SCRIPTURE: Psalm 98
Will there be a day of final reckoning?
Will every person stand before God one day to give an account of their life?
I believe YES, one day God will judge our hearts and lives, our attitudes and actions.
That which is good will be honoured as good; that which is evil will be condemned as evil.
6 God “will repay each person according to what they have done.” 7 To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honour and immortality, he will give eternal life. 8 But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger. 9 There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile; 10 but glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. 11 For God does not show favouritism. (Romans 2:6-11)
This Psalm celebrates this: “Let them sing before the Lord, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples with equity.” (Psalm 98:9)
Do we celebrate it, or should we dread it?
I believe in justice, but I also believe in grace, in mercy, in love, in forgiveness.
God in Jesus has offered us hope for these, if we are humble and admit our sin and failure.
I am not looking forward to seeing my life flash before my eyes – and God’s.
But at that moment I will look to Jesus, and His “right hand and holy arm” will offer salvation to me.
And I will shout for joy, I will make music, I will clap my hands, I will sing before the Lord…
For He has made His salvation known to me, and to all people!
What do you sense the Lord saying to you?
PRAYER
Lord, I cannot survive the judgment on my own. I will fail the test – by myself. Thank You for standing with me, and for assuring me of Your love and faithfulness, Your mercy and forgiveness!
Observation/Application
Let all within me cry Holy!
Each day anew I need to sing praises to my Lord and King.
I need to see the works of His hands. He has done marvellous things.
And He will bring all people to account for He will judge all the people. May I be found faithful to my Lord today and always.
Let all things now living a song of thanksgiving
To God the creator triumphantly raise.
Who fashioned and made us, protected and stayed us,
Who still guides us on to the end of our days.
God’s banners are o’er us, His light goes before us,
A pillar of fire shining forth in the night.
Till shadows have vanished and darkness is banished
As forward we travel from light into light.
His law he enforces, the stars in their courses
And sun in its orbit obediently shine;
The hills and the mountains, the rivers and fountains,
The deeps of the ocean proclaim him divine.
We too should be voicing our love and rejoicing;
With glad adoration a Song let us raise
Till all things now living unite in thanksgiving:
“To God in the highest, Hosanna and praise!”