Psalm 89:14-15 Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne; Mercy and truth go before Your face. Blessed are the people who know the joyful sound! They walk, O Lord, in the light of Your face.

    Many people seem open to God. At least they are open to the idea of God. Or maybe they are open to a version of god that they have created. I saw recently on Instagram, a video of a lady who was showing the place she lived in just a few years ago and she told how she had prayed for God’s blessing. She was excited and happy to show the 10-bedroom house she now lives in and was pleased that God had come through for her. Hmmm… 

    When I think of God and I decide that what He most wants is what would please me most, I might want to reexamine my thought processes. Is God really sad because I don’t have a fireplace or a lakefront view? Are those the kinds of things Jesus came to live and die for? Scripture tells a slightly different story!

    The psalmist tells us in today’s passage about the things that really animate God. The things that really define Him. They are righteousness, justice, mercy, and truth. Wouldn’t it be fair to say that if those things are apt descriptions of God (and they are), then God would be most pleased when His people reflect those things in their lives? 

    We can create a false reality where we write our own songs about God and create Him in ways that are a lot more pleasing to us. Many do. But true blessedness comes in coming to know Him as He truly is. When we come to the Bible and see who God really is, we begin to recognize Him. We come to know and to hear the joyful sound of Jesus and His life-changing message. We can learn to walk in the light of His face - in ways that are truly pleasing to Him. 

    I’ll be honest. I really would like a lake-front view and a big fireplace. Those things would make me happy. But I can’t honestly say that God really cares about that. He does care that in my comings and goings, in my life here on this earth, that I reflect the righteousness, justice, mercy, and truth that are at the core of who He is. He wants me to know the joyful sound of His presence and His work in a world that He died to save. 

Blessings,

Pastor Russ