As God's people, we are a praying people, I hope.
I'm sure we all come prayerfully as we approach God,
and especially as we approach a communion season.
We're looking to God and seeking his blessing in our lives,
in our congregation, in our community,
and far and wide that God would come in a day of his power,
in a day of his reviving power.
But as you approach God yourself,
what is it that you're asking of God?
What are you asking or want from him in terms of your own life, perhaps?
Is there particular prayers you have at this time?
Are you thankful for the way maybe you can look back
and see how God has answered prayer in the past?
Do you come to God expectantly then as you pray now,
knowing that he has been faithful and that he promises
to be faithful to hear his people?
Prayer is a wonderful privilege,
and as we heard in the prayers this evening,
it's not something that we are to take for granted.
Even the meeting, our meeting here this evening
and over these coming days,
it is not something that we are to take for granted at all,
but to truly give thanks to God
for the wonderful privilege
and the wonderful blessing
of having his word
and the opportunity to meet.
Psalm 40, we know so well,
when we sing it so often,
I waited for the Lord my God.
There's a sense of expectation in that psalm.
And in verse 5, the psalmist says,
O Lord my God,
full many are the wonders thou hast done.
Thy gracious thoughts to us
were far above all thoughts are gone.
There's a sense of wonder and amazement there with God
at the great things that he has done.
They cannot be numbered,
the things that God has done for his people.
But as we come to God's word,
it gives us a focus on a sense of thankfulness
for all that God has indeed done for us.
Are you a person who keeps a diary?
There are some people who enjoy keeping a diary
on a daily basis.
Maybe write what you've done,
things you've seen,
things you've heard in a diary on a daily basis.
Other people,
it's maybe just some sketchy notes
from time to time of something important,
something major happens.
Or for others,
it's maybe let's just make sure
we get the important dates in
so we remember anniversaries and birthdays
and things like that.
But we all have a sense of looking at the past
and looking at the future
in a sense of keeping a diary for ourselves,
remembering things and looking forward to things.
There are often dates that we have marked
and perhaps one of the dates
that's maybe ingrained in your mind
is the fourth Sunday of August.
What's the significance of that?
You might say,
well, I'm sure many of you know
the significance of that date
is the date set aside
for the communion season here in Stornoway,
the fourth Sunday in August.
But then as we think back
over these last couple of years,
perhaps that's kind of gone out of our focus.
The fourth Sunday in August,
the last couple of years,
hasn't had the same significance.
We've been hindered
in being able to meet
and especially to meet
in terms of taking communion together.
But we pray that we're coming through that time,
that we're moving forward.
But we also look back
and we ask questions like,
what have we learned in that time?
What have we learned about ourselves?
What have we learned about others?
What have we learned about the world
in which we live?
We've probably learned a lot
in terms of ourselves.
Maybe we think to ourselves,
how much was I taking for granted in my life?
Was I just struggling along slowly,
wondering just what was it all about?
And all of a sudden,
when things came to a shuddering halt,
begin to ask yourselves more serious questions.
Was I obedient to God?
Did I really show my love of God?
Did I show my love for my fellow Christians,
my brothers and sisters in Christ?
Was my urgency with the gospel
what it should have been?
And perhaps for a time,
we were shaken up to that end.
But then as we come back to normal,
we can easily lose that focus once again,
lose that edge.
We ask ourselves too and at all,
what have we learned of God?
Have you learned more deeply
the importance of your relationship with God?
On a personal level,
we've maybe learned just how much we need him,
how much we depend on him,
but also how much we can rely on him,
that he is a faithful God.
Collectively as God's people,
hopefully we've learned how much
we long for fellowship with each other,
how much we long for God's word,
how much we long to remember
the Lord's death till he come.
Nationally, what have we learned?
And internationally, what have we learned?
Perhaps we've learned just how far from God
we had gone,
maybe have still gone.
There's no thought of God
in the midst of it all.
But as we move forward,
we long to see as God's people,
his blessing upon us,
to learn lessons
and to seek his blessing
on us as a people,
as a congregation
and indeed as nations of the world.
The city of Glasgow perhaps
reflects so much of our nation.
You may be familiar with Glasgow,
many of you sure are very familiar with it,
but they have a coat of arms for the city
with a motto on it.
And the motto now reads,
let Glasgow flourish.
But that's not always been the motto.
