Why Lament Is Important in Worship
In today’s social media-obsessed culture, images of attractive smiling couples, lifestyle bloggers, and stunning vacation resorts grace our glowing screens each day. The routine bombardment of these images implicitly and powerfully conveys what ought to be normative in life. Beauty, health, and happiness mark out today’s culture. The last thing these images speak to are the countless stories of brokenness, suffering, and ultimately death that we all inevitably face. How does the contemporary church combat the veneer of optimism that this culture relentlessly bombards us with? In his book Worship Seeking Understanding, John Witvliet fittingly concludes his book on worship...
Does Psalm 91 Promise to Protect Us from Pandemics?
Psalm 91:10 says, “no evil shall be allowed to befall you, no plague come near your tent.” Does this verse mean that God promises to protect us from plagues? More specifically, does Psalm 91 promise to protect us from present-day pandemics? No, it does not. Psalm 91 ties its promises directly to the curses and blessings of the Mosaic covenant. Psalm 91 still applies to us, but it does so under the terms of the New Covenant. And those promises are better and more glorious than the promises of the Old Covenant. Let me explain. First, Psalm 91 encourages Israel...