God's Mercy and Passion ...

Thursday, Sept 10, 2015. God is fantastic. When we want to know, we can read, for example we have been looking into Psalm 145. God is great - but that has important consequences on several levels. Let us talk about that. But before we do, please read the rest of Psalm 145 …

Near in Truth …

In the following lines, note that his kingdom is to be permanent, and has been already! Note that God cares, in particular about those who are in trouble. Note that he takes care, he is the provider. Note that you can call on him, that he is near. Note that he saves! Note that he maintains those, who love him. Note that his justice is still active. Note that David speaks prophetic, since these his very verses have been read now for 3000 years.

[…] 13 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures throughout all generations. [The Lord is faithful in all his words and kind in all his works.]3 14 The Lord upholds all who are falling and raises up all who are bowed down. 15 The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food in due season. 16 You open your hand; you satisfy the desire of every living thing.

17 The Lord is righteous in all his ways and kind in all his works. 18 The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. 19 He fulfills the desire of those who fear him; he also hears their cry and saves them. 20 The Lord preserves all who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy. 21 My mouth will speak the praise of the Lord, and let all flesh bless his holy name forever and ever. (Psalm 145)

Two main lines of understanding …

There can be several main lines of understanding, let us look at two of them. First, we can hear how God is and rely on it. We can believe it, that means we take it for the truth (which it is, but that is usually difficult for us to judge), and we can base our life on it, our thoughts, our emotions, our actions. We can call on his name and experience that he is near to us. We can ask him: God, come into my life! And we will realize him soon thereafter, when it is a serious prayer and desire in our heart.

Second, we can take the insight we get here as principles of action. We can base our ethics and our decisions on how God is. We can do what we hear. We can be faithful with all our words. We can be full of passion and mercy to those, who are falling. We can be providers. We can have an open hand. We can be righteous in all our ways. We might fail here and there, in little things and sometimes (or all the time) in large things. Here, the great forgiveness we are offered in Jesus will save us, once forever and in detail again and again.

It is not our role to fight wicked things or people by destruction. God has put his hand onto this, completely! It is our role to fight it by love, by a helping hand, by truth, by dedication. Go two miles, where you are asked to go one mile. How can we keep courage? By him, we know that he is near. By prayer, we know that he guides us. He is a fantastic God, we can take him serious, and get to know his deep mercy and passion! (RWEP) ... more texts