SCRIPTURE: Psalm (NIV) 85:10 Love and faithfulness meet together; righteousness and peace kiss each other.
OBSERVATION: What great characteristics we see in God. If we were choosing how to design a god, surely we would desire our god to be good. But what makes someone good? Is it not a combination of the two characteristics we see in this verse. Our god must have love and our god must be holy (here expressed in faithfulness.)
Holiness is expressed in justice and faithfulness. Truly a god would not be good if unjust and/or unfaithful. Love is expressed in mercy and grace. We would not call anyone good if lacking in mercy or grace. Indeed, it is the combination of these two different characteristics (love & holiness) that make the Living God GOOD!
But how can He be both and interact with fallen man? Should He be loving and just overlook our sin? Would not that be an affront to His holiness? On the other hand, should He be holy and overlook His love? Would not His holiness cause His love to be unfulfilled as He allows man to remain separated by sin?
What wisdom can bring “love and faithfulness together?” How can “righteousness and peace kiss each other?” Divine wisdom knew a way in which holiness would not be compromised nor love left unfulfilled.
APPLICATION: Indeed, in the wisdom of God, the concept of love is magnified. It is defined in the clearest and most easily understood terms! Just how loving is this God? Look at the answer to this dilemma!
Indeed, in the wisdom of God, His holiness is magnified! How far will God go to remain eternally holy? Just how holy is our God? Look at the answer to this dilemma!
The answer is the cross! In the cross the holiness of God is satisfied as the sinless blood of God’s only begotten Son is shed to pay for our sins! What Holiness! What a payment! There was no special deal for Jesus, even though He was God, the Son! He had to pay the full price. The wages of sin is death!
In the cross the love of God is satisfied as men who were before lost in their sin can boldly approach the throne of God in worship, covered by the precious blood of God’s Son! Their lives, now clean through the blood of Jesus become dwelling places for the Holy Spirit!
In the humble humanity of God walking dusty roads in the flesh, experiencing hunger and weariness, love and faithfulness met together. And in the bloody, sweaty, suffering of the cross, righteousness and peace kissed each other!
It is amazing!
PRAYER: Lord, your cross made Ephesians 3:10 possible. Now the manifold wisdom of God can be clearly seen by principalities and powers in heavenly places. It is now visible in in God’s highest creation, the church! And I pray that it is visible in me! Amen
Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!
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