Author: Daniel Westfall

Ep041: Psalm 12: Words, Words, Words

Hi. I’m Daniel Westfall on the channel “Pray with Me”.

Psalm 12 differs from the psalms before it. Here’s how: Most of the first eleven start with doubt or fear and end with hope and praise. Surprisingly, Psalm 12 ends just like it starts. The first verse says, “Help, Lord, for the godly are no more!”  And the last verse says, “The wicked strut about on every side.” Is there no movement in this psalm? Is the poet stuck? Is he unable to climb out of his pit this time?  

The heart of Psalm 12 describes what the wicked say and what God says in response. It’s a poem about how God and people  use words, about how they speak.

First, the poet describes the speech of the ungodly.
– They lie to their neighbours (v. 2)
– They flatter deceptively (v.2)
– They boast (v. 3)
– They say, “We will triumph with our tongues” (v. 4)
– They say, “We own our lips, who is our master?” (v. 4)

The speech of the wicked escalates from simple lies to a world-conquering claim, “We can say whatever we want, we have no master who can tell us ‘No!’”

But the poet has a surprise for the wicked. They did not notice that God, the master of all, is eavesdropping on their arrogant speech. He says, “I think I’d better do something. I will protect the needy from those who speak against them.”

And then the poet gives a moving description of God’s words: “The words of the Lord are flawless, like silver refined in a furnace of clay, purified seven times.” (v.6). The heat of the furnace shows God’s words to be beautiful, pure, valuable, and masterful. But the furnace annihilates the arrogant words of the wicked. The last word and the words that last, belong to God. These are words shape our lives.

Yes, Psalm 12 does differ from other psalms because, God’s words are the light at the centre, standing out from a dark beginning and a dark ending.

Let’s pray.

Our father, how careless and arrogant are the words our leaders use.  
– President Trump speaks disparagingly of “Crooked Hillary”, “Lyin’ Ted”, “low-energy Jeb”, “Sloppy Steve” and various “losers”.
– Prime Minister Trudeau talks about “different perceptions” — when the issue is not perception but truth.
–  Innocent people killed in drone strikes are reported as “collateral damage,” not murdered fathers and mothers and children.
George Orwell said, “Political language . . . makes lies sound truthful and murder respectable, and gives an appearance of solidity to pure wind” (“Politics and the English Language”).  

Lord, much of what we say and hear is wind. Our words are like chaff that the wind drives away (Psalm 1:4). O Lord, purify our use of words.
– Help us not to lie and flatter and gossip.
– Help us not to disparage others.
– Help us not to use words to conceal the truth
– Help us not to speak pretty pictures that cover dark motives.
– Remove anger and abuse and violence and deceit from our lips.

Instead
– teach us to think true thoughts and speak them clearly,
– teach us to feel deep love and express it generously,
– teach us to see much beauty and to share it with delight,
– teach us to see evil clearly and denounce it vigorously.

Your words, Lord, are flawless, like silver refined in a furnace of clay, purified seven times. Refine and purify our words, so they may share the beauty of yours.

Amen.

I’m Daniel on the channel “Pray with Me”.

Ep040: Elijah in Earthquake, Windstorm and Fire

Hi, I’m Daniel Westfall on the channel “Pray With Me.”

We continue the story of Elijah after he won a contest with the prophets of Baal, by praying down fire from heaven. Queen Jezebel, who worshipped Baal, was not amused and she vowed to kill Elijah. Elijah became frightened and depressed, so he escaped to Beersheba where he went into the wilderness, sat under a broom tree, and said to God, “I’ve had enough. Take my life. I am no better than my ancestors.” God sent an angel to feed and refresh Elijah. Then Elijah travelled 40 days and nights to Mt. Horeb, another name for Mt. Sinai, where Moses had received the ten commandments.

Elijah travelled forty days and forty nights?  Google Maps estimates the distance from the modern city of Be’er Sheva to the presumed location of Mt. Horeb as 261 miles, or 87 hours’ walking. That’s a three-and-a-half day walk, not forty. Either Elijah took the long way around, or forty days and nights is a metaphor for a long and difficult journey.The route from Beersheba to Mt. Horeb goes through the desert where Israel wandered forty years on their way to the promised land. The number forty connects Elijah’s wandering to the confused wandering of his ancestors. It also connects Elijah to Moses who spent forty days and nights on the mountain receiving the ten commandments.

Mt. Horeb was a mountain of fireworks. When God prepared to give Moses the ten commandments, thunder rolled, lightning struck, and a trumpet blasted. Exodus says that God descended on the mountain with fire, the mountain was covered with smoke and trembled violently” (Exodus 19:18-19). But after the commandments were given, God showed himself quietly to Moses and promised, “My presence will go with you and I will give you rest” (Exo. 33).

So what did Elijah find at Mt. Horeb?  Did he find the thunder and lightning and fire and smoke and earthquake? The first thing he found was God, who said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

Elijah said, “I have been zealous for you, God. Your people have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and killed your prophets. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too!” (Exo 19:14).

