"Vindicate me, Lord, for I have...." (Psalm 26:1) "Show that I am right, Lord!" (CEV)
Other translations say, "Declare me innocent," "Judge me favorably, O Lord...." The psalmist then proceeds to give the Lord many reasons he should receive a favorable response. Biblical Theology teaches us, however, there are none. What vindication, what favorable judgment, or, "Show that I am right," what mercy, what grace comes our way is not based who I am or what I do, but Who Jesus Is and what He has done. We should be more interested in the mercy of Jesus than, "Vindicate me," or, "Show that I am right." This does not negate the list of the psalmist's good deeds and attempts at "living right," nor the command to, "Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification (holiness) without which no one will see the Lord." But if I pray with a thinking of, "you-owe-me-because," I just do not "understand" Life in Jesus Christ.
You may feel at times as the psalmist, e.g., people coming against you, unjustly treated, misunderstood, accused falsely. But I have good news on this cold, very, very snowy day here. Long before the psalmist or you or I or anyone was capable of any good deed, any religious act, any intercession, mission endeavors, giving to the poor, or just being nice people in general, there was and is the Love of Jesus. Jesus' love knows no beginning, no ending. The love of Jesus Christ is eternal because Jesus is the Eternal One. There is no point in life where He began to love me, nor is there any point in my life where He stops loving me. The love of God does not depend on who I am or what I have done; therefore, I cannot say, "Vindicate me, for I have...."
Whatever vindication I may feel I need from whatever or whomever, pales in significance to the love, grace, mercy and vindication of our Lord Jesus Christ's shed Blood, Death and Resurrection. Any "personal" vindication I seek is absolutely nothing compared with the Vindication from our deserved sentence to the fires of Hell in and through the Cross of Jesus Christ. Rejoice, dear Saint of God; Your Redeemer lives; He is here; He is there with and in you right this very moment in time, in eternity; He is ever present and ever indwelling the desperate sinner who has surrendered his life to Jesus.
Father, in Jesus' Name, forgive me if I ever place vindication from man above Your Vindication. Amen.
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* Great Article by Carolyn Glick at: jhs58.blogspot.com
* Please pray with us about our 2014 Mission to Berlin and Bosnia
Other translations say, "Declare me innocent," "Judge me favorably, O Lord...." The psalmist then proceeds to give the Lord many reasons he should receive a favorable response. Biblical Theology teaches us, however, there are none. What vindication, what favorable judgment, or, "Show that I am right," what mercy, what grace comes our way is not based who I am or what I do, but Who Jesus Is and what He has done. We should be more interested in the mercy of Jesus than, "Vindicate me," or, "Show that I am right." This does not negate the list of the psalmist's good deeds and attempts at "living right," nor the command to, "Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification (holiness) without which no one will see the Lord." But if I pray with a thinking of, "you-owe-me-because," I just do not "understand" Life in Jesus Christ.
You may feel at times as the psalmist, e.g., people coming against you, unjustly treated, misunderstood, accused falsely. But I have good news on this cold, very, very snowy day here. Long before the psalmist or you or I or anyone was capable of any good deed, any religious act, any intercession, mission endeavors, giving to the poor, or just being nice people in general, there was and is the Love of Jesus. Jesus' love knows no beginning, no ending. The love of Jesus Christ is eternal because Jesus is the Eternal One. There is no point in life where He began to love me, nor is there any point in my life where He stops loving me. The love of God does not depend on who I am or what I have done; therefore, I cannot say, "Vindicate me, for I have...."
Whatever vindication I may feel I need from whatever or whomever, pales in significance to the love, grace, mercy and vindication of our Lord Jesus Christ's shed Blood, Death and Resurrection. Any "personal" vindication I seek is absolutely nothing compared with the Vindication from our deserved sentence to the fires of Hell in and through the Cross of Jesus Christ. Rejoice, dear Saint of God; Your Redeemer lives; He is here; He is there with and in you right this very moment in time, in eternity; He is ever present and ever indwelling the desperate sinner who has surrendered his life to Jesus.
Father, in Jesus' Name, forgive me if I ever place vindication from man above Your Vindication. Amen.
*****************
* Great Article by Carolyn Glick at: jhs58.blogspot.com
* Please pray with us about our 2014 Mission to Berlin and Bosnia
When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"
"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2
"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2
