On the Couch With God - Daily Devotional

Bible Reading - Psalm 134 In the final song of ascents, the pilgrim disciple has finally arrived at their destination: the Temple in Jerusalem, the place of God’s presence with His people. Having worshipped the Lord at the Temple, the pilgrim calls others to bless the Lord and then receives a blessing as well! As sojourners on the earth, we too are on a journey to the place of the Lord’s presence with His people. We have His presence with us now via the Holy Spirit, but we journey toward a destination where He will dwell with us fully and completely, where we will experience the fullness of His glory and worship Him forever! As you journey along today, let this psalm remind you of the immensity of the blessing that is God’s presence with His people, and let it fill you with great joy in the hope of the eternal future with Him that is still to come! ON THE COUCH WITH GOD How does the hope of being in the direct presence of God for all of eternity encourage you to bless His n

Bible Reading - Psalm 133 This psalm pictures the pilgrim disciples gathered together to worship at Jerusalem in total solidarity and unity. The pilgrim sings this song to be reminded of the joys and the blessing that come from a unified community of the Lord’s people, and it is an ideal to which the church is called as well! The psalmist uses two similes to describe the blessing that comes from this kind of unity among God’s people. The first is the oil on Aaron the priest’s head at his ordination (Ex. 30:22-33). This oil set him and his descendants apart, consecrating them as holy. In the same way, unity in the body of Christ sets us apart as holy as we live in the world but are not of the world! The second simile is of the “dew of Hermon” (v.3), a mountain in the far south of the land of Israel. The rains the psalmist is here describing were essential for the survival of Israel’s vegetation during the dry season. In the same way, unity among brothers and sisters in Christ is

Bible Reading - Psalm 132 This is a royal psalm in which the pilgrim disciple expresses confidence in the Lord’s faithfulness to his covenant with David. They would sing this song, saying outright that they were on their way to Jerusalem to worship (v.6-7), and ask the Lord to fulfill His purpose in His people. They reflect on the promises that God made to David (v.11-12) and rejoice in the hope that He will restore the Davidic line (v.17-18). As we reflect on this psalm, we remember that God’s promises to David were fulfilled in the person and work of Jesus Christ! Jesus is our Davidic King; He has clothed His priests with righteousness and salvation, His saints with joy; He has made His dwelling place (the church) to prosper! This psalm is a testament to the faithfulness of God to His promises. Every one of His promises to His people are yes and amen in Jesus Christ. Let’s celebrate that truth and trust Him in every circumstance as we worship Him! ON THE COUCH WITH GOD Ho

Bible Reading - Psalm 131 This is a psalm simply expressing joy and contentment in the presence of God! The pilgrim worshipper is reminded and reminds his companions of the rest and the delight that are to be found simply by being in the presence of the Lord. The psalmist begins with expressions of humility, saying that he is not proud or arrogant nor does he occupy his time attempting to understand things beyond his comprehension. The psalmist knows well his own limitations but, just as a weaned child is content merely with the presence of its mother (v.2), he is content merely to be in the presence of the Lord! This contentment and posture of heart towards God is reason for all of God’s people to have hope! How many of us waste our time seeking to gain things we will never obtain, be fulfilled in things that will never fulfill, or understand things we will never understand? This song is a reminder and an invitation to simply rest and delight in God’s presence! There is hope a

Bible Reading - Psalm 130 This psalm is a song of penitence for sin and confidence in the sufficiency of God’s mercy. The pilgrim disciples on their way to worship remind themselves with this song that the only right they have to enter God’s presence at all lies in His mercy and grace towards them. We are no different than they in this regard! This psalm represents the movement from brokenness and conviction over one’s own sin to confession of that sin, and finally to confident hope in the Lord’s promises of mercy towards His people. Because God is a God of forgiveness and grace, we can always run to Him and not away from Him when we have stumbled and fallen into sin! The psalmist expresses an eagerness to worship the Lord and receive His mercy that surpasses the longing a watchman who had been standing at his post all night would have for the morning to come (v.6). This eagerness to be in the presence of God and to worship Him among His people should characterize every believe