God replied, “Stand on the mountain. I am about to pass by.” Elijah stood on the mountain. First, he saw the old-time power and glory that Moses experienced:
– A powerful wind tore at the mountain and shattered rocks. But the Lord was not in the wind.
– After the wind, an earthquake. But the Lord was not in the earthquake.
– After the earthquake, a fire. But the Lord was not in the fire.
The signs of God’s presence came to Elijah. But God was not present in the signs.

Finally, a gentle whisper, a still small voice. That was God at last. He showed up for Elijah, and gave him instructions for what to do next.

Let’s pray.
Our father, we see may pictures of Elijah. Elijah the man of power praying fire onto the altar. Elijah, running in fear from Queen Jezebel. Elijah, sitting despondent under a tree. Elijah, in the wilderness, following the footsteps of Moses. We also see you, God, responding to Elijah. You demonstrated your power to him in windstorm and earthquake and fire. But the tumult was trivial, your still small voice was decisive.

Our father, we wait like Elijah waited:
– through the turmoil of our lives,
– through unhappiness, fear, and despondency,
– through wilderness journeys,
– through earthquake, wind, and fire.
Visit us with your still small voice, we pray.
Amen.

I’m Daniel on the channel “Pray with Me”.

Ep039: Psalm11: Foundations are Crumbling. What to do?

Hi. I’m Daniel Westfall on the channel “Pray with Me”.

Psalm 11 asks, “When the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?” Wherever we turn, we see foundations crumbling and destroyed.
– society violates the ten commandments,
– politicians lie and scam,
– churches value relevance over godliness,
– celebrities celebrate evil,
– moral relativity trumps old fashioned values,
– standards of conduct yield to sloppiness,
– scholars sow confusion instead clarity.

Decay and fragmentation are overtaking western civilization, permeating politics and business and church life. We smell the rot. We see the weakness. What can the righteous do?

The first verse of Psalm 11 suggests, “Flee like a bird to your mountain” (v. 1). Is that the solution? Run away from the awful truth? Escape from it all? Go off the grid with our guns and all terrain vehicles and build a mountain hideout? Sit in safety while the world goes to hell in a hand basket?

The poet roundly rejects this solution. He has two responses to the escapist option.

His first response: God is still involved in the world. The poet says, “God is in his holy temple, God is on his heavenly throne, God watches the human race, his eyes examine the righteous and the wicked.” God continues to watch over the world. If God remains involved in a world with crumbling foundations, we his servants must also stay engaged. Escape is not an option.

The poet’s second response is to point out the true nature of our foundation. It is
not in rules,
not the ten commandments,
not right interpretation of the Bible,
not family values,
not a just society,
not an honest political system.

The only foundation is God himself. The poet tells us that God hates those who love violence (v. 5). He plans to deliver fiery coals and burning sulphur to the wicked (v. 6). But the righteous will see God’s face. He is our only foundation. It is our privilege to walk with him by faith through the evils of the world, until we meet him in a better world to come.

Let’s pray.

Our father, we hear from many sources of decaying and destroyed foundations.
– Preachers complain endlessly about slipping standards in Bible interpretation, in morality and civility and commitment and faith
– The media report mass shootings, corrupt politics, and salacious celebrity gossip.
– Scientists hypothesize, analysts analyze, philosophers philosophize, commentators opinionize, but wisdom has left the building.
– The wheels of western civilization keep turning, but the  motor has seized and the vehicle is coasting.

We come to you, God, because we are frightened and we want to escape. Wouldn’t it be better to abandon this hopeless situation? But that would deny who we are and who you are. You are still God of our world, you work to preserve good and punish evil. We are still your servants. We represent you. Our job is not to preserve ourselves. Our job is to be courageous witnesses, to remind the world that you still care and judge.

We see the crumbling rot in all our systems: in theology, in moral codes, in our Judeo-Christian values, in our own lives. None of our systems can sustain us while civilization fragments and disintegrates. So we turn to the only foundation that is firm. Be our refuge and strength, God, in the midst of chaos. Come walk with us through change and violence, help us walk with you until we see you face-to-face.

Amen.

I’m Daniel on the channel “Pray with Me”.

Ep038: Elijah on Climate Change

Hi, I’m Daniel Westfall on the channel “Pray With Me.”

Today, we look at the prophet Elijah. The New Testament uses Elijah as an example of prayer saying, “Elijah was man with a nature like ours. He prayed that it would not rain, and it didn’t rain for three and a half years. Then he prayed again, and the sky poured rain and the earth produced its fruit” (James 5:17-18).

Here’s the story. Elijah was a prophet in the Northern Kingdom of Israel when King Ahab and most of the Israelites had abandoned the God of Israel and were worshipping a local Canaanite deity called Baal. Queen Jezebel, Ahab’s Canaanite wife, encouraged this process. One day, out of the blue, an unknown prophet went to King Ahab and said, “The God of Israel is not happy. There won’t be dew or rain for the next few years until I say so.” Then Elijah the prophet went into hiding.

