For today, One Year Bible Online links here.
Parents who fail to discipline their children are not doing them any favors, the lack of discipline will ruin the children’s lives. If you save someone from the consequences of losing their temper once, they will not learn and you will have to do it again and again.
While the psalmist says that he is listing characteristics of those who will be allowed to worship God, the list is actually a list of the characteristics of those who do worship God.
- blameless
- lives righteous life
- speaks the truth from the heart
- utter no slander
- does not wrong their neighbor
- casts no slur on others
- despises vile people
- honours those who fear the Lord
- keeps their promises, even when it is inconvenient, or causes pain
- lends money without charging interest
- will not accept a bribe to lie about the innocent
Note that they do not just speak the truth, but speak it from the heart (which I take to mean that they speak it out of concern for those they speak to and about)
Note Jesus’ definition of who is our neighbor in the story of the Good Samaritan
These are the characteristics of those who worship the Lord. These acts taken together as a whole are a significant part of what it means to worship God. We are worshiping God when we do these things and it is not possible to do the opposite of these things and worship God.
Paul points out that a few exceptional people might be willing to die for someone who they perceived as being exceptionally upright, exceptionally good. But Christ died for us when we were sinners, enemies of God. It was by Christ’s death that we were made right with God. If Christ was willing to die in order to make us right in God’s sight and restore us to friendship with God, surely He will bring us into life through His resurrection.
This passage is such a wonderful account of God’s love and a challenge for us. Jesus was willing to suffer and die for us when we were living lives in conflict with God. We should be willing to follow His example and risk our lives in order to show those around us God’s love for them. All too often, we are not even willing to inconvenience ourselves to show God’s love to those around us. Oh, Lord let me follow your example and willingly risk myself in order to show others how to be made right with you!
David gave his son Solomon some advice that every father should give his son, and to which all of us should pay heed:
learn to know the God of your ancestors intimately. Worship and serve him with your whole heart and a willing mind. For the Lord sees every heart and knows every plan and thought. If you seek him, you will find him. But if you forsake him, he will reject you forever.
God does indeed see every heart and know every plan and thought. We cannot fool God as we may fool our fellow-man. However, if we seek Him, we will find Him. Let us commit ourselves to worshiping and serving God with our whole being. Let us never be reluctant to do so. The consequences of forsaking God are too awful to bear.