Scripture Graphics #37

"Thy mercy, O LORD, is in the heavens;

and thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds.

Thy righteousness is like the great mountains;

thy judgments are a great deep:

O LORD, thou preservest man and beast.

How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God!

therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings.

They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house;

and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures.

For with thee is the fountain of life:

in thy light shall we see light." Psalm 36:5-9

Take this passage phrase by phrase and just meditate on it. God used metaphors of things we have not fully explored -- what greater way to express the vastness of Himself to us?

"Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy: for I am the LORD your God. And ye shall keep my statutes, and do them: I am the LORD which sanctify you." Leviticus 20:7-8

"But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy." 1 Peter 1:15-16

The call to holiness is never revoked for New Testament believers. Yet how often do we hear it preached? How often do we examine our daily lives and hold our lives against God's Word to see if every manner of our conversation ("behavior") is holy according to God's definition? When was the last time we sought God's help in this area? (For it is God Who sanctifies us)

"Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,...Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:" Hebrews 10:19, 22-24

All that we do for God must be grounded in Christ's work on Calvary. It is only through the blood of Christ that we can draw near, have full assurance of faith, have our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, hold fast without wavering, and minister to others. Any of these actions not founded in Christ and His salvation will not stand.

Also, sometimes as believers, we will be tempted to trust in these works alone ("Have I done enough?"), and do not fully trust in the sufficiency of Jesus' blood and sacrifice for us. Doing this, we will not have full assurance of faith.

"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen....But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." Hebrews 11:1, 6

What verses have you been clinging to this week?