Sure enough, it didn’t rain for the next three-and-half years, creating hardship and famine in Israel. Finally Elijah came out of hiding, and he organized a competition with the prophets of Baal to see whose god would send down fire on an altar of sacrifice. The prophets of Baal spent all day asking their god to send fire, but it didn’t work. Then Elijah prepared his altar, prayed to God, and the fire of the Lord came down, consuming everything!

Then Elijah prayed seven times for the rain to start again. Soon the sky grew black with clouds, the wind rose, and the rain poured down.

Some observations:  

1.    James calls Elijah a man with a nature like ours. Elijah’s prayer stopped and started the rain, and called down fire from heaven. If that’s the standard for prayer, then my prayers are under performing. The only rain I’ve stopped and started is in the shower and my on/off technique isn’t exactly prayer.

2.    We often wish God would send fire from heaven to demonstrate that he’s real, that our culture of consumerism is modern Baal worship, and that the prophets of Baal on Wall Street are false prophets and posers. But God seems reluctant to stage demonstrations like that.  As Jesus said in Luke’s gospel, “they wouldn’t be convinced even if someone rises from the dead!” (Luke 16:31). Even the Christian vs atheist debates are unconvincing — they all end in stalemate. It’s almost as if God wants to leave room for doubt about whether or not he exists.

3.    This leaves a problem for our prayers. Should we try to stage a big demonstration like Elijah, and hope God shows up? Should we pray like Elijah for rain to stop and fire to fall? Elijah was a man with a nature like ours. So why did this work for him, but it doesn’t work for us?

Let’s pray.
Our father, this story leaves an empty space in our hearts, wondering why our prayers are so powerless. Wondering what you really want from us. Wondering what to pray for next. We thank you that your word has done this work in us, emptying us of self-confidence, removing easy answers, creating questions and doubts. Our God, as you brooded over the waters of chaos at creation, so brood over this emptiness in our lives, and make us into your new creation.
Amen

I’m Daniel on the channel “Pray with Me”.

Ep037: Psalm 10: God Goes into Hiding.

Hi. I’m Daniel Westfall on the channel “Pray with Me”.

Psalm 10 starts with the question, “O God, why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?” What a great question! Is this the God you pray to? A God who runs from trouble? Who retreats to his private hideout when things go wrong? A God who can’t face the evil we experience? Let’s call him the gopher god — hiding in his hole.

Where do you think the poet got this unflattering view of God? He got it by looking at the success of evil in the world. He tells us what he sees:
– Arrogant gangsters prey on the weak
– They boast about sex and drugs and money
– They get filthy rich from the income of violence
– They are so strong and successful they never give a thought for God
– Their language grows more and more arrogant, the F-word is always at hand
– They murder, kidnap, and crush the innocent
– They say, “God has forgotten, he covers his face and doesn’t see.”

Did you get that? The violent say, “God covers his face and doesn’t see.” This is exactly where the poet started, “Why are you hiding, God?” The psalm has come full circle. Neither the righteous nor the wicked believe that God is watching.

Perhaps. But the poet does not stop at cynicism and unbelief. He speaks to God who is hiding, he moves beyond the sour note of unbelief. He calls God to action, “Arise, Lord! Lift up your hand” (v. 12). He reminds God of his responsibility to help the fatherless, to encourage the afflicted, to defend the oppressed (vv. 15-17). He urges God to bring the wicked to justice: to expose their deeds, to break their arms, to stop them terrorizing the earth.

The psalmist has asked the classic question, “If God is loving, why does he let evil run loose in the world? Can’t he fix something?” Unbelievers say, “God, if there is a God, doesn’t see or care.” The poet responds by asking God to do something, and by affirming that God is active in the world, even when we don’t see evidence of what he is doing.  

Let’s pray.

Our father, perhaps it is good that we don’t have your job.  The things we try to fix end up more broken than when we started. We look with pain at our broken homes, broken marriages, broken society, broken churches, broken courts, our broken and violent world. Sometimes we see even our own brokenness. What happened to the people you created? What went wrong in the world you made? Why can’t you fix it, God? Are you hiding from us instead of answering our questions?

To you, the God in hiding, we speak our statement of faith:

  • We aren’t hiding our head in the sand, pretending everything is ok.
  • We speak to you, citing the evidence of rampant evil that makes unbelief so reasonable.
  • But despite the mountains of evidence, we refuse to believe that everything has gone wrong. We see the goodness when you answer our prayers, when you punish the wicked and reward the righteous. Your actions are not consistent and predictable, God, but we feel your spirit calling our world to salvation.
  • We refuse to believe that you have abandoned your creation. As sure as the sun shines and the stars come out, surely you will implement your program of love and justice. Surely you will set the world right.

Amen.

I’m Daniel on the channel “Pray with Me”.