Back to Basics
Briefing: Have you ever taken a refresher class? I have learned over the years to go back and review the basics every so often.
Dispatch (Assignment): Read Psalm 29.
On the Street: “Come back to earth”, “reset the clock”, “I need a mulligan”, “let’s get back to basics”, “default settings” and “remember where you came from”. Have you heard someone use any of these sayings? We have times in our life when we get so advanced in our knowledge or technology that we can’t remember what the original purpose was for getting there. If we don’t stay in touch with our beginnings, we can get lost in our advancement.
Back-to-basics is defined (Dictionary.com) as; stressing simplicity and adherence to fundamental principles: (The movement suggests a back-to-basics approach to living for those whose lives have become complicated.)
In Psalm 29 we see David stop and take note of the basics. He goes back to the foundational principles his life is built on. He sets the tone in verse 1 with, “Ascribe to the LORD, O mighty ones, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength. Ascribe to the LORD the glory due His name; worship the LORD in the splendor of His holiness.” Glorifying God is why we were created. This is what we were made to do. It’s like the saying, “you don’t have to brush all your teeth, just the ones you want to keep”. There are some fundamental, basic, elementary elements that require daily maintenance. You cannot forget to brush your teeth no matter how advanced you become. Likewise we should never forget to glorify God in all things.
When John wrote the book of Revelation he recorded God’s words to the seven churches. In Revelation 2:4 God was speaking to the church in Ephesus, “Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love.” They had become so involved in church programs and religion that they had forgotten to worship and glorify God. We are all in danger of getting to this place if we don’t take the time to remember our basic purpose, to glorify the One who created us.
Luke 18:11, “The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: “God, I thank you that I am not like other men-robbers, evildoers, adulterers-or even like this tax collector.” This Pharisee had such an inflated opinion of himself, and his advanced religious position, that he had lost touch with the reality that he was still a sinner in need of a savior. As a youth I remember hearing my pastor say, “don’t be so heavenly minded that you are of no earthly good.” We can get so holy that we lose our humility.
We try to make faith more complicated than it needs to be. Isaiah 11:6, “The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them.” Psalm 8:2, “From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise because of your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger.” Matthew 11:25 says, “At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.” And lastly Jesus told us this, “Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” – Matthew 18:3. We need to return to a childlike faith, the ability to simply accept and enthrone Jesus as the LORD of our life. Let us have the faith to accept His free gift of salvation understanding we don’t deserve it and can never do enough to earn it. Just accept it and share it with everyone in your sphere of influence.