Some of you I'm sure know
what it once was,
that back in the year 1631,
the motto of Glasgow was formed
and the words were this,
let Glasgow flourish
through the preaching of thy word
and the praising of thy name.
That was the motto of Glasgow
for over 200 years.
And indeed our nation knew
a time of blessing
over those years too.
But in 1866,
the last part of the motto was dropped
and it became,
let Glasgow flourish.
But no answer as to how.
And what's interesting about it is
when you look on the council website,
the city council website,
when they speak about the motto
and how it changed,
it says the new motto is
a curtailment of the text
inscribed on the bell
of the Tron church
cast in 1631.
They mean a shortened version.
But I think what they've said
says so much,
it's a curtailment.
They're curtailing
the way Glasgow or anywhere
is going to flourish.
Dropping the part
that is going to flourish
by the preaching of thy word
is so definitive in many ways,
so enlightening in many ways.
But as we turn to this psalm,
what we find is
the psalm is giving us a reminder
of how we can be revived,
of how we can know
God's blessing.
Verse 12, for example,
is a very famous verse itself.
Blessed is the nation
whose God is the Lord,
the people whom he has chosen
as his heritage.
It reminds us of
where that motto for Glasgow
once came from.
It was looking to God
and seeking blessing
through the preaching
of the word.
Recognizing his steadfast love,
an unchanging love from God,
a God who is able to bless
if only we would seek him.
And so as we prayerfully approach
this communion weekend,
as we seek God's blessing on us,
are we thankful?
Are we praising him
as we should?
And are we seeking
the blessing of God on us?
Are we encouraged?
Are we looking forward
in anticipation?
Are we hungry for the word
and for the sacrament?
God's word is what will stir us up
as we approach the sacrament
on the Lord's day.
Through the preaching of his word,
may we all be blessed
and encouraged together
over these days
and to show our love for God
and coming to remember
his death together,
to remember what he has done for us.
And there's three things
I want us to take
from this psalm tonight.
Three ways that we can see
encouragement for ourselves
as we approach this time.
And the first thing is this,
we see God's word
and the blessing
that there is in it.
The second thing we see
is God's will
and the wonder of it.
And the third thing
is God's worth
and that nothing compares.
So the first thing we have
is God's word
and the blessing of it.
Psalm 33 is,
as you begin in the beginning
of the psalm,
shout for joy in the Lord.
In many ways,
our joy was hindered.
And has been hindered
over the last while.
We haven't felt maybe
able to shout properly
with joy in the Lord.
But when God comes
and revives his people,
we cannot but help
but to shout for joy
in the Lord.
And that is the foremost,
what's foremost in this psalm,
is a psalm of praise.
And the praise comes
when we see and know
who God is.
When we show our dependence
upon him
and we see that he is
in control
of all things.
And when he shows
his steadfast love
continually towards
his people
in whatever circumstances
we are,
how God shows
his steadfast love,
his faithful,
unchanging love.
And that again
is a great reminder
to us
and something we have
to remind ourselves
of time and time again.
Our God reigns.
He hasn't changed
his position.
He is where he's always been,
overruling
in all things.
And the psalmist here
in Psalm 33
is showing us
that we have
every reason
to praise God.
It's linked closely
to Psalm 32,
the previous one as well.
What you see
as you read through
Psalm 32,
it's a psalm
that speaks
of the Lord
being praised
because he is
the one
who forgives sin.
He is the one
who forgives sin.
When we acknowledge
our sin
before him,
he is able
to forgive.
And as we know
the forgiveness
of God,
we praise his name.
And as we come
into Psalm 33,
the praise
almost increases.
The praise
just goes on.
Shout for joy
in the Lord,
O you righteous.
Praise befits
the upright.
Give thanks
to the Lord.
Give thanks
to the Lord.
One commentator
describes
Psalm 33
as God
blowing over
the coals
of our heart
so that they
will catch fire
with worship
and praise.
God
blowing over
the coals
of our hearts
so they will
catch fire
with worship
and praise.
Something we used
to do
which is not
as common
now
is banking
the stove.
I'm sure
many of you
have done it
maybe still do.
You bank
the stove
at night
bank it up
so that hopefully
in the morning
there'll be something
that you can put
more peat
or coal
onto
and it's just
going to fan
itself into flame
once again
instead of letting
the fire
die out
you keep it
bank
bank to keep
the embers
burning.
And maybe
in some ways
these last
couple of years
it's almost
like our hearts
have just been
banked
dampened
down in some
ways.
