Papa G Comes to Visit

Moses and I were super blessed to have my father come and visit us for one month again this year.  We pretty much stayed home and did normal life and ministry together.  Moses cherished time with "Papa G" as he became known at church and in the community.  They shared conversations on the Bible, preaching methods, and how to live with me.  HiHiHi.

Dad was digging into a big pot of shepherd's pie with a pomegranate on the side.

One night we went to see a cultural show in Kampala, before we travelled up to Gulu.

Moses' brother Stanley joined us too.

You would think that having Papa G means having great food, but honestly, Moses and I crave fun foods whenever we reach Kampala.

Here he is, arriving at the airport in Entebbe.

Easter Sunday we hung out with friends!

He met our newest nephew in Soroti.

Visiting Happy Hearts school in Ochuloi Village

Teacher Teddy showed us around the neighbourhood.

Our last meal together in Entebbe before he flies back out.

Church memories.

Can you find Waldo Papa G in church?

Moving around town with our friend James.

Good Friday, we found a parade in town. 

Who Does God Say He Is?

Lately I have been feeling less and less useful as I’m going through a long season of losing my voice. It started with just my singing voice, but now, two years later, it is also my talking, reading, and presenting voice – accompanied by a cough and spurts of choking. I have seen doctors. I have prayed for healing. I have rested, wrestled, and cried. And do you hear what this paragraph is all about? I! Me! What I have done! And today I am feeling challenged.

Let’s open our Bibles to Exodus 3:1-12

Moses and the Burning Bush

Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. ² There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. ³ So Moses thought, “I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up.”

⁴ When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, “Moses! Moses!”

And Moses said, “Here I am.”

⁵ “Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” ⁶ Then he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.” At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God.

⁷ The Lord said, “I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. ⁸ So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey—the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. ⁹ And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. ¹⁰ So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.”

¹¹ But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?”

¹² And God said, “I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain.”

It’s a beautiful story, and so well known. Moses and the burning bush is an account that every Sunday school child has heard numerous times, and I’m sure many of you have heard it more than you can count. So, may we all be refreshed with God’s Word and character today.

Hebrews 4:12 states:  ^“For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”

God showed himself to Moses in a burning bush thousands of years ago and He continues to reveal Himself to us today.  The Lord, through His Word and Spirit, divulges Himself to us, although I shouldn’t say divulge.  It is no secret who God is.  It’s public knowledge.  But He does make Himself truly known to those who have chosen to believe in Him and live according to His Word, others may be confused or blinded to who God is. As we go back through today’s story, let us look together at Who God IS.

In verse 1 we see that Moses is tending the sheep of his father-in-law Jethro when he comes to Mount Horeb.  It is also known as the Mountain of God, or Mount Sinai.  Now, this verse doesn’t really show us who God is, but if we look back at what happened on that mountain, we can catch a glimpse of our awesome God.  First of all, the burning bush is here at the mountain.  Later on, after the Israelites are freed from the Egyptians, they come to this same mount to rest.  Moses climbs the mount and receives the Ten Commandments of the Lord. The law is important to the Lord.

o    Psalm 19:7-9 — The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; the statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.

o    Psalm 145:17 — The Lord is righteous in all His ways, gracious in all His works.

At this same place, Mount Horeb, Moses struck the rock and water poured forth for the Israelites to drink. The Lord is our provider! He gives us our daily bread (and water!)

On this same mountain, the people heard the Lord speak! Yes, He is alive.  He’s not some painted statue of gold, silver, bronze or wood.  And he is certainly no golden calf. He speaks to His people and reveals His glory. Moses’ face was shining after the glory of the Lord passed by him up on that mountain. Elijah also heard the Lord on Mount Horeb, as he went there to flee Jezebel’s wrath. It wasn’t through a windstorm, earthquake or fire, but through a quiet, gentle whisper.  It was also here that Elisha was named the next prophet to succeed Elijah. And do you know what I love about all of this?  No one really knows where the Mountain of God is. All we need to know is WHO God is. The God who knows us and goes before us in a pillar of fire and a cloud of smoke.

