For not an enemy taunts me–and I would bear; not one who hates me, to me
makes himself great-- and I would hide myself from him. And you, a man
as compared with me; my companion and my kinsman. We had together sweet
conversation; in the house of God we walked in the restless (crowd). May
death come to them unexpectedly; may they go down to Sheol alive; for
evil in their residence draws near. I myself upon God will call; and
Yahweh will save me. Evening and morning and midday I melt away and I
groan; and He hears my voice. He will ransom in peace, my soul from the
battle against me; for many they are, with me. God will hear and He will
answer them; even enthroned from of old. Exalt! Those whom there is no
change for them; and who do not fear God. He stretches forth his hands
on those at peace with him; he has profaned his covenant. His
speach–smoother than butter; yet war–his heart. Softer–his words, than
oil; yet drawn swords. Cast, on Yahweh, your burden; and He will sustain
you. He will not give forever to be shaken, the righteous. And You
Yourself, God will bring them down to the pit of destruction; men of
bloodshed and deceit will not live half their days; yet I will trust in
You!
David was in a dilemma. No longer the young giant killer, now he's an
old sickly king who has lost the confidence of the people. They clammor
for his young dashing son Absalom to ascend to the throne, and he is all
too willing to oblige them. David flees Jerusalem on his aging legs and
stops along the way to write these words of Psalm 55. He seems to have
lost everything in this world, but David is not without hope. For He
knows he's considered *righteous* in God's sight, one whom God will ransom.
Perhaps you have felt like David at times, as though nothing is going
right down here on earth. You get stressed about finances, or school or
work. You are anxious about providing for your family. You are worried
about failing health. You are overly concerned about good relationships
which have turned sour. Through it all, you wonder when, or even if God
will answer your prayers. But His answer is always the same:
*Seek* first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things
will be added.
But we aren't very good seekers of God's good gifts. Left on our own, we
are so easily distracted away from the goal before us on the straight &
narrow way. We are tempted to transgress the curb of that path, and to
trespass onto the devil's dangerous territory. We may even want to turn
back and return to the trail where we can see God's blessings, but we
fail to return to Him, time and again.
So God blesses you with the gift we need in order to seek Him only and
always: Faith! The Holy Spirit doesn't wait for you to decide we want to
become a believer, but He creates us as such by the power of God's word.
The gospel message of Jesus' enduring love for you works faith in your
heart, so that you can trust in Jesus Who is your Redeemer, Who ransomed
you from sin death & the power of the devil by His sacrifice at the
cross. Your faith seeks Jesus there, at His cross, for your salvation!
Seek first His *kingdom* and His righteousness, and all these things
will be added.
We fail to recognize God's kingdom for what it's worth. We're so busy
dealing with the things of this world that we wouldn't notice God's
kingdom of heaven it it bit us! Jobs, club meetings, doctor's
appointments, chauffering of children, school shedules & the like have
us so preoccupied, that we begin thinking God's kingdom is of this
world. His heavenly kingdom seems all but forgotten.
Jesus brings you His other-worldly kingdom here in this place. Each
Sunday & festival day when there is communion, a little bit of the
kingdom of heaven is brought down here on earth for you. The ever-living
body of Jesus which is seated at the right hand of the Father comes down
in the bread for you to eat. His life-giving blood which flows now in
His holy veins above comes down in the cup for you to drink. You become
part of God's kingdom at His Supper, forgiven, saved & given life eternal.
Seek first His kingdom and *His righteousness*, and all these things
will be added.
We don't try to obtain the correct kind of righteousness on our own.
Instead, we struggle & strive, trying to do good all by ourselves. We
foolishly think that if we make every effort to do the right thing, that
somehow this will merit or earn righteousness in God's sight. But it
won't. Such self-righteous-nesses may look good on the surface to
people, but before God they are but filthy rags.
The righteousness God gives you is not first & foremost *yours*. It is
*His*! What was first yours was your sin. But in Holy Baptism, your
transgressions & trespasses were washed clean from you to te + of Jesus!
But God would not have your heart left empty. The good things Jesus did
for you His entire perfect life on earth are given you as a gift. His
alien righteousness is credited to your heart by faith. His
righteousness becomes yours! His good works which earn salvation now
belong to you!
Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and *all these things will
be added*.
What a gracious God we have! Not only is He perfectly willing to give us
His righteousness now, and His kingdom forevermore, and faith to receive
these everlastig blessings, but He also wants to add to such heavenly
riches, with extra earthly blessings added on! He cares for you here
with earthly blessings, and cares for your eternal welfare as well. He
will not allow you, His righteous ones to be shaken, forever!
John C. Drosendahl, Pastor
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
___________________________________________________________________________
'CAT 41 Sermons & Devotions' consists of works that are, unless otherwise
noted, the copyrighted property of the various authors; posting of such
gives members of this list implied consent for redistribution _with_
_attribution_ unless otherwise specified by the author, as well as
for quoting or use in a congregational setting
_with_or_without_attribution_.
Note: This list's default reply is to the *poster*, NOT the list.
Do *not* reply to the list with your comments, but to the poster.
Subscribe? Send ANY note to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Unsubscribe? Send ANY note to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Archive? <http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/>
For more information on this or other lists offered by Confess And Teach
For Unity, you can contact the CAT 41 list administrator at:
Rev. Fr. Eric J. Stefanski <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
