Tuesday, April 9, 2013

BEING LOVED BY GOD IS REAL!


 May our lives show that we are more fearful to dishonor God,
Who loves us and cares for us perfectly,
than to dishonor the men who are God’s enemies!




Psalm 139:17-22
            How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!
                        How vast is the sum of them!
            If I would count them, they are more than the sand.
                        I awake, and I am still with you.

            Oh that you would slay the wicked, O God!
                        O men of blood, depart from me!
            They speak against you with malicious intent;
                        your enemies take your name in vain.
            Do I not hate those who hate you, O LORD?
                        And do I not loathe those who rise up against you?
            I hate them with complete hatred;
                        I count them my enemies.

As David has reviewed the omniscience, omnipresence, and omnipotence of God, he is overwhelmed by these truths. The boundlessness of God’s thoughts and knowledge not only cannot be understood, but they cannot possibly be measured by finite man. The fact that God would entertain thoughts of a mere man is, therefore, surprising - and the reality that this knowledge does not cause God to seek distance from that man is even more astounding! When David awakes, the infinite God of the universe is still close to him.

When I reflect on these truths, I, too, am surprised. Why would God have time for me? I am so small and inconsequential, compared to the whole world. People are confronted with problems so much bigger that mine; others seem to have a much greater influence in the world, but God chooses to care for me! At the same time, it is no problem for God to care for all equally. His care for me is effortless, complete, and particular!

When I wake, I am still with God! We can be abandoned by family, friends, brothers and sisters in Christ, but God will never do that! Can you and I not be humbled and amazed by these truths? Since these things are true, then, what kind of lives should we lead? The answer is so obvious! We should have incredible peace and trust within, and we should be bearers of the good news! How can we keep this wonderful truth to ourselves? How can it not affect our families, jobs, and churches, in fact, all of our relationships? Sadly, we know it often doesn’t, and then the answer is easy: we are living as if it isn’t true!

David’s next reaction seems to be sudden and extreme. There is a sense that he wants to distance himself from all those who do not love and worship God the way they should. I believe that he wants to make sure that his reactions are right and that in no way will he embrace the ungodly reactions of those who hate God. God hates evil and David hates it also. Nor will he be part of any action that slanders the name of God.

David lived in the midst of God’s enemies, but he was not afraid to be counted their enemy or make them his enemies, if it meant honoring the God he loved. He certainly did not feel superior to them; he had simply chosen which side he was on.

Are we also ready to denounce actions that dishonor God?  Are we willing to be enemies of those who are enemies of God? What we know about God must make a difference in the way we live our lives and, consequently, will impact the kind of relationships we have with others. Jesus stated this fact very clearly:

John 15:18-20
            “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.

Persecution, division, hatred and difficulties are to be expected from all those who do not love Christ. They hated Jesus, Who never did anything wrong. He only proclaimed truth and exposed error!

May our lives show that we are more fearful to dishonor God, Who loves us and cares for us perfectly, than to dishonor the men who are God’s enemies!





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