Well, thank you for your welcome, not just this morning, but over the last couple of
weeks.
It's a great privilege and delight to be here with you as an assistant minister.
We seek God's blessing on our worship and our ministry together as we go forward.
Friday night was a lovely evening together, and again, thank you to all who were involved
in that and for your generosity towards us as a family as well.
We're going to begin our worship this morning by singing to God's praise in Psalm 1a, the
Sing Psalms version, Psalm 1a.
We're going to sing from verse 1 to 6, the whole of the psalm to the tune Creator.
Blessed is the one who turns away from where the wicked walk, who does not stand in sinners'
paths or sit with those who mock.
Instead, he finds God's holy law, his joy and great delight.
He makes the precepts of the Lord, his study day and night.
We'll sing the whole of this psalm to God's praise.
Let's sing the whole of the psalm to the psalm to the psalm.
CHOIR SINGS
In the air life, the child that's blown now me,
they will not stand when judgment comes,
or with the righteous thing.
It is the Lord who sees and knows the way the righteous flow,
that those who live an evil lie, the Lord will overthrow.
Let's throw an ear to God in prayer. Let us pray.
Our gracious Father in heaven, as we come and bow our heads before you as a holy and living God,
we thank you that the way is opened up for us to come and approach you in prayer,
to come offering our petitions before you, everything that is in our hearts, Lord, for ourselves as a people,
and for the world in which we live, and for your cause throughout this world.
We thank you that you are the creator of the heavens and the earth, and all that we see around us.
It is formed by the word of your power and by your finger, Lord.
We thank you that you have framed the world and the skies and the stars in it.
We thank you that everything that we see has your touch upon it,
and that even as a people, as we gather here, we recognize, too, that we are formed and made in your image and your likeness,
and that you have given us a great purpose in this world, to be your people and to worship you.
But we know, too, that as your word tells us, that we are a people who so often do wrong.
We are sinners. We fall short of your glory. We fail in your purposes so often.
But we thank you that your word directs our paths, and it leads us, Lord, to see the way to return through repentance,
through coming to you by faith, that you are the one who is able to forgive our sins,
and that you have made every provision for that, that you sent your own Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, into this world for sinners such as we are.
That he came to gather his people and to draw them to himself.
And we thank you that today and always that your spirit is working, that you are a God who is faithful, who is ever building his church.
We are reminded in your word that your kingdom comes and comes with power.
So we pray to know, Lord, your presence with us here today.
We remember those tuning in online as well.
We thank you that we offer up our praise and worship together, that we come with that great desire in our hearts to hear the living word,
to hear of a glorious Savior, the one who bore our sins on the cross.
And help us to focus on Jesus, to know him as a friend that stays closer than any brother, the one who is with us always, through the night and through the day, and through each and every day of our lives.
May we come to put our trust in him and to seek to walk closely with him.
We do thank you, Lord, for every reason of thanksgiving we have.
We thank you that every good and perfect gift is from above and from the one who changes not.
And so we thank you for your great faithfulness towards your people down through all the generations.
That you are a God who has brought your people through so many experiences, highs and lows.
As we look at your word, we are reminded so often of a people who have been blessed and a people who wander.
But we thank you for the Spirit that guides and who helps us and leads us.
We thank you for the way the gospel has come to our own land.
We see it today as such a great privilege that has been here, we think, always.
But we know it is a gospel that has come with great cost and a great price to many.
Many were persecuted.
Many gave their lives for your cause.
And help us to remember that and not to take things for granted.
For as we live in a world that is ever changing and there is animosity towards the gospel,
there are great challenges in our own day.
Help us that we will stand for your cause.
That we will look to you to pour out your blessing on this place, upon our islands, upon our nation and upon the world.
Lord, we thank you that all that seems impossible with us is possible with you.
And so may you guide us in all that we do and help us to know your strength and your blessing upon us.
We do thank you as we unite together as a congregation here that we are a praying people.
We thank you for all the prayers of your people over these past weeks and months.
We thank you, Lord, for the cause of your kingdom here.
For every ministry that has taken place up to this point.
