Wake Up To The Conversation! 3 - Psalm 34

This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him
and saved him out of all his troubles.

The angel of the LORD encamps

around those who fear him, and delivers them.

Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good!

Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!

Oh, fear the LORD, you his saints,

for those who fear him have no lack! (v. 6-9)

This poor man... I know that I can be guilty of self pity from time to time. "Poor me" echoes through my mind when I think about my trials. Then I often feel ashamed, knowing that so many others face things far worse than I do. Well, that's when the poor man needs to cry out. God will indeed save us from our troubles and give us a new perspective on our situation. It comes when we "fear" him, "take refuge in" him when we "taste" his goodness. I like to remind people that the fear of God has two ends of the spectrum. On one end is the fear that makes us tremble at His wrath and power, the fear of his righteousness in the face of our poverty. The "poor man" or the OLD mann as I like to say, is oriented toward fearing God this way. He knows what he deserves. But on the other side of fear is the amazement of something too wonderful to fathom. God, is his grace and love has brought his wrath down on the Sacrifice and extended forgiveness to the poor man and made him a NEU mann. The NEU mann is oriented toward a fear that hold out his hands to the extended arms of God. He is oriented toward a fear that worships the amazing God of Grace and Glory. So, do you want to see the "poor man?" Look in the mirror and realize that you can call out, you can fear God and lack nothing when he saves you.

Thank you lord for hearing my cry to you. Teach me to fear you in worship for you have made me NEU in Christ. Amen.