A Focus in the Midst of Change

Well, thank you for your welcome, not just this morning, but over the last couple of

weeks.

It's a great privilege and delight to be here with you as an assistant minister.

We seek God's blessing on our worship and our ministry together as we go forward.

Friday night was a lovely evening together, and again, thank you to all who were involved

in that and for your generosity towards us as a family as well.

We're going to begin our worship this morning by singing to God's praise in Psalm 1a, the

Sing Psalms version, Psalm 1a.

We're going to sing from verse 1 to 6, the whole of the psalm to the tune Creator.

Blessed is the one who turns away from where the wicked walk, who does not stand in sinners'

paths or sit with those who mock.

Instead, he finds God's holy law, his joy and great delight.

He makes the precepts of the Lord, his study day and night.

We'll sing the whole of this psalm to God's praise.

Let's sing the whole of the psalm to the psalm to the psalm.

CHOIR SINGS

CHOIR SINGS

CHOIR SINGS

CHOIR SINGS

CHOIR SINGS

CHOIR SINGS

CHOIR SINGS

CHOIR SINGS

CHOIR SINGS

CHOIR SINGS

CHOIR SINGS

CHOIR SINGS

CHOIR SINGS

In the air life, the child that's blown now me,

they will not stand when judgment comes,

or with the righteous thing.

It is the Lord who sees and knows the way the righteous flow,

that those who live an evil lie, the Lord will overthrow.

Let's throw an ear to God in prayer. Let us pray.

Our gracious Father in heaven, as we come and bow our heads before you as a holy and living God,

we thank you that the way is opened up for us to come and approach you in prayer,

to come offering our petitions before you, everything that is in our hearts, Lord, for ourselves as a people,

and for the world in which we live, and for your cause throughout this world.

We thank you that you are the creator of the heavens and the earth, and all that we see around us.

It is formed by the word of your power and by your finger, Lord.

We thank you that you have framed the world and the skies and the stars in it.

We thank you that everything that we see has your touch upon it,

and that even as a people, as we gather here, we recognize, too, that we are formed and made in your image and your likeness,

and that you have given us a great purpose in this world, to be your people and to worship you.

But we know, too, that as your word tells us, that we are a people who so often do wrong.

We are sinners. We fall short of your glory. We fail in your purposes so often.

But we thank you that your word directs our paths, and it leads us, Lord, to see the way to return through repentance,

through coming to you by faith, that you are the one who is able to forgive our sins,

and that you have made every provision for that, that you sent your own Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, into this world for sinners such as we are.

That he came to gather his people and to draw them to himself.

And we thank you that today and always that your spirit is working, that you are a God who is faithful, who is ever building his church.

We are reminded in your word that your kingdom comes and comes with power.

So we pray to know, Lord, your presence with us here today.

We remember those tuning in online as well.

We thank you that we offer up our praise and worship together, that we come with that great desire in our hearts to hear the living word,

to hear of a glorious Savior, the one who bore our sins on the cross.

And help us to focus on Jesus, to know him as a friend that stays closer than any brother, the one who is with us always, through the night and through the day, and through each and every day of our lives.

May we come to put our trust in him and to seek to walk closely with him.

We do thank you, Lord, for every reason of thanksgiving we have.

We thank you that every good and perfect gift is from above and from the one who changes not.

And so we thank you for your great faithfulness towards your people down through all the generations.

That you are a God who has brought your people through so many experiences, highs and lows.

As we look at your word, we are reminded so often of a people who have been blessed and a people who wander.

But we thank you for the Spirit that guides and who helps us and leads us.

We thank you for the way the gospel has come to our own land.

We see it today as such a great privilege that has been here, we think, always.

But we know it is a gospel that has come with great cost and a great price to many.

Many were persecuted.

Many gave their lives for your cause.

And help us to remember that and not to take things for granted.

For as we live in a world that is ever changing and there is animosity towards the gospel,

there are great challenges in our own day.

Help us that we will stand for your cause.

That we will look to you to pour out your blessing on this place, upon our islands, upon our nation and upon the world.

