides for His people. The success, fame, and prosperity of the wicked are as temporary as vapor. It never has any real substance and soon vanishes away. As the people of God, we are in relationships, jobs, communities, and circumstances where we are in the midst of evil and sin. Even as the wicked appear to prosper, as David instructs, we should not abandon hope, as our hope is in the Lord. There’s a beauty that is found in being content in how the Lord provides. While it seems as if the wicked receive the rewards, theirs is only temporary. Believer, the reward of the righteous is eternal. This life is fleeting. With the perspective of eternity, we can be confident and content right here, right now. Prayer: Father, help me to maintain confidence and trust in You. Give me the right perspective when it appears that evil is winning and prospering all around me. It is temporary, and You are eternal. Help me to fix my eyes on You and to rest in Your promises.
Closer Day 9
January 22, 2024
Read: Psalm 37:1-11 1 Fret not yourself because of evildoers; be not envious of wrongdoers! 2 For they will soon fade like the grass and wither like the green herb. 3 Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness. 4 Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. 5 Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act. 6 He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday. 7 Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices! 8 Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil. 9 For the evildoers shall be cut off, but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land.10 In just a little while, the wicked will be no more; though you look carefully at his place, he will not be there. 11 But the meek shall inherit the land and delight themselves in abundant peace. Reflect: David is advanced in age when writing this particular Psalm, and we learn this later in v25. Once again, he provides wisdom on how to overcome worry or envy towards sinful, prosperous people and evil in the world. He points out that evil will not prevail, and people who live like this have no hope for the future. David describes them as grass that will wither and be no more. He tells God’s people to refrain from anger or retaliation because it is God who will bring justice. He says not to worry, be envious, or retaliate. Instead, to trust in, delight in, and commit our ways to the Lord. When this happens, God changes the heart’s desire to reflect His; He provides peace, protection, satisfaction, and rest in Him! We can learn a lot from David. He was an imperfect, sinful man but had a heart for God. What he says in this Psalm gives us clear instructions on how to find peace in the midst of an evil, broken world. The answer is found in Jesus! He is the provider and perfector of our faith (Heb 12). When we put our faith in Jesus, He gives us new life, eternal life, a life that is full of good works prepared in advance for us (Eph 2). When we obediently follow Jesus, it brings alignment of our hearts with His. When our hearts are aligned with His, we find delight in Him! This delight brings contentment and Fruit of the Spirit, which we can enjoy no matter what the world hits us with. The great preacher Charles Spurgeon said this about Martin Luther, “They said of Martin Luther as he walked the streets, ‘There comes a man that can have anything of God he likes.’ You ask the reason of it. Because Luther delighted himself in his God.” Prayer: Pray that you would grow in your faith and commitment to the Lord. Pray that you delight in Jesus, that He would satisfy your soul, and that your source of Joy and contentment comes from Him and Him alone.
Closer Day 8
January 21, 2024
Read: Read Psalm 36 Transgression speaks to the wicked deep in his heart; there is no fear of God before his eyes.2 For he flatters himself in his own eyes that his iniquity cannot be found out and hated.3 The words of his mouth are trouble and deceit; he has ceased to act wisely and do good.4 He plots trouble while on his bed; he sets himself in a way that is not good; he does not reject evil.5 Your steadfast love, O Lord, extends to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds.6 Your righteousness is like the mountains of God; your judgments are like the great deep; man and beast you save, O Lord.7 How precious is your steadfast love, O God! The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings.8 They feast on the abundance of your house, and you give them drink from the river of your delights.9 For with you is the fountain of life; in your light do we see light. 10 Oh, continue your steadfast love to those who know you, and your righteousness to the upright of heart!11 Let not the foot of arrogance come upon me, nor the hand of the wicked drive me away.12 There the evildoers lie fallen; they are thrust down, unable to rise. Reflect: In this Psalm, David provides a contrast between the wickedness of man and the righteousness of God. He describes the sinfulness of the human heart that lacks a healthy fear of God. The words of those who have turned against God are deceitful, full of lies and foolishness. Even at rest, they plot new ways to justify their evil, and they ultimately elevate themselves above God. Instead of speaking to God’s judgment at this point, which he has done in previous Psalms and would be fair to do now, David shares a message of hope in the immensity of God. He praises God’s love that reaches the heavens, His righteousness that is grounded in mighty mountains, His faithfulness that spans the skies, and His justice that is anchored in the deep. God provides sustenance for man and beast and gives abundant life to those who come to Him and drink. David faced similar struggles that we face today. One in particular is when we see people who prosper with no fear of God. They often do whatever it takes for their own personal gain and always seem to come out on top. At the same time, many who fear the Lord and obey God’s commands seem to never get ahead. What do we do with this tension? How should we respond? David provides a great example. Our response should never be one of bitterness, envy, or jealousy. It should be one of gratitude for God’s priceless love demonstrated through Jesus. It should be in the eternal life we are given when we put our faith in Jesus. It should be confidence in the God who created all things and promises to meet our every need. It should be in the power and presence of the Holy Spirit who lives inside of us. Jesus alone satisfies and sustains, not the things of this world. Prayer: Pray that God would help you resist being jealous, envious, or bitter towards those who prosper through selfish or ungodly means. Thank God for providing for your needs (maybe not your wants), but always your needs! Praise God that one day we will feast with Jesus in abundance and forever enjoy Him in the absence of sin and its devastation.
