Be With Me: 7 Minutes of Biblical Wonder
Be With Me is a daily 7 minute chronological walk through the New Testament hosted by Michael Smith. It is for everyone who is curious about what Jesus actually said and did in the gospels. Most episodes will leave you with at least one good thought to chew on for the rest of the day. We start with the Bible and hopefully end with Awe. We are walking through the chronological events of Jesus' life and then thoughtfully considering them. It is meant to spur the devotional life of the Christian and the not-yet-Christian. We occasionally venture into the Old Testament when it helps our understanding of the New Testament events. Everybody has 7 minutes. Everybody needs to wonder. Be With Me is hosted by Michael Smith who has absolutely no special qualifications to do a podcast. He is not a pastor. He has not been to seminary. He does not lead a mega-church. He is not a professional and he has no more credentials than you do. He does, however, follow a great God with an observant eye and a curious heart. Each day, he starts with a study bible and aims for astonishment. ‘be with him’ for 7 minutes as he sets out daily to discover the God who invites us to ‘Be With Me.’
Be With Me: 7 Minutes of Biblical Wonder
Watching my dog Asa do dog-math in his head S30e12
Asa my dog loves to chase deer. He tries not to be tempted, but it is everything for him NOT TO. Literally, I can watch him do DOG-MATH in his head as he weighs the pros and cons of this equation.
Similarly, Asaph the psalmist does the same thing in Ps 73. Watch 7 minutes as he *nearly* gets the answer wrong.
https://youtu.be/7MEN30gjHzo
Watching my dog Asa do dog-math in his head S30e11
For regular watchers of this video, you know my dog ASA. Asa loves to chase deer in our yard. Or, If we are on a walk in the park, he is absolutely charmed by deer.
Wants, for a while, more than anything, at least at first blush to chase the deer. His heart is bent toward chasing the deer. He likes nothing more than that..
We will look at that exact inclination. When it looks soooo good, so tempting,. You can see him thinking hard about “chasing the deer” vs. staying in command, staying in the yard and maintaining relationship with his master.
You can see him doing dog-math in his head. Should I chase this deer, which will break relationship with my humans, or should I stay in fellowship and under the jurisdiction and boundaries of the humans.
Should I do what I am superficially inclined to, or what is right..
I am asking a great and costly thing of you this morning. That is your attention. The internet is built upon eyeballs, eyeballs are connected to brains and souls.
The attention is what is given to the attractions of the low hanging fruit of the internet. What Asaph bonks himself on the head is: Oh, what am I really going for here? It is the relationship with the Lord. The person of the Lord. The One who merits the affections of my heart..
We’ll hear this morning about a guy from 3000 years ago who has the sameconsiderations : of where will his heart land. **** where should I vote the units of attention I have?
We have the battle recorded. We have his struggle. We have the conflict.
We watch him at great peril. Asaph does the exact consideration as my dogAsa. We get to watch him be sorely tempted.
We get to watch him almost get it all wrong. “I almost stumbled. I nearly slipped.” v.2 Psalm 73. I almost did this all wrong.
In Psalm 73, we watch Asaph nearly yield to the charms of those who have aligned themselves against God.
Asaph gets distracted by the bright shiny things, the deer, for a while and he almost trades the precious for the passing, the priceless for purchased, and the Person of God for the possessions of the world.*******
Asaph is like my dog distracted by the deer. He is with His Master the Lord, under command and in a healthy relationship…and then along comes this deer...It looks tempting at first. This is the tempatation of ASA with the deer:
He seeswhat ps73 describes as HEALTHY WEALTHY ENTERTAINED SELF-DIRECTED, SELF-CONFIDENT,Not stricken, fat and sleek, hearts overflowing with follies AND PROSPEROUS.
11 and they say, How can God know??????
What I am doing, what I am saying, what I am thinking, what is happening with my eyeballs and attentions is UNSEEN BY GOD: I can get away with this. I am not accountable. I am unseen and hidden. ANONYMITY,
My feet almost stumbled, my steps had nearly slipped
BUT WAIT
3 For I was envious of: arrogant, wicked,
Therefore, PRIDE is their necklace; mouths are set against Heaven, ie: against God who is in heaven.
The intent of their heart and the contents of their tongue bristles against God
Scripture says it perfectly, they wear PRIDE AS a necklace
We enter into the battle for the attractions of your heart in contrast with the affections of your heart today. Welcome to 7 minutes of attention.
Perhaps we can keep you from chasing deer in your yard; running after the low hanging fruit of the internet, or of life and have you stay in relationship with God
Ps 73 is a cautionary tale. Don’t align with the people who align against God
There are things & people at first glance are very attractive. Don’t go for it
But here is today’s picture: Those who wear PRIDE as a necklace. Prominent. In your face.
Conclusions
You and Asaph are in the same battle
What will I be charmed by. Will I chase the deer? Will I stay with the master
What can I get away with: ANONYMITY, being unseen.? PRIDE
What I do, say and see, is it UNSEEN BY GOD: or, I can get away with this? Perhaps I am not accountable. Perhaps I am unseen and hidden.
No, it is seen WE ARE SEEN BY GOD. God does know
As I vote today with my eyeballs and my attentions and ultimately my affections, desires, heart and relationship.—this is all seen by God.
Also: should I be attracted by those who wear their PRIDE AS A NECKLACE.
I’m the boss. I make the rules. I did it my way. Love yourself.
In the psalm, They wear it, pride, as a necklace, but really, pride is a millstone around ones neck.
Don’t be like my dog Asa. Reconsider the so-called charms of the world before they tempt you. Don’t get this wrong. Be careful in what your head thinks and your heart desires. Do the dog-math in your head NOW, so that when the deer come, you are not fatally distracted by them.