Tuesday, December 9, 2008

Unfailing Love... Advent of Joy #9


I opened my bible today, sitting at my desk and looking outside at the snow. It’s not heavy snow; small, tiny flakes falling down and covering everything. It is so beautiful. It is amazing to me how so many tiny things can make the world looks so white and clean.

My bible opened to Psalm 33 today. Literally, I just opened it up and there it was. I started reading because I was looking for a piece of scripture on joy.

I was planning on going into the New Testament today, I even had the scripture passage picked out. Maybe that one will be tomorrow, cause this one really spoke to me.

“Sing joyfully to the LORD, you righteous;
it is fitting for the upright to praise him.
Praise the LORD with the harp;
make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre.
Sing to him a new song;
play skillfully, and shout for joy.
For the word of the LORD is right and true;
he is faithful in all he does.
The LORD loves righteousness and justice;
the earth is full of his unfailing love.”
Psalm 33:1-5

The part that got me was the reason we are to praise Him joyfully (filled with JOY). Because His word is right and true.

I have been reminded through this past Sunday’s sermon to cling to God’s promises in His word. To cling to what He has said. All of God’s word is right and true. There is nothing wrong in His word, even if I don’t agree with something. It is all true and He is faithful in all He does, even when it seems impossible.

When a situation looks out of control, we can look to God, and His word, because HE IS FAITHFUL. When God says that He will be faithful to complete the good work He began in you, HE WILL.

Do you know why? Because the whole earth is full of His unfailing love. He loves us. So much that the earth is full of His love.

Full. Of. His. Love.

When we see things that aren’t right, when people do things to us and others that demand justice, even if we don’t see them receiving justice on this earth… know that they are going to have to face God with what they did. It may not be a comfort now, but let me tell you… I wouldn’t want to be in front of God, knowing I had done something wrong… waiting for His punishment!

But we don’t have to receive that kind of punishment. Because of His unfailing love.
His unfailing love came down at Christmas and was born as a little baby to a poor family, and lived His life as a carpenter, working with wood in His hands as He grew up… and then He was nailed to a tree, a wooden cross. After touching so many lives and healing and loving, He died.

Then He rose again so that those who believe in Him can have life. We can be covered by His righteousness, through accepting His sacrifice for us, and trusting Him with our whole hearts and lives.

Just like the tiny snowflakes that are covering everything, Jesus made it possible for everyone to be white and clean.

The Lord loves righteousness, and guess what? We, who have accepted His Son, are righteous before Him.

That is more than enough to make me shout for joy!

“We wait in hope for the LORD;
he is our help and our shield.
In him our hearts rejoice,
for we trust in his holy name.”
Psalm 33:20-21

That is what this season is about, waiting in hope for the Lord. Christmas is all about the hope, the joyful anticipation of our deliverance, that God has given us in Jesus. Even if we already have access to God through His Son, it is with hope that we remember this season.
Not hope and excitement for what we might get, or seeing others faces at what they might get. Hope and excitement at the ultimate present that God gave us.

Jesus.

God is our help (in and through everything we come against). God is our shield (sheltering us from death and the enemy of our souls).

In Him, my heart rejoices. I trust, and will trust in His Holy Name. There is no other name in heaven or on earth that can save us, help us, or shield us the way He does.

This Christmas season I choose to trust in Him, for everything and in everything.

I will end with this prayer, right out of Psalm 33.

“May your unfailing love rest upon us, O Lord.
even as we put our hope in you.” (vs. 22)

And Lord, help me to recognize You at work in my life. Help me to recognize you in the midst of all the hustle and bustle of this season. Thank You for Your unfailing love. Help me to remember that is what this advent is all about… Your unfailing love for ME! Help me to take joy in the hope I have in You all the days of my life. Amen.

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