Yes there's
a flame
in there
but it's
down somewhere
deep
and it needs
fanning into
flame.
once again
and maybe
we still
feel a bit
like that
too
but what
the crucial
thing is
is that the
fire is there
and also
we have the
spirit of
God
and his
word
to blow
over our
hearts
and to
fan us
into flame
once again.
In verse
four here
we read
the word
of the
Lord
is upright.
The word
of the
Lord
is precious.
It is
what we
need.
And the
more we
come into
God's
word and
the more
we see
the steadfast
love of
God and
come to
give him
praise the
more our
hearts are
fanned into
flame once
again.
You remember
the two on
the road to
Emmaus after
the crucifixion
of Christ.
There they
met with the
Lord on the
way and
what was it
that happened?
Their hearts
burned within
them.
How?
As the
Lord opened
up the
scriptures to
them.
What God
was the
Lord was
teaching them
through the
Old Testament
and through
this teaching
and through
what had
happened in
these days
he fanned
them into
flame and
they were
burning then
for the
Lord to
go and
meet with
others.
And that
is our
prayer as
we approach
God's word
over this
season.
As we hear
the preaching
of God's
word over
these days
that the
word we
bless to
all our
hearts.
That it
would rekindle
the fires
in our
hearts.
Our love
for the
Lord, our
love for
each other,
our love
for fellowship,
our love
in all
senses
towards God.
The word
of God
is what
we need.
The word
of Lord
is upright
as it
says here.
The word
is like a
compass that
guides his
people.
And that
is what we
need.
All around
us we
see the
result of
abandoning
God's
word.
Of
abandoning
like the
city of
Glasgow
that motto
through the
preaching
of thy
word.
When we
abandon
God's
word,
where do
we go?
We've
got no
direction.
Our
society
is just
cast
adrift.
We're
rudderless.
We don't
have any
steering at
all.
We're
heading in
the wrong
direction.
God's
word to
help us
flourish.
We need
God's
word and
we have
the
privilege
of it
before us
here.
And through
the preaching
of God's
word over
this weekend
and week
after week
and hearing
it and
reading it
and sharing
it together,
may we be
stirred up
in our
faith.
God's
word as
we see
and so
often
reminds us
of the
dangers of
just drifting
away from
it,
neglecting
it,
turning
away from
it.
What does
it lead
to?
There's
immorality,
wickedness,
evil in
this world
beyond what
we could
comprehend,
beyond what
we might
think is
possible.
There is
wickedness
all around
us.
But what
we need
again is
God's
word.
and the
blessing
of it.
We can
trust
this
word.
It is a
word that
is powerful.
It is by
the word of
the Lord
the heavens
were made
and the
breath of
his mouth
all their
host.
He did
all through
his word.
And it
says there
in verse
8,
let all
the earth
fear the
Lord,
let the
inhabitants
of the
world
stand in
awe of
him.
May we
stand
in awe
of him.
He is
our God,
he is
our Lord,
the maker
of heaven
and earth.
He is a
great God
who is in
control of
all things.
So pray
for the
preaching of
the word
over these
days.
Pray that
will fan us
all into
flame for
the Lord,
encouraging
our hearts,
reminding us
that God
is in
control.
The second
thing we
see here
is God's
will.
God,
as he
says here,
the psalmist,
is in
control.
Now,
what have
we learned
of God's
will in
our own
lives?
Even over
these last
few years,
what have
we learned
of God's
will?
Maybe we've
questioned it.
We often
end up in
situations
where we
question God
what he is
doing,
why he
might be
doing it.
We often
have these
questions,
but so
does the
psalmist.
We see him
in other
psalms
questioning,
for example,
how long,
oh Lord?
Why,
oh Lord?
He has
these very
same
questions,
but again
and again,
we see him
coming back
and recognizing
that God
is will
is what
we need.
His will
is dominant
as you
see in
verse 10.
The Lord
brings the
counsel of
the nations
to nothing.
He frustrates
the plans
of the
people.
We all
make plans.
We've all
had plans.
We've all
maybe had
plans that
have been
cast into
disarray in
these last
couple of
years.
Things we've
had to
postpone
or put
off.
Our plans
have often
had to
change,
but God's
plan hasn't
changed.
God's will
hasn't
changed.
God,
looking down
on us as
a people,
as nations
of the
world,
recognized
how far
away we
were going
from him,
and he
has brought
this upon
us to
bring us
back.
