Have you been around a newborn baby recently? If that little one was your own child or your grandchild, you probably just wanted to sit and rock him or her, studying every feature of that tiny face and soft skin, marveling in the miracle of the birth of this new little person. The reality is that “before you know it”, the months will pass and that little one will start crawling and then walking, babbling and then talking, and wanting to eat whatever it is that you are eating. It’s exactly what happened with Mary and Joseph, too. As Jesus grew up, there is no doubt that the ancient Israelite hymnbook, which we call the Psalms, was a big part of His life. He heard those ancient songs sung by His mother and father. He heard them in the temple and it wasn’t long before He had memorized many of them Himself. In fact, in His publlc ministry, He quoted more from those psalms than from any other book of the Bible. Timothy Keller, in his new daily devotional book, The Songs of JESUS, said “The Psalms help us see God—God not as we wish or hope Him to be but as He actually reveals Himself. The descriptions of God in the Psalter are rich beyond human invention. He is more holy, more wise, more fearsome, more tender and loving than we would ever imagine Him to be. The psalms fire our imaginations into new realms yet guide them toward the God who actually exists. This brings a reality to our prayer lives that nothing else can.” If Jesus valued the Psalms so much, wouldn’t you like to discover what they could mean to you in a new and more meaningful way?
You are invited to join us as we learn to experience one or two psalms each week beginning January 8, 2016. It’s a 10 week study. Use the study guides online or print them out so that they can be readily used at your convenience. The introductions for each lesson will be posted on Fridays and can be sent directly to your e-mail address if you subscribe – lower right hand side bar. Tell your friends!
