“Many
are the sorrows of the wicked, but steadfast love surrounds the one
who trusts in the Lord.
Be
glad in the Lord and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy all you
upright in heart!” – Psalm 32:10-11 (ESV).
Psalm
32 is attributed to David and seems to be the sequel to Psalm 51 in
which David confessed the sins that separated him from fellowship
with God. We know the story. While Bathsheba’s husband, Uriah,
was away in battle, David lusted after Bathsheba. She became
pregnant. David, not wanting the scandal in the kingdom, sent for
Uriah to come home. But being the upright and faithful soldier,
Uriah did not go into his wife Bathsheba. When he returned to
battle, David arranged that he should be in the thick of battle and
Uriah was killed. The child of David and Bathsheba did not live.
David went through a period of depression and separation from God
until Nathan the prophet declared David’s sin to him and David
confessed, and sought again the fellowship he had lost with the Lord
God. David’s heartfelt cry to God is in Psalm 51:14: “Save me
from the guilt of bloodshed, God—God of my salvation—and my
tongue will sing of your righteousness” (HSB-Holman Study Bible).
Psalm
32 is a “maskil”—the Hebrew word which means to instruct, to
impart wisdom or knowledge. In Psalm 32 are two strong lessons:
Verses 1-5 teach the believer to stay faithful to the Lord. Verses
6-11 tell the believer to assist others to be faithful to the Lord.
Therefore, our job as Christians in instructing and imparting wisdom
is twofold: Examine first one’s own life and be sure it is in
alignment with God’s will. And, second, take responsibility for
those Christian in your life and do what you can to help them study
and understand God’s way for them.
For
the past several months I have been making friends with, as yet, an
unbeliever. This fine adult lady has many good characteristics. She
has recently experienced a tragedy in her life, and her lack of faith
in the Lord Jesus Christ has made her burden heavy, indeed, to bear.
Gently I have shared the love of Christ with her, but have not rushed
her into making a decision to be a Christian. I am burdened by the
fact that she is moving from our town to a far away state without
first confessing Christ as Lord. But a good foundation in instructing
her has been laid. She has experienced much kindness from members of
our congregation as she has eaten Wednesday night fellowship meals
with us before going to Dr. Terry Quick’s “Divorce Care”
classes. Prior to moving, she asked both Dr. Quick and me for
references of a Baptist Church she might attend in the western city
where she is moving. I have a cousin who is a deaconess in a town
less than a 30-minute drive north of the city where my new friend is
moving. I notified my cousin that I am sending her a lonely, lost
woman to befriend. Knowing my cousin, and her kind, tender-hearted
nature, I am sure, as soon as the newcomer to her area has an
established address, she will receive a visit and an invitation to my
cousin’s church. God works in mysterious ways his wonders to
perform. I pray that all reading this will pray for my new friend
and that soon she will make the important faith decision to become a
Christian.
Prayer:
Father, help us to look well to our own relationship with the Lord,
to rejoice and be glad. And help us to accept responsibility to lead
others to a right relationship with God. May Your steadfast love,
Father, be our guiding light and our constant reminder that we belong
to the God of glory! - Ethelene Dyer Jones 08.13.2017
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