Daily Devotionals
Daily Devotional: Psalms 7:6-9
Ps 7:6-9
6 Arise, O LORD, in your anger; rise up against the rage of my enemies. Awake, my God; decree justice. 7 Let the assembled peoples gather around you. Rule over them from on high; 8 let the LORD judge the peoples. Judge me, O LORD, according to my righteousness, according to my integrity, O Most High. 9 O righteous God, who searches minds and hearts, bring to an end the violence of the wicked and make the righteous secure.
Matt 9:10-13
10 While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew's house, many tax collectors and "sinners" came and ate with him and his disciples. 11 When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and 'sinners'?" 12 On hearing this, Jesus said, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 13 But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."
One thing David understood was that God is the judge. This is because he knew that only God can read the hearts and minds of others. In his zeal for God and his people, he hated wickedness and sought to destroy all who opposed God. Since God had put him in as King, it was his responsibility to defend God, his city, his worship and his people. It was never for his self-aggrandizement but for God.
The religious leaders around Jesus were quick to judge him because he would associate with those whom they recognized as sinners. They had their standards and rules and any who failed to comply with them were not accepted as being the people of God. The problem with this was that they only measured external rules and actions but not the heart. Jesus said they thought they were “healthy” but in fact they were the ones who were spiritually sick and in need of a doctor.
We must recognize that the only way we can be right with God is that by his grace we have been forgiven of our sins. We have all blotted our record with sin in various ways and at various times. Since we are right because we are forgiven, we must not judge others who are also forgiven. A good person with a good heart toward God may still be struggling in life so we must show mercy and compassion.
Heavenly Father, giver of life and creator of all things, I am so thankful for your way of salvation from sin. I realize you must punish sin by death and I know that I deserve to die and be away from you in eternity. Yet, I also know that by the sacrifice of Jesus, who loves me and gave himself for me, I have been forgiven and now have the promise of eternal life. Fill my heart with your love, patience, mercy and compassion for others. Increase my faith and give me wisdom and strength to be all you want me to be in this life. I pray in the name of Jesus my Lord.
Robert
