June 2, 2013
SCRIPTURE: Psalm 36
OBSERVATIONS/APPLICATION
God is the standard for goodness and love, and we need to see ourselves in His light.
We were made to be like God, so any self-assessment needs to be made on that basis.
This Psalm is echoed by Jesus in His famous Sermon on the Mount:
You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor. (Leviticus 19:18) Hate your enemy.’ But here is what I tell you. Love your enemies. Pray for those who hurt you. Then you will be sons of your Father who is in heaven. He causes his sun to shine on evil people and good people. He sends rain on those who do right and those who don’t. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Even the tax collectors do that. If you greet only your own people, what more are you doing than others? Even people who are ungodly do that. So be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect. (Matthew 5:43-48)
How do we see ourselves… our tendency is to minimize our guilt and to maximize our goodness.
“He praises himself so much that he can’t see his sin or hate it” (Psalm 36:2).
We are quick to see (and criticize) the flaws and faults of others, but not so our own.
We might not think of this as ‘praising ourselves’, but an inflated self-esteem (rather than an honest one) blinds us to our sin, keeps us from seeing ourselves as God sees us.
The Lord is reminding me of the kind of love and goodness He made me for, and how far I have fallen from it.
The Lord is encouraging me to make His love and goodness my pattern, my goal, my ambition.
What do you sense the Lord saying to you?
PRAYER
Lord, Your love and goodness humble me, yet they also remind me of what I was made for – saved for – and how You want to help me to live! Help me to want this too!
Observations/Application:
The first part of the psalm reminds me of Judges – everyone did what was right in their own eyes. All for self. All for self. Yet there are those who delight in the Lord because He is their onShine. Only in His Light do we see Light and it is only under His wings we are protected. Life is a possibility only with God because His love never fails; His righteousness never ends; His blessings are never ending; His Light always shins; His blessings always flow.
No matter what may come my way, my way always is His Way for He is the Way, the Truth and the Light. LightShine.
Prayer:
Help me this day to make this little light of mine shine for You Lord. LightShine.
This little light of mine
I’m going to let it shine.
This little light of mine
I’m going to let it shine.-
Let it shine, let it shine
Let it shine.
– Hide it under a bushel, NO!
– Shine all over (your town)
– Don’t let Satan blow it out
– Let it shine ’til Jesus comes