December 1 – Room For God

        Psalm 10:4 – "In his pride, the wicked one does not seek God; in all his thoughts, there is no room for God." (NIV, 1973)

        This verse particularly stuck out at me as I was reading Psalm 10, which, by the way, is actually a continuation of Psalm 9, the combination thereof being a complete acrostic poem. The stanzas, of which, begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet. The particular phrase that caught my attention is "no room for God". It immediately reminded me of the Christmas story, in which we are told that there was "no room in the inn" for a pregnant Mary and her husband Joseph.

        What a sad commentary! To have no space in my head, in my mind, in my thoughts – all day – for the God who shows his kindness to me every day and fills my heart with joy (Acts 14:17). Of course, to those who do not believe in God, that way of living is an easy thing. If there is no God, why should I think of him?

      The phrase "no room for God" also made me wonder if the "original" Hebrew conveyed a slightly different meaning. The wording basically states that the wicked do not "seek" or look for God, because to them, he does not exist. Many of the English translations convey this thought of seeking God. Knowing that the NIV is a conceptual translation, it is not surprising that the translators used the phrase "no room for God in his thoughts". I find that phrase much more colorful and poignant, in contrast to the word seek, which is seldom used in common English speech. "Seek" is usually only used casually when we refer to "hide-and-seek". To state that I have no room, or space, or even time, for something conveys the thought that I have filled my mind or my life with other things, things of less importance, or things of no importance, or things for my own pleasure.

        God does want us to be filled with pleasure and joy in our activities, as referenced in the aforementioned verse from Acts 14. However, it is only by following his ways, being led by his Spirit, pursuing his pleasure, that our greatest joy can be found. Psalm 37:4 states, "Delight yourself in Yahweh, and he will give you the desires of your heart." That idea does not mean having a passing thought of God throughout your day. It means having much room in your mind, in your life, in your busy schedule, to learn of God's truth, ways, desires for us, and then to find great delight in walking in them.

        Like the old '50s TV show title, let's make room for Daddy in our lives.

December 28 – End of Plans

        Psalm 146:3, 4 – "Do not put your trust in princes, who cannot save. When their

spirit departs, on that very day, their plans come to nothing."

        As I was reading this Psalm one day, verse 4 really jumped at me from the page. It caused me to pause and think deeply of the word "plans". That sentence has quite an obvious meaning. When I die, my plans for me will certainly end, as my eternal

beginning starts. Also, in the context of the verse, the plans belong to rulers, leaders of the nation. We are commanded to not put all our eggs in the political basket (even

though one may work toward political goals). God is the only one in whom we should place our trust.

        Obviously, there are plans currently in motion, even by people who have already died. They saw that there were money and resources to keep their plans going, after their demise. This happens quite frequently by philanthropists of all kinds, whose trusts and charities have been developed to outlast their lifetimes. Compare this idea, however, with I Corinthians 2:6-8 – "We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age nor the wisdom of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. No, we declare God's wisdom, a mystery that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory." Now, the picture becomes clearer. If my plans do not align with God's plan in this world, they will certainly end in futility, because God's plans will be accomplished (Ps. 33:11).

        The contrary is also true. If I have devised plans that align with his ways and purposes, then God may bless those and allow them to be perpetuated for his glory and for the good of mankind. Read Acts 5:33-39 for an explanation of this concept by Gamaliel, a Sanhedrin council member who spoke in favor of, apparently, wisdom and temperance, when dealing with the newly-formed group of Christians. But I believe that he understood the broader picture of God's plan of salvation; so, he was actually speaking on behalf of God's plan.

         What do you plan to do today? Is it something selfish? Is it something to help another person? Is it something to further the kingdom of God? Are you planning for an eternal future with God?