Rest In Him
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Psalm 100
1. Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the lands! 2. Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing! 3. Know that the Lord is God! It is he that made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. 4. Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him, bless his name! 5. For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures for ever, and his faithfulness to all generations.
This is one of my favorite Psalms. Anytime the instruction is to make a joyful noise . . . I’m right there—I can’t carry a tune in a bucket – but I can sing joyfully! My kids get pretty embarrassed when I clap and move around and sometimes, I come close to dancing during some of the songs sung in worship! I love music that much especially when it is to praise God! Many of the psalms call us to rejoice, to be glad, thank God. This particular psalm is short and to the point. It summarizes the reason we are to be joyful “in the LORD.” Notice I used all caps—designating THE LORD – the highest, mightiest, one and only true God.
If you are not familiar with the Old Testament, and if you would like to have a broader frame of reference for much of the New Testament, the Psalms would provide that for you. They’re almost like an encapsulation of everything that went on – beginning with Genesis and forward. Some of the psalms relate victories in battles, won by the faithful. Some talk about the adventures of one or more biblical characters. Some talk about various emotions, and stages of a faith journey. I have turned to some that seem to express sadness and hopelessness, because of my own feelings at that point in time. And it’s interesting to realize that, because one of the speakers at a conference I attended last weekend said that the psalms are really read “backwards.” They express our own sense of isolation and our distancing ourselves from God. And he’s right, because, of course, God never leaves us – we make the decision to stray from Him.
I have heard many of the psalms put to music – and I didn’t realize they were psalms at the time, until I read them in the Bible! They are that powerful! People who have read the words here, are compelled to put them to music and share them with the world. In fact, many of the psalms probably were originally sung – either by one person or as a responsive reading – with a leader and the congregation. Today, though, I am right here in the middle of Psalm 100! I’ve still got “issues” and “challenges” in my life. I know I always will. And I know without doubt, or question, that God is in the midst of it all. He made us. He loves us. His love for us endures forever.
When I remember that, when I “breathe it in” a few times; when I own that truth, then I can rest in Him. I can be reassured that someone/something higher, stronger, more powerful than myself is really in charge. And I am so glad because I grow weary with “running the show” all the time. I wear myself out orchestrating my life! I run myself ragged being the “go to” person for everyone in my life. So God waits patiently, through all time and space, for me to rest in Him. And for that, I do make joyful noise to the Lord!
My prayer today is that you will read a psalm, a chapter in the Bible, a devotional reading, or just sit quietly focusing on our amazing, unspeakably loving and caring God. And that you will rest in Him as you travel through your day.
Mary
