Psalm 143-146++
“I will extol Thee, my God, my King; and I will bless Thy name forever and ever.” (145:1)
The great praiser, David, concentrates on the many facets of God’s greatness. Besides being mighty and able to do anything, He is also gracious, merciful, great in lovingkindness, good to all. (145:8-9).
We walk with a God whose attributes are beyond human understanding. Most people – even unbelievers – know that our God is strong and mighty. His ability to perform is greater than anything we can know. Yet many – even Christians – don’t have David’s understanding of God’s mercy and lovingkindness.
It was His mercy that sent His Son to the earth to bring deliverance to us. To pay the price we owed for our sinful nature.
Then it was His mercy which took us to a new level with Him by giving us the gift of righteousness. He made us righteous and put His Holy Spirit within us.
How could we not praise Him for all of these works? How could we not praise Him for all of the kindness and mercy He has shown us personally?
So now we are to live our lives in that mercy. He has forgiven us? Okay, let’s forgive ourselves. If God, the Creator of the Universe has forgiven us, then we need to forgive ourselves.
Let’s live with our hearts free from the condemnation we used to carry. He set us free from that, if we will receive it.
His mercy, His grace, and His forgiveness are not just words. They are truths we are called to live in.
His mercy endures forever! And I receive it!
I Corinthians 15:29-58
The seed principle comes up again and again throughout scripture. This time it speaks of the earthly life as compared to the heavenly life after resurrection.
Just as a seed is sown and grows to produce the appointed crop, our natural bodies are sown into the ground and will be raised up supernatural, spiritual bodies. These new bodies are the eternal bodies we will have as we live forever with Jesus.
Paul is speaking of the resurrection. Some had contested that they didn’t believe in the resurrection, and Paul rebukes them boldly. That’s when he compares the perishable and the imperishable bodies.
After we are born again, we live as children of God. Our spirits become alive and we begin to transform our souls through prayer and the Word of God. Our bodies are the last to be changed, but they will be in the resurrection. We will be sown a perishable body and raised up an imperishable one.
“O Death, where is your victory? O Death, where is your sting?” (V.55) Death has neither victory nor sting for the Christian. The resurrection life overcomes death, and we live forever.
“Therefore be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.” (V. 58)
Never give up. Never give up doing what God directs you to do. His grace is with you wherever you go and in whatever comes your way. His love never fails – and always causes you to overcome, when you are in His will.
I embrace His purpose in my life and I embrace His ability to do it!