And we thank you for every minister who has preached the gospel.
For all who have served in so many different ways.
And for all who continue to serve, Lord.
We pray your strength and your blessing upon us.
We thank you for the ministry of Reverend Kenny I.
McLeod.
And we thank you for him and his family.
We remember them today.
Giving thanks for their ministry here over many years.
And praying for him, Lord, as he is now in his retirement.
We pray that you will encourage him and strengthen him.
And particularly as a family at this time.
With his mother unwell.
We pray, Lord, that you will guard them and be with them.
Surround them with your presence.
We do pray for all who need you in different ways.
We thank you that, although we may have little knowledge of one another at this point.
That you are a God who knows us all.
And that every need is known unto you.
We remember those who are unwell.
Especially in the midst of so much COVID going around our communities at this time.
We pray for your protection.
Your keeping upon us as a people.
For restoration and health.
For people to be able to get out once more.
And especially to be able to return to the place of worship.
We remember those with other illnesses.
Those in hospital.
Those in homes.
Those who are struggling in different ways.
In body and in mind.
And in soul.
We know the struggles are there so often.
And we pray, Lord, that we will be able to share one another's burdens.
And to be there for one another.
And to be able to call upon your name.
As the one who is able to help.
Remember those who mourn and grieve in our communities as well.
Near and far.
We thank you that you are a God of all comfort.
And may you, O Lord, bless and give help.
And strengthen all the times of need.
We thank you for reasons to give thanks as well.
Even in this past week.
We thank you for the wedding that took place on Thursday.
We do continue to pray for James and Marion.
In the outset of their marriage.
May you bless them.
May you be with them.
May you pour out your spirit upon them.
That they will know your great peace and blessing in their lives.
Bless their families too.
As we commit them to you.
Look after them, Lord.
And care for them as well.
So we thank you that in all things that we are able to look to you.
We thank you for our young people.
Thank you for the school holidays just now.
We pray your blessing on teachers and staff and children alike.
That you will refresh them over these days.
We thank you for all the young ones here.
For the work of Cresce and tweenies today as well.
We pray your blessing on them as well.
As they gather in a few moments.
So Lord, may you lead us in your word today.
May you remember us as a people.
And hear our prayers for your cause here.
Throughout our land.
For our leaders.
For our Queen.
And for all your church.
Throughout the nations of the world.
May your spirit be poured out.
In a great day of your favour.
And your blessing.
Forgive us our sins.
And continue with us now in our worship.
And throughout this day.
May we do all to your glory.
We ask it all in Jesus' precious name.
And for his sake.
Amen.
Well, it's good to see so many young people here today.
It's hard to find you in such a big crowd.
But I think you're scattered all over the church today.
But it's lovely to see you.
And I really look forward to getting to know you.
As we come to minister in your midst.
Now you may know my name.
James has introduced me and told you my name.
My name's Callum.
Or Callum Murdo as some people call me.
And it may be easy for you to remember one name.
But I've got to have a problem.
Because I'm going to have to remember lots of different names.
As I was saying on Friday night.
It's not one of my great strengths.
Remembering people's names.
So bear with me.
As I learn your names and learn about you.
And how do you learn about people?
What do you need to do to learn about people?
I wonder what you have to do.
Well, probably the easiest thing to do is to speak to people.
Isn't it?
Just to come up and to speak to people.
And to ask, what's your name?
How old are you?
Maybe don't ask Joanne that though.
She might not tell you the truth.
You never know.
But you get to know people by asking them questions.
And talking to them.
So I look forward to getting to know you in different ways.
And in different places.
Whether it's meeting you in the hall.
As we go through to have a cup of tea and some juice.
Or seeing you maybe in the school.
Or just meeting you out and about in different places.
I look forward to getting to know you all.
And indeed all the congregation here as well.
So as I said on Friday.
Just stop me at any time.
And come and speak to me.
But the great thing is that maybe when we don't know each other very well.
We can speak about someone who knows us all very well.
And we want to speak about who we read about in the Bible.
And how we read there about God.
And about what he has done for us.
