February 1
“How lovely is Your tabernacle, O Lord of hosts! My soul longs, yes, even faints for the courts of the Lord; My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God,” Psalm 84:1-2.
The Word of God is filled with God’s many precious promises for both this life and the life that is to come. The psalmist speaks of how lovely the places are where His Word is made known. Obviously, this is a reference to the houses of God, where His people gather to hear His Word, to pour out their prayers, to sing His praise, and then to leave with His blessing. The house of God is a lovely place because that is where the message of God’s love for sinners is proclaimed.
The message of God’s love for all sinners is beautifully expressed in that verse which is so familiar to all Christians: “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life,” John 3:16.
The love of God is so amazing – He loved us when we were not loving, lovely, or lovable. In the Epistle to the Romans, the apostle Paul wrote, “God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us,” Romans 5:8.
On the occasion when Jesus was invited by Matthew, the tax collector, to dine at his house, the self-righteous Pharisees were highly offended. “They said to His disciples, ‘Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?’” They did not have the courage to confront Jesus Himself, but they went to His disciples. Jesus, of course, as the all-knowing Son of God, knew what was happening. Scripture continues, “When Jesus heard that, He said to them, ‘Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. But go and learn what this means: “I desire mercy and not sacrifice.” For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance,’” Matthew 9:10-13.
Yes, this message of forgiveness through faith in Jesus, who came into this world to fulfill the Law of God in our place and to take all our sins to Calvary’s cross where He suffered and died to redeem us, is the message that is so lovely. This is the message that penitent sinners long and yearn to hear, the message of love and forgiveness. Penitent sinners cry out to the living God to hear this message again and again. The living God is the only God who offers sinners a message of love and forgiveness.
The gods of man’s making, such as Allah, offer a life hereafter on the basis of the good that people do or the evil that they do not do. All of the religions in the world that teach a salvation on the basis of good works leave people in a hopeless state! People who want to work their way to heaven will be confronted throughout their entire lifetime with the question, “When have I done enough?” And the answer is, “Never!” Therefore, long and cry out for the love of the only living God, who revealed His love through Jesus, His Son and our only Savior! We pray:
“Jesus sinners doth receive;
Oh, may all this saying ponder,
Who in sin’s delusions live,
And from God and heaven wander!
Here is hope for all who grieve –
Jesus sinners doth receive.
I, a sinner, come to Thee,
With a penitent confession;
Savior, mercy show to me,
Grant for all my sins remission.
Let these words my soul relieve –
Jesus sinners doth receive.” Amen.