Scripture Reading(s)
Psalm 14
14:1 Fools say in their hearts, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds; there is no one who does good.
14:2 The LORD looks down from heaven on humankind to see if there are any who are wise, who seek after God.
14:3 They have all gone astray, they are all alike perverse; there is no one who does good, no, not one.
14:4 Have they no knowledge, all the evildoers who eat up my people as they eat bread, and do not call upon the LORD?
14:5 There they shall be in great terror, for God is with the company of the righteous.
14:6 You would confound the plans of the poor, but the LORD is their refuge.
14:7 O that deliverance for Israel would come from Zion! When the LORD restores the fortunes of his people, Jacob will rejoice; Israel will be glad.
Reflections
God’s judgement awaits all those who choose to reject Him. Each day we all face the temptation to fall into sin and likewise we are given the same choice to either given or stand firm against it. As humans, God knows that we are prone to sin, however He has also set up a way for us to fight against sin and walk in obedience to Him.
It is so easy for one to keep walking in sin and refuse to see that the road they take will only lead to destruction. Turning away from sin and walking in full obedience to Christ takes discipline and practice. Furthermore, we cannot do it by our own strength. Verse 6 says that despite a sinful act, God is still the source of our refuge.
Yes, with an act of sin and refusal of repentance comes judgement and punishment. However, God’s Grace is still greater to cover our wrong and bring us back to Him. Despite Israel’s countless acts of rebellion, each time they would sincerely cry out to Him, He would restore them and forgive.
Let us pursue righteous living and continually remind ourselves of the work of the cross and what Christ did to bring an end to sin and opened up a way for us to one day spend eternity with Him.