How he knows everything about us.
Nothing's hidden from him.
He knows your name.
And sometimes that can be quite hard to imagine and understand.
But God knows your name.
And he knows everything about you.
One of my favorite Psalms in the Bible is Psalm 139.
And that Psalm tells us about the knowledge that God has about us.
He knows everything about us.
He knows our sitting down it says.
Our rising up.
He knows about everywhere we go.
And it doesn't matter where we go in the world.
Or how far away we might be from people we know and love.
He knows and is there with us.
Wherever we go he is with us.
It says in the Psalm.
Take eye the morning wings and dwell in utmost parts of sea.
Even there Lord shall thy hand me lead.
Thy right hand hold shall me.
It's a great promise in God's word there.
And that's our prayer for all the young people here.
Indeed all of us here today.
That we will get to know each other.
And get to know one another's names.
But above all that we'll remember the Lord.
Who knows our name.
And who knows everything about us.
And that we will come to delight together in getting to know him more and more.
As we get to know each other more and more.
May the Lord bless you always.
And look after you.
Each and every day as we get to know each other.
More and more in coming weeks.
Well we're going to share in the Lord's prayer together.
And say the Lord's prayer together.
You'll find it on the notice sheet there.
So I'll start us off.
And we all join in with the Lord's prayer.
Our Father which art in heaven.
Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation.
But deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory forever.
Amen.
We'll sing again to God's praise now in Psalm 63.
And again it's in the Sing Psalms version of Psalm 63.
We're going to sing from verse 1 to verse 8.
And the tune is Weram.
O God you are my God alone.
I seek your face with eagerness.
My soul and body thirst for you in this dry weary wilderness.
We'll sing from verse 1 to verse 8.
We'll sing from verse 1 to 8.
To God's praise.
O God you are my God alone.
I seek your face with eagerness.
My soul and body thirst for you in this dry weary wilderness.
I seek your face with eagerness.
Your glory and the glory have my face.
Our nature is pure love of life.
And so my lips will sing your praise
I bless you, Lord, throughout my life
And raise my hands to you in prayer
My joyfulness will sing your praise
My soul is fed with riches here
Upon my bed I lie away
And in my thoughts remember you
I meditate throughout the night
And keep your constant love in you
Because you are my help alone
In shadow of your wings I sing
You hold me up with your right hand
To you, O God, my soul will cling
We'll turn together to read in God's word
in the book of Psalms
The book of Psalms and Psalm 37
Psalm 37
We're going to read from verse 1 down to verse 26
It's a psalm of David
Fret not yourself because of evildoers
Be not envious of wrongdoers
For they will soon fade like the grass
And wither like the green herb
Trust in the Lord and do good
Dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness
Delight yourself in the Lord
And he will give you the desires of your heart
Commit your way to the Lord
Trust in him and he will act
He will bring forth your righteousness as the light
And your justice as the noonday
Be still before the Lord
And wait patiently for him
Fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way
Over the man who carries out evil devices
Refrain from anger and forsake wrath
Fret not yourself
It tends only to evil
For the evildoers shall be cut off
But those who wait for the Lord
Shall inherit the land
In just a little while the wicked will be no more
Though you look carefully at his place
He will not be there
But the meek shall inherit the land
And delight themselves in abundant peace
The wicked plots against the righteous
And gnashes his teeth at him
But the Lord laughs at the wicked
For he sees that his day is coming
The wicked draw the sword and bend their bows
To bring down the poor and needy
To slay those whose way is upright
Their sword shall enter their own heart
And their bows shall be broken
Better is the little that the righteous has
Than the abundance of many wicked
For the arms of the wicked shall be broken
But the Lord upholds the righteous
