Sunday Devotional 27th of August 2023
by Bruce Billington
Sunday Devotional – 27th August, 2023
We are continuing to explore the knowledge of God as expressed in the Psalms. This week we look at some verses from Psalm 78 – a Psalm of Asaph.
Psalm 78:5-7 – “5 For He established a testimony in Jacob And appointed a law in Israel, Which He commanded our fathers That they should teach them to their children, 6 That the generation to come might know, even the children yet to be born, That they may arise and tell them to their children, 7 That they should put their confidence in God And not forget the works of God, But keep His commandments,”
One of the reasons God chose a favoured nation was so that there would be a witness of His truth or Way amid a world full of idolatry. As such Israel were meant to be both the expressions and guardian of truth, which He commanded them to make known their children. This same truth applies today.
The testimony of the truth, as in Christ, is to be transmitted from one generation to the next, by those who had received the Lord and were walking in His ways. Endorsing this Deuteronomy 6:7 says,
“You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up.”
The Way of the Lord is never worn out, out of fashion or no longer relevant to life. It is eternal. It is not subject to times or seasons; it exists outside of time and is applicable to every situation and circumstance that life comes up with.
The goal always remains, that all people everywhere need to set their hope in God. We need to reinforce this with our families, associates and those God connects us with. We need to remind one another about the wondrous ways of the Lord and the great miracles He has done in our lives together. All of this must be done with the knowledge that what people see in us is more powerful than what we say. Spurgeon comments that,
The design of teaching is practical; holiness towards God is the end we aim at, and not the filling of the head with speculative notions.
This was not just concerning the family. The Apostle Paul taught in 1 Tim 3:15 that the church was the pillar and ground of truth. God establishes and extends His power through the church, meaning He has made them the bearers of, witnesses to, and expression of His Kingdom.
All of this is given to ensure that there will be a continual succession of His Word being passed down and kept active amongst every given society and nation on the earth. Bringing this to light the prophet Isaiah says,
“As for Me, this is My covenant with them,” says the LORD: “My Spirit which is upon you, and My words which I have put in your mouth shall not depart from your mouth, nor from the mouth of your offspring, nor from the mouth of your offspring’s offspring,” says the LORD, “from now and forever” (Isaiah 59:21).
God has given all who embrace His name, the huge responsibility to apply and demonstrate His Word and His ways to the world around us. To empower this He has given us the Holy Spirit whom He has placed within our very beings.
Not only is this possible, but we are also told in Scripture, that He will achieve this, through us, His bride, at some point in the real time zone of life on earth. At this point, Christ will return.
Ephesians 3:10 – “so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.”
Ephesians 3:11 – “This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord,”
Revelation 19:7 – “Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready.”
This is the task that we all should embrace with much focus, vision, and excitement.
God bless you.
Bruce Billington.