A Just and Loving God TEXT: PSALM 18:20-28 Key verse: “With the merciful thou wilt shew thyself merciful; with an upright man thou wilt shew thyself upright” (Psalm 18:25). Every man, at his best, is an outcrop of God’s benevolence and mercy. Were it not for the undeserved and unmerited acts of God’s mercy, humanity would have remained in the bowels of sin and death! The injunction in this Psalm presents a timeless pattern for the contemporary man caught in the web of life’s adversities. David was to write this song after God had given him victory over his enemies, particularly Saul. David was a man much endeared to God. It was his delight to obey God in all things. The few times he fell foul of God’s laws, he repented deeply and spontaneously. It was like him to place God’s laws sorely before his face, so that he might not sin against his Creator. He had ample chances to deal ruthlessly and decisively against his foes, especially Saul. In a way, he would have been justified. He had done nothing to Saul to warrant his being hunted by the backslidden king. But David avoided every available opportunity to destroy Saul. Had he done so, he would have breached God’s commandment that says, ‘touch not my anointed’, for Saul, in spite of his backslidden state, was indeed God’s anointed. Furthermore, David would have resorted to self-management and repudiated God’s promise of rescuing the weak. The credentials of David before God were his mercy, uprightness, righteousness and cleanness of hands. “Therefore hath the Lord recompensed me according to my righteousness ...” It is what a man sows that he will reap. David was merciful to his archenemy. God likewise showed mercy to him. The measure of what we mete out to others, foe or friend, is the measure God will recompense us with. If we are unmerciful, unrighteous and froward, we will not be privileged to enjoy God’s intervention in our hour of need. The scripture enjoins us to love our enemies and bless them that curse us. We are to repay evil with good, pray for those who persecute and despitefully use us. Uprightness, righteousness and mercy will bring us into favour with God, for He loveth righteousness and judgment. THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: Only a heart made perfect can love perfectly!
Posted on: Sat, 08 Mar 2014 07:32:20 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015