Bible Reading - Psalm 129 In this psalm the pilgrim disciple recalls the faithfulness of the Lord, that He has not allowed Israel’s many oppressors and enemies to ultimately prevail over them. He then turns and asks God that no such oppressor would ever prevail over Israel but would instead be put to shame in their purposes against God’s people. This is the story of God’s people! There are many who have come against the church throughout the course of history. Though it is easy for us to not see it in our culture and context, there are many in the world coming against God’s people even now, and there will yet be more in the future. We may be afflicted, but we have assurance that they will not prevail against us in the end. Victory is ours in Jesus Christ because He has gone before us and has already conquered! The Lord is righteous and He has set us free from the oppression of the wicked. Let’s rejoice in that fact and remind ourselves of this victory no matter what may come ag

Bible Reading - Psalm 128 This is a wisdom psalm which presents us with the blessedness of all people who fear the Lord and walk in His ways. The pilgrim worshipper sings this song as a reminder both to himself and to others of the divine blessing that comes from living in the blessed way which God has called us to! In the song the psalmist paints a picture of the man who fears the Lord having an aura of divine blessing which surrounds both his work and his family. Not only is the man himself blessed, but the land he works is blessed with fruitfulness and his family is blessed too! The ending of the song extends the reach of this blessing even further: the psalmist proclaims a blessing asking that all of God’s people might walk in this way and experience this blessing, which would lead to prosperity for Jerusalem and peace for Israel. The blessing that the individual experiences as a result of fearing the Lord and walking in His ways extends to his work, his family and his enti

Bible Reading - Psalm 127 This psalm expresses the idea that, apart from the Lord’s providence, all human effort is in vain. The pilgrim worshipper reflects on the fact that, though His people are certainly required to be diligent in their work, they must also do it in faith. Apart from the Lord making our efforts useful and beneficial, all human effort is ultimately pointless. Verse 2 paints a picture of a man working tirelessly and anxiously to establish his efforts, yet it is clear that all his efforts are vain because they are not done in faith. In contrast, the Lord gives rest to those He loves; to practice diligence in faith means to rest when rest is needed rather than anxiously toiling away, to trust in the Lord to provide for us instead of bending over backwards in our efforts to provide for ourselves. This is why God commanded the Sabbath for His people: to cease from work and rest for an entire day is an act of faith in God’s provision! We need this reminder today as

Bible Reading - Psalm 126 In this psalm the pilgrims recall a past time when the Lord showed His mercy on His people, restoring their fortunes, and plead with Him to do a similar work in their own day! They speak of how they could hardly believe the way that the Lord had come through for them (v.2), and how this act of mercy and restoration even acted as a witness to the surrounding pagan nations (v.3)! The psalmist then asks the Lord to restore their fortunes once again as He had done in the past. He asks for the Lord to bless the year’s harvest so that weeping will turn into shouts of joy (v.5)! The church has seen the Lord move in powerful ways to bring revival, renewal, and restoration throughout its history. We have every reason to cry out to the Lord to do it again and, in so doing, to ask in confidence and faith that He will respond! God has been faithful and merciful in the past, and because of that we have every reason to trust that He will do so in the present and i

Bible Reading - Psalm 125 In this song the pilgrim worshipper declares his confidence in the Lord’s protection and vindication towards His faithful ones. He envisions the Lord surrounding His saints as a high wall would surround a fortified city and affirms that He will never cease to protect them in this way. The psalmist expresses trust that the Lord will not allow the unrighteous to rule over His people forever, whether the “scepter of wickedness” (v.3) is in reference to a foreign power or a wicked king in Jerusalem itself, and looks forward with confidence that the Lord will one day “do good…to those who are good” (v.4), but “lead [the unrighteous] away with evildoers” (v.5). God calls His people throughout history to entrust themselves to His care and to His absolute rule whenever they are under the oppression of unjust rulers. For us this can take many forms: wicked men and women in power over our nation, unjust people with power over our communities, and even corrupt lead

Bible Reading - Psalm 124 This is a song of thanksgiving because of the victory the Lord has given His people, the deliverance He has shown them when there should have been none! The pilgrim journeying to worship in Jerusalem celebrates the Lord’s deliverance from what was a seemingly hopeless situation. He expresses that they would have perished if it had not been for the Lord, but the Lord was with them and for them, and the Lord made a way! This is the story of every one of God’s children. Our situation was hopeless; separated from God, dead in our sins, following the prince of the power of the air, under God’s just wrath with no way to change our situation. But God stepped in and made a way for us through Jesus Christ! “At just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.” (Romans 5:6 NIV) Now we have been delivered and set free, just as the psalmist expresses in verses 6-7. We have been given the victory in Christ not because of anything we ha

