His Hand

This week we begin worship,with:

Proverbs 21:1

The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD; he turns it wherever he will.

  

A king’s authority is absolute. We don’t think of that because we live in a democracy with checks and balances. And most monarchs that still exist live under a constitution and alongside some form of government. But when King David had a man killed to have his wife, he truthfully said:

Psalm 51:4

4 Against you, you only, have I sinned
    and done what is evil in your sight,
so that you may be justified in your words
    and blameless in your judgment.

This was not out of arrogance, but out of King David’s absolute authority. 

That brings us to today’s verse.  Marvel for a moment then in God’s authority.  A king with all their power cannot make a single decision or take any action that is outside God’s sovereign will.  

We are always in His hand.

 

Now

 Last week we began worship with:

2 Corinthians 6:2

He says, “In a favorable time I listened to you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you.” Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.

Paul is quoting Isaiah 49:8-26, where Isaiah is told to remind Israel of the God’s covenant love for them.  

8 

Thus says the Lord:

“In a time of favor I have answered you;

    in a day of salvation I have helped you;

I will keep you and give you

    as a covenant to the people,

to establish the land,

    to apportion the desolate heritages,

The Lord here speaks in both past and future tense.  God’s decision in eternity past sovereignly determines our present.  God’s past tense is always our present, so Paul can confidently declare that today is the day of salvation.  Enjoy His favor. 

Tremble

This morning worship starts with Daniel 6:26

I make a decree, that in all my royal dominion people are to tremble and fear before the God of Daniel,

for he is the living God,

    enduring forever;

his kingdom shall never be destroyed, 

    and his dominion shall be to the end.

Not to long ago, while listening to a meeting over the phone, it was said that my team was moving from permanently funding to temporary project funding. I then watched as my fingers trembled on the keyboard. 

This verse records the decree of Kind Darius that that level of spontaneous fear should be afforded the God of Daniel, our God.  He is our source.  Our permanent source. 

Mercy Commands

 Today we start worship with:

Exodus 25:21-22

“And you shall put the mercy seat on the top of the ark, and in the ark you shall put the testimony that I shall give you. There I will meet with you, and from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim that are on the ark of the testimony, I will speak with you about all that I will give you in commandment for the people of Israel.”

From the throne a king gives judgement. 

From the war room a general gives orders. 

God speaks from a mercy seat (kapporeth) and gives commandments (tsavah)

John 13:33-35

Little children, yet a little while I am with you. You will seek me, and just as I said to the Jews, so now I also say to you, ‘Where I am going you cannot come.’ A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”