Lord, we thank you that all that seems impossible with us is possible with you.

And so may you guide us in all that we do and help us to know your strength and your blessing upon us.

We do thank you as we unite together as a congregation here that we are a praying people.

We thank you for all the prayers of your people over these past weeks and months.

We thank you, Lord, for the cause of your kingdom here.

For every ministry that has taken place up to this point.

And we thank you for every minister who has preached the gospel.

For all who have served in so many different ways.

And for all who continue to serve, Lord.

We pray your strength and your blessing upon us.

We thank you for the ministry of Reverend Kenny I.

McLeod.

And we thank you for him and his family.

We remember them today.

Giving thanks for their ministry here over many years.

And praying for him, Lord, as he is now in his retirement.

We pray that you will encourage him and strengthen him.

And particularly as a family at this time.

With his mother unwell.

With his mother unwell.

We pray, Lord, that you will guard them and be with them.

Surround them with your presence.

We do pray for all who need you in different ways.

We thank you that, although we may have little knowledge of one another at this point.

That you are a God who knows us all.

And that every need is known unto you.

We remember those who are unwell.

Especially in the midst of so much COVID going around our communities at this time.

We pray for your protection.

Your keeping upon us as a people.

For restoration and health.

For people to be able to get out once more.

And especially to be able to return to the place of worship.

We remember those with other illnesses.

Those in hospital.

Those in homes.

Those who are struggling in different ways.

In body and in mind.

And in soul.

We know the struggles are there so often.

And we pray, Lord, that we will be able to share one another's burdens.

And to be there for one another.

And to be able to call upon your name.

As the one who is able to help.

Remember those who mourn and grieve in our communities as well.

Near and far.

We thank you that you are a God of all comfort.

And may you, O Lord, bless and give help.

And strengthen all the times of need.

We thank you for reasons to give thanks as well.

Even in this past week.

We thank you for the wedding that took place on Thursday.

We do continue to pray for James and Marion.

In the outset of their marriage.

May you bless them.

May you be with them.

May you pour out your spirit upon them.

That they will know your great peace and blessing in their lives.

Bless their families too.

As we commit them to you.

Look after them, Lord.

And care for them as well.

So we thank you that in all things that we are able to look to you.

We thank you for our young people.

Thank you for the school holidays just now.

We pray your blessing on teachers and staff and children alike.

That you will refresh them over these days.

We thank you for all the young ones here.

For the work of Cresce and tweenies today as well.

We pray your blessing on them as well.

As they gather in a few moments.

So Lord, may you lead us in your word today.

May you remember us as a people.

And hear our prayers for your cause here.

Throughout our land.

For our leaders.

For our Queen.

And for all your church.

Throughout the nations of the world.

May your spirit be poured out.

In a great day of your favour.

And your blessing.

Forgive us our sins.

And continue with us now in our worship.

And throughout this day.

May we do all to your glory.

We ask it all in Jesus' precious name.

And for his sake.

Amen.

Well, it's good to see so many young people here today.

It's hard to find you in such a big crowd.

But I think you're scattered all over the church today.

But it's lovely to see you.

And I really look forward to getting to know you.

As we come to minister in your midst.

Now you may know my name.

James has introduced me and told you my name.

My name's Callum.

Or Callum Murdo as some people call me.

And it may be easy for you to remember one name.

But I've got to have a problem.

Because I'm going to have to remember lots of different names.

As I was saying on Friday night.

It's not one of my great strengths.

Remembering people's names.

So bear with me.

As I learn your names and learn about you.

And how do you learn about people?

What do you need to do to learn about people?

I wonder what you have to do.

Well, probably the easiest thing to do is to speak to people.

Isn't it?

Just to come up and to speak to people.

And to ask, what's your name?

How old are you?

Maybe don't ask Joanne that though.

She might not tell you the truth.

You never know.

But you get to know people by asking them questions.

And talking to them.

So I look forward to getting to know you in different ways.

And in different places.

Whether it's meeting you in the hall.

As we go through to have a cup of tea and some juice.

Or seeing you maybe in the school.