The Lord knows the days of the blameless
And their heritage will remain forever
They are not put to shame in evil times
In the days of famine
They have abundance
But the wicked will perish
The enemies of the Lord are like the glory
Of the pastures
They vanish
Like smoke they vanish away
The wicked borrows but does not pay back
But the righteous is generous and gives
For those blessed by the Lord
Shall inherit the land
But those cursed by him
Shall be cut off
The steps of a man are established
By the Lord
When he delights in his way
Though he fall
He shall not be cast headlong
For the Lord upholds his hand
I have been young
And now I'm old
Yet I have not seen
The righteous forsaken
Or his children begging for bread
He is ever lending generously
And his children become a blessing
And so on
And may God bless that reading
From his word
Before we turn back
To look at that psalm
We're going to sing
Once again to God's praise
In Psalm 73
In the Scottish Psalter
Page
A316
Psalm 73
At verse 23
In this psalm we see
The psalmist
Perplexed by many things
Wondering about many things
That are going on around him
He feels that the Lord
Is so far removed from him
And he says in verse 21
My heart was grieved in me
And my reigns oppressed
But he says I was rude
And I was ignorant
And in thy sight a beast
Then at verse 23
There's this real turning point
In the psalm
Where he says
Nevertheless
Continually
O Lord
I am with thee
Thou dost me hold
By my right hand
And still
Upholdest me
We're going to sing
From verse
23
Down to the end of the psalm
To the tune
Tiverton
And still
Thou dost me hold
By my right hand
And still
Abortest me
Thou with thy counsel
While I live
Build me conduct
And guide
And to thy glory
Afterward
Receive me
To the night
Up I in the heaven's sight
But thee
O Lord
Alone
And in the earth
Who I beside
Besides thee
There is none
My flesh
A heart
A faint
Unfail
But God
Doth fail
Me
Never
For
O my heart
God
God is the strength
And portion
Forever
For
Though they
That are
Far from thee
Forever
Perish
Shall
Then
That
Thou
Hold it
From
Thou
Thou hast
Destroyed
All
But
Surely
It is
To
For
Me
That
I
Draw
Here
To
God
Then
Lord
I
Trust
That
All
Thy
Words
I
May
Declare
The
Lord
Well if we can turn back to the reading we had in the book of Psalms in Psalm 37.
Our focus this morning is going to be on verse 1 to verse 9.
You can just read a few verses from the beginning.
Fret not yourself because of evil doers.
Be not envious of wrongdoers.
For they will soon fade like the grass and wither like the green herb.
The green herb.
Trust in the Lord and do good.
Dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.
Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart.
We live in a world that is ever changing.
We always have change around us in so many different ways.
I am sure every one of us as we look back over our lives we see and we reflect often on the changes that we have seen taking place.
Whether it is just looking at ourselves.
The changes in ourselves.
Or the changes in our communities.
The changes in our islands.
The changes in the church.
The changes in our nation.
The changes in our world.
Change is there all the time.
And some change is good.
Some change is always necessary.
But there are other times when change just seems to worry us and cause us great anxiety.
We look around our world today and I am sure we have so many questions about what is happening.
What is happening in our own islands.
What is happening in our nation.
What is happening in our world.
Where are we heading.
lequel ten times when can you have commanded people to pantry.
Ne reviewing and do that toward God.
But theaint passion is actually big, teaching Paul Christ.
You have now heard the religion of the town on earth.
And you have now within our own.
Even those who haveДингlias.
A tremendous job going through.
On other ف Mai.
We have now heard the change of prais.
We make Giulie taxes maybe better at this time.
The century in our place.
And your claim will increase all the issues.
Are these remove all the issues and people that are good.
So for real life go.
How often do we know people את voit disabled people about to their degree.
And the certain things that we have
So how one says Ephem shoes would you probably own pain in our 자�łybiacilly.
Do you love how green gardens it will openly?