Bible Reading - Psalm 123 Psalm 123 is a psalm of waiting on the Lord, waiting on His mercy and deliverance. This song envisions a scenario in which the pilgrim worshippers are enduring the scorn and contempt of the proud, those who are at ease. Whether these references are meant towards the unfaithful in Israel itself or the unbelieving Gentiles is unclear, but throughout history God’s people have, more often than not, been objects of ridicule and scorn from those in power. This psalm is simultaneously a plea for God’s mercy to be demonstrated towards His people and a confident declaration of faith that it will. The psalmist writes in verse 2 “so our eyes look to the LORD our God, till he has mercy on us” (emphasis mine). There is no question as to whether or not God is going to show mercy on His people; it is only a matter of time! This is a great comfort and joy to all God’s people who feel the weight of injustice, oppression, ridicule and scorn against them. We can and shou

Bible Reading - Psalm 122 If Psalm 120 is a song of departure, this is a song of arrival! The pilgrim recalls his gladness when his companions invited him to come to Jerusalem to worship with them, and now he celebrates that the long journey is over and they have arrived! He marvels at the beauty of the city and prays for the peace and the unity which exist there to continue and to increase. This psalm is a reminder of the great joy, blessing, and gift that is corporate worship. The psalmist cannot contain his joy and wonder at having arrived in the city where God dwells among His people, at having arrived to worship the Lord! There is a peculiar beauty, glory, and hopefulness when God’s people gather together to worship Him. If this was true of the nation of Israel, how much more is it true of the church! There is a very real glory which is so easy to miss when we gather together in the name of Jesus to give Him praise! The Lord is present with us in a special way when we come

Bible Reading - Psalm 121 This psalm is a song of confidence in the provision and protection of the Lord as the pilgrim makes his way to Jerusalem to worship. The traveler was discontent with the brokenness, deceit, and hostility which surrounded him in Psalm 120, and yearned to go and be in the presence of God; now he expresses his confidence in the Lord to protect him from the dangers of the road as he journeys to Jerusalem! He begins with looking up to the hills. The hilltops were the so-called “high places” where idols were worshipped in the land of Canaan. As the pilgrim looks around at these places of idolatry, he remembers that his help does not come from a mere statue made of wood or metal, but from the Lord who made heaven and earth! The pilgrim’s confidence in God’s protection and provision as he makes his way to Jerusalem is based in God’s character and faithfulness. God’s providence for His faithful ones is absolute because His authority and power are absolute. The

Bible Reading - Psalm 120 For the next weeks we will be reading through the Psalms of Ascent. The Psalms of Ascent are a collection of 15 psalms (Psalms 120-134) that pilgrims would sing on their way up to Jerusalem to worship. These songs are meant to instruct and prepare the hearts of the traveler to worship the Lord! As sojourners and aliens in this world, we too need to have our hearts prepared for and instructed in the worship of our God. Let’s meditate on these psalms and allow the Spirit of the Lord to move us to true worship as we seek Him together! As the first psalm in this collection, this psalm is a sort of “leaving song”, representing the beginning of the pilgrim’s journey to Jerusalem! The psalmist recalls the past faithfulness of the Lord as an encouragement to cry out to Him once more, and then launches into a lament of his present circumstances. He mourns that he is surrounded by a culture filled with lies and deceit, that he is living among people who love war a

Bible Reading - Mark 16 If you have been through the demise of a beloved parent or grandparent, or experienced the tragedy of losing a child, you would know that the death of someone you love can bring great grief. This was probably how the women who followed Jesus felt. They had experienced His power and kindness. They had heard His amazing teachings. They loved Him as their Teacher and Lord. They were crushed by His death. Three days after Jesus’ crucifixion, the women went to His tomb to prepare His body for a dignified burial. To their shock, they met an empty tomb and a strange being who declared that Jesus was no longer dead. Jesus has risen and is alive! You would think that the women would be relieved or happy to have Jesus back. Instead, they ran away and kept quiet, for they were greatly puzzled and afraid (v8). They were not the only ones who struggled to believe that Jesus has risen. Even His disciples rejected the testimonies of those who had seen the resurrected