Or just meeting you out and about in different places.

I look forward to getting to know you all.

And indeed all the congregation here as well.

So as I said on Friday.

Just stop me at any time.

And come and speak to me.

But the great thing is that maybe when we don't know each other very well.

We can speak about someone who knows us all very well.

And we want to speak about who we read about in the Bible.

And how we read there about God.

And about what he has done for us.

How he knows everything about us.

Nothing's hidden from him.

He knows your name.

And sometimes that can be quite hard to imagine and understand.

But God knows your name.

And he knows everything about you.

One of my favorite Psalms in the Bible is Psalm 139.

And that Psalm tells us about the knowledge that God has about us.

He knows everything about us.

He knows our sitting down it says.

Our rising up.

He knows about everywhere we go.

And it doesn't matter where we go in the world.

Or how far away we might be from people we know and love.

He knows and is there with us.

Wherever we go he is with us.

It says in the Psalm.

Take eye the morning wings and dwell in utmost parts of sea.

Even there Lord shall thy hand me lead.

Thy right hand hold shall me.

It's a great promise in God's word there.

And that's our prayer for all the young people here.

Indeed all of us here today.

That we will get to know each other.

And get to know one another's names.

But above all that we'll remember the Lord.

Who knows our name.

And who knows everything about us.

And that we will come to delight together in getting to know him more and more.

As we get to know each other more and more.

May the Lord bless you always.

And look after you.

Each and every day as we get to know each other.

More and more in coming weeks.

Well we're going to share in the Lord's prayer together.

And say the Lord's prayer together.

You'll find it on the notice sheet there.

So I'll start us off.

And we all join in with the Lord's prayer.

Our Father which art in heaven.

Hallowed be thy name.

Thy kingdom come.

Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.

And lead us not into temptation.

But deliver us from evil.

For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory forever.

Amen.

Amen.

We'll sing again to God's praise now in Psalm 63.

And again it's in the Sing Psalms version of Psalm 63.

We're going to sing from verse 1 to verse 8.

And the tune is Weram.

O God you are my God alone.

I seek your face with eagerness.

My soul and body thirst for you in this dry weary wilderness.

We'll sing from verse 1 to verse 8.

We'll sing from verse 1 to 8.

To God's praise.

O God you are my God alone.

I seek your face with eagerness.

I seek your face with eagerness.

My soul and body thirst for you in this dry weary wilderness.

I seek your face with eagerness.

I seek your face with eagerness.

I seek your face with eagerness.

Your glory and the glory have my face.

Our nature is pure love of life.

