“The LORD reigns, let the earth rejoice; let the many coastlands be glad! Clouds and thick darkness are all around Him; righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne. Fire goes before Him and burns up His adversaries all around. Psalm 97:1-3
Devotional Thought For The Day
This psalm of praise to God exalts and elevates Him above all things, reminding the people of God as to His true nature. First, that He reigns – and this is not cause for fear and trembling, unless one is among the adversaries of God. Rather, the earth and all who are on the side of decency and goodness are to rejoice and be glad. Those who know and believe the great love that God has for us are able to rejoice each day and always – especially that God reigns, even though we are confronted with much wickedness, threat, and calamity. We know that God is love, and we know the justice and righteousness which He has established for us in the cross of Jesus Christ, His beloved Son. “God made Him Who knew no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might be made the righteousness of God.” [2 Cor. 5:21] “By grace you are saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” [Eph. 2:8,9]
It is a marvelous and compelling reality that this righteousness and justice are “the foundation” of His throne and reign. Everything that He does is based upon the salvation He has accomplished for us, and for all mankind, through the Lamb of God Who has taken away the sin of the world, our Lord Jesus Christ. So He is proven to be just in forgiving sins and allowing the world to continue on without another universal flood which sweeps all men away [Rom. 3:25,26; 1 John 1:9]. It is true that “there is not a just man upon the earth that does good and does not sin” [Eccl. 7:20], but it is also the reality that “He is the blood atonement for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.” [1 John 2:2] Those blessed to know and believe this, to grasp and comprehend the nature, goodness, and gracious love of God, rejoice in God, in His reign and His judgments. We do so humbly and in repentance, honestly confessing our sin and guilt, and rejoicing that God has promised that the blood of His Son cleanses us from all sin.
It is insane, and unfathomable, that this God of love, the only True and Living God, should still have “adversaries.” We know that it is so – we know the many people who insist that they will please God on their own terms, by their own works and actions, and who thus repudiate and fight against the good news of the salvation Jesus has accomplished for us. They not only reject God’s gracious mercy and love, His righteousness and justice provided for us in Jesus, but they teach against faith in Jesus and threaten anyone who simply rejoices in God’s forgiveness and love. These are truly adversaries of God, self-righteous, hypocrites, who still seek to displace God and to be little “gods” unto themselves. Though God is patient and merciful, longsuffering and kind, the time comes when His adversaries must be remanded to fire – though He has done everything possible to win them back to Himself in the gift of His Son. And it is so terribly sad that this is the broad path of the many, but we understand that if one insists upon pursuing this rebellion and rejection of God’s love and salvation he should be allowed his self-chosen fate.
So we praise God that He has not left us in this darkness, but that He has shined the light of the love of His Son and the knowledge of His salvation into our hearts and minds [2 Cor. 4:6]. So we rejoice in His reign, in His righteousness and justice, and we praise His glorious grace, mercy, and love. We rejoice too that all will be made right in due time, the separation of sheep and goats, and the full renewal of the heavens and earth. His justice is perfect. May the gladness of His love permeate our hearts and minds that we always have His peace and joy.
Prayer For The Day
Dear Lord Jesus, there is much that causes us sorrow and fear in this life, including our own sin and guilt, and our struggle to fully grasp the joy of Your salvation. Help us to truly understand Your gracious and merciful love, Your forgiveness, Your righteousness and justice – by faith in You. May Your Word continue to be a light to our path and a lamp for our feet, that knowing Your love we may come to the peace and joy that surpass understanding. Amen.