Dear West Family

Over the last few days I have had the privilege of getting some rest while doing some writing and reading up in beautiful Telluride, CO. Gosh it is beautiful, so much so that I don’t even really mind the constant nose-bleeds and shortness of breath that comes from life at 10,000 feet. Well, I hope that’s where those symptoms come from. Otherwise, I may need to see a doctor.

In my devotional time yesterday, the reading was from Psalm 147. I love that Psalm so much. I remembered that I had written a short devotional on it a few years ago as part of a collection, and so, this week, I am lazily copying and pasting that for your reading pleasure and edification. Hope you enjoy. There is a lovely little musical number for those of you who make it to the end.

Psalm 147

His delight is not in the strength of the horse,

nor his pleasure in the legs of a man,

​​but the Lord takes pleasure in those who fear him,

in those who hope in his steadfast love.

- Psalm 147:10-11 (ESV)

 I have always been ever so slightly insecure.

I am moderately “under-tall” for a South African man, and I am not exactly Brad Pittesque in looks or physique, and while I am a fairly capable guy, I don’t excel in any of the areas that the world looks to as critical success factors.

 I was a decent sportsman, but I was never the best at any sport, except when I played in church leagues, but winning there is like kissing your sister … altogether weird, unfulfilling and rightly frowned upon by the rest of the world. I was fine at academics, but I didn’t win any awards or anything. I am fiscally responsible, but I am no Warren Buffett.

 When one looks around at who society praises, it can become quite easy to feel like a failure. Magazine covers show us who really matters in the world, and the chance of me getting my face on one of those is pretty low, unless they release an ‘average guy just living’ magazine. I would buy that magazine by the way.

We praise the exceptional. We come close to worshiping them at times. 

They can do things that we cannot do, and so we cheer them on and align ourselves with them as fans because we feel like we can attach to their greatness in a way.

But how does God measure success? 

We often worship wrongly because we assume that God thinks like we do, but tucked away in Psalm 147 is some great news about the kind of people that please God. He measures differently to the way that we do. He isn’t impressed with physical strength and major earthly achievement. Verse 11 tells us that He takes pleasure… yes pleasure, in the faithfulness and trust of ordinary people.

Ordinary people who obey God please God!
Ordinary people who believe God when He says He loves them are the superstars of heaven’s economy!

He delights in us when we trust Him.

 So today, instead of spending all your time considering how you don’t live up to the world’s standards of success, why don’t you please God by obeying Him and trusting Him? He doesn’t seem to care all that much if you are not ripped and loaded, but He is pleased when you listen to Him, and believe Him.

 He is much more concerned with your character than He is with your capabilities.
Enjoy His faithful love in your extraordinarily ordinary life.

One more thing. I promised you some musical goodness in exchange for reading this whole mail. Sandra McCracken is a gift tothe Kingdom, and she recently released a new record that has covers of two of my favorite songs of all time on it. They are well worth your time.

This is a cover of “Everybody Hurts” by REM. It is haunting and magnificent.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJthObR9Ftk

This is a cover of “One” by U2, which is one of the greatest songs ever written and so needs to be treated with utmost respect. She did just that.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7JdCcH_PTI

“We get to carry each other.” Ain’t that the truth?

See you Sunday,
Ross