And so my lips will sing your praise

I bless you, Lord, throughout my life

And raise my hands to you in prayer

My joyfulness will sing your praise

My soul is fed with riches here

Upon my bed I lie away

And in my thoughts remember you

I meditate throughout the night

And keep your constant love in you

Because you are my help alone

In shadow of your wings I sing

You hold me up with your right hand

To you, O God, my soul will cling

We'll turn together to read in God's word

in the book of Psalms

The book of Psalms and Psalm 37

Psalm 37

We're going to read from verse 1 down to verse 26

It's a psalm of David

Fret not yourself because of evildoers

Be not envious of wrongdoers

For they will soon fade like the grass

And wither like the green herb

Trust in the Lord and do good

Dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness

Delight yourself in the Lord

And he will give you the desires of your heart

Commit your way to the Lord

Trust in him and he will act

He will bring forth your righteousness as the light

And your justice as the noonday

Be still before the Lord

And wait patiently for him

Fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way

Over the man who carries out evil devices

Refrain from anger and forsake wrath

Fret not yourself

It tends only to evil

For the evildoers shall be cut off

But those who wait for the Lord

Shall inherit the land

In just a little while the wicked will be no more

Though you look carefully at his place

He will not be there

But the meek shall inherit the land

And delight themselves in abundant peace

The wicked plots against the righteous

And gnashes his teeth at him

But the Lord laughs at the wicked

For he sees that his day is coming

The wicked draw the sword and bend their bows

To bring down the poor and needy

To slay those whose way is upright

Their sword shall enter their own heart

And their bows shall be broken

Better is the little that the righteous has

Than the abundance of many wicked

For the arms of the wicked shall be broken

But the Lord upholds the righteous

The Lord knows the days of the blameless

And their heritage will remain forever

They are not put to shame in evil times

In the days of famine

They have abundance

But the wicked will perish

The enemies of the Lord are like the glory

Of the pastures

They vanish

Like smoke they vanish away

The wicked borrows but does not pay back

But the righteous is generous and gives

For those blessed by the Lord

Shall inherit the land

But those cursed by him

Shall be cut off

The steps of a man are established

By the Lord

When he delights in his way

Though he fall

He shall not be cast headlong

For the Lord upholds his hand

I have been young

And now I'm old

Yet I have not seen

The righteous forsaken

Or his children begging for bread

He is ever lending generously

And his children become a blessing

And so on

And may God bless that reading

From his word

Before we turn back

To look at that psalm

We're going to sing

Once again to God's praise

In Psalm 73

In the Scottish Psalter

Page

A316

Psalm 73

At verse 23

In this psalm we see

The psalmist

Perplexed by many things

Wondering about many things

That are going on around him

He feels that the Lord

Is so far removed from him

And he says in verse 21

My heart was grieved in me

And my reigns oppressed

But he says I was rude

And I was ignorant

And in thy sight a beast

Then at verse 23

There's this real turning point

In the psalm

Where he says

Nevertheless

Continually

O Lord

I am with thee

Thou dost me hold

By my right hand

And still

Upholdest me

We're going to sing

From verse

23

Down to the end of the psalm

To the tune

Tiverton

And still

Thou dost me hold

By my right hand

And still

And still

Abortest me

Thou with thy counsel

While I live

Build me conduct

And guide

And to thy glory

Afterward

Receive me

To the night

To the night

Up I in the heaven's sight

But thee

O Lord

Alone

And in the earth

Who I beside

Besides thee

There is none

My flesh

A heart

A faint

Unfail

But God

Doth fail

Me

Never

For

O my heart

God

God is the strength

And portion

Forever

For

Though they

That are

Far from thee

Forever

Perish

Shall

Then

That

Thou

Hold it

From

Thou

Thou

Thou

Thou hast

Destroyed

All

But

Surely

It is

To

For

Me

That

I

Draw

Here

To

God

Then

Lord

I

Trust

That

All

Thy

Words

I

May

Declare

The

Lord

Well if we can turn back to the reading we had in the book of Psalms in Psalm 37.

Our focus this morning is going to be on verse 1 to verse 9.

You can just read a few verses from the beginning.

Fret not yourself because of evil doers.

Be not envious of wrongdoers.

For they will soon fade like the grass and wither like the green herb.

The green herb.

Trust in the Lord and do good.

Dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.

Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart.

We live in a world that is ever changing.

We always have change around us in so many different ways.

I am sure every one of us as we look back over our lives we see and we reflect often on the changes that we have seen taking place.

Whether it is just looking at ourselves.

The changes in ourselves.

Or the changes in our communities.

The changes in our islands.

The changes in the church.

The changes in our nation.

The changes in our world.

Change is there all the time.

And some change is good.

Some change is always necessary.

But there are other times when change just seems to worry us and cause us great anxiety.

We look around our world today and I am sure we have so many questions about what is happening.

What is happening in our own islands.

What is happening in our nation.

What is happening in our world.

Where are we heading.

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his word that reminds us that there are times, even in the psalmist's life, when he had so many

questions of the Lord asking why or for how long are these things going to go on. We are surrounded

by change. And even today as I come to minister here, it is because of change. A change in our

own personal circumstances, a change for you as a congregation. And for us as a congregation now,

a change of ministry. Change is everywhere, but it's how we react in change and how we go forward

in the midst of change that is important. And that's what I want to reflect on from this psalm

together today. In this psalm, we see David reflecting in his own life and in the midst of all that he has

seen changing in his own experience and in the experience of God's people and in the experience

of the world around him. You read in verse 25 of this psalm, and it gives you an insight into the

stage that the psalmist is at. He says, I have been young and now I'm old, yet I have not seen the

righteous forsaken. David is able to look around in his old age and reflect on all the change that he

has seen. But in it all, he is able to take confidence and to take heart in the midst of all

of this change. As you read through this psalm, the theme from the outset is very clear where his main

concerns of change that he has seen is taking place. The opening verse tells us,

fret not yourself because of evildoers. Be not envious of wrongdoers. He's seeing the experience of God's

people and his own experience of life as so often where it seems that those who have no thought of