Verses 2 and 3 show us to a fire that does not burn up. God is light. God doesn’t need a flame, light bulb, or star to shine.  He is light!! Moses may have just glanced a tiny bush alight with the Lord’s presence, but someday, those who trust in the Light and Life of Christ will spend eternity walking in the Light of God.  He is a light that never dies.  Eternal.

Verse 4 mentions that when God saw that Moses had gone to look at the bush He called out to him.  Two more amazing things pop out here.  One, God sees! God is all-knowing and ever-present.  He misses nothing and sees Moses drawing near.  Two, God called out his name.  God also knows your name and my name.  More than that, He knit me together in my mother’s womb. He knows the number of hairs on my head.  He knows my fears and sees my tears.  Wow, what an awesome God we have!

In verse 5, God instructed Moses to remove His sandals because the place where he was standing was holy ground.  That’s because our God is a Holy God. Rev. 4:8 says "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come."  The bush wasn’t burning, because it was filled with the holiness of God, and that means it was separate and unlike all the other bushes in the rest of creation.

Verse 6 was a scary history lesson for Moses. He was afraid to look at God because the Lord confirmed His identity.  He is the God of Moses’s forefathers – Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.  He is a covenant keeping God.  A God who does not forget His people. This should have been encouraging to Moses, but it was terrifying because the Jews believed no one could see God and live. And Moses was definitely hearing and seeing something that called Himself GOD!!

In verse 7 we hear the Lord say that he has seen the misery of His people in Egypt and He is concerned about their suffering.  God is Love.  He cares for His people and loves them so much.

Verse 8 foreshadows how deep God’s love is for His people. God came down to earth, from heaven, to rescue the Israelites from the Egyptians. God promises Moses that He will bring His people to a better place.  A land flowing with milk and honey.

In my opinion, verses 9 and 10 speak volumes of encouragement.  After all that we have heard and seen of our powerful God; who is Holy, Perfect, Omnipresent, Loving, Just, Promise Keeping… He desired to use Moses to bring out His people.  Moses, a broken, shy, prince, murderer, shepherd to be his voice to the nations. 

Now, I’m just guessing here, but verse 11 highlights God’s patience.  Moses asks God “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” God listens.  He hears our complaints and excuses, but He doesn’t give up on us.  His ways are better than our ways. And as I often quote, “The Lord Knows”.

Verse 12 again shows us that God is a promise keeper. A God who knows the future. A covenant keeping God who patiently explains to Moses that He will be with Him.  He will never leave him or forsake Him. He will tell Moses what to say, including the fact that He is the Great I AM.  He will guide Pharaoh’s heart. He will allow Aaron to go as a companion. Again, I am blown away by the mercy, love, and plan of our Faithful God. A God who desires to be trusted, worshipped, and obeyed.

That’s why I mentioned earlier that I am feeling challenged.  I have trouble in trying to solve problems myself, of wanting things done in my own good timing.  Lord, I want to be healed now.  God, I feel useless.  What’s my purpose if I can’t teach, or sing, or share with words like a missionary is supposed to “DO”?

Do you ever feel like that? Do you feel inadequate or unworthy? Do you feel shy or scared? Do you tend to focus on your own weaknesses and make up excuses for what you haven’t done, or for something you haven’t said? Is there a reason why you are hiding God’s light under a bushel instead of being a light on the top of a hill? Do you hear God’s voice, but hide your face from His amazing presence?

We are not alone in these frailties and imperfections.  Moses had those same thoughts and actions.  Moses was curious enough to approach the burning bush, but not courageous enough to believe all that the Lord had to say.  He hid his face.  He feared to look at God. He gave excuses. “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?”

When we look at these 12 verses of Exodus 3, we can see the grace of the Lord at work here.  One, the Lord desired to have a relationship with Moses.  He talked with him and comforted him with His presence. And the Lord revealed Himself to Moses as the God of His forefathers.

Two, God came down from heaven to rescue the Israelites from their captivity to the Egyptians. He heard their suffering and promised to bring them to the Promised Land, a land flowing with Milk and Honey.

