Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge.
I say to the LORD, “You are my Lord;
I have no good apart from you.”
As for the saints in the land, they are the excellent ones,
in whom is all my delight.
The sorrows of those who run after another god shall multiply;
their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out
or take their names on my lips.
The LORD is my chosen portion and my cup;
you hold my lot.
The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.
I bless the LORD who gives me counsel;
in the night also my heart instructs me.
I have set the LORD always before me;
because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.
Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices;
my flesh also dwells secure.
For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol,
or let your holy one see corruption.
You make known to me the path of life;
in your presence there is fullness of joy;
at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
(Psalm 16 ESV)
Theme:
We choose God Himself as our reward and His glory over any other goal or purpose.
Community:
Pray that God will confirm to each of us the neighborhood he wants us to commit to together.
I can't read the first line of this Psalm without a song coming to mind. It's really pretty and deep, and I've been listening to it all week. Find it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KcJaKj45QGA
ReplyDeleteIn v. 5, "The Lord is my portion and my cup; you hold my lot," I always thought of 'cup' as holding a drink (representing abundance or provision or similar). Recently realized it could be the cup that holds the lots before you throw them, meaning God holds my future.
ReplyDeleteKristen, thanks so much for the video link. You know how I am with listening to a couple songs over and over. That's been one of the songs, and I've loved having it stuck in my head. The 'broken cisterns' part really reinforces what God is teaching me about turning to him instead of other things for sustenance and satisfaction.
Also, this is late in the week for this, but I realized we should be praying for and about the people we're talking to this week alongside (or instead of) the neighborhood search. Sorry for the mis-cue, and use your best judgment about what seems most beneficial to pray for during your times.
ReplyDelete(That was me, Ben. I'm having issues with my online IDs.)
ReplyDeleteIn thinking about the title "Love, Baltimore" and in choosing God himself as our reward, I want to share this song---it has been a blessing to me this week. It helps me desire to worship God fully, with everything that I have! Here's to a great God! http://vimeo.com/27226043
ReplyDeleteThanks, Joy!
ReplyDelete