God, no interest in God or his ways, those who are committing evil and wrongdoings on a regular basis,

they're the ones that seem to be prospering. They're the ones who seem to be getting on well.

Whereas he may look on the lives of God's people and he will see many of them struggling. He's had his own

struggles and he's seeing others who are struggling in many different ways. But his response to this is

to call his people, God's people, to trust in the Lord. And he gives them a focus. And that focus

is on the one who changes not. And so as we come together today, that is where our focus needs to be.

As we look at the world around us or our own individual lives and all the anxieties, all the

worries we may have, we come to focus on the one who changes not and to go forward together with our

focus on him. There's a hymn that has this line in it that says, yesterday, today, forever, Jesus is the

same. All may change, but Jesus never. Glory to his name. To go forward with that in mind, Jesus the

same yesterday, today, and forever. He never changes that we may come to give glory to his name.

So in verse 1 to verse 9 here, David gives a number of commands for God's people to follow.

But there are four particular commands that he gives that give us a real sense of focus on the

Lord. So wherever we are, whatever stage of life we are at today, whatever we are doing in life today,

there is encouragement for us all to fix our eyes on the Lord and for Jesus to be our focus.

And David gives us four direct commands that focus our attention on the Lord today. And it's these four

commands I want us to think about briefly. There is the command to trust in the Lord. There is the command

to delight yourself in the Lord. There is the command to commit your way to the Lord. And there is the command

to be still before the Lord and wait on the Lord. So it's these four commands I want us to look at. First of all,

trust in the Lord.

The commands he gives are in light of the problems of an ever-changing world, where the wicked are

prospering. And what is the problem that that causes for God's people? Well, as David opens the psalm,

he reminds us, he tells us one of the greatest problems it gives to us. He says,

fret not yourself because of evildoers. Do not be jealous or envious of wrongdoers.

We can think of the word fret or fretting. And we think about maybe as being anxious or worried.

And as we look at a world where so much change is taking place and so much evil seems to be around,

and we think it makes us worried or anxious. But this word goes deeper than that. There is so much

more to this word. It's a stronger word than just being anxious or worried. At the root of this word

is anger, being angry. And it's an anger that is a burning hot anger, a rage, and a rage that consumes you.

Now, there are times when we are rightfully angry about what happens in this world. There is a righteous

anger. But there are other times when we can let anger consume us. And anger take our focus away

from the Lord. And often throughout this psalm, as you read through it, this is highlighted for us,

the danger of our anger consuming us. But even in our anger at what's happening,

God, David, by the word of God, is telling us, fret not. Don't let your anger consume you.

Because if you remain in an angry state, what does it do to you? It robs you of your joy. It robs you of

your peace. It can paralyze you. And you are not effective in anything that you are doing.

If you allow anger to consume you, it is not going to do you good. We can have a righteous anger

about what we see, but it's what we do with that. And that's what David is guiding us to here. We may

look around our own town here. We may look around our islands and all around us when we see change and

evil going on. We may look around our own. We may look around our own. We may look around our own.

But we don't want that anger to consume us. And that's the point that David is making here.

Fret not yourself because of evil. Don't be envious or jealous towards them because what it says,

they will soon fade away. But instead, he says, he gives us these commands. You as God's people,

in your anger, in your worries, in your concerns, look to the Lord. This is the antidote. It is to begin

by trusting in the Lord. Trust in the Lord and do good. Overcome evil by good, it says in another part

of Scripture. Don't let your anger distract from the work that you are to do for the Lord,

to go forward trusting in him. It is to walk by faith and not by sight. Even in our fretting,

even in our anger, we must remember that even though things appear in our vision to be going

completely out of control, that change may be hurting so many people, that God is in control.

