(This reading is based on Psalm 139 and is read in accordance with the Revived by His Word initiative of the General Conference of SDAs.)
If I were to tweak Psalm 139 so it accurately applies to me, it'd take two words: "although and yet." "Although" would be inserted at the beginning of verse 1 and would read: "(Although), O Lord, You have searched me, and known me." And then following the litany of woeful revelations of myself up to verse 4 (which would incidentally be a somewhat longer list), I'd begin verse 5 with the word "Yet:" "(Yet) You have hedged me behind and before, and laid Your hand upon me." The opening line of the chorus of the song, "When He Was on the Cross," articulates this idea pointedly, "He knew me, yet He loved...."
I'm happy that in His judgement, God is not looking for a reason to condemn us, but for a reason to save us. To Him we are very highly prized, so much so that He's prepared to descend to the very depths of hell in order to provide us with salvation. In fact, Jesus did go that far; He died our death so we may live His life. The least we can do is seek to live His life.
Because
If I were to add a third word (or a phrase) it'd be (or begin with) "Because. "(Because You have been so good to me, I beg You to) 'Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my anxieties; and see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.'"
To read and/or listen to Psalm 139 and to read other related blogs, please click here.
If I were to tweak Psalm 139 so it accurately applies to me, it'd take two words: "although and yet." "Although" would be inserted at the beginning of verse 1 and would read: "(Although), O Lord, You have searched me, and known me." And then following the litany of woeful revelations of myself up to verse 4 (which would incidentally be a somewhat longer list), I'd begin verse 5 with the word "Yet:" "(Yet) You have hedged me behind and before, and laid Your hand upon me." The opening line of the chorus of the song, "When He Was on the Cross," articulates this idea pointedly, "He knew me, yet He loved...."
I'm happy that in His judgement, God is not looking for a reason to condemn us, but for a reason to save us. To Him we are very highly prized, so much so that He's prepared to descend to the very depths of hell in order to provide us with salvation. In fact, Jesus did go that far; He died our death so we may live His life. The least we can do is seek to live His life.
Because
If I were to add a third word (or a phrase) it'd be (or begin with) "Because. "(Because You have been so good to me, I beg You to) 'Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my anxieties; and see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.'"
To read and/or listen to Psalm 139 and to read other related blogs, please click here.
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