But have
we listened?
Job in the
Old Testament
says in
chapter 37,
verse 5,
God thunders
wondrously with
his voice.
He does
great things
that we
cannot
comprehend.
For to
the snow,
he says,
fall on
the earth.
Likewise
to the
downpour,
his mighty
downpour.
Everything
is within
God's grasp,
within God's
control.
The snow,
the downpour
of rain,
the wind,
everything that
happens,
his will
is dominant.
His will
will have
the final
word,
his will
be done.
Psalm 115,
another psalm
says,
but our
God is
in the
heavens.
He has
done
whatsoever
he hath
pleased.
God is
in control.
We need
not fear
because God
is in
control of
all things.
And our
greatest
reminder of
this is as
we look to
the Lord
Jesus Christ.
as a
world
looked on
as he
was
crucified,
they wondered
what was
happening.
The disciples
themselves
were questioning
what is
going on
here.
As we
look to
the cross,
our initial
reaction would
be, but
why God?
Why this?
Why did
he have to
die for
our sins?
Because
without the
shedding of
blood,
there is no
forgiveness
of sin.
God's
will,
God's
way,
God's
way to
salvation,
prepared
for his
people.
Jesus
himself
prayed in
the Garden
of Gethsemane,
not my
will,
but yours
be done.
May these
days teach
us not
to look to
ourselves
and to
our own
plans,
but to
seek the
will of
God in
all things,
to be
reconciled
to the
will of
God,
to pray,
Lord,
your
will be
done,
but to
pray,
Lord,
bless and
pity us.
Verse 11
shows us
that his
will is
determined.
The things
that occur in
this world,
while they're all
parts of God's
plan for the
ages,
nothing takes
place apart
from his
divine plan.
The counsel
of the Lord
stands forever,
the plans
of his
heart to
all
generations.
It's not
something that
often sits
comfortable with
people in
our day.
When we
struggle and
find it
hard, we
want to be
in control.
We want to
think that
our way is
best, but
the counsel
of the Lord
stands
forever.
Is that the
way you see
your life
playing out
just now?
Is that the
way we see
our nation
playing out
just now?
If it
isn't, we
may feel
scared of
what's
happening.
But the
truth is, we
need to
remember that
God is in
control.
God knows.
And isn't
it more
reason to
rejoice and
to be able to
praise God, to
know that he
is with us,
to know that
he will guide
us and help
us.
As verse 12
says,
blessed is the
nation whose
God is the
Lord.
the people
whom he has
chosen as
his heritage.
You are
blessed to
know God.
You are
blessed if
you are one
of his
chosen people.
When you
love the
Lord, you
are blessed.
And blessed
is the
nation whose
God is
the Lord.
There is so
much in
God's will,
but the
greatest thing
is this, it
is what we
are to
desire.
It is
what we
are to
desire.
The nation
is blessed
whose God
is the
Lord.
And when we
think of
Glasgow's
motto, it
took in
1631.
When you
think of how
Glasgow
flourished, it
was a small
fishing village
back in those
days in the
banks of the
River Clyde,
and how it
grew into a
thriving industrial
city, famous
throughout the
world for
shipbuilding,
Clyde built
was a word
that spoke
about quality,
things that
would last.
The city
became known
as the second
city of the
British Empire,
such was
prosperity and
power in those
days.
Where is it
now?
Where is our
nation now?
When we ask
ourselves these
questions and we
think of dropping
the motto and
just saying,
let Glasgow
flourish, but
there's no
answer.
How?
Where do we
go?
Except the
Lord build the
house, the
builders build
in vain.
We are to
return to the
Lord.
We have
abandoned God,
but God
calls his
people back.
Blessed is the
nation whose
God is the
Lord.
We need to
long for and
ask God for
his blessing
on us.
that his
will be
done, that
we see his
blessing.
Like Psalm
67, like
Psalm 85,
like the
Psalm itself
says, we
are to pray
for God to
revive us, to
restore us, to
rebuild us, to
bring us back
to himself.
Psalm 85, in
times past,
Lord, you
showed favor to
your own
beloved land.
God, your
Savior, now
restore us, is
the cry of the
Psalms.
will you
not again
revive us,
that we may
rejoice in
you.
God's will
is desirable.
It is what is
best for us,
because God
knows best.