And three, God promised to be with Moses. He would go ahead of him with signs and wonders.  He would tell him what to say.  He would give him a spirit of wisdom, knowledge, and courage.

And friends, since our God is an unchanging God, those things are the same for us today.

God desires to have a relationship with you.  Are you willing to take off your shoes and kneel in the presence of God? Will you allow the Lord to guide, comfort, protect, use, shape, and hear you? Our God is not some dead statue, but He is alive and waiting to have a relationship with you and to be worshipped by you!

And God sent down His one and only Son to rescue us from captivity as well.  We are not slaves to the Egyptians, but we are born as sinners and enslaved to the evil things of this world. God sent Jesus to free us from that bondage. He is building for us an even more amazing Promised Land than the land of Canaan.  If we turn from our wicked ways, and put our faith and hope in Jesus, then heaven is a free gift.  A guarantee for all eternity, where there will be no more pain and suffering, or silence, or coughing and choking. Jesus died for you and me and desires for us to be with the four living creatures, gathering around the throne singing “Holy Holy Holy is the Lord God Almighty!”

But until that day of crossing over into the Promised Land, God also promises to be with you right now.  He will never leave you, nor forsake you. When you believe in Jesus, He will fill you with His Holy Spirit and give you peace.  If we allow ourselves to be used by God – He will also put words in our mouths that shine His light in this dark world.  He will give us courage and patience during trying times. He is not asking you to do something amazing for Him, He is asking you to just be with Him. Delight in the presence of God, knowing who He Is.

Here in Uganda, there is a popular Christian anthem song that gets people excited. It’s called I Know Who I Am by Sinach. It states (I wish I could sing it for you…)

We are a chosen generation
We’ve been called forth to show his excellence
All I require for life
God has given me
For I know who I am

I know who God says I am
What he says I am
Where he says am at
I know who I am

I'm walking in power
I’m walking in miracles
I live a life of favor
‘Cos I know who I am

Friends, this song almost focuses too much on me again. But, I know who I am because I believe in the Great I AM. I am a daughter of the King of kings. Today, we have briefly looked at a few of God’s stunning attributes and explored our way through Exodus 3. May we desire the Lord’s presence so much that we too can have burning bush moments in our lives. He finds us where we are even when we don’t know where to find Him, or if we don’t even think to look. We don’t need to live in fear or be filled with insecurities. God is a God of wonders, beyond all galaxies, but He wants a relationship with you and me. God sent His one and only Son to rescue us from the gates of Hell and has promised eternal life to those who believe on Him. So turn to Him today. Trust Him. Delight in Him, and know that even though life on this earth can be hard – He is with you.  And friends, if you believe in my God, who is alive and active in the world today, then I look forward to meeting you at the Mountain of our God.  To Him be the glory, forever and ever, Amen.

The Tower of Babel

 

Genesis 11:1-9

Greetings dear Saints around the world. It is such a sweet blessing to know that there could be listeners from various countries who tune in to this message, and when I ponder how small the world is getting because of technology, it’s still a wonderfully large and diverse planet.  At the moment I am living and serving in Gulu, Uganda, amongst the Acholi people.  I find the language here difficult to learn and I always wish to respond in Ateso, which is the language of the former tribe I lived in for ten years.  Thankfully I can speak a lot of English wherever I go, but sometimes a translator is needed.

Twenty years ago I was serving in the Philippines, in Southeast Asia, when I received an invitation to come and spend Christmas and New Year’s with a cousin who was living in Japan.  My flight was delayed leaving Manila, so that meant I would miss the overnight train from Osaka. When I arrived in Japan I had to take a tram, or small train, over to the Kyoto train station, which is a major transportation hub.  I got there at 11:15 pm, but the train I wanted left at 11pm.  The station was very cold, in the dead of winter, and only a few people were standing around the platforms.  I tried to talk to the staff or train conductors wearing white to see if they could tell me when the next train departed for Kochi, but the only English they knew was “Sorry Ma’am, you missed the train!”  I know, but when is the next train.  They would shake their heads and say, “You missed the train.”  I tried to think of other creative ways of asking and they just shook their heads and walked away.  The ATM like ticket machines were all written in Japanese characters, so I couldn’t even read the name Kochi.

