- Sometimes when we say someone is great, we put the emphasis on what someone did. But here, I say Jesus is great, He is great because of what He did not do. Here is one who resisted the offer of the whole world!
- Sometimes when we suffer, we complain to God and tell God that He cannot and does not understand. After all He is so strong and so powerful and can never know weakness or suffering, so how can He understand our suffering? But then, one day, unimaginable, God came as a man. A man, just like you and me. A man with all human frailty. A man who was born in a lowly manger, lived a humble life, knew everything about pain and suffering, (The Bible told us that he could be hungry, thirsty, and sad) John, one of His disciples said, “We have seen His glory, the glory of the One and Only, full of grace and truth.”
- This person, if there be anyone who is qualified to be our judge, He is. But does He come to judge us? NO. The Bible told us that He came as our high priest, as One of us, so that He can become our redeemer.
- He came not seeking material wealth, nor worldly fame, nor worldly power. He came to seek and save that which is lost. When He walked on the earth, the Bible said of Him that “He did not quarrel or cry out; no one will hear his voice in the streets. A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out.” (Sometimes we feel like a bruised reed, or a smoldering wick, but remember this, others may forsake you, but Jesus never.) In fact, He came for the sick, for the lost, for the weak, for the fragile ones like us. And at the end of His ministry, He gave up His life for all of us.
- Note the progression. First we can know God through His creation. And then, we progress. We get to know Him through His Word, the Bible. And then, we progress. We get to know Him personally. This glorious creator God, this wonderful Savior, can become our Rock and our Redeemer. No longer is He just revealed through His creation, nor is He more clearly revealed through His word, He is revealed in our hearts, in our actions, in our thoughts. He enters into our life to become our Rock and our Redeemer.
- “Who can discern his errors? Forgive my hidden faults.”Here the psalmist turns to God Himself. He has observed the universe and realized God’s greatness and power; he has read the scripture and realized how perfect and marvelous God is, what He likes and dislikes. Now he examines himself and his life in that light, and realizes how far away he is still from God’s ideal. And hence, what can he do but pray.
- Such is the goal of the Word of God. It shows us how marvelous God is, and that in turns, reveals to us our shortcomings. But eventually, it should not drive us away, but instead, we should draw near to the One revealed and obtain grace to meet all our needs. As a hymn says, “Beyond the sacred page, I seek thee Lord.”
- May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.” He is no longer theoretical or doctrinal. He is applied to my life. He is personal, and He is MY Rock and MY Redeemer. I invite Him into my kind of situation and build my life upon Him. I ask Him to strengthen my desire to please Him, to keep me from falling away from Him, and to forgive me when I, despite my best desire and effort, since I am human, do fall. MY ROCK and MY REDEEMER.
