Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

Open wide

Posted on by William Douthwaite

A “through the bible” devotion from Psalm 81.

In Psalm 81, Asaph encourages all sing aloud and shout for joy to the Lord.

Sing aloud to God our strength;
    shout for joy to the God of Jacob! (Psalm 81:1)

Now’s not the time to hold back. Let loose with praise for who God is and what he has done for you. He’s brought you out of Egypt, subdued all your foes, and feeds you with the finest.

A great promise follows:

“Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.” (Psalm 81:10)

It’s okay to be a church that looks like baby birds in a next with mouths open wide, crying out. Their pleas are heard, and their mother fills them, just as God opens his hand and satisfies the desire of every creature he’s made.

You can complain, gripe, and lash out. You can be discontent, grouchy, and irritable.

Or you can spend your energy on thanks and praise, and not only focus on God’s abundant grace, but receive even more in the process!

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

Right at home, just like the birds

Posted on by William Douthwaite

A “through the bible” devotion from Psalm 84.

Whenever I go to a big box home improvement store, I’m delighted to hear the birds singing and watch them fly around the upper reaches of the store. No one ever tries to get rid of them. I’m sure the rafters are filled with nests, too.

And why not? There is shelter from any kind of weather. There’s always a little bit of seed on the floor, so plenty of food. Bugs on some of the plants if you want them, I suppose. What a great place to live.

It’s not a new idea. There’s nothing new under the son. It sounds like birds lived in Old Testament worship spaces.

Even the sparrow finds a home,
    and the swallow a nest for herself,
    where she may lay her young,
at your altars, O Lord of hosts,
    my King and my God. (Psalm 84:3)

At 45 feet, the ceiling of Solomon’s temple was higher than the stores. The tabernacle stretched up fifteen feet, plenty high for birds to find safe nesting places. I find it fascinating to think that birds were flying around in the uppermost corners of the temple as priests prayed and burned incense. It must not have bothered them, and it made for a good song lyric, too.

Sparrows are a dime a dozen. But there’s a place for them in God’s house. Swallows are restless birds, darting here and there. But they calm down and rest in God’s presence.

Feeling insignificant? Restless? Relax. You matter. There’s a place for you, too.

I love how animals teach us a lot about God!

Posted in preaching

Musings from the pulpit

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

So after a Sunday morning where my task was to lead praise worship, I thought I’d circle around and ponder how different it was from the preaching experience.

I find that preaching engages my intellectual left brain. I’ve engaged a text, developed illustrations, developed a flow, and committed the outline to memory. Even though a sermon might appear to be a monologue, it’s actually a dialogue on different levels. I am watching my listeners, gauging their reactions. I am hearing the word myself, my heart responds, and that affects my words.

I notice what’s going on in the congregation before me. I see who is there and who is not there. I watch their eyes, see a few smiles, maybe a nod or two, and wonder how some can sit stone-faced for an entire hour. I’m conscious of everyone else there with a task: elder, ushers, AV technicians, musicians. I’m aware of who’s there for the first time, who can’t keep their eyes open, children with snacks, toys, and crayons, late-arrivers, those who like to chat, who’s taking notes, and every attempt to silently open up a piece of candy. I know who’s walking through the outer doors, who leaves early, who can’t make it an hour without a trip to the restroom.

I am fully engaged with the people in front of me. They have my attention, even if they aren’t fully paying attention to me. I’ve practiced enough that some of the sermon is preached on auto-pilot. But along the way, I may leave something out or I may have a new thought to include. It’s both prepared and spontaneous at the same time.

I enjoy(ed) preaching, I believe, because of all the variables. (I’m a math guy. I like multiple variables in equations.) Some might hear and their lives will be changed. Some won’t hear a word; nothing will change. The results aren’t even in my hands. I can study, prepare, and practice as much as I want, but the results are in the hands of a higher power. The word I speak is powerful and can change a life. It can set off a temper tantrum, too. I never know how it will turn out.

I’ve just preached. I’ve just done music. I’ve done both. All very different experiences.

Posted in Life

Worship musician

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Gabriel Gurrola on Unsplash

A couple of months ago, the pastor asked me if I could fill in and lead the praise worship service when he and his wife were out of town for a conference. Another guitarist and bass player joined me as I led the songs a couple of Sundays ago.

I’ve led the music before when other musicians were sick or out of town. On those Sundays, I also preached and taught a bible class. But on this occasion, I would only be doing music. The other tasks were covered by another fill-in pastor.

This was the first time my only job was the music. I picked the songs, led rehearsal, and was the one leading the congregation in song that Sunday morning. These are my reflections on the experience.

For me, the focus required for musical performance engages a different side of my brain from the preaching task. The latter is more of an intellectual endeavor. Music comes from my creative side. In preaching, I am engaging with the listeners. With a guitar and my voice, I find I engage more with the music.

With enough practice, much of performing happens on autopilot. My fingers automatically respond to the chords I see on the page. I picked familiar songs so the sounds that come from my mouth have long been stored in my brain. Most of the tempos came from a rhythm machine. My breath comes from my diaphragm and my vocal chords feel relaxed and resonant. I hate to admit it, but it’s very mechanical.

Someone is running the soundboard, making sure all the voices and instruments are balanced and heard. While someone is reading, preaching, and praying, I am trying to listen, but I am mostly thinking about when I will play next. I am suddenly aware that it’s really hard for any musician to fully engage in worship.

I appreciate all who supply music for worship on a weekly basis. It’s fun to do once. I’m not sure I’d want to do it week after week. Preach? I did it weekly for many years. But that’s a whole different task. I think I’ll reflect on that next time.

