Tuesday, August 10, 2021

EmmDev 2021-08-10 [God's help in Tough Times] So... call!

So... call!

Psalm 145 is a celebration of God's goodness and might.
It is also a celebration of His compassion, love and faithfulness.
It is an acrostic poem which means that each line starts with the next letter of the alphabet, moving from "A to Z", or in the case of Hebrew (Alef to Taw).

If we exclude the introduction (v1-2) and the conclusion (v.21) there are four "movements" in the Psalm:
  • Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise, His greatness no one can fathom. (v.3-7)
  • The LORD is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love. (v.8-13a)
  • The LORD is faithful to all His promises and loving toward all He has made. (v.13b-16)
  • The LORD is righteous in all His ways and loving toward all He has made. (v.17-20)
Our reading today comes from the fourth movement and offers a two-pronged hope: Righteousness and Love. Now it may sound strange to find our hope in God's righteousness - especially as one could fall on the wrong side of that righteousness! But if God were not righteous then we could not expect justice and, if God's love was not just, favouritism becomes a possibility. Knowing that God is righteous means we are equally loved but it also means that if we abuse His grace, we must face the consequences. Righteous love is not a pushover.

Some might argue that God's unconditional love is, in fact, conditional because it is based on our good behaviour! But this misses the point: Our bad behaviour doesn't cause Him to love us less, but it does unleash consequences. We cut ourselves off from God's love when we rebel against Him. God continues to love us and that's why He sent His Son to die for us while we were still sinners. (Rom5:8) The cross is where righteousness and love meet.

But the comfort for today is this: In a crazy confused world where much happens that is unfair and unjust, we can call on a God who is near to those who call on Him and He hears their cry and saves them.

So call on Him! You are loved and He is just, He will be at work and, even if we don't find the scales balancing immediately, we know that He is at work.

The LORD is righteous in all his ways
    and loving toward all he has made.
The LORD is near to all who call on him,
    to all who call on him in truth.
He fulfils the desires of those who fear him;
    he hears their cry and saves them.
The LORD watches over all who love him,
    but all the wicked he will destroy.
(Psalms145:17-20)

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