his word that reminds us that there are times, even in the psalmist's life, when he had so many
questions of the Lord asking why or for how long are these things going to go on. We are surrounded
by change. And even today as I come to minister here, it is because of change. A change in our
own personal circumstances, a change for you as a congregation. And for us as a congregation now,
a change of ministry. Change is everywhere, but it's how we react in change and how we go forward
in the midst of change that is important. And that's what I want to reflect on from this psalm
together today. In this psalm, we see David reflecting in his own life and in the midst of all that he has
seen changing in his own experience and in the experience of God's people and in the experience
of the world around him. You read in verse 25 of this psalm, and it gives you an insight into the
stage that the psalmist is at. He says, I have been young and now I'm old, yet I have not seen the
righteous forsaken. David is able to look around in his old age and reflect on all the change that he
has seen. But in it all, he is able to take confidence and to take heart in the midst of all
of this change. As you read through this psalm, the theme from the outset is very clear where his main
concerns of change that he has seen is taking place. The opening verse tells us,
fret not yourself because of evildoers. Be not envious of wrongdoers. He's seeing the experience of God's
people and his own experience of life as so often where it seems that those who have no thought of
God, no interest in God or his ways, those who are committing evil and wrongdoings on a regular basis,
they're the ones that seem to be prospering. They're the ones who seem to be getting on well.
Whereas he may look on the lives of God's people and he will see many of them struggling. He's had his own
struggles and he's seeing others who are struggling in many different ways. But his response to this is
to call his people, God's people, to trust in the Lord. And he gives them a focus. And that focus
is on the one who changes not. And so as we come together today, that is where our focus needs to be.
As we look at the world around us or our own individual lives and all the anxieties, all the
worries we may have, we come to focus on the one who changes not and to go forward together with our
focus on him. There's a hymn that has this line in it that says, yesterday, today, forever, Jesus is the
same. All may change, but Jesus never. Glory to his name. To go forward with that in mind, Jesus the
same yesterday, today, and forever. He never changes that we may come to give glory to his name.
So in verse 1 to verse 9 here, David gives a number of commands for God's people to follow.
But there are four particular commands that he gives that give us a real sense of focus on the
Lord. So wherever we are, whatever stage of life we are at today, whatever we are doing in life today,
there is encouragement for us all to fix our eyes on the Lord and for Jesus to be our focus.
And David gives us four direct commands that focus our attention on the Lord today. And it's these four
commands I want us to think about briefly. There is the command to trust in the Lord. There is the command
to delight yourself in the Lord. There is the command to commit your way to the Lord. And there is the command
to be still before the Lord and wait on the Lord. So it's these four commands I want us to look at. First of all,
trust in the Lord.
The commands he gives are in light of the problems of an ever-changing world, where the wicked are
prospering. And what is the problem that that causes for God's people? Well, as David opens the psalm,
he reminds us, he tells us one of the greatest problems it gives to us. He says,
fret not yourself because of evildoers. Do not be jealous or envious of wrongdoers.
We can think of the word fret or fretting. And we think about maybe as being anxious or worried.
And as we look at a world where so much change is taking place and so much evil seems to be around,
and we think it makes us worried or anxious. But this word goes deeper than that. There is so much
more to this word. It's a stronger word than just being anxious or worried. At the root of this word
is anger, being angry. And it's an anger that is a burning hot anger, a rage, and a rage that consumes you.
Now, there are times when we are rightfully angry about what happens in this world. There is a righteous
anger. But there are other times when we can let anger consume us. And anger take our focus away
from the Lord. And often throughout this psalm, as you read through it, this is highlighted for us,
the danger of our anger consuming us. But even in our anger at what's happening,
God, David, by the word of God, is telling us, fret not. Don't let your anger consume you.
Because if you remain in an angry state, what does it do to you? It robs you of your joy. It robs you of
your peace. It can paralyze you. And you are not effective in anything that you are doing.
If you allow anger to consume you, it is not going to do you good. We can have a righteous anger
about what we see, but it's what we do with that. And that's what David is guiding us to here. We may
look around our own town here. We may look around our islands and all around us when we see change and
evil going on. We may look around our own. We may look around our own. We may look around our own.
But we don't want that anger to consume us. And that's the point that David is making here.
Fret not yourself because of evil. Don't be envious or jealous towards them because what it says,
they will soon fade away. But instead, he says, he gives us these commands. You as God's people,
in your anger, in your worries, in your concerns, look to the Lord. This is the antidote. It is to begin
by trusting in the Lord. Trust in the Lord and do good. Overcome evil by good, it says in another part
of Scripture. Don't let your anger distract from the work that you are to do for the Lord,
to go forward trusting in him. It is to walk by faith and not by sight. Even in our fretting,
even in our anger, we must remember that even though things appear in our vision to be going
completely out of control, that change may be hurting so many people, that God is in control.
