PSALM 9:4-5

For you have upheld my right and my cause, sitting enthroned as the righteous judge. You have rebuked the nations and destroyed the wicked; you have blotted out their name for ever and ever.

TO PONDER

Psalm 9 is probably written by King David, and is mainly a Psalm about thanks and praise and blessing. However, there are a few verses which remind us of the other roles God has. The Old Testament, or as some people call it, The First Testament, has many examples and stories of a judging God. Verse 5 above suggests that the Creator forgets those who fall outside the bounds of His Grace. He blots their name out forever. They are erased from history. 

God does forget, after he has forgiven. Some years ago the Catholic Archbishop of Manila was pestered by a woman who came along to his weekly audience, saying she had a message from God for him. Eventually he said to her, ‘Look, we have strict guidelines about visions, so I need to test if it’s true. Go back, and ask God about a certain sin I recently confessed in private. If you ask God and he tells you the answer, I’ll know your vision is genuine’. Next week she returned, and the Archbishop asked her ‘Well, did you ask God about my sin?’ 

‘I did’ she replied.

‘And did God answer?”

‘Yes, he did’.

‘What did he say?’

‘God said that he couldn’t remember’. 

Us humans find it difficult to forget a wrongdoing, especially if it is something done to us, but God doesn’t.  Why not aim to make 2022 the year you forgive, without conditions?  

Prayer

God of all, thank you for continuing to put-up with us. We don’t always get it right, but we know you give us a chance on a chance on a chance. Help us to shorten all the chances you give us, and to live a life worthy as your children. Amen

Today's devotion provided by Mark Simpfendorfer, LifeWay Epping