Weekly Devotional 19th of July, 2024
by Bruce Billington
Weekly Devotional 19th of July, 2024
We are continuing to explore the knowledge of God as expressed in the Psalms. This week we will continue with Psalm 103 – a Psalm of David.
Psalm 103:11 – “For as high as the heavens are above the earth, So great is His lovingkindness toward those who fear Him.”
Everything that we are and have is attributable to God’s mercy and goodness toward us (1 Corinthians 15:10). I am stunned as I read through these verses. Where would we be if it were not for God’s wonderful work in our lives? Where would we be without His mercy and unfailing love?
His love towards us and His endless bounty of grace and mercy cannot be measured. In the original Hebrew Verse 11 says, like the height of the heavens. Just as the heavens cover the earth, water it with dews and rains, light it with sun, moon, and stars, and look down upon it with unceasing watchfulness, even so, the Lord’s mercy from above covers all His chosen (us), enriches them, embraces them and stands forever as their dwelling place.
We should stand in awe! We should also worship and become so humble before Him knowing that all of this has been given to us at the cost of His only beloved son. What manner of love is this? What is man that God is mindful of Him and the son of man that He takes care of him (Psalm 8:4)?
Godly fear is the beginning of embracing wisdom and true knowledge (Proverbs 1:7). It is not meant for those who refuse to acknowledge Him. These people shall ultimately have justice without mercy measured out to them.
Psalm 103:12 – “As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us.”
This is surely one of the most amazing and comforting scriptures in the whole Bible. Here we are told that our sin is removed from us, as far as the east is from the west. Again, here is something that cannot be measured. Once we accept this, we realise that there is no chance that our sin can ever be brought back again. It is gone. Jesus has taken it away and it is now beyond the reach of even Satan. It can never be found again.
There is something very interesting about this. We note that the Lord does not remove our sins as far as the north is from the south but as far as the east is from the west. Why is this significant? Because the North and the South eventually meet. You can travel north only so far—to the North Pole of the earth—and then you will begin travelling south.
A person travelling east, however, can travel east infinitely. They could circle the earth again and again, all the while heading east. Just as East and West never meet, we who are forgiven by God’s grace will never again meet with our sins. Incredible!
Here we see the Fatherly compassion of God against the frailty and perishableness of humanity. He comes to our rescue in mercy and compassion, actively taking hold of our fallen situation and restoring us in a most amazing way. With much aggression, He removes and banishes the fruit of our fallen nature, so it cannot be held against us ever again. Our sins are completely blotted out. Furthermore, this applies to us on an ongoing basis. God daily pardons our sins. His mercies are new every morning (Lamentation 3:22-23).
Of course, the only way this could ever be achieved on a permanent basis was by looking forward to the cross. God our Father did not impute our sins to us, He took them upon Himself in the person of His Son, Jesus Christ. He willingly bore them and paid the price for them. As a result, the Lord removed them both from Jesus and us.
These verses again demonstrate the fatherly character of God. The Pulpit Commentary says,
He is our Father because He created and preserves us; He is our Father because He rules us by the stern yet loving discipline of His righteous judgment; He is our Father because He is full of love, and forgiveness, and tender, fatherly pity, knowing our frame and remembering that we are dust.
What a Father, what a Saviour, what an amazing God we serve.
God bless you.
Bruce Billington