In this study of thanksgiving, we will look at one last Old Testament passage: Psalm 50. It is written like a formal complaint in a courtroom, with God calling His court to order, with the heavens and earth to attest to the righteousness of His judgment against His people. His called has thanksgiving as its bookends: v.
14 Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving,
and perform your vows to the Most High,
15 and call upon me in the day of trouble;
I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.”
16 But to the wicked God says:
“What right have you to recite my statutes
or take my covenant on your lips?
17 For you hate discipline,
and you cast my words behind you.
18 If you see a thief, you are pleased with him,
and you keep company with adulterers.
19 “You give your mouth free rein for evil,
and your tongue frames deceit.
20 You sit and speak against your brother;
you slander your own mother's son.
21 These things you have done, and I have been silent;
you thought that I was one like yourself.
But now I rebuke you and lay the charge before you.
22 “Mark this, then, you who forget God,
lest I tear you apart, and there be none to deliver!
23 The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me;
to one who orders his way rightly
I will show the salvation of God!”
and perform your vows to the Most High,
15 and call upon me in the day of trouble;
I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.”
16 But to the wicked God says:
“What right have you to recite my statutes
or take my covenant on your lips?
17 For you hate discipline,
and you cast my words behind you.
18 If you see a thief, you are pleased with him,
and you keep company with adulterers.
19 “You give your mouth free rein for evil,
and your tongue frames deceit.
20 You sit and speak against your brother;
you slander your own mother's son.
21 These things you have done, and I have been silent;
you thought that I was one like yourself.
But now I rebuke you and lay the charge before you.
22 “Mark this, then, you who forget God,
lest I tear you apart, and there be none to deliver!
23 The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me;
to one who orders his way rightly
I will show the salvation of God!”
God lays before us two distinct courses: Call to Him, trust in Him, live to please Him, and thank Him. Sandwiched in between all that is the opposite: people who may recite liturgies, even Bible verses, who take communion, and act like they are worshippers, but the rest of their lives show otherwise. They come and hear His words, then leave them behind on the floor. They believe corruption and immorality are just fine, because they don't look so bad. And they use their mouths for everything but thanksgiving: evil speech, likes, gossip, and complaining. God says: "I have not missed all these ways you have lived with thankless hearts, but now, I'll tell you this: I'm tired of it. I'm tired of the hypocrisy, the lies, the gossip and the complaining. I'm tired of you leaving me out of your life. Choose a life of thanksgiving, or choose death." Which will we choose today?
No comments:
Post a Comment