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

Right on time

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Andrik Langfield on Unsplash

A “through the bible” devotion from Psalm 70.

Make haste, O God, to deliver me!
    O Lord, make haste to help me! (Psalm 70:1)

It’s interesting to meditate on David’s words. His prayer (or song) begins, “Hurry up, God!” As if God were dawdling. Or late. Or behind schedule. Or got distracted and lost track of time.

From our point of view, a situation may seem urgent. From God’s point of view? Maybe not so much. He knows what’s going on. He knows what you’re anxious about. He knows how things will turn out. He knows how other people will be affected. He knows what you need to experience and what you need to learn.

Most importantly, he’s never late. He’s always right on time. Now from out point of view, with our eye on the clock and a day full of deadlines, it might feel lke he didn’t get the memo.

But in hindsight, I often discover that God was already present and active in situations when, like David, I implored the Lord to hurry it up. Sometimes, it becomes clear that God had already taken care of something even before I asked him about it. I guess that means he showed up early.

There are people in this world who are habitually late. Others always arrive early. Still others are on time to the second. God isn’t bound by time though. He’s there, never in a rush, never trying to catch up, and never too busy to pay attention to your urgent requests.

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

The look on his face

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

A “through the bible” devotion from Psalm 67.

May God be gracious to us and bless us
    and make his face to shine upon us. (Psalm 67:1)

Our faces communicate much about how we’re feeling. We can express approval, displeasure, joy, or grief with just a glance. I can wrinkle my brow, grin, purse my lips, or roll my eyes, and you’ll ask, “What?” But you know. You know in that moment that I’m concerned, amused, thoughtful, or exasperated.

In biblical thought, God’s shining face is a look of approval. Do you imagine God looking at you with pride, or with disappointment? Is he glad to hear from you, or does he roll his eyes? Do you picture him smiling or frowning?

I hope you picture the Lord with a big grin on his face. He made you, he loves you, he’s proud of you, and he wants to be with you. He came to be with you, to be your Savior, to adopt you as his child, and secure a place for you with him forever. I believe he’s very fond of you, and you can see it on his face!

Take a day and notice people’s faces. What does their face communicate? What do you think is on their mind? What are they thinking? What’s their mood?

Think again about God’s face? Your faith in Christ means he looks at you as he looks at his own son: with love, pride, approval, and joy. Your Father loves you, and you can tell by the look on his face!

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

Just like silver

Posted on by William Douthwaite

A “through the bible” devotion from Psalm 66.

For you, O God, have tested us;
    you have tried us as silver is tried. (Psalm 66:10)

I found these fascinating words in a little commentary on this psalm: “Silver is pure enough when the refiner can see his image in the molten metal.”

You know how silver (and gold) is refined, don’t you? You heat the metal up until it is a liquid. Once that happens, any impurities will also melt and rise to the surface. The refiner skims all of that off, leaving the pure silver beneath. It now reflects the refiner’s image.

The analogy is powerful. God tests and tries us like precious metal. He heats up our circumstances, allowing temptation, crises, difficult people, and unexpected expenses into our lives. He does all that to bring us to repentance and dependance on him. His forgiveness purifies us from our failures, shame, guilt, and all the stupid things we’ve done. And then guess what? You can see him reflected in our lives. Pretty cool, huh?

Now when we’re going through it, it’s not so cool. It’s hot. It’s hard. It makes us want to wail, “I’m melting!” But it’s worth it. Who else can take our mess and make it magjificent?

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

Listen up

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Ben White on Unsplash

A “through the bible” devotion from Psalm 61.

When Jesus taught in parables, he said, “He who has ears, let him hear.” In other words, “Listen up!”

At the beginning of Psalm 61, David turns that thought around and calls on God to hear his prayers.

Hear my cry, O God,
    listen to my prayer;
from the end of the earth I call to you
    when my heart is faint. (Psalm 61:1)

Charles Spurgeon wrote, “The children of God are never content until their prayers are heard. Not just spoken, but heard.”

I think that’s a great reminder that it’s not so much what we say when we pray as it is who we are speaking to. Sometimes, when I hear people pray out loud in a group, I wonder, “Is that the way you talk to Jesus when you’re alone?” Some frame their petitions with doctrinal truths that seem to be directed more at the listeners in the room than the Father in heaven. Just tell him what’s on your heart. Release whatever is on your mind. Implore him to hear you, and be confident that he does.

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

There’s another lion

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Mike van den Bos on Unsplash

A “through the bible” devotion from Psalm 57.

My soul is in the midst of lions;
    I lie down amid fiery beasts (Psalm 57:4)

David wrote these words when Saul was pursuing him, intent on killing him. Hiding in cave, David whispers a prayer for God’s mercy as he feels surrounded by lions.

David has faced lions (and bears) when he was tending sheep. Having killed those predators, he knew he could handle Goliath.

But this was different. These were people bent on his destruction. They were relentless. They tested David’s faith more than ever.

David doesn’t despair. Instead he sings. He sings God’s praises as if he’s already been rescued.

How did he do that? I believe he remembered another lion, the Lion of Judah. His Lord never changed, no matter what the enemy threw at him. God got him through it before, and God would get him through it again. He’s in the cave, surrounded by lions, and he’s singing about his victory.

One day Daniel would be there. He actually got a good night’s sleep because that same divine Lion sent an angle to close the mouths of all the others.

I’m big into visualizing my prayers. I love this picture of the Lord, because you never know when you might have to face lions.