We are to look through the eyes of faith and to remember God is still working out his eternal
purposes for us. We must learn to trust the Lord in all of life, to be angry but not consumed,
and go forward trusting in the Lord. Martin Luther, the great reformer, who was used by God in such an
amazing way to bring the church back in a right track. He spoke about what it meant to trust the Lord.
And he said this in his own life story. He said,
I have one preacher that I love better than any other on earth. And you may be expecting that this
would be some man who's preaching God's word. Well, it wasn't. He said, I have one preacher that I love
more than any other. It is my little tame robin, a little bird. And he said, this bird preaches to me
daily about what it means to trust. He said, I put crumbs out of my windowsill, especially at night.
And every day, day after day, this bird will come and hop on the windowsill when he wants his food.
And he takes as much as he wants. He satisfies his hunger. And then he'll go and he'll hop up on the
tree. And he'll lift his head and he'll start tweeting away as if he's praising God for all his
goodness. And then he'll put his head down under his wing and go to sleep. And with no worry for what
tomorrow will bring, because tomorrow will take care of itself. And he says, is that how we are not to be
with God? That God will supply our every need on a daily basis. Tomorrow will take care of itself.
So don't let your anger consume you. Don't let your anger take away and distract you from trusting in
the Lord first and foremost. In an ever-changing world, do we have that trust? David, in his old age
and learned experience, has learned he needs to trust the Lord. Just like the book of Proverbs says
in chapter 3, trust in the Lord with all your heart. So instead of letting anger burn and consume you,
may it turn us instead to hearts like those who met with Jesus on the road to Emmaus, hearts that are
burning for the Lord, rejoicing in the Lord and trusting the Lord. So that's the first command then,
trust in the Lord. The second command is delight in the Lord. Trust is more than just words, it's action.
It's showing our faith in action. That's why David progresses here from trust to delight. Delight
yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart. Again, verse 1 speaks about
those who are prospering in life, but with all the wrong motives and no thought of God. And it highlights
for us how easy it is to be jealous, how easy it is to look on these people and think, well, if only I was
like that, if only I had that in my life. But it's only temporary. Are you envious? Are you jealous of what
others have in life without God when they seem to be getting on so well? Do you ever think, why am I
struggling as a Christian? Why does nothing ever seem to go right in my life? These people who don't
even trust God, everything is going right for them. My life could be so much different. Maybe I should
just go the way that they have gone. But they are rejoicing. They are delighting in something that is
only temporary. It will go. It will pass. But David is saying here, delight yourself in the Lord.
That is what will keep you. That is what will help you go on. That is what will give you a focus
going forward. Delight yourself in the Lord. He will give you the desires of your heart. He will give you
not just what you may think you want. He will change your desires. He will focus your desires
to desire what is good and what is right. You'll be familiar with maybe giving three cheers to people.
Maybe if you're at a birthday party or a wedding, sometimes they offer up three cheers for the
individual or for the couple. It's about rejoicing with them, being happy with them. Well, a preacher
once told his congregation of the three cheers of Christ and the reasons to delight in him. And he was
reading from the King James Version, which uses the words cheer in the three different texts. And he
says the three cheers of Christ are this, the cheer of forgiven sin. It says, be of good cheer. Thy sins
are forgiven. Jesus' words. He said it also tells us of the cheer of companionship. Be of good cheer.
Again, it is Jesus saying these words. It is I. Be not afraid to the disciples when they were afraid.
And it's the third cheer was this, the cheer of victory. Jesus said, be of good cheer. I have
overcome the world. And he went on to say these three cheers cover the whole of life. They deal
with our past, our present, and our future. The sins of the past forgiven. The fellowship of Christ
Christ is there in the present. And in the future, all will be revealed in the victory of Christ.
