WordLive - Year OneSample

Prepare: ‘Lord God, please speak to me.’ Full of wonder This psalm is full of wonder at our God’s power and might. He is great; he is the Creator; everything belongs to him. We saw evidence of this power as we read about the early church this week. He is a God who performs wonders and healings. He is a God who can send an angel to release his people from prison. He is a God who is to be feared and obeyed. Wanting more The psalmist, however, is not satisfied merely with admiring and praising this mighty God from a distance. He wants more – he wants to be able to enter into his very presence (v 3). At the same time, however, he is aware of God’s holiness. He recognises that he – a sinful man – cannot rush into the presence of a holy God. The psalmist knows that he must receive such righteousness from the God of his salvation (v 6). Gift of righteousness We, too, need that gift of righteousness in order to approach God. It is only by the blood of Jesus that we can hope to have clean hands and a pure heart in order to enter God’s holy presence. May we never lose that sense of awe at the majesty of who God is and at the wonder of his gift of righteousness. Respond: ‘Since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus … let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us’ (Hebrews 10:19–22). http://www.wordlive.org/Session/Classic/2012-07-08