Recently I have been reading and praying through the Psalms of Ascent (Psalm
120-134), which the Jewish people would sing during their annual pilgrimage or travel to
Jerusalem for annual festivals. These Psalms are interesting as they have a focus on the
whole nation of Israel relying on God rather than the individual. And of course, recently I
had a hospital stay to invite our newborn son, Silas, into the world. During this stay I was
still working through the Psalms of Ascent, specifically Psalm 125. It was around 7 am of
the morning we got to the hospital, I was tired and nervous from leaving the house at 2 am.
However, I decided it would be appropriate to continue my morning routine none the less.
Psalm 125:1 says, “those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be
moved, but abides forever”. A bold reminder that followers of Christ are deeply held by the
grip of God, we cannot be moved because of Christ and his salvation.
But a question has been on my mind since this day, do I feel like I cannot be
moved, that my faith is as stable as a mountain? The quick answer to this is, my emotions
do not matter, only God’s. So, what are God’s emotions, are they like me the morning my
wife was giving birth, based on what is happening in the moment? No, God’s emotions are
not dictated by the moment, as he is creator and knower of all things (James 1:17, 1 John
3:20). To paraphrase J.I. Packer, God makes voluntary decisions, while our emotions lead
to involuntary decisions.
The fact that God is in control of his emotions and all decisions is a pure and holy
thing. The other 4 verses of Psalm 125 are a reminder of just that, God is holy and
righteous, and he has a great love for his people. Verse 2 says that the Lord “surrounds his
people”, he has a desire to take care of us. Apart of that care is being the stable and steady
one who is like Mount Zion, the rock which holds us. Jesus taught his disciples this exact
lesson in Matthew 17:19-21, in which he says that even the faith of the disciples is like a
mustard seed but cannot be moved since God’s is like a mountain. What a joy that brings
my heart, our faith is backed by God’s stability.
See I was sitting there in the hospital, scared and nervous, as I expected to
become a new dad soon. Yet my morning Bible time reminded me that God is sovereign
and steady, the opposite of scared and nervous. To answer my question, no as a follower of
Christ I cannot be moved regardless of my emotions. Jesus has given us access to become
a part of God’s people, the people he surrounds. Through Jesus’s life and death on the
cross, our faith that is like a mustard seed is brought forth to the likes of the mightiness and
security of Mount Zion.
— Slade Knowlton
120-134), which the Jewish people would sing during their annual pilgrimage or travel to
Jerusalem for annual festivals. These Psalms are interesting as they have a focus on the
whole nation of Israel relying on God rather than the individual. And of course, recently I
had a hospital stay to invite our newborn son, Silas, into the world. During this stay I was
still working through the Psalms of Ascent, specifically Psalm 125. It was around 7 am of
the morning we got to the hospital, I was tired and nervous from leaving the house at 2 am.
However, I decided it would be appropriate to continue my morning routine none the less.
Psalm 125:1 says, “those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be
moved, but abides forever”. A bold reminder that followers of Christ are deeply held by the
grip of God, we cannot be moved because of Christ and his salvation.
But a question has been on my mind since this day, do I feel like I cannot be
moved, that my faith is as stable as a mountain? The quick answer to this is, my emotions
do not matter, only God’s. So, what are God’s emotions, are they like me the morning my
wife was giving birth, based on what is happening in the moment? No, God’s emotions are
not dictated by the moment, as he is creator and knower of all things (James 1:17, 1 John
3:20). To paraphrase J.I. Packer, God makes voluntary decisions, while our emotions lead
to involuntary decisions.
The fact that God is in control of his emotions and all decisions is a pure and holy
thing. The other 4 verses of Psalm 125 are a reminder of just that, God is holy and
righteous, and he has a great love for his people. Verse 2 says that the Lord “surrounds his
people”, he has a desire to take care of us. Apart of that care is being the stable and steady
one who is like Mount Zion, the rock which holds us. Jesus taught his disciples this exact
lesson in Matthew 17:19-21, in which he says that even the faith of the disciples is like a
mustard seed but cannot be moved since God’s is like a mountain. What a joy that brings
my heart, our faith is backed by God’s stability.
See I was sitting there in the hospital, scared and nervous, as I expected to
become a new dad soon. Yet my morning Bible time reminded me that God is sovereign
and steady, the opposite of scared and nervous. To answer my question, no as a follower of
Christ I cannot be moved regardless of my emotions. Jesus has given us access to become
a part of God’s people, the people he surrounds. Through Jesus’s life and death on the
cross, our faith that is like a mustard seed is brought forth to the likes of the mightiness and
security of Mount Zion.
— Slade Knowlton
Recent
Archive
Categories
no categories
Tags
no tags