I bundled up and sat against a wall in that cold, quiet station for about two hours. Then a tiny man motioned for me to follow him.  Sending up a few prayers to God, I followed this man through a door, down a long dark hallway, down some stairs, along another hallway, where he brought me to a warm computer lab with comfy couches.  He motioned for me to sit and then he walked away. A moment later a young man came up to me and asked me, in perfect English, how he could be of assistance. I felt incredible relief!! And from there I was able to reach my cousin;s home with a clearly laid out train schedule.

Today we are going to read a story from the Bible that shares a little about how various languages came about.  I’m sure the people were utterly confused as they wondered around trying to find someone else to speak the new language that rolled off their tongues. Ola. Jambo. Yoga. Apfwoyo. Dag. Hello. Bonjour…  And then that moment when they would meet someone whom they understood.  Wow. Imagine.

Let’s open our Bibles to Gen. 11:1-9.

11 Now the whole world had one language and a common speech. ² As people moved eastward, they found a plain in Shinar^] and settled there.

³ They said to each other, “Come, let’s make bricks and bake them thoroughly.” They used brick instead of stone, and tar for mortar. ⁴ Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves; otherwise we will be scattered over the face of the whole earth.”

⁵ But the Lord came down to see the city and the tower the people were building. ⁶ The Lord said, “If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them. ⁷ Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other.”

⁸ So the Lord scattered them from there over all the earth, and they stopped building the city. ⁹ That is why it was called Babel—because there the Lord confused the language of the whole world. From there the Lord scattered them over the face of the whole earth.

So far the reading of God’s Word.

This story happens not only near the beginning of the Bible, but also near the beginning of the story of man.  Adam and Eve were created.  They sinned.  The people just a few generations later had completely forgotten about God and Noah built an ark to save his family and some animals from total destruction, and then Noah’s 3 sons started all over again.  Shem, Ham, and Japheth began having children and spreading out.  At least, they were supposed to have spread out and fill the earth.

Ham gave birth to Cush. Cush gave birth to Nimrod and in Genesis 10 we learn that Nimrod became a mighty warrior on the earth.  He was a mighty hunter before the Lord. The first centers of his kingdom were Babylon, Uruk, Akkad, and Kalneh, in Shinar. From that land he went to Assyria, where he built Ninevah, Rehoboth Ir, Calah and Resen, which is between Ninevah and Calah – which is the great city.

Have you heard some of these city names before? Assyria, Ninevah, Babylon, and Canaan – these people groups were often against God’s people, the Israelites, but they were first built up under the leadership of Nimrod, the great Grandson of Noah. This family line of Cush, Nimrod, Canaan, and others forgot about God again. They were against God and seeking glory for themselves.  The glory and wonder of the Babylonian ruins and gardens can still be glimpsed to this day.  I’ve heard rumors that the hanging gardens around the current day Baghdad, Iraq, still reveal some of the ancient wonder. 

While preparing for this message, I also noted that many scholars and religions believe that Babel and Babylon are the same place.  Babel is a Hebrew word and Babylon is a Greek word – for the “Gate of God.”

In Gen. 11:6 Nimrod says “Come, let us build a great city for ourselves, with a tower that reaches the sky. This will make us famous and keep us from being scattered over all the earth.” This went against God’s command to spread out, go out, multiply, and fill the earth.

Going against God is never a good thing.  Noah’s descendants tried to make a name for themselves and God confused and scattered them. Noah’s sons, grandson, and great grandsons wanted to make a name for themselves and be united in doing wrong.  Whether, not covering Noah when he was naked, or uniting together to make a name for themselves with this tower that was supposed to reach the heavens.

