Alongside my morning Bible reading I have been reading 365 days with Calvin: I forgot to take it with me while I was away Friday and Saturday so it was good to catch up this morning. Part of the reading for 20th March was the following:
Praise Ye the LORD. Blessed is the man that fearth the LORD, that delighteth greatly in his commandments. Psalm 112:1
In the second clause of the verse, the prophet specifies that the fear of God includes delighting greatly in his commandments. The addition of this explanatory clause is quite apparent, for while people boldly condemn the law of God, yet it is also common for them to pretend that they fear God. The prophet refuses such impiety when he acknowledges that no one is a true worshiper of God who does not endeavor to keep God's law. The prophet makes a significant between a willing and prompt effort to keep the law, and one that merely consists of servile and constrained obedience.
We must therefore, cheerfully embrace the law of God in such a manner that our love of it, with all its sweetness, may overcome all allurements of the flesh. Mere attention to the law is fruitless. A person cannot be regarded as a genuine observer of the law unless he truly delights in the law of God and renders obedience that is agreeable to God.
Joel Beeke the editor offers these thoughts for meditation: Do you esteem God's smile and frowns to be of more value than the smiles and frowns of people? Do you welcome any means He May employ to urge us on to obedience.
God Bless
Stephen
4 comments:
Hello! :)
"Do you esteem God's smile and frowns to be of more value than the smiles and frowns of people?"
thinking about this stephen and Jesus commanded us to love one another as he love us so we should value others smiles and frowns. However God is above all
thats my thought for the moment of to do an essay on Luther now.
God bless
hello Paul!
yes Andrea we should regard others, Calvin is arguing as you rightly pick up that we should seek to please God first. If we love Him and His commandments we will live to serve others whilst pleasing Him.
Shalom
Stephen
Hey Bro,
Good post something i will definately be having a think about. I think it is often the case that we view the law as something we obey, but the idea of loving is a different concept. Food for thought for me this week. Maybe i will post my thoughts out of interest at a later date.
God Bless
Post a Comment