January 22nd
THE PSALMS
Theme: Praise for Jehovah’s Mercies.
Background: David surveys God’s goodness.
Ruth, a Moabitess considered to be an unclean Gentile;
Bathsheba, an adulteress; (e) Mary, Jesus’ mother who was pregnant outside wedlock. Yet it was from these women, viewed by others as disreputable, that the Lord raised up his Son. God delights in the disreputable! He is greater than our sins; ‘where sin abounds, His grace abounds much more.’ (Rom 5:20) There is more grace in Jesus than there is sin in us. These women’s stories show us that even when our troubles are of our own making,
they are neither final nor fatal. When we turn to Him, he will turn our situations around until we see His glory upon us! Trust Him who qualifies the disqualified! (Ezra 9:13).
THE PSALMS
Psalm 98-103
Psalm 103
Psalm 103
The same way a loving father feels toward his children - that’s but a sample of your
tender feelings toward us, your beloved children, who live in awe of you.
tender feelings toward us, your beloved children, who live in awe of you.
Psalm 103:13, The Passion Translation
Theme: Praise for Jehovah’s Mercies.
Background: David surveys God’s goodness.
103:4 “He who redeems your life from pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy”
Five women are mentioned in the genealogy of Jesus (Matt 1:1–16). We would think that Sarah, Rebekah, Leah, Rachel, or Abigail, would be likely candidates, but no, rather they are: (a) Tamar, likely a Canaanitess, who posed as a prostitute; (b) Rahab, a Canaanitess who was a prostitute;Ruth, a Moabitess considered to be an unclean Gentile;
Bathsheba, an adulteress; (e) Mary, Jesus’ mother who was pregnant outside wedlock. Yet it was from these women, viewed by others as disreputable, that the Lord raised up his Son. God delights in the disreputable! He is greater than our sins; ‘where sin abounds, His grace abounds much more.’ (Rom 5:20) There is more grace in Jesus than there is sin in us. These women’s stories show us that even when our troubles are of our own making,
they are neither final nor fatal. When we turn to Him, he will turn our situations around until we see His glory upon us! Trust Him who qualifies the disqualified! (Ezra 9:13).
103:12 “As far off as the sunrise is from the sunset …. he has put our transgressions”
It does not say `from north to south` because you would eventually cross the north pole and start going south, but that is not true of east to west. North and south meet but east and west never meet. Our sins are removed an infinite distance from us. God does not “keep score” (verse 9, Byington).______________________________
Our judge is our father who has paid our penalty.
Our judge is our father who has paid our penalty.