Psalm 119:88

Psalm 119:88

God's unfailing love

The trials and anguish of the writer are not over yet! His life is still in jeopardy, the future looks precarious, the taunts of his enemies still ring in his ears. Most of us would pray at this point that God’s protection and armour would preserve and keep us, that He would build a fortress around us and guard us with His mighty sword of truth. Our psalmist finds comfort and security elsewhere, “In Your unfailing love preserve my life.” It’s a bit of a surprise to find that love is a protective force but then, when we think about it, it isn’t a surprise at all. What drives a parent to guard his children? What motivates a father to protect his wife? What impels a pastor shepherd to lay down his life for his flock? Is it not love? This is the highest motive that we can call upon, and calling upon God is no different, “Lord, in Your unfailing love preserve my life.”

And if He does? Surely our response must be grateful obedience. The statutes of God’s mouth were the Covenant stipulations that He gave to His people. The deal was not, “If you obey me and my laws, I will love you and bless you.” No, the deal was, “I love you and will bless you, now therefore obey the statutes that I have spoken to you.” John is so right when he writes, “We love Him, because He first loved us.” 1 John 4:19. This is our lesson for today, we cannot earn or deserve God’s love, love came first. Our obedience and compliance with God’s Will is our opportunity to reciprocate that love and to show that we appreciate and are grateful for it. Hallelujah!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Psalm 106:13

Psalm 106:13 Do not forget We need to remember that Israel’s relationship with the Lord God was based on His laws and their obedience. It was possible for them to live lives that were highly blessed, that incorporated the provision of God in every tiny detail of their national and individual existence. God was prepared to give them everything they needed, He would provide food and water for them and their flocks. He would guide them on their journey. He would protect them from their enemies. He would inspire and direct their leaders. He would keep them from the heat of the sun and the terrors of the desert night. He would take them to the land that He had promised, in double quick time. There was no reason why they could not be in situ in just a few months. Everything they could possibly need was His to provide and He was willing to sacrifice anything to see them gratefully settled in Canaan.  There was just one snag, it all depended upon their obedience and faithfulness. God insis...
Read more

Psalm 51:4

Psalm 51:4 Deliberate sin In Genesis 20 we read the story of Abimelek and Abraham. The latter had passed off his wife Sarah as his sister and Abimelek had taken her with a view to her becoming his wife. The relationship was not consummated, and the Lord used a dream to reveal to Abimelek just what was going on. The insulted king pleaded innocence,  “I have done this with a clear conscience and clean hands ” he said, to the Lord. And God agreed,  “Yes, I know you did this with a clear conscience, and so I have kept you from sinning against me.”  This is a big subject but there is clearly a difference between sinful intentions and deeds where the participant knows that he/she is doing wrong, and those occasions where an action is carried out in innocence.  David knew all along that every detail of his relationship with Bathsheba was sinful, as were his actions in the cover-up. Therefore, he sinned against the Lord God and broke the commandments which said that  “Y...
Read more

Psalm 106:30

Psalm 106:30 Well done Phineas! As we saw in the previous verses, it was Phinehas, the grandson of Aaron the High Priest, who intervened and brought God’s wrath upon the couple who brazenly had a sexual liaison in an Israelite’s tent. The judgement of Phinehas was brutal, he rammed a spear through both bodies and brought instant death upon them. But his actions stemmed the wrath of God, the plague that had killed 24,000 Israelites ended and peace and normality returned to the Camp. The Lord said to Moses that  “Phinehas son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, the priest, has turned my anger away from the Israelites.”  (Numbers 25:11) The Lord then vindicated Phinehas for his actions.  “Since he was as zealous for my honour among them as I am, I did not put an end to them in my zeal. Therefore tell him I am making my covenant of peace with him. He and his descendants will have a covenant of lasting priesthood, because he was zealous for the honour of his God and made atonement f...
Read more