#DailyDevotion Do You Fear The LORD Jesus In Your Thoughts, Words & Deeds?
Psalm 103 114He knows how we are made and remembers we are dust. 5A man’s days are like grass; he blossoms like a flower in the field; 16the wind blows over him, and he is gone; and his home doesn’t know him anymore.
Most of us, I dare say, don’t believe this at any moment of the day. In all our actions, we act like we will live forever. Sure, if asked about it, we may admit it. However, we don’t like to think about it and do not set our lives and deeds according to this truth. If we actually contemplated our mortality, what we did, thought and said would be much different. By this, I don’t mean we would live less trivial lives or more important lives. We would not necessarily do more nor would we do less. But rather the quality of what we did, it would be, in everything we think, say and do, we would do it knowing we are going to be judged for it. We will be rewarded, or punished, or perhaps we just won’t get what we could have if we lived our lives more like faithful disciples of Jesus Christ.
What does St. Paul say in 1 Cor. 3? “12If on this foundation you build anything of gold, silver, fine stones, wood, hay, or straw, 13what each one does will be known. That day will show what it is because the fire will reveal it and test it to show what kind of work everyone has done. 14If what you built on the foundation stands the test, you will get paid. 15If your work is burned, you will lose something, but you will be saved, though it will be like going through a fire.” And He is only talking about Christians here. What will happen to everyone else? So contemplate your mortality and ask yourselves, “What am I building on the LORD’s foundation?”
17But from everlasting to everlasting the LORD has mercy on those who fear Him and gives His righteousness to children’s children, 18to those who keep His covenant and remember to do what He orders.
Here we have a promise of hope from the LORD’s character and promises. The LORD Jesus Christ never stops having mercy on those who fear him. Fear here is reverential awe, respect, and worship. This flows from a faith that trusts God’s word. He also promises to give His righteousness to children and grandchildren. It’s a pretty big promise here. It is contingent upon the children and grandchildren to continue in the life of the parents. I often see it not come to pass when the parents actually did not fear the LORD when the children were growing up. It’s not like they didn’t go to Church and try to live moral lives, but their attitude during that growth time was not reverential awe. It was not a consistent faith life. Not that any of us is going to be perfect.
There are a couple of other conditions here; those who keep His covenant and remember to do what He orders. So there again, a consistent faith life. To keep the New Covenant, we must trust Jesus in all we think, say and do and love our neighbor as ourselves. No, we don’t do it perfectly. Part of that covenant is to confess our sins, turn from them and to Jesus and find forgiveness there because He promises it. Do we example this and image this is our public lives?
19The LORD set up His throne in heaven and as King rules everything. 20Praise the LORD, you angels of His, mighty beings that listen when He speaks and do what He says. 21Praise the LORD, all His armies, His servants that do what He wants. 22Praise the LORD, all His creatures in all places of His kingdom. My soul, praise the LORD!
It ends with praising the LORD. We invite all heaven and all creatures to praise the LORD. Most importantly, we call upon our own souls to praise the LORD Jesus.
Merciful Father, we praise You for sending Your Son Jesus Christ and we praise Him for His work of salvation for us. Grant we may fear You always in all our ways. In Jesus’ name. Amen.