Bible Reading - Mark 15:33-47 Hanging on the cross with the sins of all mankind upon Him, Jesus cried out to God. Spurned by the very people He came to save, He drew His last breath and died (v37). Jesus was determined to save us from sin even though it would literally kill him. Why the need to go to such extreme measures? Why did Jesus have to die? The answer is righteousness. God is holy and just – He cannot tolerate sin and rightfully punishes those who persist in it. When we sin, we deserve God’s anger and are unworthy to have a relationship with Him. Yet out of mercy, God does not want to leave us like that. He wants to cleanse us of sin so that we can be with Him. Sin is dirty. Just as a single ink blot mars a clean sheet of paper, so sin stains our life. Just as carelessly discarded waste chokes up a drain, so sin pollutes our relationship with God and obstructs our access to Him. Sin is deadly. Many trivialize sin to a harmless wrongdoing or a joke. However, the Bib

Bible Reading - Mark 16:16-32 Were you ever wrongfully accused of something you did not do? Or humiliated by family members, classmates or supervisors though you were innocent? How did you feel? Do these experiences still haunt you today? Jesus understands how it feels like to undergo verbal abuse. If words could kill, He might have died many times. After His disciples deserted Him, Jesus was left alone to face the insults and ridicule of men. Soldiers mocked Him insolently (v16-20) and passers-by sneered at Him while He hung on the cross (v29-30). The Jewish religious leaders taunted Him for saving others but not Himself. Even the two robbers crucified alongside Him piled on insults (v31-32). Jesus was disrespected and mocked by people from all levels of society, from the high and mighty Jewish leaders to the lowly and disgraced criminals. The verbal barbs hurled at Him did not diminish Jesus’ resolution to go to the cross for mankind. He even forgave those who hurt Him. W

Bible Reading - Mark 14:53-15:15 Hardly anything is more surprising than an underdog beating a frontrunner in a competition. Rarely is a match more exciting than a losing team scoring a hat trick and claiming victory in the end. Jesus, with his normal appearance and gentle spirit, looked like the underdog who was up against the powerful political and religious leaders of His day. As He stood before the Jewish leaders and Roman authorities on trial, many gave false testimonies in desperate attempts to pin a crime on Him. Though no evidence of wrongdoing was found (14:55-56), Jesus was wrongly accused of blasphemy (14:64) and sentenced to death by crucifixion (15:15), a capital punishment that was highly cruel and humiliating. What a terrible injustice! Was Jesus defeated by His opponents? Had He succumbed to their evil schemes? Absolutely not! The truth is that Jesus willingly endured suffering out of surrender to God the Father, not to men. Jesus chose to fulfil God’s plan wh

Bible Reading - Mark 14:27-52 If you had to give up a promotion at work because you refused to make unethical decisions, would you still choose to honour God at the workplace? If you had to score worse in a project because you refused to cheat, would you still stand firm on godly values? If people you love were to cut ties with you because of your faith, would you still follow Christ? Choosing to obey God can cost us our achievements, resources and relationships. Understandably, we struggle with discomfort, disappointment and discouragement. Jesus knows how that feels like. Facing impending death, He experienced the betrayal of a disciple (v43-46), immense sorrow (v33-34) and abandonment by His closest companions (v27, 50). He was in so much distress that He asked God if there was a way out of His suffering. Yet Jesus chose to remain in God’s will. He understood that complete obedience was necessary. He would not consider an easier alternative if it was not aligned to God’s p

Bible Reading - Mark 14:2-26 At a wedding, the bride and groom pledge their faithfulness to each other before God and witnesses. They promise to stay together “for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, till death do us part”. What a serious commitment that is! In God’s eyes, the wedding vow is a covenant between a man and a woman that is binding for life and more intimate than any other relationship. Christ has also made a marriage covenant with the Church. The Bible likens our relationship with Christ to that between a husband and wife (Ephesians 5:25-27) and encourages us to look forward to the day when we will have a glorious wedding with Christ (Revelation 19:7). This covenant that Christ has established with us is also known as the New Covenant. The New Covenant is built on Jesus’ blood. As Jesus observed His last Passover with His disciples, Jesus prophesied that His body would be broken and His blood spilled for many (v22-24). Traditio

