Grace!

# 6 2020 Dev. Psalm 81:8,9. Grace! Read all of Ps. 81. The purpose of these devotionals is to draw Gremar and I closer to God and grow spiritually by applying His Word to our daily living. All passages are taken from the NIV.

Ps. 81:8-9 “Hear me, my people, and I will warn you— if you would only listen to me, Israel! You shall have no foreign god among you; you shall not worship any god other than me.”

This series, Ps. 79-83, are located in the center of Book III of the Psalter and Psalm 81 is central. The themes of this series are restoration and forgiveness, anticipating God’s mercy and God’s promise of peace and wellbeing. God is the judge of the nations.

Ps 81 has two parts, vs 1-5 is a call to celebrate the three festivals, Passover, Pentecost and the Feast of Tabernacles, established by God for Israel to remember and celebrate God’s care for His people, although not celebrated in a temple today but in homes and synagogues. Also, the Passover, is still celebrated by some Jews and also Pentecost because that is the time God gave the law at Mount Sinai. The Feast of Tabernacles coincides with the Jewish New Year. Passover and Pentecost are also important to followers of Jesus because those festivals point to Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit.  

The second part of Ps. 81, vs. 6-16 is a memorial of God’s salvation of His people from slavery, that foreshadows our salvation in Jesus. This section also includes a warning and promises of restoration: if Israel will not listen, God will give “them over to their stubborn hearts to follow their own devices”. But if you listen, Israel: “how quickly I would subdue their enemies” and “you would be fed with the finest of wheat; with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.” Today “Israel” of the Scriptures is the church!

As followers of Jesus this Psalm reminds us of God’s grace in Jesus but it also warns us about other gods in our lives. Really? Other gods? Yes, we are created in the image of God and are created to worship; all people worship something or someone. Followers of Jesus are to worship God alone, yet we underestimate the influence of the culture around us. Many are the gods of the world; good things that God gave us but have been adulterated by Satan. Good gifts like; money, possessions and property, food and drink, drugs, sex, love of self, power and prestige. You may want to make your own list based on your desires. The fact is that these things can become gods for people, and even for followers of Jesus. The answer is in God’s warning: “You shall have no foreign god among you; you shall not worship any god other than me.” And in God’s grace; forgiveness by Jesus Christ. It is free, simply believe on Him. Amen!

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