My Dear Readers:

God is taking me in a new direction. Writing weekly devotionals for the past five years on the beauty and challenge of forgiveness has opened a creative window for me regarding the Book of Psalms.

Posted below is the first of what I hope will become a collection of meditations inspired by the psalms. Flowing through these ancient songs are timeless themes of praise and lament, gratitude and accusation, delight and despair. As I read them through the prism of modern culture and the work of Christ on the cross, I see in them important principles that can help us learn to forgive and surrender our hurting hearts to God’s healing grace.

I am not a biblical scholar, and the verses I’ve written are in no way translations of the holy Word of God. Although grounded in biblical truth, they are personal reflections drawn from the lines of each psalm and contoured by my faith in Christ and my belief in the goodness and healing power of forgiveness.

I offer these meditations for you to consider, to pray, to use however God’s Spirit moves you. In them may you find blessing, challenge, comfort, and encouragement.

Psalm 1: Happy to Follow God

How happy we are

when we resist the selfish ways of the world

and follow God’s ways of love,

when we delight in reading and studying God’s word

and in our quiet moments

ponder how we can be more like Jesus.

Rooted in God’s ways,

nourished by the Spirit’s living water,

we think and act in ways that please God.

We are like trees that God plants

among particular people

in particular places

so we can offer healing grace and mercy

to those who are suffering from

anger and hurt and hardened hearts.

Whatever we do

God blesses and uses

to grow his good kingdom.

Yet how miserable we become

when we surrender to selfish ways

and resist God’s ways of love.

Our strivings come to nothing.

They blow away like chaff—

dry, lifeless, useless.

We cannot stand before the Lord

without guilt;

we cannot stand among believers

without shame and regret.

Our God is ever ready to guide us

in righteous ways

that keep us from hurting

ourselves and other people.