I really love the Lord! How about you? I really love the Lord! Psalm 19 helps me to remember why I love the Lord so much.
Just look at it. It is as if the Psalmist wants to tell us Ain’t Nobody like the Lord and Cain’t Nobody touch God. God is awesome. God is the same God who put the sun in the sky and no matter what happens on the earth, the sun still rises and sets every day. No matter how many storms blow in your life and my life the sun still rises.
God is truly an awesome God and truly the heavens proclaim the glory of the Lord.
But what does this mean to me and more importantly what does this mean for me?
It is really quite simple. And of course there are many song titles that reflect what Psalm 19 means to me. For me Psalm 19 is a song of rejoicing for now we can all find our way back home.
Perhaps my favorite song in general is a song from the musical play The Wiz. The song is the closing song from that show it is a song titled “Home.” The lyrics say When I think of Home I think of a place where there is love overflowing.
We all love Home wherever home may be. The memories of home remind of us all the fun we used to have growing up. It reminds us of all the lessons that we have learned and all of the mischief we once got into.
But as we grow up, life changes. As we grow up we need new stimuli to have fun. Fun has a new definition when we grow older. Fun is not as simple as it once was. Responsibility has come into play as we grow older. Sometimes responsibility has to take the place of fun. But Psalm 19 says to us that’s all right. Psalm 19 reminds us that as we grow up and move along our journey and get closer to home, we need to remember that every principle and precept is designed to show us that the way home is the way of God.
And this is not some pie in the sky sermon, trying to tell you that what is happening here and now is not important, no way, this sermon is saying that while you are alive, there is a blueprint for life given to us by none other than God almighty. And if we will study the blueprint, the road map or the guide book of life, we will not only find our way home. But in the mean time we will find hope, holiness and happiness, joy and judgment, justification, salvation, sanctification and an answer for our supplication. If we study the blueprint we will ourselves blessed in the city and blessed in the field, blessed when we come and when we go.
In the Wiz Dorothy sings “When I think of Home I think of a place where there is love overflowing. I wish I was Home I wish I was back there with the things I’ve been knowing.”
When I speak of Home, I am not talking about the place of my birth but I am talking about the birthplace of the Church. The birthplace of the church is the very mind of God. I want to get back home.
But as I try to get home, God has good news for me. God is with me everyday. Everday God is opening doors, moving obstacles, leading and directing my paths.
Everyday God is listening to my prayers, forgiving my sins and setting me on a rock.
Even on my worst days, God is still causing the sun to rise in the east and to set in the west.
Even on my darkest days, God is still allowing my engine to keep running. Oh I don’t why God loves me. I don’t why God cares but I am glad about it.
See, I have had my mind spun around in space but I now I know for sure I am on my way home. And whether you like it or not, so are you. But on my journey however long it may or may not be, My God has given me help and strength for the journey and you what it comes from his word.
The law of the Lord is perfect. It restores my very soul. The Law of the Lord gives my life meaning, God has indeed restored my soul, even when I fall down, I get back up. God has given me wholeness.
Not only is law perfect but his testimony is true, his statues are trustworthy God’s signposts are clear and they lead me along the path of righteousness.
This is good news church! It’s good news because in the midst of war and the rumors of war, God’s word never changes, his promises continue to endure, and you can continue to live your life without fear because the promises of God are from everlasting to everlasting.
You do not have to fear the Taliban, Al Queda, Saddam, Timothy McViegh, the KKK, the crack man, or the thief in the night. God has promised to be your fortress, your very present help in the time of trouble. And if you live a life of trust in him you have nothing to fear nor should you be afraid.
Every commandment, every guideline and every act of God is designed to give you wisdom to make it in the here and now to allow you to live and move and have your being.
Every commandment, every guideline and every act of God is designed to give you joy. Not just happiness, that is fleeting, but joy that stays even when sorrow comes, joy that sustains, even on the cloudy days, even on the days when it seems that all is lost, God’s joy will sustain you through the long night of weeping until the joy comes in the morning.
Every commandment, every guideline and every act of God is designed to give you light. Light so that you may discern those things which will keep you being all that God had intended and called you to be. Light so that you won’t have to live forever in the darkness and pain of sin and suffering. Light so that you might follow the road that leads to abundant life and life everlasting.
Every commandment, every guideline and every act of God is designed to allow you to have a strong love and respect for God that flows from your heart because God is righteous. God’s promises are fleeting but they endure, you can depend on God you can trust in God for God is real.
Every commandment, every guideline and every act of God is designed to answer those questions that we pose to God. We ask God not to make it hard for us to believe the things that we see. We ask God to give us the strength not to run from our obstacles but that we might be able to find a way to overcome those struggles that test our faith and our endurance.
I really never intend to speak for you but one day I am going home. There are some folks at home I want to see again. But I wasn’t taught that we should just live for tomorrow because we only have today. We can’t go back to yesterday and tomorrow is not promised the only thing we have is today but the good news that today
We still have God. And having God is more precious than gold. Having God today is more precious than 24 karat gold. I can’t imagine not having God today. The psalmist says don’t get worried about God’s law.
It’s there for you. When we read the Exodus account of how God brought the Hebrew children out of slavery and bondage under pharaoh in Egypt. We should get excited because he can do the same thing for us today. We just need to check his record.
Not only did he bring the Hebrew People out of Egypt.
He delivered Daniel in the den of the lions.
He walked with Meshach, Shadrach and Abednego in the fiery furnance.
He gave David the strength to over come the lion, the bear as a shepherd and he gave David the strength to beat down Goliath.
He’s been there with you when you called on his name.
He brought you through some difficult tests and trials.
But his record is still incomparable.
He told Ezekiel that the dry bones could live. It was his breath that restored the valley.
Our country better stop saying God Bless America and start listening to his word. The Lord of our God said don’t get hung up on symbols, don’t get hung up on your creation but nothing happens because of what we do or who we are. In Zech. 4 and 6 it is written God says not by power not by might but by my spirit spirit says the Lord.
We often think that if we have enough juice, we can do what we want to do. But the word of God says no. Nothing happens without my spirit.
But it is his spirit that lifts us up.
It is his spirit that is our very present help in the time of trouble.
It is his spirit that gives us peace in spite of the craziness.
The love of God the Word of God and the law of God is sweet. It ‘s sweeter than chess pie. It’s sweet than granny’s sweet potato pie. It’s sweeter than Mrs. Reams best cake and Sister Campbell’s cobbler.
The love of God, the Word of God and law of God is sweeter than Godiva chocolates and soothes the soul better than a hot Krispy Kreme.
The love of God the word of God and the law of God is helping me make it today and it is leading me back home.
The love of God, the word of God and the law of God is sweet I know. It’s sweeter than the honey from the honeycomb and it tastes good to me.
Somebody once said that Christians were really stupid to have a cross as a symbol of their religion. The cross is nothing but the electric chair, the gallows or the guerney.
It’s a tool of punishment. But you know something. When I look at the cross I see the love of God in action. I see his blood being shed to cover my sin and I see love personified.
When I see the cross I see my lighthouse on the foggy sea. When I see the cross I know that my ticket did not come free but I see my way home.
And that’s why I want to invite you to come on the journey. I have your roadmap, Give God your heart.
