God’s Gift To An Ambitious World
Psalm 131
June 1, 2008
Spelling Be story,
This week on National Public Radio, they told the story of the ever-increasing difficulty graduating seniors are having in getting into the college of their choosing.
Despite high grade point averages.
Despite involvement in clubs, athletics, and volunteer organizations.
Despite their high level achievements at nearly every category of measurement.
Graduating High School Students are finding it difficult to get into the college of their choosing.
Though they have excelled ever since Kindergarten.
Though their report cards and trophies and awards speak of high achievements.
Though their parents sighed a big sigh of relief, believing their son or daughter had done just what they’ve needed to do to get into college.
Now more than ever, the letter they hope to open - the letter announcing their child’s acceptance into college - doesn’t come.
And the parents and the senior in high school are devastated. Shattered. Questioning "what did we do wrong?"
Wondering if their dreams,
their goals,
their desires will be able to be achieved.
We live during a time when the young and old are pushed and prodded
to have great ambition
to do whatever it takes to get into the right school.
to land the right job.
to pursue.
to desire.
to not be distracted from their goal.
Within many people today is this sense not of ease but of dis-ease,
Not of rest but unrest
Not of contentment but discontentment
Not settledness but unsettledness
Within many today are these cravings
These yearnings
These wants, needs.
Wants and needs for more income.
A better job.
A different house.
A better car.
And the list goes on.
Within us - within you and me - within your children - within your friends lives ___ this dis-ease.
Discontentment with life.
When we hoped that peace and joy could fill our homes - often pride, envy and jealousy reign.
If you sit around long enough at the coffee shop.
If you listen closely enough to what your friends aspire to.
If you quiet yourself and pay attention to your own thirsts
You’ll see this.
You’ll recognize this.
Though we are busier today than ever.
More educated today than ever.
Being paid more today than ever.
Have more choices than ever as a society, we wonder what our place is in this world.
This is what we’ve been exploring together these past 2 Sundays and again this week.
We’ve tried to push aside our busy lives.
We’re trying to lay aside our cultures expectations of us to see what the Bible says about our place in this world.
We, in a sense have said - No - No longer - I believe there is an alternative reality - an unseen truth to who I am.
Rather than allowing my boss.
My teachers
My co-workers
My parents to label me and slot me into a role
Position
Place
What does God say to me?
What does God think of me?
And so we first saw from Psalm 8 that God is very mindful of us.
That God cares deeply for us - not for what we’ve done or not done.
Not because of what we’ve achieved or not achieved.
David in Psalm 8 when he gets off life’s treadmill of success and ambition and drive and yearning and craving, realizes -wait just one minute. God thinks of me. He’s mindful of me. He cares for me.
He’s crowned me with glory and with honor.
He’s made me ruler/manager/steward over all the works of creation.
He trusts me to be responsible with these.
O Lord our God how majestic is your name in all the earth.
David finds himself.
David discovers this alternative reality - when he sets aside his crown as King, his role as husband and father. When he sits quietly - just he and God - what he realizes is that his place in the world at its foundation is based upon God’s care and mindfulness of him.
Last week, we looked at Psalm 46. The Psalm that names, identifies and proclaims that in the midst of turmoil
Upheaval
Chaos
In the midst of disaster
Struggle
And pain
God was, is and will be.
Surrounding these chapters of life that each of us must go through is our God. Our refuge - our strength - an ever present help in trouble.
Despite the upheavals in creation
In politics
And in war.
The Lord Almighty is with us.
The God of Jacob is our fortress.
This is the alternative truth when chaos seems to reign.
The Psalmist says in effect - though everything else
Gives way
Falls Jobs
Melts Marriages
Quakes Financial Security
And is destroyed Health
"Be still and know that I am God."
So I’ve been thinking a lot about this.
I’ve been thinking a lot about God’s desire. God’s passion for us to be assured of our place in this world.
And this led me to the book of Genesis. In Genesis, we read right away of God’s desire for people/humanity to know their place and role in the world. And we read of the gift/gifts that God desires his people to receive.
In Genesis 1:28, God says to Adam and Eve,
God says receive this.
It is for you.
All that you need.
Live here.
Dwell here.
Enjoy here.
And what’s man’s response to this gift of God.
Genesis 3:1, 6, and 7
They turn their back at God.
They desired something in addition to God.
God wasn’t enough.
God plus the fruit.
God plus gaining more wisdom
In Genesis 6:3, 5-7, we read that,
God is displeased.
God is upset.
God is pained.
Things weren’t going as He had wished.
But God had a gift to Noah and his family.
Genesis 6:8, 9. 17-22
God would provide anew for his people.
He desired them to learn that despite their great ambitions.
God alone
Not God plus _____
But God alone was sufficient
After the flood is over, God says 9:1-3:
Here’s the gift.
It is yours - yours - enjoy receive
Is it enough?
Are you satisfied?
