13 O LORD see how my enemies persecute me! Have mercy and lift me up from the gates of death, 14 that I may declare your praises in the gates of the Daughter of Zion and there rejoice in your salvation. 15 The nations have fallen into the pit they have dug; their feet are caught in the net they have hidden. 16 The LORD is known by his justice; the wicked are ensnared by the work of their hands. Higgaion* Selah 17 The wicked return to the grave, all the nations that forget God. 18 But the needy will not always be forgotten, nor the hope of the afflicted ever perish. 19 Arise, O LORD, let not man triumph; let the nations be judged in your presence. 20 Strike them with terror, O LORD; let the nations know they are but men. Selah. (*Possibly a musical notation in the Hebrew)

1 John 3:13-15

13 Do not be surprised, my brothers, if the world hates you. 14 We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. Anyone who does not love remains in death. 15 Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life in him.

The marvelous grace of God is based on his tender mercy which is rooted in his love for us. This is because he made us and wants what is best for us. His love is one of the things that distinguishes Christianity from every other religion and our God from every other god. The many gods of the world seek to only satisfy and gratify themselves in the minds of their followers. Thus everything in their lives is based on trying to appease their gods so their anger is not showered on them.

Our God loves us so much that he has furnished his own appeasement and has done so in a way that we could never accomplish on our own. His divine justice has been satisfied in the death of his perfect Son, who died for our sin and not his own. Our Savior did not remain in the grave but overcame death and now lives.

By his grace we are provided a way of salvation as we humbly trust him. Our faith causes us to submit to him as we die to sin and are raised in his likeness to live to righteousness. This is shown as we are buried in baptism and raised a new person in Jesus Christ, created in him to walk in good works which he has ordained.

Heavenly Father I am so thankful for your wonderful love, your tender mercy and your marvelous grace shown to me in Jesus Christ. Thank you for accepting me as your child and for the Christian family this provides for my benefit. Help me focus on you and the things above and not on myself or the things of this world. Use me to teach your will to the lost and to encourage those who are seeking to serve you. Continue to forgive me when I fail to live up to your glory. Be merciful to the leaders of our nation and give them wisdom. I pray in the name of Jesus.

Robert