SCRIPTURE: Psalm 76
“People should have respect for you alone. Who can stand in front of you when you are angry?” (Psalm 76:7)
People who have experienced God’s saving power do not need to be told to respect God.
This Psalm tells how the Israelites worshiped God because of how He helped them from their enemies.
Has God helped you through a difficulty, has God rescued you from a serious problem?
Self-reliant, self-confident people do not realize how they too depend on God.
One day everyone will realize it, but for now many people are blind to the gracious presence of God.
But what about God’s anger, why does God need to be so angry?
God is not angry by nature, but His anger is the result of people refusing or abusing His love and grace.
Try mocking, ignoring or abusing your parents love for any period of time, and see how they respond.
It’s only natural that One who loves and blesses longs to be loved and blessed in return.
God’s anger is reserved for those who use and abuse His grace (all His benefits and blessings) to use and abuse others.
God will step in for the used and abused, and in anger displace the ones doing it.
This is not reckless rage, this is gracious and just anger, the expression of love in action.
This is a God worth respecting, worth loving, worth serving.
And if you’ve ever experienced God’s saving grace, no one needs to remind you to respect and worship Him.
What do you sense the Lord saying to you?
PRAYER
God, You deserve so much more love and respect than I give You. And many people do not love and respect You at all. Forgive us, for we do not know what we’re doing. Remind us again why You are a God worth respecting!