We are to look through the eyes of faith and to remember God is still working out his eternal

purposes for us. We must learn to trust the Lord in all of life, to be angry but not consumed,

and go forward trusting in the Lord. Martin Luther, the great reformer, who was used by God in such an

amazing way to bring the church back in a right track. He spoke about what it meant to trust the Lord.

And he said this in his own life story. He said,

I have one preacher that I love better than any other on earth. And you may be expecting that this

would be some man who's preaching God's word. Well, it wasn't. He said, I have one preacher that I love

more than any other. It is my little tame robin, a little bird. And he said, this bird preaches to me

daily about what it means to trust. He said, I put crumbs out of my windowsill, especially at night.

And every day, day after day, this bird will come and hop on the windowsill when he wants his food.

And he takes as much as he wants. He satisfies his hunger. And then he'll go and he'll hop up on the

tree. And he'll lift his head and he'll start tweeting away as if he's praising God for all his

goodness. And then he'll put his head down under his wing and go to sleep. And with no worry for what

tomorrow will bring, because tomorrow will take care of itself. And he says, is that how we are not to be

with God? That God will supply our every need on a daily basis. Tomorrow will take care of itself.

So don't let your anger consume you. Don't let your anger take away and distract you from trusting in

the Lord first and foremost. In an ever-changing world, do we have that trust? David, in his old age

and learned experience, has learned he needs to trust the Lord. Just like the book of Proverbs says

in chapter 3, trust in the Lord with all your heart. So instead of letting anger burn and consume you,

may it turn us instead to hearts like those who met with Jesus on the road to Emmaus, hearts that are

burning for the Lord, rejoicing in the Lord and trusting the Lord. So that's the first command then,

trust in the Lord. The second command is delight in the Lord. Trust is more than just words, it's action.

It's showing our faith in action. That's why David progresses here from trust to delight. Delight

yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart. Again, verse 1 speaks about

those who are prospering in life, but with all the wrong motives and no thought of God. And it highlights

for us how easy it is to be jealous, how easy it is to look on these people and think, well, if only I was

like that, if only I had that in my life. But it's only temporary. Are you envious? Are you jealous of what

others have in life without God when they seem to be getting on so well? Do you ever think, why am I

struggling as a Christian? Why does nothing ever seem to go right in my life? These people who don't

even trust God, everything is going right for them. My life could be so much different. Maybe I should

just go the way that they have gone. But they are rejoicing. They are delighting in something that is

only temporary. It will go. It will pass. But David is saying here, delight yourself in the Lord.

That is what will keep you. That is what will help you go on. That is what will give you a focus

going forward. Delight yourself in the Lord. He will give you the desires of your heart. He will give you

not just what you may think you want. He will change your desires. He will focus your desires

to desire what is good and what is right. You'll be familiar with maybe giving three cheers to people.

Maybe if you're at a birthday party or a wedding, sometimes they offer up three cheers for the

individual or for the couple. It's about rejoicing with them, being happy with them. Well, a preacher

once told his congregation of the three cheers of Christ and the reasons to delight in him. And he was

reading from the King James Version, which uses the words cheer in the three different texts. And he

says the three cheers of Christ are this, the cheer of forgiven sin. It says, be of good cheer. Thy sins

are forgiven. Jesus' words. He said it also tells us of the cheer of companionship. Be of good cheer.

Again, it is Jesus saying these words. It is I. Be not afraid to the disciples when they were afraid.

And it's the third cheer was this, the cheer of victory. Jesus said, be of good cheer. I have

overcome the world. And he went on to say these three cheers cover the whole of life. They deal

with our past, our present, and our future. The sins of the past forgiven. The fellowship of Christ

Christ is there in the present. And in the future, all will be revealed in the victory of Christ.