God might not scatter us anymore through language, but we as human beings still try to go against God.  We want all the attention and the glory.  We want people to look at us. It’s sometimes easier to be united in evil than in good or truth.  In today’s society, we try so hard to get noticed by driving the best cars, building fancy houses, showing off our degrees, carrying titles for the sake of pride and arrogance.  We show off the things that we’ve acquired and can easily forget that it is God who gave these things to us. It may not feel like we are going against the Lord, but when we live on easy street and forget the Lord and His provisions and guidance, it’s the same thing. We, too, try to make a name for ourselves.

And the Bible is filled with stories of people who drew together for the wrong reasons and displeased God. Nebuchadnezzar wanted people to worship him. The children of Israel combined their gold and jewelry to create the golden calf. Jonah teamed up with a whale because he went against God. Adam and Eve partnered with the Serpent and ate from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Even Herod and Pontius Pilate united together to send Jesus to the cross. God saw that when the descendants of Noah started gathering and building, nothing would be impossible, because they were working with such unity. But they were united against the Lord, not FOR God. So God confused their languages and scattered them.

A few authors even suggested that Nimrod and these warriors wanted to get their revenge on God for destroying the whole earth. They were going to build a tower to reach God. They wanted to be worshipped. Nimrod was definitely a proud, selfish, arrogant man who was building a large name and city center for himself.

God saw all this happening! He didn’t like what was happening in that beautiful city, but he couldn’t destroy them all because He was keeping His promise. Instead, God humbled the people by confusing their language and sending them out across the world. He wanted the people to focus on HIM and His plans for them. Once again, the people had to turn their eyes back to God.

We too focus on ourselves quite often. We could even say that people think “I can do all things” but forget the rest – “Through Christ who strengthens me.” We can be just like Nimrod. People build a name for themselves rather than glorifying the name of the Lord. How often do we build ourselves up to receive all the honor and take great pride in our towers of success, possessions and other worldly treasures?

God stopped the work of Nimrod and the other warriors as God desired for the people to obey and remember Him and to spread out, just like He had commanded. God wanted His name to be known instead of Nimrod’s name. Or the Babylonian people. It’s not about what the people could do, it’s all about God.

God wanted the descendants of Noah to go out and spread the Good News of what God had done – to go forth and multiply, not only in number, but also His message of Hope. God hoped His people would obey Him and remember His Holy name. Trust me, when I found that young Japanese man, deep in the train station, who could speak English and show me train schedule, I could do nothing but praise the Lord.  With the language being confused, it actually drew me closer to God, knowing that He was the one guiding my footsteps, looking over me, and I praised Him for how He lead me through that journey in a foreign country.

God today, gives us grace and offers instruction through His Word. And he stops our plans by humbling us and turning our eyes back to Him. Life is meaningless if we don’t have Jesus.

James 4:6 says: “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”

Therefore, let’s humble ourselves and place our trust and focus back to Jesus.  Jesus is the Name above all names.  He is the strong and mighty tower! He alone is the gateway to God, not the Tower of Babel, where people thought they would find the gates of heaven.

So, what does God want from us today then.  Well,

1.    We need to take our plans and requests to God.

2.    We should thank Him for all He has done and for all that we have been blessed with in this life.

3.    We need to use our bodies, knowledge, and possessions for His glory.

4.    We must tell others that Jesus is the Good News, because His name is the Name above every other name, and the only Gateway into the New Jerusalem. It is not our ways or works that will get us into heaven, only Christ.

My friends, the story of the Tower of Babel tells us that Nimrod was a man who united the people to be against God and to focus on themselves.  They wanted to reach God with their strong tower, to build a name for themselves, but God confused and scattered them. We too need to stop being selfish and be united in worshipping, trusting, and obeying in God, Jesus – the Name above all names.

“Jesus, Name Above All Names.”

“Trust and Obey”

Heavenly Father, we thank you that your Word is alive and active in our hearts and lives today.  We are sorry for the times when we take our eyes off of you and do things for selfish gain or recognition. Lord, forgive us for choosing to go our own way, sometimes down a slippery slope, and other times out of clear disobedience to Your plan for our lives.  Lord, thank you for confusing your people, stopping them in their tracks and bringing them back to You.  Jesus, our Gateway to heaven, we cherish your grace and desire to seek your will and purpose for our lives. Humble us Lord and use us to share your Good News in our community, for the glory of Your name. Amen.

