My job for the evening was to guide us in a time of Lectio Divina.  Lectio Divina is a an ancient practice of Scripture reading which helps the reader pull the most out of God’s Word.  You can do this with any passage but we used Psalm 34.7-9:

⁷ The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him,
   and he delivers them.

⁸ Taste and see that the LORD is good;
   blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.
⁹ Fear the LORD, you his holy people,
   for those who fear him lack nothing.

These are the three questions we had people reflect on and journal:

1.  Listen to the Holy Spirit minister God’s Word to you. What one word or phrase especially touches your heart?

2.  Enter the passage. What emotions do you have? What personal struggle or longing in your life today is God speaking into? (Be specific.)

3.  Reading: Receive what Christ has for you today. What is your personal invitation from the Lord? What do you sense God might be saying to you?

Once again, you can choose any passage.  I would highly recommend that you start with Psalm 34 and breakdown the passage in 3-4 verse segments and do this exercise everyday this week.  It will both eye-opening and rewarding.

On another note:  After the service we send home baggies with packets of salt, pepper, sugar, and mustard.  We encouraged the participants to find a quite place at home and to taste each of the spice packets and answer this question, “how is tasting God like salt?” etc.

One of the best examples is David.  Read Psalm 42.

Psalm 42:1-11 (NIV)
¹ As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God.
² My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?
³ My tears have been my food day and night, while men say to me all day long, “Where is your God?”
⁴ These things I remember as I pour out my soul: how I used to go with the multitude, leading the procession to the house of God, with shouts of joy and thanksgiving among the festive throng.
⁵ Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and
⁶ my God. My soul is downcast within me; therefore I will remember you from the land of the Jordan, the heights of Hermon–from Mount Mizar.
⁷ Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls; all your waves and breakers have swept over me.
⁸ By day the LORD directs his love, at night his song is with me– a prayer to the God of my life.
⁹ I say to God my Rock, “Why have you forgotten me? Why must I go about mourning, oppressed by the enemy?”
¹⁰ My bones suffer mortal agony as my foes taunt me, saying to me all day long, “Where is your God?”
¹¹ Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.

Though it is discouraging that David felt this way, I am thankful to know that he struggled like most of us.

Better is one day in your courts
than a thousand elsewhere;
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
than dwell in the tents of the wicked.

Psalm 84.10 (NIV)

This verse was recently made into a current worship song by Matt Redman.  I say current because the writer of the Psalm meant it also as a song.

Questions quickly arose from this that I thought good to pass along:

1. When was the last time you spent a DAY in the courts of God?
2. What does that mean, look like, smell like, sound like.
3. What does it mean to be a "doorkeeper" in God’s house?
4. Am I a doorkeeper?  If not, is it because of the company I surround myself with?

Take some time over the next couple of days to wrestle with this verse and these questions and then take a DAY spent in God’s courts.

“One thing God has spoken, two things have I heard:  that you, O God, are strong, and that you, O Lord, are loving.  Surely you will reward each person according to what he has done.”

This passage grabbed me in two ways.

1. When God speaks, I MUST listen.  And not just passively listen, but to listen with the intent and hope of gleaming great truths of who God is.
2. God is both strong and loving and both of these attributes play out when God is reward according to our works.

The questions that I have pondered since reading this are:

• Is God pleased with what I have done through Him recently?
• Is my reward going to be sweet or sour?
• Am I willing to patiently wait for the reward of the Lord?

As we continue in our EPIC series, Storm Watch, I am amazed by how many of my students and their families are going through unbelievable trial and storms at this time.  To me, this verse brings me GREAT comfort–God is both strong and loving and there is a promise, either good or bad, of a reward according to our works.