Have you ever considered the way that God chose to reveal His Word to humanity? He could have chosen any form, method, or medium, yet most of His Word is written in the form of poetry. I find this fascinating. The Divine Artist chooses to actively engage our creativity in His efforts to relate to that part of our nature. But more than that, there are things that are just best suited to be described through poetry. There is no better way to capture the hearts of men who have fallen in love with the beauty of God than to see their hearts written in prose.
One such example of this can be seen in Psalm 100. In these five verses, the Psalmist encapsulates the nature of what it is to be a true follower of God and how it will manifest itself in our lives. But before we consider this passage, I would like us to try something quite odd; I would like us to examine this particular psalm backwards. In verse 5, the Psalmist outlines three distinctives of God that are particularly important for us as people to understand.
Firstly, the Psalmist says that the “Lord is good.” The Hebrew word for “good” is a weighted word that encapsulates a host of modern English words. “The Lord is good” reveals to us that the Lord is excellent, beautiful, just, and pleasant. This concept of “goodness” is not simply an adjective that we can throw upon God for piety’s sake, but rather is a source of comfort we can cling to. In Nahum 1:7, Nahum tells us that this “goodness” is strong enough to be “our refuge, a stronghold in the day of distress.” In Psalm 145:9, the Psalmist shows us that this “goodness” is powerful enough to give “compassion upon all He has made.” This “goodness” is an anchor for us to cling to and a source of light in a world of darkness.
Secondly, the Psalmist says that, “His faithful love endures forever.” One of the more stunning words in the Bible is the Hebrew word for “love” (chesed). There really is no English equivalent. This word bears with it a covenantal promise of commitment that is similar to marriage, while also representing a deep and meaningful affection, all within the confines of boundless mercy. God’s “faithful love” is the key attribute that is revealed to us throughout the pages of Scripture, and it should be the defining element of our life. His “faithful love” has held through the passing of millennia and has extended to you today. Even now, it encompasses us, despite our sin and rebellion—“His faithful love endures forever.”
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Thirdly, the Psalmist says that, “He is faithful.” There are two truths that are evidently seen through the narrative of the Israelites: the people gave up on God, and God never gave up on the people. Is the same not true in our experience today? Every day, I make a decision that hurts God, sometimes many, yet God stands beside me. Looking back on my life, there were a plethora of moments that God could have, and maybe even should have, walked away from me, but He never did. God is faithful. I am sitting at this keyboard now writing this thought on the beautiful God we serve because God has been faithful to me. Even now, He is faithful to you.
After the Psalmist offers these three distinctives about God, He offers what our reaction should be. Once we have experienced the true nature of our God, we will want to “enter His gates” (v.4), “acknowledge Him” (v.3), and “serve Him.” These are not things that will be demanded from us unwillingly, but these things will naturally swell from the love that we have for the God revealed to us. Once we have seen the beauty and goodness of God, we will want to break down the gates in our haste to commune with Him. Once we have seen His “faithful love” for us, we will passionately desire to acknowledge Him in every moment of our lives. Once we have experienced His faithfulness, we will want to serve Him with everything we have. But the reality is, often we do not have those reactions to our God. Today, let me ask you a question–do you have the impulse to do these things? If your answer is no, maybe take some time today and look at the God that you have fallen in love with. Rekindle your fire for Him by reexamining Him.
Bishop Darby
