Daily Lesson for Monday 25th of March 2024

God’s people live in a world that afflicts the faithful, a world full of temptations and hardship for almost everyone. A refreshed conviction that he is a child of God and dependent on God for his life consoles the psalmist and brings him to confess that his pride has no value.

Image © Graham Braddock at Goodsalt.com

The deceitfulness of pride is that it causes the proud to become self-centered and unable to look beyond themselves. The proud are thus blinded to the higher reality of God.

In contrast, the righteous lift their eyes to God (Psalms 123:1-2). The acknowledgment of God’s greatness makes them humble and free from self-seeking and vain ambition. The psalmist confesses that he does not seek “great matters” and “things too high” (Psalms 131:1). These expressions describe God’s works in the world that are beyond human comprehension. Modern science has shown us that even the “simplest” things can be incredibly complicated and far beyond our understanding, at least for now. In fact, there’s a great irony: the more we learn about the physical world, the greater the mysteries that appear before us.

Meanwhile, the metaphor in Psalms 131:1-3:2, “like a weaned child with [its] mother” (NKJV), is a powerful image of one who finds calmness and who is quieted in the embrace of God. It points to the loving relationship a child has with its mother at various stages in that child’s young life.

Through weaning us from insubstantial ambitions and pride, God introduces us to the nourishment of solid food, which is to “do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work” (John 4:34, also Hebrews 5:12-14). The childlike trust depicted in Psalms 131:1-3 is mature faith that has been tried and tested by the hardships of life and has found God to be faithful and true to His Word.

The psalmist’s attention at the end rests on the well-being of God’s people. Ultimately, we are called to use our experience with God to strengthen His church. That is, from what we have learned, personally, of God’s faithfulness and goodness, we can share with others who, for whatever reason, still struggle with their faith. Our witness about Christ can even be within the church itself, where many need to know Him for themselves.

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/24a-13-peace-of-a-weaned-child/

The beautiful picture on the front of our lesson pamphlet brings us our theme hymn for this quarter with its two variations in melody: Hym 552/546 – The Lord’s My Shepherd.

Psalm 30:4
“Sing praise to the Lord, you saints of His,
And give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name.”

The climax of our quarter’s studies has brought us to 
Hymn 214 – We Have This Hope. Sabbath afternoon’s introduction to this week’s studies then shows
My Hope Is Built On Nothing Less – Hymn 522 and 
Hymn 535 – I Am Trusting Thee, Lord Jesus to help me to be 
Bringing In The Sheaves – Hymn 369.

Sunday explains all about what waiting is: 
Hymn 287 – The Church Has Waited Long and like our church, and for many people, 
The Saviour Is Waiting – Hymn 289. The day’s study finishes with 
We Have This Hope – Hymn 214.

The study of Psalm 131 on Monday encourages us to see “God to be faithful and true to His Word”: 
Hymn 100 – Great Is Thy Faithfulness.

Bringing In The Sheaves – Hymn 369 is pointed out to us on Tuesday and that we can still 
Praise Him! Praise Him – Hymn 249 as the people did in their further captivity (Psalm 126:1).

The beautiful Sabbath Rest we had yesterday (as I write this now) is expounded more on Wednesday, and in 
Hymn 381 – Holy Sabbath, Day Of Rest and Hymn 390 – We Love Thy Sabbath, Lord.

We all await the joy that comes in the morning and can sing this heartily in 
Hymn 430 – Joy By And By.

May we all “Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him (Psalm 37:7) as we complete this quarter’s studies and then learn more of the Great Controversy in our next quarter’s studies.

To learn unknown hymns, you will find the accompaniment music for each one at: https://sdahymnals.com/Hymnal/

Another great resource is for when there is a hymn you wish to sing but can’t find it in your hymnal. Go to https://www.sdahymnal.org/Search and in the search bar type a special word in that is in the hymn. I am sure you will be amazed at the help you will be given.

 2 Timothy 2:15 KJV – “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

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Key Thought: Waiting on the Lord is an act of trust and faith revealed in action. It strengthens our hearts with renewed hope and peace. Waiting on the Lord will be rewarded because the Lord is faithful in all His promises..
March 30, 2024

1. Have a volunteer read Psalm 126.

1. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the most important point is in this passage.
2. What gives hope and strength to God’s people?
3. Personal Application: Think of a time when you saw the Lord work in your life or in the lives of others. How can you draw hope from that experience for what you might be going through right now? Share your thoughts.
4. Case Study: One of you relatives states, “How do we learn to wait in faith and trust when what we are praying for hasn’t come yet?” How would you respond to your relative?

2. Have a volunteer read Psalm 92.

1. Ask class members to share a thought on what the most important point in this text is.
2. What two aspects of the Sabbath day are highlighted in this psalm?
3. Personal Application: What hope is found in this psalm, and how can we find comfort in it? Share your thoughts
4. Case Study: One of your friends states, “What does the psalmist mean by “mixing oil with other sacrifices? I know that oil sometimes represents the Holy Spirit, but I don’t understand what this psalm is referring to.” How would you respond to your friend?

3. Have a volunteer read Psalm 5:3; 30:5; 49:14; 59:16..

1. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the most important point in this text is.
2. What time of day is symbolically portrayed as the time of redemption and why?
3. Personal Application: Why should we never forget just how temporary death is for us if we are in Christ? Share your thoughts.
4. Case Study: One of your neighbors states: “How does waiting purify and strengthen our faith? What are we promised by waiting? What hope do we have, even in the face of death?” How would you respond to your neighbor?

4. Have a volunteer read Psalm 27;14; 39:7; 40:1.

1. Ask class members to share a thought on what the most important point in this text is.
2. What do these texts implore God’s people to do?
3. Personal Application: What are some things you are waiting now for from God? Share your thoughts.
4. Case Study: Think of one person who needs to hear a message from this week’s lesson. Tell the class what you plan to do this week to share with them.

(Truth that is not lived, that is not imparted, loses its life-giving power, its healing virtue. Its blessings can be retained only as it is shared.”Ministry of Healing, p. 148).

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