a child of god
this is the way, run in it
After yesterday's post about trust, it's interesting to read Psalm 85 in my daily read-through-the-bible program. Psalm 85 puts it all in the right order - and it's exciting! In God's kingdom, life with Him, life in Him, all starts with repentance and forgiveness of sins. The psalmist is thanking God that He forgave his and Israel's sin and covered that sin, withdrawing His righteous anger at their sin. "O Lord, You showed favor to Your land; You restored the captivity of Jacob. You forgave the iniquity of Your people;
You covered all their sin. (Selah.) You withdrew all Your fury; You turned away from Your burning anger" (vv. 1-3) We know what that's all about. We know what it feels like to be in the wrong, to have sinned, messed up, hurt people, made the wrong choices, tried to live our life without God. It is that bleak, barren desert I wrote about yesterday. It just doesn't satisfy, and living against God and His ways brings nothing good. When we feel stuck in sin, stuck in our ways that haven't brought good things, isn't it good to know Who to go to for help? Yes! God can help, and He wants to. Psalm 85 goes on to ask God to begin that restoration process, to bring the fresh living waters of salvation to revive His people again, and cause joy to spring up in His people. The psalmist asks God to show him again God's lovingkindness, God's loyal love that does not fail and is new every morning, His mercy, His grace, His love. And God delights in doing this - in reviving us, His people, in planting His joy in us, and He loves speaking peace to us - His people. Psalm 85 then gives a warning, however, following that. It warns us, God's people, to not turn away from God again, "but let them not turn back to folly" (v.8). So here again we see a warning about the consequences of not trusting God, of not following Jesus. The psalmist then goes on to describe the good things, the blessings that come to those who do choose God: God's salvation is extended to those who fear Him, who look to Him, who trust Him with their lives - both in the here and now, and for eternity. Then God's glory will dwell in our land, and a whole stream of blessings flow - this is a beautiful passage. Lovingkindness and truth have met together; Righteousness and peace have kissed each other. Truth springs from the earth, and righteousness looks down from heaven. Indeed, the Lord will give what is good, and our land will yield its produce. Righteousness will go before Him and will make His footsteps into a way. (vv. 11-13) So today, and tomorrow and the next day, no matter how tough it gets, I'm going to choose God, choose to love Him, obey Him, ask forgiveness of my sins from Him, thank Him for the blood of Jesus that was shed for me and for the world for that very purpose, and seek His face - and watch and wait for the blessings to flow. It will not always be easy, but it is so worth it. God is worth it. His love and joy are worth it. And we can ask for the strength needed to keep making the good and right choice of trusting and following God. Praise Jesus!
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Franci Ballwatching and working for the kingdom of God in Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham - UK Archives
January 2019
Categories |