April 7, 2023

Passage Read: Psalm 103-106
Meditation Verses: 105:43-45

Thought

The Lord did good to Israel in accordance with His promise to Abraham, and He did it so that they would obey Him and follow His laws. Interestingly, the next psalm then details the sins of the people and how the Lord punished them and sent them into captivity. The right response to God's mercy and grace are greater obedience, honor towards the Lord by doing all His holy will. The wrong response to His goodness is going our own way, doing as we see fit, according to what we think is good and right. Whether God does good to us in the first place or not, we owe Him all obedience from beginning to end, because He made us and we are His. We are not our own, not at all free to decide what is good and right, but expected to do what He calls good and right.

Application

God alone has authority to declare what is true and good and right. Since I have gone far astray and not died, He has already shown me great mercy, because I could already be burning in hell. He has that right. But instead He has shown me favor and mercy and grace, so that I would turn and follow Him wholeheartedly, not so that I can continue to go my own way! His Law is good and right, and I should live by it; it is a single standard of righteousness, whether Old or New Testament.