23/08/2017″ Psalm 131 | “Things too Great” | Gill Wolfaardt
Psalm 131 Amplified
1. Lord, my heart is not haughty, nor my eyes lofty; neither do I exercise myself in matters too great or in things too wonderful for me.
2. Surely I have calmed and quieted my soul; like a weaned child with his mother, like a weaned child is my soul within me ( ceased from fretting)
3. Oh Israel, hope in the Lord from this time forth and forevermore.
The Message
God I’m not trying to rule the roost,
I don’t want to be King of the mountain. I haven’t meddled where I have no business or fantasised grandiose plans
I’ve kept my feet on the ground, I’ve cultivated a quiet heart. Like a baby content in its Mother’s arms, my soul is a baby content.
Wait, Israel, for God. Wait with hope. Hope now; hope always.
Lord I’m not proud. Psalm 10:4 Prov 8:13 James4.:6b
Pride can also be self sufficiency, independence.The spirit of independence is deeply ingrained in our nature We need God’s grace to overcome our pride.
Amongst all the things the Holy Spirit does for us is conviction. He convinces us of sin. Sin in that we don’t believe.
Don’t become too introspective. Ask God to examine your heart. Humble yourself before Him. Humility is meekness, teachableness,submission. Gratitude helps us become humble.
The psalmist uses the metaphor of a child with its mother. Ordinary everyday sights meant for our ordinary everyday lives. Not just for theologians, professors or ministers.
Many of us have strong opinions and think we know best. Like husbands who are couch coaches when they watch the rugby.
Social media has fed this tendency. A new malady FOMO: Fera Of Missing Out
Face Book portray idyllic lives , gourmet meals , exotic places but seldom the strife, the lack, the fear, the depression.
Lord my heart is not haughty nor my eyes lofty. Lofty implies someone who looks down on others. None of us want to admit that. We recognise snobbery and pride in others but have blind spots in our own eyes. Jesus called them logs.
Our pride exposes how ignorant we are of God. Humility is the hallmark of a child of God and shows that person is intimate with God.
Please read Job 38. God says things like “ where were you when I created the world? “ “ Who is this that darkens My counsel by talking without knowledge?”
Loosely translated “ Who is muddying My counsel by talking about things he know nothing about?”
Ecclesiastes 5:1 & 2 “ Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know what they do wrong. Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty with your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on the earth, so let your words be few.”
There are wonderful theologians . Expositors of God’s word who debate one another. Professors of Divinity. One really worth listening to is Ravi Zacharias. But God wants to also speak personally to our hearts. He has revealed so much to us and He wants us to study, ponder teach and share but we need to do it with a humble spirit recognising God’s sovereignty.
Deuteronomy 29:29 “ The secret things belong unto the Lord our God, but the things which are revealed belong to us and our children forever.”
Secret things: tsunamis, floods, fires. Why do children get cancer? Why did 911 happen? Why do drunk drivers cause so many accidents? Why was one person’s house burnt down and the one next door survive?
Sometimes we re at a loss for words. And thats good! Go into your closet and let it all out. All the frustration and confusion. begin to affirm the things you DO know about God. He is good ,He is compassionate, He is holy, He works ALL Things together for good for those who love Him.
2 Corinthians 10:5 “ We refute arguments and theories and reasonings and every proud and lofty thing that sets itself up against the true knowledge of God and we lead eery thought captive into the obedience of Christ.”
Jehovah Shaman is our God, compassionate , slow to anger , faithful and true, Sovereign. I don’t understand everthing but I trust. Its like the opposite of pride and when I don’t trust I give satan a foothold in my life.
A monk from the eleventh century called Anselm penned these words .
“ I do not seek Oh Lord to penetrate Your depths. I by no means think my intellect equal to them; but I long to understand in some degree Your Truth which my heart believes and loves . For I do not seek to understand that I may believe , but I believe that I may understand.”
The Message Romans 3:27 “ What becomes of our pride and boasting? Cancelled! Yes cancelled. What we’ve learned is this: God does not respond to what we do; we respond to what God does. We’ve finally figured it out. Our live get in step with God and all others by letting Him set the pace , not by proudly or anxiously trying to run the parade .”