Tuesday’s Text: Psalm 139:1-2;23-24
What we think about God and our relationship to Him determines what we think about everything else that makes up our busy world—other people, the universe, God’s Word, God’s will, sin, faith, and obedience. Wrong ideas about God will ultimately lead to wrong ideas about who we are and what we should do, and this leads to a wrong life on the wrong path toward the wrong destiny.
In other words, theology—the right knowledge of God—is essential to a fulfilled life in this world. David contemplated God and wrote for us a psalm whose message can only encourage us to be in a right relationship with Him.
This chapter teaches us that we cannot deceive God, escape God, or ignore God, so is it sensible to obey God. Right? But there are those who still prefer to oppose God and dispute what He says about them in His Word. David called these people wicked, violent, liars, blasphemers, and rebels, and he grieved because of them.
God also grieves over sinners—the Father does (Gen. 6:6), the Son does (Mark 3:5; Luke 19:41), and so does the Spirit (Eph. 4:30). Yes, it is difficult to love rebellious sinners and still hate their sins, but we need more "holy hatred" in this day when blatant sin is a popular form of entertainment. If we don’t see sin for what it is, it can easily infiltrate our lives.
You and I cannot be right every time and each of us is right in our own eye. We need God’s eye, Spirit and Word revealing the truth about our heart and our lives. Only then can we stand with a clear conscience before God.
Michael