Psalm 16 - In Tune

Sometimes we forget about the importance of the being in tune with God - or why we even need to be in the first place. That's what this weeks Psalm is all about.
Psalm 16!


Verses 1-3 - David is a pretty awesome dude. I was thinking about how many distractions we can have in our lives, how many things can make it difficult to fit God into our schedule. It's remarkable how David (who probably had even more than we do) still managed to keep his focus on God. I mean, it's so easy to lose focus in our walks - so easy to get caught up with school, sports, girlfriends, boyfriends, video games, and all the Facebook/cell-phone nonsense that's out there. No, David never had a Facebook, but the first three verses just describe how David lived his life, which helps us understand why he was so in tune with, and focused on, God. In verses 1-2, He looks to God to "preserve" him and to be the "goodness" in his life. David had a wonderful concept of a few verses that was written well beyond his time (Romans 3:9-23). Apart from God, we are not safe from sin, and apart from Him, we can truly do no good. That's what David says here. He knows that he's a sinner, and he knows that he isn't worthy of God. David, a king amongst the greatest kings to ever live, made himself humble before God ... why? Moving back a bit, think of all the stories of the Old Testament - Moses and the Israelites walked through a parted Red Sea, Joshua took the promise land against all odds, Gideon killed thousands with 300 men, David killed Goliath, Samson killed thousands of Philistines (as did Shamgar) and so on. Further down the road, we read about how Jesus' death on the cross shook the earth and tore the vail in the temple - sin once and for all lost its hold on God's people. David saw this - he saw that God had both power to "preserve" and protect - both physically and spiritually.

Verses 4-10 David kind of lays out a warning here. He says that if anyone is to choose a god other than the true and living God, they drink to their own sorrow. If you put anything before God, David promises you an empty life. On that short note, David continues on to talk about the inheritance he has in God - the guidance, the love, the joy, and the relationship he has found in the Father. He says again in verse 8, he has chosen always to set the Lord before himself. Because God is on his side, he will not be moved (Romans 8:31). It's pretty much a list of more reasons to consider God a priority in our lives - which so many of us forget to do sometimes.

Verse 11 We close with a powerful statement here. Jesus came to this Earth and he proclaimed to be the way, the truth, and the LIFE. The choice we make between God and this world is not trivial in the least. To choose anything but Christ is to choose death - literally what David is saying here. David lays it our pretty simply. On the left hand side, we have a world filled with lies and sorrow - with empty promises and pain. But on the right hand side we have a God who gives endless joy and blessings forevermore.

Why Tune-In? When you read the chapter, you might think to yourself why we would even consider the idea of being in tune with God. Basically, the last few weeks have been a struggle for myself. With tests and projects coming to a close, as well as a new job starting up, I have had difficulty in keeping time open for time with God. Because of this, I have been miserable and stressed out to the max. It's important in the Christian life to rely on God not only for spiritual matters but also matters of every day life. It says in 1 peter - "cast all your cares upon him, for he cares for you." If you're not in tune with God - if you're living life to the beat of your own drum, you're in for a world of hurt. The picture above makes absolutely no sense, but the idea I get out of this week is pretty sweet. If life was a radio, are you tuned into God's station ... or something else?

Have fun with finals!
-Chris