#DailyDevotion Jesus Gives Food To Those Who Fear Him
Psalm 111 The LORD is kind and merciful: 5He gives food to those who fear Him; He will always remember His covenant.
These verses also are very much related to the LORD’s Supper. Here in this sacrament of His body and blood we see the kindness and mercy of our God. In this meal with which He feeds us, He forgives us our sins and remembers them no more. He declares Himself as our God and we as His people. He put the Law in our hearts, that is, He gives us the Holy Spirit to instruct our hearts in His ways and gives us power to do His works in this life. To fear Him means to worship Him and to look to Him alone for every good. He makes His covenant with us in the Supper and just as we remember His death until He comes, He remembers the promise of His covenant here.
6He showed His people His power by His works, by giving them the land of the nations.
He showed the Israelites His power by demonstrating it upon the Egyptians and those who opposed Israel in battle. He gave the land of the children of Canaan into the hands of the Israelites. In similar fashion, Jesus demonstrates the power of His hands, defeating sin, death and power of evil one by His death and resurrection. When Jesus comes again in glory, He will remove all the nations and governments of the world and give the world to His people, the Church.
7Faithful and just are the works of His hands; all His guiding principles are reliable. 8They are unshakably firm forever; they are faithfully and correctly put into action.
Jesus said in Matthew 7, 24“Anyone who hears and does what I say is like a man who had the sense to build his house on a rock. 25The rain poured down, the torrents came, the winds blew, and they beat against that house. But it didn’t go down, because its foundation was on the rock.
26“Everyone who hears what I say but doesn’t do it is like a man who was so foolish he built his house on sand. 27The rains poured down, the torrents came, the winds blew, and they beat against that house. And it went down with a big crash.” It would be good for us to meditate on the Sermon on the Mount. It is these words especially but all of His teachings elsewhere, especially those from His apostles, that Jesus is referring to. We are called to believe them but then also to put them into practice. His teachings are reliable and unshakably firm.
9He sent liberty to His people and ordered His covenant to be forever. His name is holy and awesome. 10To be wise, first fear the LORD; it is good sense for all to do that. He will be praised forever.
In John 8 Jesus says, “36If, then, the Son frees you, you will really be free.” Paul in Romans 8 tells us, “2The rule of the Spirit, who gives life, has in Christ Jesus freed you from the rule of sin that kills.” In Galatians 3 he writes, “13Christ paid the price to free us from the curse of the Law when He was cursed for us (it is written: “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”) 14so that in Jesus Christ Abraham’s blessing would come to the nations and we would receive the promised Spirit through faith.” This is the liberty Jesus sent to and sends to all who put their faith in Him. This new covenant in His blood is forever. This covenant, as seen in Jer. 31:31ff is unconditional. It simply calls up to believe it. All the work is His. Now modern Jews take the last part of verse 9 literally. His name is holy and awesome. The name in the Old Testament would be Yahweh. But they would take it to mean Qâdôsh and Noreah. We would say today, Jesus. We are called to be wise and fear the LORD. To fear the LORD is to hate evil and love the good. The Word teaches what that means.
Heavenly Father, You have given us Your Son’s body and blood for us to eat as the New Covenant. Grant us through this meal true fear and freedom. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.