It is Accomplished!

When iniquities prevail against me,
you atone for our transgressions.
Blessed is the one you choose and bring near,
to dwell in your courts!
We shall be satisfied with the goodness of your house,
the holiness of your temple!
Psalm 65:3-4, ESV

We are constantly in need of a saviour. Anyone with any shred of honesty who has attempted a holy life has learned this in the valley of dryness. We are constantly brought low in humility, sometimes even to despair, that the grace and mercy of Christ might be exalted. We are brought low, He is lifted up. Have you ever tasted the bittersweet gaul of defeat in sin? Have you ever wept bitter tears of failure and discouragement for not living up to the standard of holiness required of us? I know I have. That's why this verse stopped me dead in my tracks yesterday-the whole point of the gospel is mercy and grace for all who believe! Refresh yourself in the gospel, as David did in the passage above. "When iniquities prevail against me, you atone for our transgressions." This is the gospel: when we fail, and weep for it, our attention must go to the once-for-all-time atonement of Christ, and the Kingly shout "It is accomplished!" Here, in this short passage hidden away in the Old Testament, is the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ! Have you despaired for salvation? Have you been brought low for your many failures and mess ups? Come, weary soul, find rest at the foot of the cross-come and drink! For truly, we have been chosen, we have been brought near, and "we shall be satisfied with the goodness of [His] house!" Amen.

Suggested Reading:
Charles Spurgeon's brief morning devotional from November 12th on "The Trial of Your Faith" - Classic Spurgeon!

Soul-deep Satisfaction

O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you;
my soul thirsts for you;
my flesh faints for you,
as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.
So I have looked upon you I the sanctuary,
beholding your power and your glory.
[Psalm 63:1-2 ESV]

The word that I noticed this morning was 'SO' in verse 2. He said "I'm thirsty...I'm fainting...so I will behold your power and your glory." The implication is that in beholding the power and glory of God, his thirst will be quenched, and his soul will be satisfied of its longing!

Look at the next verse: "Because your steadfast love is better than life...", and later "My soul will be satisfied...and my mouth will praise you with joy...when I meditate on You." David is seeking, in his own 'devotion time,' to be supremely satisfied in the power and glory of God!

I don’t know if this idea had really found it's way into my own devotional life: "Seek to be satisfied in the power and glory of God. Your thirst will be quenched, your soul strengthened and satisfied!" When we behold a vision or description or praise for God's glory or power or majesty or holiness, the believer's heart is greatly kindled with joy and wonder.

How long has it been for you? Are you dry and thirsty? Longing for supreme soul-deep satisfaction? "Look upon [Christ] in the sanctuary, [behold] His power and His glory!" and you will be satisfied. Don't let the day disappear without it.

Recommended Reading:
If you'd like to gaze upon the power and the glory of Christ further, I'd highly recommend a sermon by Jonathan Edwards titled 'The Excellency of Christ.' If his writing style is a bit bumpy for you, just stick with it-it will pay off. To find treasure, we must dig. Spend a portion of your devotion time over the next few mornings and work through this-you will not regret it!

Be exalted, O God!

I've been spending some time in the psalms lately, and recently one passage really stirred me deeply: Psalm 57:7-11, ESV. Especially verse 7: "Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! Let your glory be over all the earth!" This, in one sentence, is the essence of salvation, and the essence of evangelism, and the essence of world missions: spreading a passion for the glory of God.

It's the essence of salvation, because by nature we don't glorify God as God. When we are born again by the Spirit of God, new passions and desires are born into our innermost being: and then we see things as they really are. This new source, or new 'impetus,' for God, is one indication of our being genuine sons of God.

It's the essence of evangelism because the heart of the gospel is to point people to the glory of God, to his goodness, his holiness, his enjoyable-ness (to make up a word). Praising God is preaching God, and 'faith comes by hearing.'

In the same way, it's the essence of global missions as well. Exalting Jesus before the nations, with the hope that they too will see his goodness, truth, and beauty, is the great commission.

Have you thought about the "glory of God covering the earth" lately? "I will sing and make melody! Awake, my glory! Awake, O harp and lyre! I will awake the dawn! ...I will sing praises to you among the nations."

This is the gospel. This is the source of joy, and this is the essence of the Great Commission.