God's Promise to the Righteous!

  Psalms is a refreshing book to read, since God's faithfulness and glory is vividly revealed as you interact with its scriptures, and consequently leads us to worship and awe of God.  This week as I meditated on Psalms 92, my heart was struck by verses 12-15 and it seems that God illuminated these scriptures and brought to me understanding regarding His promise to the righteous.  Psalms 92:12-15 states:

¹² The righteous will flourish like a palm tree,
    they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon;
¹³ planted in the house of the Lord,
    they will flourish in the courts of our God.
¹⁴ They will still bear fruit in old age,
    they will stay fresh and green,
¹⁵ proclaiming, “The Lord is upright;
    he is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in him.”

God clearly indicates that the righteous will flourish like a palm tree and grow like a cedar of Lebanon.  Palm trees are known for their long life.  To flourish like palm trees means to stand tall and to live long.  The cedars of Lebanon grew to 120 feet in height and up to 30 feet in circumference, thus they were solid, strong and immovable.  The Psalmist saw believers as upright, strong and unmoved by the winds of circumstance (NIV Commentary).  Both the palm tree and cedars are significantly visible plants that stand out in any landscape.  God has called you and I to stand out for Him in righteousness.  

Matthew 5:13-14 states, "You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden."  The Church is called to be salt and light, in a world filled with gross darkness.  God never intended the Church to conform to the standards of the world!  On the contrary, His desire is that the Church would be separated from the world, despite dwelling therein.  As the Church lives a set apart and consecrated life, it will become significantly visible and its influence will grow to the uttermost parts of the earth.  Its light shall shine forth to expose darkness and draw men unto the risen Christ.  Isaiah 60:3 states that "Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn."  Illuminating the world with the light of the gospel is the inheritance of the righteous!

Both palm and cedar trees are evergreen trees.  God promises that the righteous will be evergreen trees.  They will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season; whose leaves do not wither and in whatever he does, he prospers (Psalms 1:3).  God promises to make the righteous to flourish and bring forth fruit, despite the season and circumstance that face him/her.  The Lord has promised to make us bread givers in the desert, if we abide in His presence.  Just as Moses in the wilderness received living oracles to give to the children of Israel, God desires that the Church be the place of bread and living waters, to feed and quench those in a dry and weary land!

Both the palm and cedar trees can survive and flourish in varied harsh climates.  God promises that the righteous will flourish and grow, despite the circumstances in which they find themselves in.  Joseph flourished in Egypt as a slave and prisoner.  Daniel, Meshack, Shedrack and Abednego flourished in Babylon, in a place where idolatry and immorality were rife.  If you and I commit to righteousness, the Lord will cause us to flourish despite our circumstances. God will make the impossible to be possible, for His glory and name. He is the One who calls those things that are not as though they are (Romans 4:17).  Which circumstance are you in?  Stop grumbling and thank God for His grace that is sufficient for you.  His grace is enough and will enable you to flourish and grow wherever He has planted you.

Please note that the righteous will floursh, planted in the house of the Lord (Psalms 92:13).  You and I belong in the presence of God.  In Him we live, move and have our being.  In Him, we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us (Philippians 4:13).  Apart from God, you and I do nothing.  Believers and Churches that operate relying on their wisdom, abilities and expertise will surely fail to enjoy God's victory, unequaled favor, divine providence, protection and renewal of strength.  In God's presence, dead things live!  Aaron's staff (a dead piece of wood) when placed in the Tent of meeting, where God's presence abound, it budded (Numbers 17:1-10).  May God help you and I to realise that all we will ever need is found in God.  When the storms of life rage against us, when death stares us in the eyes, when we are persecuted and thrown into the fiery furnace, we should never forget that our God is enough.  When we have Him, we have everything!  When we are in Him, we are whole and can experience unspeakable joy, indescribable rest and godly contentment.

The  righteous will bear fruit in their old age.  They will stay fresh and green.  What a wonderful promise to the righteous.  God not only promises to satisfy the righteous with long life (Psalms 91:16), but He also promises to keep them productive and fruitful to the grey hairs!  God will continue to strengthen us and renew our youth like the eagle's (Psalms 103:5).  The righteous must not loose heart, for though we are outwardly wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day (2nd Corinthians 4:16).  God promises that He will keep us fresh and green!  Those who abide in God are never stale; they are never irrelevant and outdated!  This is because God gives them a well-instructed tongue in order to know the word that sustains the weary (Isaiah 50:4).  Out of the belly of the righteous flows rivers of living water to bring forth salvation, healing, deliverance and restoration (John 7:38).