The three cheers that we have in Christ. The reasons that we have to delight even a world that is ever

changing. That in Jesus we have one who is able to forgive our sins. In Jesus we have one who is ever

with us who is always faithful. And the cheer of victory that he has overcome the world. So what does

your heart delight in today? Are you envious? Are you jealous? Are you thinking, oh, things could be so

much better, so much different if I just went along with the ways of this world? David is saying, no,

delight yourself in the Lord. Anything else is temporary. Again, Jesus says in Matthew 6,

do not lay up for yourselves treasure on earth where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and

steal. But lay up for yourselves treasure in heaven where neither moth nor rust destroys, where thieves

do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Let us go forward, not envying or jealous of others in the world who are without God,

but instead delighting in the Lord. That is the second command we have.

The third command we see here then is to commit your way to the Lord. In verse 5,

trust in him and he will act. Commit your way to the Lord. And again, you see there's a progression

here all the time. When you look at the picture of the psalm of the wicked prospering,

the idea is that instead of worrying and fretting, what are we to do? We are to commit your way to the

Lord. And what does this mean? Well, the word commit here means rolling something onto something else.

If you're struggling to lift something or to carry something, you maybe roll it into a wheelbarrow,

and that will help you carry it. If it's a bigger thing, you might put it onto a trailer that's going

to carry it for you. You commit it to something else. You roll it onto something else. And so here,

David is saying to us, commit, roll all your burdens, your ways to the Lord. Trust him and he will act.

You see, the Lord doesn't want us to carry our burdens by ourselves. Jesus tells us in the New

Testament to come to him, come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Roll yourselves onto me. Commit yourselves to me. In 1 Peter, he tells us, cast your burdens on the Lord,

for he cares for you. Again, it's just this idea of committing everything to God, rolling everything

onto him. Commit your way to the Lord. Trust in him and he will act. We don't bear these burdens

by ourselves. We have a God who cares and commands us to bring our burdens to him. As we heard on Friday

evening in the service, we are in partnership with God. He is with us. And we are in partnership with

one another. We carry one another's burdens too, and we commit all our burdens to the Lord. We are to

trust in him. We bring our burdens together as a people in worship and in prayer. And beyond that,

we look at everything that we want to do as a congregation and are doing as a congregation.

And we want to roll it all onto God, to commit all of our ways to him and to see that he will act.

Whether it's youth work or counseling work, whether it's the different groups that meet in the church

throughout the week, whether it's the church opening when there's a cruise ship in or when the

heb-kelt festival, whether it's visiting or fellowship, whatever we are doing, we are to commit our way

to the Lord. You know, we could ask ourselves, are we where we want to be?

Are we where we want to be as a congregation? I hope our answer would be no, that we would never be

satisfied with where we are. While there are lost people, while there are perishing people around us,

our work is never finished. We are to be active in the work of the Lord and committing our ways to

the Lord, trusting him that he will act. We are to have the heart of Isaiah, who as the Lord was looking

for those who would serve him, what did he say? He said, here am I, Lord, send me. There is work to be

done. There is a commitment to the Lord. And let us all have that heart to say, Lord, here am I, send me.

And as we have that heart, we see that as we trust in him, it says, he will act.

God will act. It's not just about what we want to come to pass, but more importantly,

what the Lord wants. Does the Lord want just a few to be saved? No, the Lord wants everyone to be saved.

Do we? Is that our desire? Is that our longing as we minister together? Does God want us to struggle

in the work each year and find it just a burden all the time? No, he wants us to prosper in the work so

we can do more. Do we? Is that our desire as we seek to go forward in the ministry together?

Would God just want us to look after what we have and to be satisfied with that? No. He wants us to go

to all the people, all the nations. Do we? If we have a vision for the church here in Stormy and indeed

further afield as we support and encourage many different ministries to go forward,

can we say, are we there? Are we finished? No. We commit our way to the Lord. We roll all of our

burdens onto the Lord and we trust he will act. It would be easy to look at the change that we see

around us in these days and be satisfied. COVID restrictions are easing, even though it's so

prevalent in our midst. The assistant role is filled. There have been new members recently at a

communion. There have been a number of baptisms and there's a couple to come yet. Be easy to think,

it's been good, it's been nice, job done. It's never job done. It's unfinished and ongoing.

