"Whoever offers praise glorifies Me; and to him who orders his conduct aright I will show the salvation of God." (Psalm 50:23)
This is a verse which tells me there are no "one-note sambas" in life. We can be one who, "offers praise," all we like, but if there is no, "order his conduct aright," it means nothing. Likewise, if I work at and fulfill, "order his conduct aright," yet have no relationship in the Godhead, "offers praise," I am a religious machine. Our text says to me that you and I cannot simply choose which "form" of life (over another) which we want to live. It is, in reality, nothing but schizophrenia.
Loving Father, Son Jesus, and Holy Spirit, and loving humanity is the call of humanity. Our Lord Jesus summed up all Biblical commandments, "The first of all the commandments is: 'Hear, O Israel the Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength ('whoever offers praise glorifies Me'?). This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself ('orders his conduct aright'?). There is no other commandment greater than these."
I was once in a service seated behind a young mother who was raising her hands and had the most sincere look of worship you can imagine. Her young child, seated beside her, was really doing nothing but what three-year olds do. At one point, she lowered only one hand, mind you, and back-handed the little child, I mean really hard. I wondered what kind of "worship" she was "offering."
Father, in Jesus' Name, deliver me from dualism. Amen.
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* January 17: Washington, DC
* January 21: Preach in the CCE meeting
* January 27: FHMP Briefing (If you will attend, please let me know soon)
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.'"
Hebrews 12:2
Hebrews 12:2