You and I must commit to a life of righteousness.  Not by works, lest anyone should boast.  Rather, our righteousness is by faith, through grace in Christ Jesus.   We obtain the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus our Lord, through the work that He accomplished for us at calvary (2nd Corinthians 5:21).  You and I must love what God loves and hate wickedness, for our God is holy.  You and I need to submit every aspect of our lives to the authority of Christ and offer ourselves as living sacrifices, which is our spiritual form or worship.  As we walk in the paths of righteousness, God will take delight to reveal His glory to the world through us, and fulfill in our lives his promise according to Psalms 92:12-15.

God's Clarion Call To Repentance

       I am a firm believer of God's Word in Amos 3:7 that states, "Surely the Sovereign LORD does nothing without revealing his plan to his servants the prophets."  In this season, God is speaking to Kenya; His message is clear and loud, and that is why I have chosen to use the words "clarion call" in my topic of reflection.  The call also comes with urgency.  We cannot afford to procrastinate to respond to the clarion call.  We must act and act immediately in obedience!

God's nature is love, compassion, patience and mercy.  All through scripture, we see that nature consistently being demonstrated.  For example, In the Old Testament, God's rich forbearance and His incomprehensible love for Israel is clearly revealed.  Jeremiah chapter 2 gives us an overview of Israel's gross sin:

7 I brought you into a fertile land to eat its fruit and rich produce. But you came and defiled my land and made my inheritance detestable.

8 The priests did not ask, ‘Where is the LORD?’ Those who deal with the law did not know me; the leaders rebelled against me. The prophets prophesied by Baal, following worthless idols.

9 “Therefore I bring charges against you again,” declares the `LORD. “And I will bring charges against your children’s children.

13 “My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water.

19 Your wickedness will punish you; your backsliding will rebuke you. Consider then and realize how evil and bitter it is for you when you forsake the LORD your God and have no awe of me,” declares the Lord, the LORD Almighty.

20 “Long ago you broke off your yoke and tore off your bonds; you said, ‘I will not serve you!’ Indeed, on every high hill and under every spreading tree you lay down as a prostitute. 

Israel had defiled the land of their inheritance through idolatry, blasphemy, greed and immorality.  Yet even in their defiled state, God continued to reach out to them and call them to repentance.  In Jeremiah chapter 3, God repeatedly uses the word "return", urging the Israelites to repent their sins for their restoration.  For example, Jeremiah 3:22 states, "Return, faithless people, I will cure you of backsliding.” What manner of love is this? 

 His love is relentless in searching out for us, even in our darkest pits of wickedness! 

 

Sometimes, people have mistakenly perceived God as being slow to punish the wicked and avenge for the righteous.  However, this supposed slowness only arises out of His patient and loving nature that desires that all should reach repentance.  2nd Peter 3:9 states, "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance."  We must always guard our hearts from the deception that God has accommodated and tolerated our sin.  God's eyes are too pure as to behold evil and He does not tolerate wickedness (Habakkuk 1:3).  We must never show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, for God’s kindness ought to lead us to repentance (Romans 2:4).

As a nation, we are guilty of idolatry; immorality; blasphemy and mocking God; greed; oppression and injustice of the vulnerable in society; pride; tribalism and shedding of innocent blood.  Notwithstanding, God has been exceedingly gracious and merciful to us.  He has not treated us as our sin deserves.  In our unfaithfulness, He has remained Faithful.  He has been patient with us, often rescuing us from the jaws of the devil and preserving us for His glory.  However, we have often taken His mercy for granted.  We need to understand that God will not strive with us forever.  He is Love, but He too is a consuming fire (Hebrews 12:29).  Please note that after the Lord repeatedly invited the Israelites to repent in Jeremiah chapter 3, He went on to warn them in the next chapter of His dreadful wrath  that would befall them if they did not repent.

Through His Word, God is speaking to our nation, Kenya:

Jeremiah 4:4

Circumcise yourselves to the Lord,
    circumcise your hearts,
    you people of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem,
or my wrath will flare up and burn like fire
    because of the evil you have done—
    burn with no one to quench it.

Joel 2:12-13 

 Even now,” declares the Lord,
    “return to me with all your heart,
    with fasting and weeping and mourning.”

Rend your heart
    and not your garments.
Return to the Lord your God,
    for he is gracious and compassionate,
slow to anger and abounding in love,
    and he relents from sending calamity.

God is calling you and I to true repentance, which includes our hearts turning away from sin and bearing fruit that befits repentance.  Repentance leads to salvation (Isaiah 30:15) and life (Acts 11:15).  If we humble ourselves and pray, turn from our wicked ways and seek His face, then He will hear from heaven; He will forgive our sins and heal our land (2nd Chronicles 7:14).   A broken heart and a contrite spirit, God will not despise (Psalms 51:17).