Sunday, March 01, 2009

Steadfast love in the Psalms

I'm loving my chronological Bible reading plan this year, it might be the best way to read the Pentateuch to swallow big chunks at once. I also love the Psalms, because that's where i see myself the clearest, that's where i learn to love, to praise, to pray. Last night, in Psalms i saw the joy of trusting in His steadfast love.

Psalm 32:10 tells us that steadfast love surrounds the one that trusts in the Lord. I love that word, 'trust.' Not the one who is moral not the one who never misses church or keeps up with his Bible reading plan. The one who trusts. The one who casts all of their hope, trust, and faith on Jesus. The one who throws up his hands in Godly despair at ever, ever being good enough, and flees to the mediator. The one who trusts in the Lord, he us surrounded by steadfast love. What a reward, what a promise.

We see the same in Psalm 33:22. David needs to know the closeness of the love of His Lord even as he hopes in Him. This seems like sort of that same thing. I hope in the Lord, but before that, i need to ask for His steadfast, satisfying love to be on me. I need to know that he loves me as a son, not as a servant. This love precedes our hope, our faith in Him. This precedes our hope in Him. God loving isn't a reward for our hope in Him, it's what precedes our hope in Him. It's what makes us able to hope in Him. We love Him because He loved us first.

I love grace, although i forget it every day, it's fresh air in my lungs. I love finding it all over the Old Testament, i love reading this stuff before i go to bed!

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