“For Your servants hold her stones dear and have pity on her dust. Nations will fear the Name of the LORD, and all the kings of the earth will fear Your glory. For the LORD builds up Zion; He appears in His glory; He regards the prayer of the destitute and does not despise their prayer.” Psalm 102:14-17
Devotional Thought For The Day
The psalmist has lamented his woes and troubles, and asserted that it is the appropriate time for God to take pity on him and on the whole nation. He reminds God of the faithfulness of His servants – the He still has faithful servants in the nation of Israel, and asserts that they should be taken care of. He speaks of how these pious people cherish the life of the church, and are devoted even to the dust of that place. He appeals to God, that His Name might be made known in all the world, and that other peoples might come to “fear” [reverence, by faith, and true knowledge of God] His very Name. In saving and defending and healing His people even kings will hear of God and “fear” His glory [which is His love and faithfulness]. It is God Who builds up the church. Finally the psalmist asserts this reality, that God “regards the prayer of the destitute and does not despise their prayer.” He is full of compassion, mercy, kindness, concern, and love for all people, but especially for those who are suffering want and privation and other troubles.
There are still servants of God who cherish the life of the church and pour their lives out for the benefit of God’s people, His kingdom. However, as in ancient Israel, many have deserted faith, worship of God, and love for His church. We are not yet “destitute,” but drought, tornadoes, hurricanes, and floods have been making more of a dent in our arrogance over the past few years. Still, it seems the majority of our fellow citizens are determined to persist in practicing and advocating some of the most wretched evils the world has seen – the slaughter of millions of pre-born human beings, and a slew of sexual immoralities and perversions, and the pursuit of wealth and luxury, and denial not only of the rights, powers, and prerogatives of God, but even His very existence [which they find repulsive]. What is God to do? Israel, and other powerful nations, have found out the hard way, and it appears we are headed for the same.
So we continue to pray that God will help and save His loyal servants, and that His Word might have powerful effect in hearts and minds, that people might be drawn back to Him, might know His love, and come to love Him and His ways. We ask that His Name be glorified so others would revere Him and His glory, that Zion [His church] might be built up. And when we suffer for His Name, we have assurance that He does indeed hear and honor our prayers. And we pray that God’s servants today would truly hold the church dear, and cherish even the bricks, wood, concrete, windows, roof, and siding of their churches. How much more will they cherish and love and honor God’s dear people of faith?
God has fulfilled the greatest deliverance and salvation of the human race in the gift of His Son Jesus. He alone is our comfort and rescue in the face of our sin and guilt and weakness. This is why we hold Him, and His Name, and this His glory, in such high regard and reverence. This is also why we are not ashamed or discouraged to value His church most highly and why we love and serve her. And we pray for the wicked who don’t even know the evil of their rejection of Jesus and our Heavenly Father, and who are confident of their own “goodness” and their great intellect. Lord, have mercy! We know that we are in the latter days, and that soon the final deliverance will appear – when every knee shall bow to Jesus, and every tongue confess His Name, that He is Lord. With the psalmist and with the apostle John we pray that the Lord would come quickly. In the meantime, let us be among those who faithfully serve the Lord and His Zion, out of deep reverence and love for God our Savior.
Prayer For The Day
Dear Lord Jesus, we confess the drain on our love for You and Your kingdom caused by the miserable unbelief all around us. We confess that we take much for granted, and then are surprised by the erosion of the life of the church. Our lack of repentance and true devotion to You makes Christianity appear to be on a continuum, so that the unbelieving and unfaithful take comfort in turning away from You. They point to our weakness of commitment and love. Have mercy on us, dear Lord, and fill us with the richness of Your love, that we glorify and revere Your Name and bear genuine witness to Your glory. Amen.