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
A psalm for the smashed, shattered and broken-hearted S30e22 Psalm 34
If you are broken hearted, smashed and shattered, this then is the psalm for you.
This just might be your special day of unique blessing: if so, He could be nearer than ever. He could be giving you a season to more clearly see Him; and more porously be aware of Him.
Join me for 7 minutes in the Psalm of the smashed.
https://youtu.be/SYo1h0R7jhU
The Psalms of My Friends
A psalm for the smashed, shattered and broken-hearted S30e21 Psalm 34
v. 1 I will bless the Lord at all times
His praise shall continually be in my mouth
May I too have the mouth of David that is SET on the blessing, praising, exhalting, boasting in the Lord setting.
v. 8 Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good
Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him
Sample the Flavor of what God is like, in your brain so you can recall it.
May these tastes demonstrate the current character of God or help you recall when you experienced the character of God, when times are tough
Taste memories help you recall the characteristics of God when you are not currently enjoying the characteristic of God
18 The Lord is near to the broken hearted and saves the crushed in spirit 19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
but the Lord delivers him out of them all.
20 He keeps all his bones;
not one of them is broken.
21 Affliction will slay the wicked,
and those who hate the righteous will be condemned.
22 The Lord redeems the life of his servants;
none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.
Concludes this Psalm of blessing by recalling the particular way the Lord can demonstrate His steadfast faithfulness to us: delivery from affliction; preservation of your bones, redemption of the life of those who take refuge in Him
Here we find a spiritually geographic association; a proximity to those who have the right heart toward Him. : Broken-heartedness. smashed into pieces. Shattered.
His response is a closeness of the Person of HIM to the person of YOU
He allows a more porous awareness of His presence when the heart is in this condition: and it is brutal broken smashed shattered
What is the response of God toward the broken hearted?
God has a special response, toward that woundedness:. NEARNESS.
brokenhearted? smashed into pieces. Shattered.
It is often there that the nearness of God is easiest to see.
It is easiest to feel God when you are smashed shattered and brokenhearted
How was your crisis? I never felt God closer.
Good news ultimately: who doesn’t want to be near God?
Who is it that made our hearts and our affections in the first place.
As we declared two days ago: God is near to the broken hearted .
God is close to the smashed; proximal to the shattered.
34:18The Lord is near to the brokenhearted
and saves the crushed in spirit.
SIMILARLY:
v.7 the angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him & deliversthem
YES the Lord has angels, 100% proven reliable, powerful, obedient
To do His exact bidding wherever He sends them and to whoever He sends
If the Lord says it to an angel it is perfectly accomplished
Could it be that the Lord pitches His tent with us in this way?
Could it be that the Lord bends in this way to set Himself down with us?
Could it be that the Lord desires to dwell with mankind: Men women
This is the shadow of the incarnation of Jesus, the BEWME, Spirit
Could it be that God is NOT FAR. His angels or His Son, or Himself, His spiritRevelation 21:3
3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.
Let’s let the Lord do the encamping the indwelling, the abiding in us
Let us be the fearing following, built up, knitted together in a body,
His promises for indwelling are to individuals for sure, but also for a group He calls his church Ephesians 2:22
22 In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.
It is plural in this passage.
There is an individual solo setting of one’s own volition and heart and belief and yielding and submission.
There is also a collective setting of doing this as a group, a chosen people. church
If you are broken hearted, smashed and shattered, this then is the psalm for you
this just might be your special day of unique blessing: if so, He is nearerthan ever. He grants you an opportunity to more clearly see Him; more porously be aware of Him.
v. 7 The Lord encamps around those who fear him; He pitches His tent here. He bends Himself down to dwell with us. In the trouble, we find the Lord NOT FAR.
Turn to Him AFTER the rescue, like David does. Turn to Him DURING the trouble. Why? In our desperation; our shatteredness, and as we are broken, He encamps MOST NEAR to. us.