Today’s Reading:
Psalm 36:5-10
Jeremiah 3:19-25
1 Corinthians 7:1-7
“How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God! The children of men take refuge in the shadow of Your wings. They drink their fill of the abundance of Your house; And You allow them to drink from the river of Your delight. For with You is the fountain of life (the fountain of life-giving, water); In Your light we see light.” (Psalm 36:7-9 AMPV)
The concept of the ‘unfailing love of God’, according to the Christian faith, is the constancy, unconditionality, immensity, and unending nature of the love of God towards man. God’s love is faithful, kind, loyal and merciful even where the recipient is unfaithful or is a failure. Psalm 36:7-9 contrasted the faithfulness, justice, and love of God to the wickedness and sinfulness of man. God, without measure, pours out His love on all men, but especially to those who seek Him and acknowledge Him as Lord. God’s love is:
i) permanent in that it is eternal and causeless
ii) unconditional because it does not depend on the receiver. It was written of Isaac’s twins, “Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.” Jacob was destined to be loved by God and the promise of God was fulfilled in his generational line, even though Jacob was a supplanter (Gen. 32:27-31). This is so, that the purpose of God by election might be fulfilled, not by works, but of Him that calleth. God further told Moses that He will have mercy on whomever He will; and will show compassion on whomever He will. He does things to fulfil His purpose. He said of Pharaoh that He raised him to display His power in His dealing with him, and so that His name may be proclaimed in all the earth (Rom. 9:15-18 AMPV).
iii) stable, in that it is a source of refuge and comfort in a world where love does not exist at all or is short-lived, there is a shadow of turning, or is conditional
iv) healing balm in that it draws us back to Him, despite our flaws, sin and tendency to be the distance from God. Nothing can separate us from the love of God. God so loved the world that
He gave His only beloved Son, Jesus Christ to die as a sacrifice for atonement for the sins of the world. God’s love reminds us of who God is to humanity – our Creator. And so, we cannot fathom or appreciate the extent of His love toward us. Considering our evil and wicked ways which fail, God is faithful, righteous, and just (Ps. 1). In His unfailing love, God provides protection and life to both man and animals. The knowledge that animals also benefit from the unfailing love of God is enough to teach the wicked to discern wisdom. If not for the faithfulness and unfailing love of God, the righteous would cease to exist. Paul talks about receiving righteousness from the Lord for salvation. God’s righteousness flows through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe (Rom. 3:22). The psalmist went on to praise the immeasurable attributes of God which extol the vastness of His mercy that reaches to the heavens; while his faithfulness reaches to the skies; his righteousness is as secured, huge and immoveable as the mighty mountains; while His judgements are as full of wisdom as the ocean’s depth. Therefore, we need not fear evil people because we know God loves us, defends us, cares for us till eternity, and that He judges evil. (vv. 5-8).
The imagery of a fountain of life gives the picture of a fresh, cleansing water that gives life to the spiritually thirsty. Jeremiah used the same imagery when he called God “the spring of living water.” Also, Jesus made mention of Himself as living water that would forever quench thirst, and give eternal life (Jn. 4:14). The loving kindness of God is priceless (v.7a). There is no discrimination in God’s protection; it is extended to both young and old, rich and poor, bad and good. All can find shelter in the shadow of your wings (v.7b). This expression could be deduced to many interpretations:
a) as protective care of a parent bird for its young (Matt. 23:37)
b) could refer to the wings of the cherubim over the ark of the covenant
c) In the abundance of your house (v. 8) points to the whole temple as a place of sanctuary to those being persecuted, oppressed or the lost. As they found refuge with God, they were able to share in the abundance of His house and drink from His river of delights.
God himself is the fountain of life and light in which we see light (v. 9). It is only when we live in God that we see light. Meaning that the only way we can live a righteous life (Ps. 1) is to dwell in the light of God. If we do not, we will be dragged down into darkness by the deceit, lies, and corrupting effects of the wicked and the world's evil systems. God is the source of our physical and spiritual lives. He is the Source and Sustainer of all light and life (Jn1:1-5). With all that is enumerated above, what is keeping you from trusting wholly in the unfailing love of God by surrendering your totality to the lordship of Jesus Christ, the source of light in the life of man?
OLUFUNMILAYO TITILOLA ADEKUSIBE
To surrender your life to Christ, say this prayer aloud. “Father, I acknowledge my sin against You. I repent and ask for forgiveness, in the name of Jesus. I surrender to the Lordship of Jesus. By the power of Your Holy Spirit, take control of my heart and lead me in Your path of righteousness. Thank you, Lord.”
If you said the prayer, Congratulations! Prayerfully look for a living church and meet the resident reverend, pastor or priest.
Prayer:
Lord, thank You because Your loving kindness and graciousness extend to the skies and Your faithfulness to the clouds. Your righteousness is like the mountains and Your judgements are like the great deep.
I declare, Lord, that You are the fountain of life; and in Your light, I see light. Teach me and encourage me to daily live in Your light, in Jesus’ name.
Lord, in whatever situation around me, strengthen me to focus my gaze daily on the risen Christ, every distraction around me is demolished.
I exercise dominion over the works of God’s hand, and all things – the birds of the air, the beast of the field, the fish in the sea and whatever passes through the parts of the sea are under my feet, in Jesus’ name.
Lord, I delight in your law, and I habitually meditate on your precepts and teaching; make me firmly established in You and produce fruits at its season, in Jesus’ name.
Lord, search me and see if there is wickedness in me. Destroy inherited evil seeds and roots of bitterness from my foundation, in Jesus’ name.
Let the blood of Jesus cleanse every evil inheritance from my foundation, filth and pollution from the crown of my head to the sole of my feet, in Jesus’ name.
Lord, visit the core of the hurting, the depressed, and the perishing souls with your mercy and healing. Let there be deep, great, mighty deliverance, and transformation, in Jesus’ name.
Thank you, Lord, that Your Church is moving forward and higher. Strengthen and encourage the body of Christ, in Jesus’ name.
Lord, the heaven of heavens cannot contain you, you have made the earth your footstool. In mercy Lord, look down upon your creation, especially the man that you have created in your image. Alleviate our suffering, in Jesus’ name.
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