Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Psalm 22:27 They ponder and turn to the LORD, all the ends of the earth, And they bow down to His face, all the families of the nations.
PONDER AND TURN
Do you commute to work? In so doing do you find yourself stuck in traffic? Take Sunday's bulletin with you throughout the week and ponder during that commute and when traffic is slow the Scripture lessons, the sermon text, and the hymns. The commute may not seem so long and you might hate the traffic less. One can only benefit from such pondering of the marvelous works of God and of our Lord Jesus.
Through such pondering we turn to God, gladly doing so in repentance, knowing that when we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us our iniquities for Jesus' sake. Turning to Him and pondering His Word we will find that the decisions we need to make, great or small, become less difficult for we are led by Him who is our Leader, God the Almighty.
Ponder and turn to Him with your fears, your worries, your anxieties, and in pondering the Word of Comfort see all those things set into their proper place and perspective.
Ponder, turn, and bow down before Him. Come with humble mind and humble heart. Not as one who deserves to be heard, but as one who for Jesus' sake is heard and whose prayers are answered.
For what is bowing down before the Lord but an act of humility--relying upon His mercy to not destroy us--and an act of worship. It is recognizing Him as our Lord and Master and not we ourselves. For what can we demand of Him? Righteousness? With Adam's sin we all sinned, and we all have transgressed His holy will and law. Shall we demand He answer our prayers? He hears only the righteous, and we by nature are not righteous.
Yet for Jesus' sake He has made us righteous. For Jesus' sake He has taken away our sin. So in Jesus' name we come before Him. Ponder this, and so give glory to Him. Meditate on His great mercy and we will turn to Him. Ponder His great grace toward us and we will bow down before Him in worship and adoration, giving thanks and praise to Him who did not have to do one thing for us, but has opened the door to eternal life to us--and given us faith to believe it.