A Sojourner's Song

 

When I was a kid, during the winter, we always accompanied Dad to the arena on Saturday nights.  He would play broomball and my brothers and I would run around the rink, or play hockey after his game was over.  The arena was a half hour away, and as we travelled Dad would entertain us with songs.  We called them “The Broomball Songs”.  Here’s a few samples; let’s hope I can sing.

“It went pop when it stopped, and zip when it turned, and whir when it stood still…”

“Tell Laura I love her”

“Here he comes, he’s Cathy’s clown”

“Oh give me that Good Old Mountain Dew Dew Dew, for them that refuse it are a few!”

“Puff the Magic Dragon”

“Under the Boardwalk”

“Leader of the Pack”

“You got your cats, rats, and elephants, but sure is your farm, you ain’t gonna see no unicorn”

Okay, don’t judge us for having fun with all these golden oldies.  We laughed, we sang our hearts out, and the journey flew by so quickly. 

Besides the old hymns, Christian music was not as widely accessed in the 1980’s as it is today.  We sang plenty of hymns at church and around the table for family devotions, but the cassettes were lacking.

Thousands of years ago, the Jewish people would make a pilgrimage up to Jerusalem at least three times a year for various feasts.  Groups would travel on foot for days, climbing uphill to the city where God’s temple was situated.  And just like my family loves to sing or listen to music on a journey, the Jewish people would do the same.  Since Jerusalem was an uphill climb, some of the songs they sang were called Songs of Ascent. Today, we are going to explore one of the songs that brings a joyful praise to the Lord.  Psalm 121 is a very famous traveller’s song, written by an anonymous author. It’s also possible that the Levites sang this song as the ascended the 15 steps to minister at the temple in Jerusalem.  Let’s open our Bible’s to Psalm 121.

I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
    where does my help come from?
² My help comes from the Lord,
    the Maker of heaven and earth.

³ He will not let your foot slip—
    he who watches over you will not slumber;
⁴ indeed, he who watches over Israel
    will neither slumber nor sleep.

⁵ The Lord watches over you—
    the Lord is your shade at your right hand;
⁶ the sun will not harm you by day,
    nor the moon by night.

⁷ The Lord will keep you from all harm—
    he will watch over your life;
⁸ the Lord will watch over your coming and going
    both now and forevermore.

 

This whole passage is a beautiful summary of praise to the Lord because of His great care for us.  He is a God of Shamar. Shamar is a Hebrew word that means to exercise great care over, to watch over, to guard, to tend or restrain, or to take heart.

In Psalm 121, the Lord who is the Maker of heaven and earth – is the One who will preserve (shamar) the soul of the one who looks to him for help. (v2). He will guard (shamar) that soul and will not slumber (v3); He will watch over (shamar) Israel and will not sleep (v4); He is that soul’s keeper (shamar) (v5) and will both preserve (shamar) that one from evil and guard (shamar) its life from evil (v7); the Lord God of Israel will guard (shamar) that one’s coming and going forever (v8).

 

This Psalm started out with the traveller fixing his gaze up to the hills, but his sightline did not stop there. He looked beyond the tallest peak and the skyline to recognize the God who created them in the first place.  And as the Psalmist worships the Lord, we can notice that problems are woven all through the text. 

 

Those who were walking along the road could have slipped and fallen, dangers might have been faced, or they could have been harmed along the way; maybe there were thieves waiting behind the bushes or poisonous snakes or scorpions crossing their paths. Fear, illness, loss, and even death could have taken place during their travels, but also their daily lives.

 

When we look back through the Old Testament, many people fled to the mountains to hide, or find safety. In Genesis 19:30 we see that “Lot went up from Zoar, and stayed in the mountains, and his two daughters with him; for he was afraid to stay in Zoar; and he stayed in a cave, he and his two daughters.” They were escaping all the evil that was left behind them from Sodom and Gomorrah.

