Elliott OCallaghan – Adelaide Youth Conference 2023 https://ayc2023.com The 37th Australasian Christadelphian Youth Conference Thu, 23 Feb 2023 11:12:37 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.5.3 https://ayc2023.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/cropped-Favicon-32x32.png Elliott OCallaghan – Adelaide Youth Conference 2023 https://ayc2023.com 32 32 Psalm 125 – The Ascent – Conference Reading Plan – Psalms of Ascent https://ayc2023.com/psalm-125/ Sat, 04 Feb 2023 23:03:47 +0000 https://ayc2023.com/?p=89202
Week Ten

Psalm 125

Reading Plan

Thought for the Week

If you’re ever in a season of wondering what God brings you, this psalm has the answer.
Have you ever put your trust in something, only for it to be broken? Maybe it was a piece of news you read that later turned out to be false. Maybe you got the sugar free cookies because you thought they were healthier, but then found out they had some weird chemical in them. Maybe you trusted a friend, but they stood aside and let you take the blame. Being let down doesn’t feel great. Broken trust isn’t fun.
This is the opposite of what it is to trust in God. Trust given to God never falls short, because when God speaks, it happens. When you place the weight of your trust in Him, His word stands strong. God is the source of truth, so He can be trusted with everything.
God brings us stability. His word is a firm foundation for us to build on, and building on this foundation brings stability in our lives. Everyday troubles don’t worry us, and even chaotic world events don’t leave us shaken.
As the writer of this psalm sat at his desk to contemplate God and his ways, he looked out at Jerusalem’s surroundings.
And what did he see? Mountains: immovable, sturdy, strong.
This is what surrounds us: God’s care, love and protection. We don’t have to fear, because nothing gets past God’s defences. Nothing man can imagine, nothing thrown at us, not even our own sin can get past the God that protects us.
God brings us protection and comfort.
Today, take some time to pause and dwell on something that brings your mind to God—it could be a certain view, like the mountains. It could be a song, or time spent in silent prayer.
Whatever it is that reminds you of God’s care, make a commitment to seek it out over the following week.
Pause and consider what God brings you. Stability in the madness of life, unending love, and ultimate protection and comfort.

WEEKLY READING

Psalm 125

1 Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion,
    which cannot be moved, but abides forever.
2 As the mountains surround Jerusalem,

    so the Lord surrounds his people,
    from this time forth and forevermore.
For the scepter of wickedness shall not rest
    on the land allotted to the righteous,
lest the righteous stretch out
    their hands to do wrong.
Do good, O Lord, to those who are good,
    and to those who are upright in their hearts!
But those who turn aside to their crooked ways
    the Lord will lead away with evildoers!
    Peace be upon Israel!

Reading PlanStudy Resources

So the LORD surrounds his people.

 Psalm 125:2

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