The three cheers that we have in Christ. The reasons that we have to delight even a world that is ever
changing. That in Jesus we have one who is able to forgive our sins. In Jesus we have one who is ever
with us who is always faithful. And the cheer of victory that he has overcome the world. So what does
your heart delight in today? Are you envious? Are you jealous? Are you thinking, oh, things could be so
much better, so much different if I just went along with the ways of this world? David is saying, no,
delight yourself in the Lord. Anything else is temporary. Again, Jesus says in Matthew 6,
do not lay up for yourselves treasure on earth where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and
steal. But lay up for yourselves treasure in heaven where neither moth nor rust destroys, where thieves
do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Let us go forward, not envying or jealous of others in the world who are without God,
but instead delighting in the Lord. That is the second command we have.
The third command we see here then is to commit your way to the Lord. In verse 5,
trust in him and he will act. Commit your way to the Lord. And again, you see there's a progression
here all the time. When you look at the picture of the psalm of the wicked prospering,
the idea is that instead of worrying and fretting, what are we to do? We are to commit your way to the
Lord. And what does this mean? Well, the word commit here means rolling something onto something else.
If you're struggling to lift something or to carry something, you maybe roll it into a wheelbarrow,
and that will help you carry it. If it's a bigger thing, you might put it onto a trailer that's going
to carry it for you. You commit it to something else. You roll it onto something else. And so here,
David is saying to us, commit, roll all your burdens, your ways to the Lord. Trust him and he will act.
You see, the Lord doesn't want us to carry our burdens by ourselves. Jesus tells us in the New
Testament to come to him, come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Roll yourselves onto me. Commit yourselves to me. In 1 Peter, he tells us, cast your burdens on the Lord,
for he cares for you. Again, it's just this idea of committing everything to God, rolling everything
onto him. Commit your way to the Lord. Trust in him and he will act. We don't bear these burdens
by ourselves. We have a God who cares and commands us to bring our burdens to him. As we heard on Friday
evening in the service, we are in partnership with God. He is with us. And we are in partnership with
one another. We carry one another's burdens too, and we commit all our burdens to the Lord. We are to
trust in him. We bring our burdens together as a people in worship and in prayer. And beyond that,
we look at everything that we want to do as a congregation and are doing as a congregation.
And we want to roll it all onto God, to commit all of our ways to him and to see that he will act.
Whether it's youth work or counseling work, whether it's the different groups that meet in the church
throughout the week, whether it's the church opening when there's a cruise ship in or when the
heb-kelt festival, whether it's visiting or fellowship, whatever we are doing, we are to commit our way
to the Lord. You know, we could ask ourselves, are we where we want to be?
Are we where we want to be as a congregation? I hope our answer would be no, that we would never be
satisfied with where we are. While there are lost people, while there are perishing people around us,
our work is never finished. We are to be active in the work of the Lord and committing our ways to
the Lord, trusting him that he will act. We are to have the heart of Isaiah, who as the Lord was looking
for those who would serve him, what did he say? He said, here am I, Lord, send me. There is work to be
done. There is a commitment to the Lord. And let us all have that heart to say, Lord, here am I, send me.
And as we have that heart, we see that as we trust in him, it says, he will act.
God will act. It's not just about what we want to come to pass, but more importantly,
what the Lord wants. Does the Lord want just a few to be saved? No, the Lord wants everyone to be saved.
Do we? Is that our desire? Is that our longing as we minister together? Does God want us to struggle
in the work each year and find it just a burden all the time? No, he wants us to prosper in the work so
we can do more. Do we? Is that our desire as we seek to go forward in the ministry together?
Would God just want us to look after what we have and to be satisfied with that? No. He wants us to go
to all the people, all the nations. Do we? If we have a vision for the church here in Stormy and indeed
further afield as we support and encourage many different ministries to go forward,
can we say, are we there? Are we finished? No. We commit our way to the Lord. We roll all of our
burdens onto the Lord and we trust he will act. It would be easy to look at the change that we see
around us in these days and be satisfied. COVID restrictions are easing, even though it's so
prevalent in our midst. The assistant role is filled. There have been new members recently at a
communion. There have been a number of baptisms and there's a couple to come yet. Be easy to think,
it's been good, it's been nice, job done. It's never job done. It's unfinished and ongoing.
