Today’s reading: Psalm 62-64; Romans 1
5 My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food, and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips, 6 when I remember you upon my bed, and meditate on you in the watches of the night; 7 for you have been my help, and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy. Psalm 63:5-7
21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Romans 1:21
Mankind is divided into two groups, those who find their satisfaction and joy in God and those who neither honor Him nor give thanks to Him. There are two ways to live and both are vividly contrasted in today’s readings.
The Psalmist opens his heart again and again showing us how much he longs for God. He is like one longing for water and air. He cannot live without his God. He finds his satisfaction in Him. He finds shelter and protection in Him. He praises God with joy. He sings of Him for joy. The worship of God is not a necessary but unpleasant discipline. He finds delight in God.
By contrast, Paul describes people who take no interest in God. They have no time to praise Him. They give Him no thanks. They presumptuously go on their merry way in foolishness. They have no excuse for their negligence, because God’s invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature are clearly perceived in creation (vs. 19-20). Rather, than worship and thank God, however, they grow more foolish and exchange the glory of God for images of animals. They worship creatures, not the Creator.
Man is made to worship God and if he will not worship God he will worship something less than God for he must have an object of worship. It is common to call our celebrities “idols”. Why not? We worship them and they encourage it. The only problem is they are fallen humans, not worthy of worship. They, too, will be called to answer for their idolatry.
Find your satisfaction and joy in the eternal triune God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. He is magnificent. He is worthy of all our praise and worship. There are only two ways to live and the choice is clear. [1]
[1] To see a presentation of the gospel go to: http://www.matthiasmedia.com.au/2wtl/
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