When is God NEAR? S30e71 Ps119:151

Ps 119:151 makes an audacious claim: YOU ARE NEAR, O LORD

We must then ask: when exactly is God near? What is going on? What are the circumstances and when is this nearness experienced?

Listen to a sliver of this grand psalm to discover WHEN GOD is NEAR.

https://youtu.be/co8gwM5B9Uo

Transcript

When is God NEAR? S30e71 Ps119:151

Ps 119:151 makes an audacious claim: YOU ARE NEAR. O LORD

We must ask: when? What is going on. When is the nearness experienced?

Listen to the circumstances and the responses that reveal the circumstances to ask: WHEN IS GOD NEAR.

145   With my whole heart I cry; answer me, O Lord!

I will keep your statutes. 

146   I call to you; save me, 

that I may observe your testimonies. 

147   I rise before dawn and cry for help;

I hope in your words. 

148   My eyes are awake before the watches of the night, 

that I may meditate on your promise. 

149   Hear my voice according to your steadfast love; 

O Lord, according to your justice give me life. 

150   They draw near who persecute me with evil purpose; 

they are far from your law. 

151   But you are near, O Lord, 

and all your commandments are true. 

152   Long have I known from your testimonies 

that you have founded them forever. 

I Cry. I call I rise I awaken I cry with my whole heart.

I call TO YOU; SAVE me

         That I may observe you testimonies

I will keep your statutes

I will observe your testimonies

I Hope in your Words

I will meditate on your promise even in the watches of the night

Let’s talk about HESED

How can I relate to a perfect, wonderful God? 

         I’m gonna need some help

         I’m gonna need to be graded on a curve: according to your steadfast love.

         It’s like the always forgiving, biased, tolerant, disproportional love of a grandparent to a grandchild. 

(Lord, will you be faithful to me so I can keep being faithful to You?)

I am small, wobbly, unfaithful, sinful. 

Think about how important HIS faithfulness is: Without His PERFECT faithfulness, our imperfect faithfulness cannot be imperfectly expressed.

         This is the kind of platform I am going to need my voice to be heard from: The HESED place. Deal with me thru the LENS OF HESED

         Hear my voice in harmony with your steadfast love.

Hear my voice in accordance with your HESED

To ask what: Answer me o Lord!

Give me life

Your principles are before me day, and even in the watches of the night

I am endeavoring to obey: I am actually asking for JUSTICE to be done to me and those who persecute me with evil purpose.

         Remember Lord, an attack upon me is an attack upon You

                  For I am yours. I represent your Kingship and Kingdom here

         Take offense at those who take offense at me BECAUSE OF YOU

         I am persecuted because of my relationshiop with You and Your law

As for me, with my whole heart I Cry. I call I rise I awaken

I call TO YOU; SAVE me

Here is what I know:

         You have expressed your commandments of mankind

You and. Your commands are wholly true

You have planted your testimonies in the soil of forever

         You are a God who ANSWERS, so I am a disciple who ASKS

         You are a God who HEARS, so I cry with my whole heart

         You are a God who SAVES, so I call to you

         You are a God who is AWAKE, so I rise before DAWN

         You are a God who is FAITHFUL, so I rely on your HESED

I hope in Your Words

I observe and obey your testimonies

I rise before dawn and cry for help

I meditate on your promise

I voice my presence and my petitions before you

Ps 119 stanza Q, tealls us THAT the Lord is near and  when the Lord is near

If you do not know the Lord is near, then perhaps you can appreciate His nearness when these things are true when particulare circumstances happen:

         You are near when I beg You for and answer

You are near when my heart is divided

         You are near when my heart is broken

         You are near when my soul melts away for sorrow v. 28

         You are near when I need saving

         You are near in the watches of the night

         You are near in the faithful display of your steadfast love

         You are near in your administration of justice

         You are near when I am enduring persecution with 

You are near when I encounter those with evil purpose

You are near in the truth I need now

You are near in the principles you have planted in ther forever

You are near when I call

You are near when I cry out with my whole heart

Here is what I know: YOU ARE NEAR