And in this change we seek to commit our ways to God, trusting that he will act.
The final thing, and just briefly we take from this, is that we are to wait on the Lord. In verse 7
and verse 9 you have that command, be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him. And then verse 9,
for the evildoers shall be cut off, but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land.
You may think that this is where we should start. Wait on the Lord. But David shows us here a
progression and a path to follow. If we are, as we began, as we saw in verse 1, fretting, angry about what
we are seeing around us, angry about the lack of interest in the gospel, angry about the evil in
this world, if we are fretting about all of these things, have you ever tried to pray when you're
angry? How difficult it is to pray when there's this burning anger in your heart. If we are angry
in all the changes that are taking place around us, we need to find a place where we bring that anger.
And that is to the Lord.
Vengeance is mine, says the Lord. He will deal.
What we are to do is to trust,
to delight,
to commit,
and to wait
on the Lord.
To wait on the Lord
is to know and believe
that He is sovereign,
that He is ruling,
that He works all things together for good
for those who love Him
and are called according to His purpose.
Somebody once said,
true patience
is waiting without
worrying.
We are anxious.
We are fearful about the world
that we live in.
But we remember
this is God's world.
And that He uses all things
for the good of His people.
There are difficulties in life.
There are challenges in life.
You see it in the Old and the New Testament.
You see it in the experience of God's people
always.
There are challenges.
There are things that are hard.
But as David said
in Psalm 73,
even in his own questions
and wondering and asking why,
where did his focus come
to trusting and waiting on the Lord?
Nevertheless, he said continually,
O Lord, You are with me.
To get to that place
of being still
and waiting on God
is to follow David's path here.
To trust God
with all our heart.
To delight in Him.
To commit our plans to Him
and let Him carry our cares
and concerns.
Then,
we will be able to be still
and wait
on the Lord.
We are always
in the midst
of change.
But let's remember the one
who changes not.
The one who is the same yesterday,
today,
and forever.
To look around us
and to see
the changes
that we have seen.
And yes,
in our anger about it,
not to let that anger
consume us,
but instead
to go forward
with our focus
on the Lord.
trusting,
delighting,
committing,
and waiting
on Him.
May God's Word
always guide us
and help us
to that end
that we may see
His blessing
upon us.
Let us pray.
Our Father,
in heaven,
we do rejoice
in Your Word.
A Word that
stills us,
a Word that
helps us
to recognize
our own issues,
to recognize
our own anger
in so many circumstances.
But above all,
to see where we bring
that anger,
to where we bring
those concerns,
to bring it to You
as the Lord
and God
who is sovereign
over all.
And may we come
to trust in You
and delight in You
and commit our ways
to You
and to wait upon You
that we would see
Your goodness
over us
and Your blessing
upon us.
For we ask it
in Jesus' name.
Amen.
Let's sing together
in conclusion
and to God's praise
in the psalm.
We've been looking at
Psalm 37
in the Scottish
Psalter version.
Psalm 37
at verse 3
said,
Thou thy trust
upon the Lord
and be thou doing good
and so thou in the land
shalt dwell
and verily have food.
We'll sing
verse 3 to 7
to the tune
Grafenberg
and we stand
to sing.
Psalm 37
at verse 3
and be thou doing good
and so thou in the land
shalt dwell
and reverie have food.
Give my thyself
and God yield him
thy heart's desire
to lead.
Thy way to God
form it in trust
it bring to God
shall he
and thy path
unto the light
he shall
thy righteousness
display
and he thy judgment
shall be forth
thy gloom
tide of the day
rest in the Lord
and patiently
wait for him
to not pray
for him
who cross
bring him
his way
such as
his sin
God gave
after the benediction
I'll go to the
main door
if you give me
a wee minute
to get out
we'll close
with the benediction
now may grace
mercy
and peace
from God
Father
Son
and Holy Spirit
rest upon
and abide
with us all
now and forever
more
Amen
I'll go on
let is怎麼樣
remembered