Snakes, Sermons and Songs

The Psalms are songs of the heart, and I love them. Preaching is proclaiming God's truths to people. Can a song be a sermon? Why of course! Songs are some of the best sermons. The questions, prayers and cries of the heart of the Psalmist are some of the best also. When you see the connection between events in your life, and the reality proclaimed in the Word or Song or Psalm you will remember and it will often bring you closer to God.

I preached Sunday on a Dangerous Prayer. David prayed this prayer in Psalm 139. the last two verses:

23 Search me, God, and know my heart;Test me and know my concerns. 24 See if there is any offensive  way in me; lead me in the everlasting way.

Psalms 139:23-24 (HCSB)

The real point here is that when you pray the prayer you are not asking God to check you out, and find out what you know, (He already knows you completely) you are really asking God to show you where you are in the wrong. In other words you say "Show me God what I must do so I can follow you." The real danger is not in praying this prayer, but in not praying it daily.

How does the snake fit? Well this old boy was laying at my back door. I had obviously stepped over him several times without even seeing him. He is a copperhead and his bite is bad. There was something wicked laying at my door and I did not even see it. Without praying for God to search us and reveal to us what wickedness is there in our hearts we can be stepping over the snakes in our lives.

The key here is this also when I saw him (the snake) I reacted immediately.  I  took action against the serpent.  When we  see sin in our lives do we take immediate action?  Not  always,  sadly. 

Consider this song of the  Psalmist.  The sermon he sings, says stomp the snakes in our lives.