Who shall dwell with God? Who can live under His roof?
Before you try to answer that, read Psalm 15 please.
To answer those questions: if you are like me, you have the desire to do them, but lack the holiness (or goodness if you prefer that idea) to pull it off. Psalm 15 appears to make it even clearer…and harder. Reading Psalm 15 and analyzing it:
- Lead blameless lives
- Do what is right
- Speak the truth (never lie)
- Refuse to gossip (never slander)
- Don’t harm your neighbor
- Don’t speak evil of a friend
- Fear the Lord
- Don’t charge interest (don’t defraud)
- Don’t offer or accept a bribe
Who can do that? Look right past or through me. That is certainly not me and is beyond me. Someone has suggested that this is like a different way of saying, “Love God with all your heart, soul, strength, and mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” Again…who can do that? Not me.
Lofty goal, for sure. But impossible to pull off. There is only ONE who can, does, and has. My failures and His perfection is obvious. But here is the mind-blowing truth: He is the Great High Priest and because of His sacrifice, He has made a way for me to be able to come into the presence of the Father…no matter the sin or shortcomings. It’s called GRACE.
Isn’t that amazing?
God’s grace never ceases to be amazing and to amaze me. Through Jesus, we are given all that we don’t deserve so we can live the way God wants us to live – for Him and not for ourselves. Thanks for this wonderful reminder today, Bill.
Blessings!
I’m with you on the amazing Martha. I pray I never lose that awe. And you’re welcome.
Points to our direct need of a Savior. It is impossible without Christ, but through Christ all things are possible.
… and yes, it is amazing and a comfort to know that the God we serve isn’t a tyrant, but a loving Father that simply wants His children to come back to Him.
The bar is set impossibly high to meet the criteria that it takes to be in God’s presence and Jesus is the only ladder that will get us over that bar.
If we could always remember your words of wisdom here Ryan we might stop the pretense of trying too hard.
Psalm 15, is a reminder of how much we need to be saved and how imperfect we truly are. It pairs perfectly with Romans 6, where Paul explains that Gods grace is not to be used to continue to sin so that grace can multiply. We do not work for our salvation, that is simply Gods grace, however, we can constantly work at being the person God created us to be. We can ask for the Holy Spirit to give us the wisdom and the knowledge to walk in Gods way, and to know when we fail, we need to stop, repent, and be thankful for God’s given grace.
I love how you connected Psalm 15 with Romans 6 Gail! I am thankful God’s grace does allow us to stop , repent, and be thankful.
I love the hope you share here Bill! One of the devotions I read this morning was on a similar theme. https://www.lhm.org/dailydevotions/20260121/
I needed the reminder—twice!
Thanks Pam. We all need reminders don’t we? I will look up the other devotion. Read it and I agree: Jesus is enough.