In Joshua 2, Rahab said to the Israelite spies, “Go to the hill country, so that the pursuers will not happen upon you, and hide yourselves there for three days until the pursuers return. Then afterward you may go on your way.” So, they departed and came to the hill country, and remained there for three days until the pursuers returned back to Jericho. Now the pursuers had sought them all along the road, but had not found them.

In Judges 6, during the time of Gideon, the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord and for 7 years he gave them into the hands of the Midianites. Because the power of Midian was so oppressive, the Israelites prepared shelters for themselves in the mountain clefts, caves and strongholds and from there they cried out to the Lord for help.

There is an urban idiom that says “Run to the Hills”, which means: To move to higher ground, as in preparation for or in response to a natural disaster. When someone really wants to get away from a situation or relationship as fast as they can, they "run for the hills", assuming higher ground is safer. Do you ever want to run to the hills?

Enemies and harm were very real. And so was sin and evil. Again, when we look back to the Old Testament times, we remember that the Jews always had to bring sacrifices and offerings to the Temple to pay for the wrongdoings in their lives.  I don’t know how often the Levites had to climb those steps up into the Temple, to bring the blood sacrifices to the Altar, but it is comforting to know that they too looked up to the Almighty God of Shamar who cares and protects.

 

Difficulties and troubles didn’t just happen in the past.  They surround us, and sometimes feel like they consume us even today.  Life has many dangers. In the physical realms, there is disease, injury, accidents, infertility, war, infirmity, natural disasters. Here I’ve often seen broken bones or bad scrapes from motorcycle accidents. Last week there was that terrible earthquake that rocked Syria and Turkey. And at the same time Israel is dropping bombs on Syria. I can only imagine the pain and suffering those people are going through.

Many people also experience economic problems. Recession and depression, unemployment, outsourcing, downsizing, insolvency, debt, and theft. This week I’ve been receiving texts from a young man who is really struggling right now.  He and his siblings were completely orphaned about 8 years ago. He has been trying to get his sisters through school.  He had a job, but now his contract is ending.  He doesn’t know how to supply for their needs.  And then, to make the situation even more difficult, he got his girlfriend pregnant.  The parents of the girl have rejected her and forced her into a somewhat early marriage, so now this young man is also needing to find food, clothing, and supplies for his new “expectant wife”. Those are huge economic struggles.

Then there are spiritual dilemmas happening all around us too. Doubt, evil, sin, corruption, fundamentalism, extremism, false teaching.  Pastors who tell people that they should give at least 1 million shillings as offertory and then they will receive a promotion, or a child, or a car as a blessing. Congregations are falling apart because a pastor had an affair and Christians no longer trust the church. Deacons run away with the money purse, or fudge figures in the accounts.  Trust me, spiritual problems can bring us down.  The journey of life can be difficult. The Psalmist may have looked around him in anguish, but then looked up with hope.

 

But that’s why the Israelites sang – it’s a soldiers song and a travellers hymn.  They knew there was a God, the Maker of Heaven and earth who would guard, protect, watch over, shield, and keep them.  They praised the God who made the mountains that they climbed.  The worshipped the Lord who kept them safe on the journey. Their God was a keeper of souls.  A God who was more than a faithful watchman who carefully guarded the city gates. He sheltered His people better than a mother bird who tucks her young ones under her gentle wings.

 

In Psalm 121, we can notice a strong build-up of praise. The first two verses point to where they go when they need help, they look beyond the mountains to the Maker of those hills. Then the next two verses proclaim that God is their protector.  He will not let their feet slip. He never slumber or sleeps.  He diligently watches over them. Verses 5 and 6 reiterate that He watches over them. He keeps them from harm. Verses 7 and 8 repeat that He keeps them from harm and watches over their lives – always.  Shamar is woven through that text and that’s why they sang.  And that’s why we should sing.

