Weekly Devotion no 55
27 August 2021
Bible reading – Psalm 24[1]
The earth belongs to the Lord.
And so does everything in it.
The world belongs to him. And so do all those who live in it.
2 He set it firmly on the oceans.
He made it secure on the waters.
3 Who can go up to the temple on the
mountain of the Lord?
Who can stand in his holy place?
4 Anyone who has clean hands and a pure heart.
Anyone who does not trust in the statue of a god.
Anyone who doesn’t use the name of that god when he makes a promise.
5 People like that will receive the Lord’s blessing.
When God their Saviour hands down his sentence, it will be in their favour.
6 The people who look to God are like that.
God of Jacob, they look to you.
7 Open wide, you gates.
Open up, you ancient doors.
Then the King of glory will come in.
8 Who is the King of glory?
The Lord, who is
strong and mighty.
The Lord, who is
mighty in battle.
9 Open wide, you gates.
Open wide, you ancient doors.
Then the King of glory will come in.
10 Who is he, this King of glory?
The Lord who
rules over all.
He is the King of glory.
Reflection
When all around us is in turmoil and we feel disoriented and feel like this will never end, it is good to be reminded that we belong to God, the creator of the world. We can be secure in him, just as he has made the earth secure within the oceans.
But God is holy. Who can come into his presence? Well, only those you have clean hands (ie right actions) and pure hearts (ie right desires) and who worship God alone can stand in his holy place. These people think right and behave right because they seek the face of the covenant God, desire above all else his holy presence. This seems unattainable.
And yet, the King of glory is the only one who has clean hands and a pure heart. Jesus is the human king who is qualified to enter with God in triumph to the place of sovereign authority in heaven and earth. And because of God’s grace, Jesus’ righteousness also enables us to enter into God’s presence too.
So, may we too look
to God and seek his face, allowing him to clean our hands and purify our hearts
through the righteousness of his Son, Jesus, the King of glory!
Hymn
Verse 1
This is my Father's world,
And to my listening ears
All nature sings, and round me rings
The music of the spheres.
This is my Father's world:
I rest me in the thought
Of rocks and trees, of skies and seas--
His hand the wonders wrought.
Verse 2
This is my Father's world:
The birds their carols raise,
The morning light, the lily white,
Declare their Maker's praise.
This is my Father's world:
He shines in all that's fair;
In the rustling grass I hear Him pass,
He speaks to me everywhere.
Verse 3
This is my Father's world:
O let me ne'er forget
That though the wrong seems oft so strong,
God is the Ruler yet.
This is my Father's world:
Why should my heart be sad?
The Lord is King: let the heavens ring!
God reigns; let earth be glad!
Prayer
O
God,
whose
Son has shown the way of the cross
to
be the way of life:
transform
and renew our minds
that
we may not be conformed to this world
but
may offer ourselves wholly to you as a living sacrifice
through
Jesus Christ our Saviour;
who
lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one
God, now and for ever. Amen.
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