Focus Letter - O
Pray for:
Five things you are grateful for beginning with the focus letter
Five people whose first or last name begins with the focus letter
A place that begins with the focus letter
A characteristic that begins with the focus letter
Dear Lord - Help me to hear Your ever present voice and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 15
"Lord, who may dwell in your sanctuary? Who may live on your holy hill?" (vs 1)
This question is in the hearts of most people whether they acknowledge it or not. We wonder if we are really going to make it and what it takes. Compare this verse to the story of the rich young ruler in Luke 18: 18-30 (also Matt 19:16-30). He had everything going for him in a worldly sense and yet he still came to Jesus asking, "Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" (vs. 18 b)
Jesus told him to obey the commandments and the man said he had. Then Jesus took it higher and confronted the man's heart. He told him, "You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me (vs 22b)." In Psalms 15, the psalmist also lays out several principles to follow that are very intensive. He then states that if we do these things, we will never be shaken - we will, in effect, make it.
In Luke, however, the rich young ruler walks away sad. He was not willing to part with his great wealth and often this is like us as well. We wonder in our hearts what it takes to be right with God and yet when we find out, we don't want to do what it takes to obey. We walk away sad or we feel overwhelmed and hopeless at the prospect of really trying to live an exceptional life. Many times we rationalize away the requirements of God by saying that the Bible was written a long time ago, or can be interpreted many ways. Sometimes we focus only on the passages about God being loving and we throw around the statement that if God is love, then how can He judge or condemn. We pick and chose what we will obey. But do these coping mechanisms really solve the questions that lie deep in our hearts?
I don't believe they do. It reminds me of the line by Thoreau in Walden (1854) - "The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation." We go about our business and say everything is fine but deep down, a nagging feeling sits within us, rising occasionally, and so we too ask, "What will it take for me to make it?"
So, let's take a look at the different conditions in the psalm. This is who will make it:
"He whose walk is blameless and who does what is righteous,
who speaks the truth from his heart and has no slander on his tongue,
who does his neighbor no wrong and casts no slur on his fellowman,
who despises a vile man but honors those who fear the Lord,
who keeps his oath even when it hurts,
who lends money without usury and does not accept a bribe against the innocent." (vs. 2-5)
This is a high calling. This is probably not what we expect. Often we think of salvation we focus on the big things, "the externals". We figure if we don't murder, or steal, if we go to church once in awhile, if we are a good person (according to our definition) then we are okay. But God does not look at the outward appearance, He looks at the heart (I Samuel 16:7). The requirements in this psalm are like those in Luke and also those in the greatest commandment - "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' (Luke 10:27)" It is all about who we are deep down. Can we say we are blameless? I can not. Can we say we speak the truth and never slander or say bad things about someone? I can not. Do we hate what God hates and honor what is good? Often it is the opposite for us. Do we keep our oath, even when it is hard to do? Or is it easy to just blow things off? Are we above reproach? No. We cover up all these shortcomings with the bandaid of outwardly appearing good or together, and so the question nags at us. We know what we are really like. Even the best of us, if we are willing to be honest with ourselves, are far from the mark.
So what are we to do? The disciples in the story about the rich young ruler also asked this question when the man went away sad. Jesus said as he left, "'How hard it was for the rich to enter the kingdom of God! Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.' Those who heard this asked, 'Who then can be saved?' (Luke 18:24b-26)" A good question to ask when we look at what is needed. The passage goes on - "Jesus replied, 'What is impossible with men is possible with God.' (Luke 18:27)"
And with this we praise God. We can be saved. We can be purified from the inside and we can be forgiven. Then we can walk in continual forgiveness as we strive to do our best at obeying God. He knows we will sin; that is why Jesus died. We are to walk in the light of God and walk in openness, and then the blood of Jesus will purify us from all unrighteousness. The key is to acknowledge our sin and turn away from that which is wrong in our lives and strive to be different. With God, we can do it. The impossible will be possible. Then as we grow, we will become more and more like the person in this psalm and we truly will, never be shaken.
This passage in I John is a great summary of this miracle.
"This is the message we have heard from Him and declare to you: God is light; in Him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with Him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin.
If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make Him out to be a liar and His word has no place in our lives.
My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense - Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.
We know that we have come to know Him if we obey His commands. The man who says, "I know Him," but does not do what He commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But if anyone obeys His word, God's love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in Him: Whoever claims to live in Him must walk as Jesus did." (I John 1:5 - 2:6)
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
We thank You for the miracle of being able to have a relationship with You. We are not able to meet the requirements of heaven alone and so we praise You for providing a way for us to make it. All things are possible with You. Help us to strive our best to walk in the light and to confess our sins so that we may be healed. We have all fallen short. We are so grateful for the sacrifice of Jesus. We are so grateful that He is interceding for us and that his blood covers over our sins. We long to never be shaken. Grant us the strength to stay on the path to You.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. Which of these requirements of God are most difficult for me? Why?
2. Do I hate evil? How can I hate evil without being self-righteous? Do I honor what God honors? Do I honor those who fear the Lord? Why or why not? How can I change?
3. In what ways do I find myself getting "bought" or accepting bribes? What do I compromise my values for? Why? How can I stop?
4. Am I a man or woman of your word? When do I struggle most with letting my yes be yes, and my no, be no" (Matt 5:37)? How can I overcome this?
5. Am I walking in the light? Am I open about my sins with anyone? Do I have any accountability in my life? Why or why not? Who can I talk to about issues I may have? How will this help me?
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