 

Let us lift our eyes with hope, expectancy, desire, and confidence. God is our watchman too.  Not only does he stay awake, he carefully observes, he’s attentive and notices everything. He not only sees, but he see the significance of things. He knows. He helps and calms our fears. He is also our protector, Helper, and Keeper. We may run to the hills, but it is not the hills that protect us, it is God, the creator those hills. He is close beside us all the time. Hallelujah!

 

The Lord will not our feet slip. Charles Spurgeon said “Our feet shall move in progress, but they shall not be moved to their overthrow.” We can stand strong because the Lord is with us. How can we stand strong? Through His Grace.

Romans 5:2 “Through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand.”  We can stand strong because of the Gospel.

1 Corinthians 15:1 “Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand.”

We can be strong and stand courageously through faith. 1 Corinthians 16:13 “Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong.”

Again, deep faith and joy keeps us standing tall. 2 Corinthians 1:24 “Not that we lord it over your faith, but we work with you for your joy, because it is by faith you stand firm.” And we can stand firm in God’s perfect and pleasing will.

Colossians 4:12 “Epaphras, who is one of you and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends greetings. He is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured.”

 

My friends, our help comes from the Lord, he offers shamar as the Maker of Heaven and Earth. Let us be joyful that our helper is ever present and He will not fail to reach us in His perfect timing.  And if we keep our eyes on Jesus, believe in Him and trust in Him through this journey of life on earth, we shall pass through with safe conduct.  Not because this world is trouble free, but because our final destination is not the temple in Jerusalem, but the throne room in the New Jerusalem, the eternal celestial city!! Jesus, the light of the world, will shade us from things that can burn us, from times when life is hot with problems, he is there to comfort and protect. If our souls are kept in Christ, then all things in life are kept secure. Our keeping is everlasting.

 

Thomas Fuller, in “The Cause and Cure of a Wounded Conscience” quoted: In thy agony of a troubled conscience, always look upwards unto a gracious God to keep thy soul steady; for looking downward on thyself thou shalt find nothing but what will increase thy fear, infinite sins, good deeds few and imperfect: it is not thy faith, but God’s faithfulness, thou must rely upon; casting thine eyes downwards on thyself to behold the great distance betwixt what thou deservest and what thou desirest, is enough to make thee giddy, stagger, and reel into despair: ever therefore lift up thine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh thy help, never viewing the deep dale of thy own unworthiness, but to abate thy pride when tempted to presumption.

 

Dear friends, God is our source of help. To speak of it is one thing, to believe it is another. While God watches over us and protects us, we are safe and can rest. We can sleep, be refreshed and shaded. God has arranged the rocks and sands under our feet, and Christ is the solid rock upon which we stand. Sing praises to the Lord as you set your fears before Him on the altar.

 

Charles Spurgeon, in his book “The Treasury of David” encourages my heart with these words. "There is something very striking in the assurance that the Lord will not suffer the foot even of the most faint and wearied one to be moved. The everlasting mountains stand fast, and we feel as if, like Mount Zion, they could not be removed for ever; but the step of man – how feeble in itself, how liable to stumble or trip even against a pebble in the way! Yet that foot is as firm and immoveable in God’s protection as the hills themselves.”

 

So, the next time you head out on a journey – whether that is the normal footsteps of life, or the car or bus rides to some place afar, keep your eyes on the Maker of Heaven and earth because He is ever keeping (shamar) you.  Speak out your fears to Him, but then trust Him with them and know that He is carrying you in the Palm of His hand. God should be your first and final source of help and hope.

 

“The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore.” In response to God’s careful protection of our lives, we are instructed to likewise guard our hearts and keep them engaged with the Lord: “Above all else guard (shamar) your heart, for from it flows the springs of life.” (Prov. 4:23)

 

Heavenly Father, thank you for being our Keeper, Helper and Protector.  Lord, help us not to become downcast or weary in this world, but keep our eyes on you, the Maker of Heaven and earth.  Jesus, thank you for being the Solid Rock upon which we stand as we strive to follow you in this troubled life.  God of the Hills, thank you for giving me the grace and strength to look to you.  Amen