So may his
word
fan our
flames, may
his will, may
we remind
ourselves that
he is in
control, that
his counsel
stands forever,
that we would
seek his
blessing.
then thirdly,
and finally, we
are reminded
here of too,
how God
watches over
us, and
how God is
so worthy
of all our
praise.
The Psalm
closes with the
assurance of
the worth of
God.
And when you
look at Psalm
verse 13, down
to the end,
it very much
speaks about how
the Lord is
looking on his
people.
The Lord
looks down
from heaven.
He sees the
children of
man, it
says in
verse 13.
And in
verse 18,
behold, the
eye of the
Lord is on
those who
fear him, on
those who
hope in
his steadfast
love.
His eyes
are on his
people.
He knows
our every
need.
He knows
our every
thought.
He knows
every motive
of our
heart.
He knows
everything there
is to know.
nothing is
hidden from
him.
And who
is comfortable
with that?
It's a
sobering
thought.
As the
children of
God, that
should be a
great comfort
to us.
He sees
all the
children of
man.
He sees
everyone.
Those who
are sitting
on thrones,
those who
are in
positions of
power,
those who
are kings,
who are
trusting in
their armies,
the warrior
who thinks
he'll be
delivered by
his great
strength.
All of
these he
sees.
But they're
not going to
be saved
in those
ways.
Because
verse 18
says,
behold,
the eye of
the Lord
is on
those who
fear him,
whose hope
is in
his steadfast
love.
He is
watching,
and he is
waiting for
his people.
He loves
his people.
He longs
for his
people to
find peace
with him
and is
watching.
He is
aware of
everything.
God
watches from
heaven.
He sees
people making
their plans.
He sees
the disarray
they often
end up in.
He sees
their efforts
to find
their own
way to
salvation.
And
sometimes we
might think
he forgets
us, but
he never
does.
He sees
it all.
One day
he is going
to judge
the wicked,
and he is
going to
judge the
just according
to their
works.
He looks
down and
sees it
all, and
we can take
great comfort
in that.
The eye
of the
Lord is
upon us.
And as
well as being
aware of
everything that
goes on,
he is
watching
with
affection.
I think
that's what
the psalmist
is saying
to us here
as well.
He is
watching his
people with
such great
affection.
His eye
is on those
who fear
him, that
he may
deliver their
soul from
death and
keep them
alive in
famine.
He's
showing his
affection towards
his people.
When you
look around
the congregation
in these
days, there
are a few
newlyweds in
our midst.
There are
a few
oldieweds in
our midst
as well.
When you
see newlyweds,
they often
look at
each other
with that
sense of
longing,
that sense
of love.
Thankfully,
as we grow
older,
hopefully that
affection still
stays.
You have
that look
of love
towards the
one you
love.
Well, God
is here
reminding us
of his
affection towards
us, the
way he
looks upon
us in
his steadfast
love, a
love that
never grows
cold, a
love that
never diminishes,
a love that
is fixed on
his children.
Our God
looks down
on us with
that love.
And when
you think
of the
way the
Lord Jesus
speaks,
in his
high priestly
prayer in
John 17,
or on the
cross, he
speaks with
such love
and affection
that we
might know
this love
for ourselves.
So the
Lord looks
down in
love on
us.
The question
tonight as we
conclude is,
how do we
look on
him?
Is our
love a
reciprocation
of his
love to
us?
We can
say, as
John says,
we love
because he
first loved
us.
But are we
showing that
love?
Do we
love him
with all
our hearts?
The
psalmist
here says,
our soul
waits for
the Lord.
He is
our help
and our
shield.
But our
heart is
glad in
him because
we trust in
his holy
name.
Is that
your love
tonight?
As we
look ahead
to these
days, to
hearing his
word preached,
to knowing his
will is done,
to knowing that
he is watching
us with
such love,
are we
reciprocating
that love?
I love
the Lord
because my
voice and
prayers he
did hear.
That's what the
psalmist says in
Psalm 116.
May that be
our love
too, that
we love
him with
all our
heart and
that we
will come
and show
that love
by coming
to the
Lord's
table,
by professing
his name
and by
showing forth
his death
until he
come.
And as the
psalm concludes,
may that be
our prayer
too.
Let your
steadfast love,
O Lord,
be upon us
even as we
hope in
you.
May we
hope in
him with
all our
heart and
look longingly
to him as
we seek his
blessing and
his favour
upon us.
May God
bless his
word to
us.
We're going
to sing
in conclusion
some of
these verses
from the
song.