Persecution and Isolation Have Taken Turns: Psalm 86
The norm of a life of faith – for both the psalmist but also for us – is to be besieged by the pursuit of the proud and the strong. Those of us who are Chinese Christians and often experience persecution for our faith feel immediate empathy for the author of this passage.
Refuge in the Locked-Down City: Psalm 55
The locked-down city is full of lies, sins, oppression, and violence. Where is my refuge? How can I rest in peace? Where is the salvation of my countrymen, of my country?
Blessing Comes from Zion: Psalm 128
Those who do not have families or children can freely enter the family made up of the bloodline of Jesus… We no longer have a narrow, nationalistic worldview, because our hope is not in this earthly kingdom. Through Jesus, we have entered God’s kingdom, a kingdom where Jesus reigns.
Hearts United With the People of Ukraine
We are able to see your kingdom within Ukraine tonight. Your love, your truth, and your servants are present in the midst of all of the chaos, killing, and lies. In the darkest of situations, you, God, have awakened the hearts of the people.
In His Fortress: Psalm 34
God calls us to fear him, and, amazingly, it is fear of God that ends all fears. Our fortress, built on the solid cornerstone of Christ, is personally protected by the Sovereign King…We are already in his fortress and under his protection. He is our great Shepherd, who lives among us.
How I Prayed for Character
We are not asking God for the impossible when we ask him to grant his character to his people. When we ask God to graciously grow character in Chinese Christians, we can in the same moment rejoice, because he has already given every believer his character by giving us Christ.
Fret Not Yourself Because Of Evildoers: Psalm 37
We must know we are not righteous, but wicked, before we can be justified by faith in Christ and move from the camp of the wicked to that of the righteous. Only when we read this Psalm again, in the position of those who are clothed in Christ’s righteousness, will God’s exhortation to us through David be truly meaningful.
A Song of Joyful Repentance: Psalm 51
True repentance begins with sorrow, but ends with joy and praise. Sorrow for sin and joy for salvation are intertwined with each other as the defining characteristic of Christian life. In traditional Chinese culture, repentance ends with moral correction. But for the people of God, repentance ends with rejoicing and praise.
The Culture of the Kingdom of Heaven: A Reflection on Psalm 15
The kingdom of heaven has been here since Jesus’s incarnation…The church is the embassy and outpost of the kingdom of heaven, a part of the territory of heaven. Members of the church are ambassadors of the kingdom. Psalm 15 should first reflect every church member, and the culture of Psalm 15 should become the culture of the church.
A Truly Blessed Life: A Reflection on Psalm 1
Even as I write, guns rumble in Ukraine and bullets shatter the ordinary lives of families and their hopes of eternal happiness. Violence and persecution continue to hurt brothers and sisters. Heartbreak and desolation occur in every corner of the world. Can our hearts still touch happiness? Yes! Indeed!