Bible Reading - Mark 14:1-11 We often hear the phrase, “Diamonds are a girl’s best friend.” It’s an advertising line targeted at men who will buy the expensive gemstones for their girlfriends or wives. Love is a powerful incentive to loosen the purse strings, and advertisers know it. Some of us are very willing to spend a bomb on people we love. Think of parents who shower their children with toys, or the smitten husband who splurges on flowers and jewellery for his wife. Giving gifts is a natural way to communicate love and appreciation. In Mark 14, there is a woman who loves Jesus so much, she presents Him a gift of really expensive perfume (it’s worth more than a year’s salary!) By pouring the perfume on Him, she is expressing her adoration and thanksgiving to Him. Her extravagant gesture of love, however, draws criticism from those around her (v4-5). Jesus jumps to her defence and openly praises her for her “beautiful” act of blessing Him and preparing for His burial (v6-

Bible Reading - Mark 13 The National Geographic Channel runs a series called “Doomsday Preppers”. It features people who go to extreme lengths to get ready for the end of the world. Think underground weapons arsenals for fear of zombies, or large medicine stashes in anticipation of an outbreak. The word “doomsday” sounds like something terrible will happen as the age that we live in comes to an end. In some sense, it’s true. There will be widespread persecution of Christians as Satan fiercely attacks the Church (v9-13). A man of lawlessness will brazenly call himself God (2 Thessalonians 2:4). Evil beings, with fake signs and wonders, will deceive those who reject God and choose wickedness (2 Thessalonians 2:9-12). Distress, fear and chaos will be the order of the day (v14-22). But evil won’t have the last say. Jesus will return in His glory to save His followers (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17) and punish those who reject God’s truth and mistreat God’s people (1 Peter 4:17-18). Whi

Bible Reading - Mark 12:38-44 For many people, life is like a giant masquerade ball. They pretend to have joy from seeking pleasures. They fake smiles of satisfaction from their achievements. Yet when they are alone and take off their masks, they feel empty. God sees beyond our external appearance, achievements and acquisitions to our hearts. He knows our secret thoughts and deepest longings. He understands the depth of our emptiness. In Mark 12:38-44, Jesus looked through the external acts of people and zeroed in on their inner intentions and attitudes. Here we see two contrasting sets of characters. The scribes (teachers of the Law) were dressed in flowing robes and uttered long prayers (v38-40). They looked good, spoke well, and enjoyed high status among the people. They loved receiving honour from others while exploiting poor and helpless widows. Their goal was to gain greater prominence for themselves. The scribes might have fooled their fellow men, but not Jesus. The So

Bible Reading - Mark 12:13-37 Going for an interview can be a nerve-wracking experience. You are scrutinised for what you wear, how you carry yourself, and where you studied and worked previously. And then there are those difficult questions that cut into you and drag out your inner thoughts and insecurities. Feeling dissected and vulnerable, you struggle to answer more questions. During his ministry on earth, Jesus had to answer difficult questions several times. He wisely handled them, some of which came from people who tried to trap and discredit Him. In Mark 12:13-37, Jesus was questioned by three different groups of people in three areas: 1) His allegiance to God (v13-17) 2) His understanding of the faith with regards to the resurrection (v18-27) 3) His approach to God’s Law (v28-34) Jesus’ answers were so wise and thought-provoking that His listeners gasped with wonder (v17). Besides being corrected in their wrong understanding (v27), they gained a deeper insight int

Bible Reading - Mark 11:12-12:12 Think back to the time when a teacher or instructor corrected you. Their remarks probably stung. Their rebukes could have been harsh. They might even have ended up on your “Most Hated” list. But more likely than not, they were concerned about the mistakes you were making and wanted you to learn to do what was right. Similarly, because He cares, Jesus warned and scolded the Jewish chief priests, scribes and elders for their faithlessness towards God. Though they claimed to worship God, their religious system had failed to make known God’s salvation to the nations (11:15-17). Though they had the Scriptures (God’s revelation), they refused to accept that God had sent Jesus to save the world. Instead, they plotted to get rid of Him (12:1-12). Jesus’ harsh rebuke towards the Jewish religious authorities reflected His frustration with their stubborn hearts. He was disappointed at their lack of faith in Him (Luke 13:34, Matthew 23:37). He even delive