And in this change we seek to commit our ways to God, trusting that he will act.

The final thing, and just briefly we take from this, is that we are to wait on the Lord. In verse 7

and verse 9 you have that command, be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him. And then verse 9,

for the evildoers shall be cut off, but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land.

You may think that this is where we should start. Wait on the Lord. But David shows us here a

progression and a path to follow. If we are, as we began, as we saw in verse 1, fretting, angry about what

we are seeing around us, angry about the lack of interest in the gospel, angry about the evil in

this world, if we are fretting about all of these things, have you ever tried to pray when you're

angry? How difficult it is to pray when there's this burning anger in your heart. If we are angry

in all the changes that are taking place around us, we need to find a place where we bring that anger.

And that is to the Lord.

Vengeance is mine, says the Lord. He will deal.

What we are to do is to trust,

to delight,

to commit,

and to wait

on the Lord.

To wait on the Lord

is to know and believe

that He is sovereign,

that He is ruling,

that He works all things together for good

for those who love Him

and are called according to His purpose.

Somebody once said,

true patience

is waiting without

worrying.

We are anxious.

We are fearful about the world

that we live in.

But we remember

this is God's world.

And that He uses all things

for the good of His people.

There are difficulties in life.

There are challenges in life.

You see it in the Old and the New Testament.

You see it in the experience of God's people

always.

There are challenges.

There are things that are hard.

But as David said

in Psalm 73,

even in his own questions

and wondering and asking why,

where did his focus come

to trusting and waiting on the Lord?

Nevertheless, he said continually,

O Lord, You are with me.

To get to that place

of being still

and waiting on God

is to follow David's path here.

To trust God

with all our heart.

To delight in Him.

To commit our plans to Him

and let Him carry our cares

and concerns.

Then,

we will be able to be still

and wait

on the Lord.

We are always

in the midst

of change.

But let's remember the one

who changes not.

The one who is the same yesterday,

today,

and forever.

To look around us

and to see

the changes

that we have seen.

And yes,

in our anger about it,

not to let that anger

consume us,

but instead

to go forward

with our focus

on the Lord.

trusting,

delighting,

committing,

and waiting

on Him.

May God's Word

always guide us

and help us

to that end

that we may see

His blessing

upon us.

Let us pray.

Our Father,

in heaven,

we do rejoice

in Your Word.

A Word that

stills us,

a Word that

helps us

to recognize

our own issues,

to recognize

our own anger

in so many circumstances.

But above all,

to see where we bring

that anger,

to where we bring

those concerns,

to bring it to You

as the Lord

and God

who is sovereign

over all.

And may we come

to trust in You

and delight in You

and commit our ways

to You

and to wait upon You

that we would see

Your goodness

over us

and Your blessing

upon us.

For we ask it

in Jesus' name.

Amen.

Let's sing together

in conclusion

and to God's praise

in the psalm.

We've been looking at

Psalm 37

in the Scottish

Psalter version.

Psalm 37

at verse 3

said,

Thou thy trust

upon the Lord

and be thou doing good

and so thou in the land

shalt dwell

and verily have food.

We'll sing

verse 3 to 7

to the tune

Grafenberg

and we stand

to sing.

Psalm 37

at verse 3

and be thou doing good

and so thou in the land

shalt dwell

and reverie have food.

Give my thyself

and God yield him

thy heart's desire

to lead.

Thy way to God

form it in trust

it bring to God

shall he

and thy path

unto the light

he shall

thy righteousness

display

and he thy judgment

shall be forth

thy gloom

tide of the day

rest in the Lord

and patiently

wait for him

to not pray

for him

who cross

bring him

his way

such as

his sin

God gave

after the benediction

I'll go to the

main door

if you give me

a wee minute

to get out

we'll close

with the benediction

now may grace

mercy

and peace

from God

Father

Son

and Holy Spirit

rest upon

and abide

with us all

now and forever

more

Amen

I'll go on

let is怎麼樣

remembered