But a few chapters later we see that they aren’t. Genesis 11:4
Though God has from the beginning provided for his humanity.
Though God has not denied us anything good.
Though Adam and Eve
Noah
The descendant had relationship with God.
Received gifts from God.
Had everything they could want or need.
They still had ambitions.
Goals
Yearnings that led them astray.
Led them to sin.
Led them to behaviors because they were discontent.
And is not the same for you and me?
Though we sing "You’re all I want."
"You’re all I ever needed."
Though we sing "My life is built on nothing less than Jesus blood and righteousness."
Though we claim God alone.
Do we not seem to do as Adam and Eve did.
God plus an apple
An indulgence.
God plus making a name for ourself.
God plus ________.
I know God said this, but
I know God said and has taken care of my family but I want ________.
Yes God is good but there is this hunger I have for _________.
It’s God plus . . .
Our text that I want to look at is a text about a person, a people with ambitions.
Desires
Yearnings under control.
Within their proper boundaries.
This Psalm is a maintenance psalm one writer says. It gets rid of that which looks good to those who don’t know any better.
This Psalm speaks of a life that is well proportioned.
In line
And not out of whack. Psalm 131
It begins by addressing God.
My heart is not proud, O Lord.
My heart - the place where my motives come from.
- the place where my intentions originate.
My heart is not proud.
It isn’t lifted too high.
I’m not trying to rule the roost Lord.
My eyes are not haughty
Not overly ambitious, distainfully proud.
What captures my attention?
What enamors me isn’t grandiose
Lord, I do not concern myself.
I do not dwell on great matters or things too wonderful for me.
I don’t want to be King of the hill.
My ambitions aren’t out of proportion with my talents and gifts.
Example: M. Jordon -Basketball
M. Jordan -Baseball
I’m not living yearning for this or that.
Craving for this or that.
Wanting this or that.
I am settled.
I am content.
I know who I am.
When the outside calls me to become something, someone I am not - I stay grounded.
Verse 2
I have stilled and quieted my soul.
I have kept my feet on level and firm ground.
Notice the pronoun - who has stilled and quieted the soul, "I" have.
David says - This is my work.
God makes it possible.
But "I" have chosen to live here.
"I" have chosen to live into this reality.
"I" have disciplined myself to live contentedly.
"I am like a weaned child with its mother.
Like a weaned child is my soul."
"I am not in rebellion.
I am not still craving my mommy and her milk.
I am done throwing tantrums "Mommy nourish me."
God, I’m not doing that with you anymore.
God, I’m weaned as long as I am with you.
God, as long as you are God
I will trust that you will nourish me.
Watch over me.
Provide for me.
Clothe me.
Grow me.
I’m weaned. I no longer crave what you can do for me.
I crave
Desire
Am resting in you - no longer God plus ____.
Now -God alone.
My soul is quieted, still at peace.
I’ve matured, grown -I’m not dependant on your milk -I’m depending on you.
I desire you -not what you can do for me.
And then in verse 3, the direction of the words change.
Verses 1 and 2 were toward God.
Verse 3 is the invitation.
O Israel
O Clear Lake - put your hope in the Lord now and forevermore.
O friends stop nursing.
Stop breast-feeding.
O friends -put your hope in the Lord.
Now - not tomorrow.
-not "I’ll get to it."
Now
And Forevermore.
Like an infant, young child content in its mother’s arms.
Not ambitious
Or yearning anything.
Completely dependant
No great ambitions.
Like a child
O Israel - O Clear Lake -place your hope in God.
Here’s my one overarching observation -The Psalmist in a sense is saying,
Life is a gift to be received.
Not as a goal to be achieved.
Life is a gift to be received.
Life is accepting the treasure you already are.
And not a goal
Not a scrambling toward some prize beyond myself.
Not a goal to be achieved.
Because when I’ve come across
Hard-driving
Goal-setting
Ambitious people
Though they say once I achieve
Make
Have
Then I’ll slow down and be content and do they ever stop.
No.
Life isn’t a goal to be achieved.
Life is a gift to be received.
I have weaned myself from the world’s reckless ways.
I’ve put my hope in the Lord.
That’s all God wants.
That’s all God desires. - Bumper Sticker -I’d rather be here now.
Here’s the image that came to mind. For really good mountain climbers -the goal to be achieved isn’t summiting the mountain. That’s cool. It’s very rewarding. It’s important.
But the real gift is to walk back in the house and say I’m back.
I’m home.
The gift of life is received.
For too many push for the summit.
Push hard and end up hurting themselves.
Killing themselves.
Hurting others.
The Psalmist warns - don’t do that.
Life is a gift to be received.
Not a goal to be achieved.
Don’t let your eyes
Your heart
Your soul go into a tantrum,
I want that
I need that
Now - Now - Now
Discipline yourself - discipline your desires and appetites to be still, quiet and in check. They can be when your hope is in the Lord alone.
Amen
