Read the Word:
Psalm 50:16-23
Meditate on the Word:
I recently saw a Facebook post that a friend shared from a “pastor” that a friend shared in response to a thing going on in the world. I put the term “pastor” in quotes because this person’s “theology” sounded much more like the gospel of HuffPost or BuzzFeed than the gospel of Jesus Christ. Further investigation confirmed my suspicions that this pastor was simply a channel of worldly ideologies. I fear that there is a day when this pastor will hear, “depart from Me, I never knew you.” (Matthew 7:23). One can never use the words of our Lord to justify behavior that is against His moral law. Instead, that very word should cause the sinner to repent.
The words of the psalmist that we read today picture both a wrong attitude and wrong action. If we “hate instruction” that reveals hatred of the One who gives instruction. Hatred of God’s laws reveal a hatred of the protection that He provides. Even if we claim to love our Lord, hating His law shows our true attitude. The picture given of “flinging” or “casting” His words behind us (v. 17) shows contempt. In the same way a spoiled child might throw a gift he didn’t want, we can do this with the good gift of God’s boundaries. Then, we feel free to follow after the world’s adultery, lies, and slander.
If, however, we have a right attitude toward our Lord, we see His law as a gift to keep us safe. His rules are a fence to protect us from harming ourselves or others. If we jump over or cut through that fence, these are purposeful actions. Actions that mock God. What then gives us a right to attempt to hold others to standards from which we ourselves flee? God will not long tolerate this from His people.
Pray the Word:
Ask our Lord to reveal to you any wicked way and repent from whatever attitude or action He reveals to you.
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