Different Perspectives

- Pastor Daniel Garrison

“…search your hearts and be silent. Offer the sacrifices of the righteous and trust in the LORD.” - Psalm 4:4-5 (NIV)

The Word of the LORD is a fantastic thing. A single verse can encourage one person and bring conviction to another. It can bring peace to one heart and provide the necessary motivation for another. It points my mind back to verses and concepts like, “The Word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and spirit … and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” With that in mind, let’s look at two sections of scripture that are special to me.

Psalm 4:4-5. King David wrote this passage. He encourages us to search our hearts and be SILENT, which can be considered a sacrifice of a righteous person. How nice. We need only be silent and let God speak to us. Our listening ears, so to speak, are a righteous sacrifice to Him.

Ecclesiastes 5:1-2. King Solomon, David’s son, wrote this passage. He encourages us to go near to God to LISTEN rather than offer the sacrifice of fools who don’t know they do wrong. Ouch! You’re telling me that less gets accomplished when I pray to God? Our monologues, so to speak, are what fools offer to Him. Rough.

The first observation is that the principles instilled by a righteous, God-fearing father to his son stuck; that’s encouraging right off the bat. The second observation is that they both say the same thing: be silent before the LORD. After all, God tends to have better things to say when addressing the issues of our lives. His thought process and plans tend to be better than ours (heavy sarcasm implied). The third observation is that though these verses say the same thing, how do you need God to speak to you now? King David encourages and shows you what to strive toward. King Solomon gives you a swift kick and steers you away from less productive behavior.

To be honest, we need both perspectives. I love an excellent encouragement just as much as I respect a hearty challenge. Thank God He knew that different seasons of our lives require different motivations.

Make a Difference:

Before the LORD, pray, “God, I’m here to listen. You know what’s on my heart. Please speak to me what You know I need to hear, in Jesus’ name.”

As You Read:

Allow God’s word to correct you and encourage you. You’ll be reading Psalm 4 this week, but every scripture can help you become a better person and more like Jesus Christ.