221 - "I Do Not Judge Myself" Psalm 147-148. 1 Corinthians 4

                                                               

As we start to close the Book of Psalms, what did our Beautiful God stir in you that comes to mind?  What is stronger in you?  What are you afraid of?  What is God stirring up?  What lingers?

Psalm 147:2 God is the One who rebuilds our lives, Who regathers us when we distance ourselves.  He heals the heartbroken and bandages our wounds.  I need a Savior this night to heal my broken heart as I deal with some hard realities about my life.  Our Lord is great with limitless Strength; we'll never comprehend what He knows and does.  God puts the fallen on their feet again.  I'm standing up.

Psalm 147:11 God's not impressed with horsepower; the size of our muscles mean little to him.  We live in such a celebrity society that so grabs the attention of people from storied athletes to cute speakers with energy.  God's not impressed by it all.

What lingers with me is that our desires to live are good but the road to get there can be a bad one.  Our Lord God ... "You assume I relieve struggle and replace it with rest.  But I use struggle to uncover a rest beneath the struggle that no anguish can destroy.  The struggle with fear and pain will continue.  Only in the storm will you know there is an anchor."  Do I feel that Anchor this night?   
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I feel so judged in life.  Beautiful thoughts on "judging." I love how Paul writes that he doesn't even judge himself.  There's something to that.  I think our Christian community digs too deep in a checklist.  If you are not doing all these good things, you're in sin.  I love this.  Let the LORD judge me and show up in His Mercy and even surprise me.  If I work so hard at repentance, isn't that arrogance.  I end up doing "penance," trying to make it all good.  Only God does.  When He shows up, it is Beautiful, Wild, and Heartfelt Repentance.  Nothing contrived in that place. 

I Cor 4:3 But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. For I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me.  Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart.  

Have your way, my God, and disclose the purposes of our hearts.  And when we are raw, open, needy, our God moves in.  Deep gratitude for Psalm 147:3 - He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. 

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