“You are my portion, O Lord; I have said that I would keep Your words. I entreated Your favor with my whole heart; be merciful to me according to Your word” (vs57).
God’s promised mercy in His word, we've believed it, and we desire Him to keep this promise, faithfully. He says, “be merciful to me according to Your word”. We're staking everything on Christ, and we want salvation. We come needy, dependent, and we can't make it on our own. The misery of being Christ-less is too great, so, “Be merciful to us”, is our plea.
I don't ‘admire’ the gospel or play with it! I need Christ to relieve the misery of sin, and to help me see Gods glory. I need relief. Don't be a religious spectator who accepts being OUTSIDE of Christ. Plead to get in, according to His promises to all who believe.
Note: believing is trusting your soul, future, and eternity to Jesus Christ, forsaking all else, and expecting Him alone to guide you to Paradise.
Secondly, many tell me what to do, but I'm obeying Jesus Christ (vs59-60). He says, “I thought about my ways, and turned my feet to Your testimonies. I made haste, and did not delay to keep Your commandments”. Don't be ashamed, as if you're in the wrong. There is nothing impure in Christ, and honoring Him is surely rewarded. Resolve never to be self-willed or deceived. Make your mind now, then make it up day by day repeatedly and continually: Jesus is God’s Son, the Worthy One, the Judge who is Savior, the One who MUST be honored. Love Him for saving you by walking in His paths, which lead to eternal life. Seek your reward from Him, rather than sinful pleasures.
Finally, my brothers are those who obey (vs61-64)! “The cords of the wicked have bound me, but I have not forgotten Your law. At midnight I will rise to give thanks to You, because of Your righteous judgments. I am a companion of all who fear You, and of those who keep Your precepts.” Forget the racial and political issues. Forget every human distinction. There's only one distinction, one difference, and one dividing line, and it's the gospel. Those who believe, former murderers, and the formerly oppressed and mistreated, are now brothers of the bond of Christ, having the same Spirit, Master, and Father. Ephesians 4:4-6 says, “There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all”. We have Jesus as First Brother, and we mutually adore, honor, and serve Him. We're teammates, co-workers, and brothers in battle, putting aside differences to unite in the exaltation of Christ, as commanded. Grace has made us love each other, worship together, and help each other. Let this love abound, recognize what SIDE you're really on, and know the battle isn't political, ethnic, or economical; it is spiritual only, and we're exalting Christ, helping All to be saved. “For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Tim 2:3-4). We must stop drawing divisions where God has declared unity, and be about Christ's kingdom, rather than fighting against brethren over things that don't ascend the importance of Christ.
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