Bible Reading - Mark 11:1-11 One of the top grossing, most critically acclaimed trilogies in Hollywood history is J.R.R Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings. In Tolkien’s fantastic universe of humans, hobbits, elves, wizards, dwarves and monsters, a great evil threatens to cover the world in darkness and make every living being its slave. Chaos is the order of the day. Fear rules the hearts of most. Hope is faint. Yet amid the darkness, there are flickers of light in the love, unity and courage of a few heroic characters. One of them is Aragon, who is destined to be king. The trilogy ends with his long-awaited return to the throne and triumphant deliverance of his people. In the real world today, we are also waiting for the return of King Jesus. Mark 11:1-11 tells of Jesus entering Jerusalem to the cheers of the crowd. His arrival on a donkey fulfilled a 500-year-old prophecy about the King of Jerusalem (Zechariah 9:9). This was a big deal for the Israelites, who had been looking forw

Bible Reading - Mark 10:32-52 If you’re a fan of superhero movies, you would notice that the good guys share these traits: 1) They have a special skill or talent. 2) They are regarded with honour. 3) They have a mission to save the world. Jesus might very well be the superhero of biblical times. People were awestruck by His great wisdom and unusual boldness in the face of opposition. They were stunned by His supernatural works. It’s no wonder that his disciples James and John desired to claim the prestige of being His top followers (v35-37). Little did they know that before they could bask in Jesus’ glory, they would have to suffer pain and humiliation like He would as He served others (v42-45). Today, Jesus calls us to follow in His footsteps of selfless service. Some of us may gamely take on Jesus’ invitation. Others may hesitate. Perhaps it’s because we gladly receive Jesus as our Saviour but we are not ready to call Him our Lord. Calling Jesus our Lord means that we

Bible Reading - Mark 10:1-31 What makes a true disciple? Do we have to be perfect in all that we say and do? Are we supposed to serve others till we drop, not giving a care for ourselves? Through interactions with three different groups of people, Jesus reveals what it takes to be a true disciple. A true disciple seeks God’s will - The Pharisees were the A* scholars of their day. They could easily recite Scripture by heart, and knew just about every religious ritual there was. Intending to trap Jesus, they asked Him a question regarding the Jewish law and divorce. Instead of focusing on divorce, Jesus directed the Pharisees back to God’s original intention for marriage (v6-9). A disciple yearns to discover and do God’s will. He or she wants to know and follow God’s unchanging intentions for how we ought to live our everyday lives. A true disciple has childlike faith - People were swarming Jesus, wanting Him to bless their children. The disciples decided that their Lord had

Bible Reading - Mark 9:30-50 How would you define success? Is it getting straight A’s at school or scoring a spot on the national team? Or does it lie in possessing the 5C’s – car, cash, credit card, condominium and country club membership? In a society that prioritises results, many pursue achievements that rank them above others. In this game of survival of the fittest, being the best in academics, sport and our careers is everything. Many define success as being stronger, smarter and richer than the rest. Similarly, Jesus’ disciples were looking to beat one another in the game of “who’s the best” (v34). They desired the recognition that came with the title of Jesus’ greatest disciple. Jesus grabbed the opportunity to teach them God’s definition of success. Instead of acting like they were better than others, or looking down on those they thought were unimportant (v36-37), disciples of Jesus should serve everyone else (v35). They should humble themselves and place others’ n

Bible Reading - Mark 9:2-29 “I need to see it before I can believe it.” This is a common statement that many make when they are asked to trust in a person, idea or concept. Their experience determines their faith. Sounds like a fool proof way to make sure that we don’t just blindly believe in something? Perhaps. But our senses are limited. We may misinterpret the signals we are receiving. Places like the Trick Eye Museum use the fact that our brains can “deceive” us to see things that aren’t real to create optical illusion paintings and installations. Led by Jesus up a high mountain, Peter, James and John probably thought that their eyes were playing tricks on them too. They witnessed Jesus, dazzling white in His glory, talking to Elijah and Moses, prophets who supposedly lived and died ages ago in Israel. No wonder the disciples were afraid and at a loss for what to say and do (v3-6). Then a thundering voice from a cloud commanded them to do what Jesus said and suddenly, they