Dear Readers and Listeners, Friends in Jesus Christ,
Our watchword for today is taken from Psalm 9 verse 2, “I will be glad and exult in you; I will sing praise to your name, O Most High,” (NRSVB). In this psalm David shares his joy in proclaiming God’s name and his glory. David wants to sing with a loud voice about the wonderful deeds that God has performed on behalf of him, God’s servant. David says that our God will work marvellous deeds in the lives of all those who worship him. Much of David’s joy is situated in God’s judgement. God’s judgement is without bias and with perfect righteous. God has ruled in David’s case and has declared him as righteous in the sight of the Lord most High. God has maintained David’s right in the midst of his enemies, and thus has thrown their case out of God’s court, pronouncing David as blameless and guiltless. As David rejoiced with gladness before the throne of God, for God’s pronouncement over him, so he inspires all those who are oppressed in this world, to wait on the Lord. God will arise and nations will come to know that they are humans. It is only God who judges with equity and ministers justice to the people of the world. Due to humans’ frailty and their fragile existence, God has promised to strengthen them with his own indwelling Spirit. He has continuous mercy and loving-kindness towards us and pours out his gracious care on those who come to Him. God comes to rescue those who call on them in their need and restores them to wholeness.
The prayers and songs of David, collected in the psalms, are wonderful examples of the blessing of God’s indwelling spirit within God’s children. This spirit prays and intercedes with the believers to God. Through the Holy Spirit, praise and songs of joy are sung to God for his ever-present help and his wonderous deeds. Deeds that we are sometimes unaware of, as God’s sends his angels to protect and guide us, when we are, unknowingly to ourselves, in grave danger. David realized the importance of God’s Spirit in his life, and prayed in Psalm 51 verse 11, “Cast me not away from your presence and take not your Holy Spirit away from me,” (Amplified Bible). David saw how the Spirit of the Lord was removed from King Saul, for Saul defied God and became proud towards God and men. David wanted to be assured of God’s presence and the indwelling of God’s spirit to guide him, in order to hear the word of God and obey God. David humbled himself before the Lord and the people and confessed his sins. Then he experienced restoration and God’s forgiveness. His spirit was revived as God’s revives the deer who thirst for living water.
The Apostle Paul assures the believers in his letter to the Ephesians, Chapter One verse 3, of God’s spiritual gifts that are present for each and every believer, “Blessed be the God and Father of Our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in heavenly places,” (NRSVB). The gifts to the believers who trust in Christ’s redemption on the Cross, and believe in eternal-life, and the coming of new earth and heaven, are gifts that have great purpose on earth, for these gifts bring some of the attributes of heaven, down to this earth. In Galatians Five verse 22, we read, “But the fruit, or gifts, of the Holy Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control,” (Amplified Bible). No law can condemn these fruits and gifts of grace. We are promised that if we dwell in God, he will make these gifts grow in us. Despite the growing contempt in the world, and the indifference to God and his laws, the gifts of the Spirit praise God in the lives, words and works of the believers, and they will not be taken away or perish.
Father, we thank you that you have given us, through your Son, all the spiritual gifts that we need to grow our faith and hope and show our love to you and our neighbour. Help us to listen to the still small voice of your Spirit, guiding, guarding and gracing us with your love, Amen.