March 27

Psalm 86
Look at this list of the glories of the Lord! He is merciful (3, 5, 13, 15). He makes us glad (4). He is good and ready to forgive (5). He listens to our prayers & supplications (6). He answers us (7). There is no one like Him (8, 10). He does great and wondrous things (10). He is truth (11, 15). He delivers me (13). He is full of compassion and longsuffering (15). He helps and comforts (17). With a resume like that, why are we so slow to praise Him in spirit and truth? David hits on the answer in verse 11. He pleads with the Lord to “unite” his heart to praise His name. Now wait a minute! This is the man whom God describes as a man after His own heart. This man has a problem with a divided heart. Oh there is hope for me!
I am so fractured. I know how wonderful the Lord is, but my heart is deceitful. It seeks to tell me not to trust Him with every detail of my life. It sees the appearance of the things that the system of this world offers. It hears the lure of the enemy whispering that the world’s system really will not kill me. I hear him saying that the world’s system can really make me wise. My heart hears the old nature whispering that the world’s system is pleasant and it will make me wise. Yet that list of what God is like tells me that the world, the enemy and my old nature are all liars! Oh God, unless You unite my heart, I am undone! Unite my heart that I might praise Your name! Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John