Closer Day 7
January 20, 2024
Read: Read Psalm 35:11-28 Malicious witnesses rise up; they ask me of things that I do not know.12 They repay me evil for good; my soul is bereft. 13 But I, when they were sick— I wore sackcloth; I afflicted myself with fasting; I prayed with head bowed on my chest.14 I went about as though I grieved for my friend or my brother; as one who laments his mother, I bowed down in mourning.15 But at my stumbling they rejoiced and gathered; they gathered together against me; wretches whom I did not know tore at me without ceasing;16 like profane mockers at a feast, they gnash at me with their teeth.17 How long, O Lord, will you look on? Rescue me from their destruction, my precious life from the lions! 18 I will thank you in the great congregation; in the mighty throng I will praise you. 19 Let not those rejoice over me who are wrongfully my foes, and let not those wink the eye who hate me without cause.20 For they do not speak peace, but against those who are quiet in the land they devise words of deceit.21 They open wide their mouths against me; they say, “Aha, Aha! Our eyes have seen it!”22 You have seen, O Lord; be not silent! O Lord, be not far from me!23 Awake and rouse yourself for my vindication, for my cause, my God and my Lord!24 Vindicate me, O Lord, my God, according to your righteousness, and let them not rejoice over me!25 Let them not say in their hearts, “Aha, our heart's desire!” Let them not say, “We have swallowed him up.”26 Let them be put to shame and disappointed altogether who rejoice at my calamity! Let them be clothed with shame and dishonor who magnify themselves against me!27 Let those who delight in my righteousness shout for joy and be glad and say evermore, “Great is the Lord, who delights in the welfare of his servant!”28 Then my tongue shall tell of your righteousness and of your praise all the day long. Reflect: In the remainder of Psalm 35, David continues calling out to God as he remembers fasting, praying, and lamenting for those who were now attacking him. David had been merciful, compassionate, and caring. He had treated them well during their adversity, and now that David was experiencing adversity, these people repaid his kindness with evil. In the midst of his pain, David didn’t retaliate. Instead, he continued asking God to fight for him, to vindicate him in the presence of his enemies. He asked God to expose their evil deeds and put them to shame. David isn’t asking God to be a vigilante; he’s asking God to set things right. As a result, the righteousness of God is revealed, he would be restored, and the Lord’s name would be praised. It’s not hard to identify with David. Have you ever shown kindness and mercy towards someone only to have them treat you poorly in return? Have you ever had a friend betray you? Have you ever felt hated without cause or been shamed in a moment of weakness or adversity? In this Psalm, David prays for God to fight for him. He prays for his enemies to be exposed and put to shame. He prays to be vindicated before his enemies and praises the Lord because he knows God will come through. This is exactly how we should respond as well. We love our enemies, we pray for them, we pray for God to fight for us, and we trust Him to set things right. This is a picture of the Gospel. Jesus was repaid evil for kindness. He was hated without cause. He was even betrayed by those closest to Him. However, He didn’t retaliate but demonstrated perfect love on the Cross. He fought for us, and through His death and resurrection, Jesus was vindicated before His accusers and vindicates all who believe. Prayer: Pray for the Holy Spirit gives eyes to see the God who fights for you. Pray for a heart to love your enemies and pray for them. Pray for the Lord to expose the evil of those who attack you for your faith and that they would encounter the love, grace, and mercy of Jesus Christ.