Live to Please God

New Guest: Like this one, most posts are devotional; those related to CAR BIZ can be found by searching for that label.

Saturday, February 28, 2009
Devotions: Ps 104, 137:1-6; 144; Ruth 4:1-17; 2 Cor 4:13-5:10; Mt 6:1-6

Let my soul bless God; Lord, You are very great! You are clothed in honor and majesty, robed in light, ruling all the universe You created. The profusion of energy and life reflects Your nature, Lord; all good things spring from You! Nature moves along in dynamic ways that reflect Your mind and will. All You do is saturated with wisdom; how manifold and amazing are Your deeds, my God! And how all life depends on You. How my soul praises You, my God and Creator! In exile, Your people found it impossible to rejoice; their captors demanded to hear the joyous songs of Zion, and Your people could not forget the Land or the City or the Temple, but could not rejoice apart from their homeland! And how they railed against the Edomites—I cannot repeat their curses, for I don’t know that level of animosity, Lord: I am glad You are Judge—have Your way with me, as with my friends and those who oppose me. Blessed is the Lord, my Rock, Who trains me for the struggles I face and assures my future. I am mortal, a passing sigh; my God is eternal and omnipotent. I will sing You a new song, O God. Happy are all people whose God is YHWH!

Boaz addressed the needs of Naomi and Ruth with their nearest kinsman and the elders of their city, concerning Elimelech’s estate. The nearest kinsman declined to purchase the estate and marry Ruth, so Boaz did so in the accepted manner of his community, and the elders blessed him. Boaz married Ruth, and she soon bore a son, Obed, who would be Jesse’s father and David’s grandfather—and a forefather of Jesus.

We speak from our belief, by the Spirit’s wisdom and power. We know that He Who raised Jesus from death will do so for us as well. All this benefits the unsaved: God’s grace extends to more and more people, increasing the thanks and glory given to God. Therefore, we don’t lose heart: our outer nature is wasting away, but our inner selves are renewed daily! Our afflictions are slight and momentary, when weighed on eternal divine scales: God is preparing us for an eternal weight of glory beyond any possible comparison! We look to the eternal, the unseen, with eyes and hearts of faith. This mortal flesh will perish, like a tent; but God has prepared for each of us an eternal, imperishable house, a body incorruptible. Here we groan and struggle, longing for our eternal, heavenly dwelling. Our longing is not to be freed from flesh, but to be more thoroughly embodied, so that mortality is swallowed up by life! That is what the living God has prepared us for; and He has given us the Holy Spirit as a deposit guaranteeing this fulfillment. We can live here confidently, walking by faith, not sight. Our goal is to please God, in life or in death. We all must face Christ’s final judgment, where our conduct in this body, in this mortal world, will be weighed and rewarded or punished.

Jesus warned His followers against practicing piety in public. He also said: ‘Give anonymously; let God be the One Who knows of your charity. When you pray, go apart and be with God alone; that secret time will bring God’s reward to you.’