Psalm 36:9. For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light.
And so, we move on to Tuesday, a li’l wet and cloudy, but still containing all of God’s new mercies and compassions made especially for today. How wonderful that is eh, that our God doesn’t give us any leftover compassions or mercies from the day before, but bakes up a whole new batch every day! It’s like getting fresh bread every day and not having to eat any stale stuff.
So how can we not be grateful and thankful to Him for His fatherly thoughts towards us and those wonderful blessings He showers down on us each new day? A part of the problem I believe lies in the fact that we’ve become so accustomed to those new blessings every day that we take them for granted, and they don’t mean as much to us as they ought to. It’s like the Israelites getting manna in the wilderness and then complaining about it.
Instead, we should be believing and saying like Bruh David did in Psalm 36 – The steadfast LOVE of God. ‘Thy mercy (LOVING-kindness), O Lord, is in the heavens; and thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds. Thy righteousness is like the great mountains; thy judgements are a great deep (ocean): O Lord, thou preservest man and beast.
How excellent (precious) is thy LOVING-kindness, O God! Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings. They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness (fullness) of thy house; and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures. For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light.’ (Ps. 36:5-9)
Yes friends, that is the blessedness that a righteous person has to look forward to. So why are we in these trying and desperate times so inclined to sinful ways and attitudes eh? Why are we behaving like Bruh David says in the opening verses of the psalm? ‘The transgression of the wicked saith within my heart, that there is no fear of God before his eyes.
For he flattereth himself in his own eyes, until his iniquity be found to be hateful. The words of his mouth are iniquity (wickedness) and deceit: he hath left off (ceased) to be wise, and to do good. He deviseth mischief (plots wickedness) upon his bed; he sitteth himself in a way that is not good; he abhorreth (despises) not evil.’ (Ps. 36:1-4)
Oh my people, that kind of behaviour is so rampant in our world today, that it’s no wonder we are in such a terrible state of greed, strife, poverty and inequitable division of the world’s riches, ruled by overblown egos and power-hungry despots! Such an inequitable existence is unsustainable and will end up in even more chaos that we presently have. It is impossible to have peace and LOVE in a society where iniquity is its hallmark. If God, the fountain of life has been vilified and thrown out of a society, how can that society maintain life eh? No way!
And right now we have become like the Israel of old, whose sufferings were the results of sin. Hear how Jeremiah puts it on the Lord’s behalf. ‘Hath a nation changed their gods, which are yet not gods? but my people have changed their glory for that which doth not profit. Be astonished, O ye heavens, at this, and be horribly afraid, be ye desolate, saith the Lord. For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.’ (Jer. 2:11-13)
Yeh mih bredrin, we have left the safety and security of the fountain of life, and moved to an insecure and unsafe place, where evil and ungodliness rules. As the scholars explain: ‘2:13. The figure of the fountain of living waters emphasizes that God alone can bring the life and refreshment necessary to the thirsty soul (cf. Ps. 36:9; Is. 55:1; John 4:10-14; 7:37-39; Rev. 21:6). Israel had left the purity of the living waters for the pollution of contaminated broken cisterns that offered no water at all.’
And I guess the best description of our current world is one that is thoroughly polluted; not only in body, but also in soul. The earth is physically polluted with garbage and other life-threatening stuff, as well as with a sick and evil bent mentally. So why are we surprised by our current problems eh? That’s what evil, ungodly attitudes and behaviour brings!
It’s obvious that we have forgotten, or in our lurch to evil, have simply cast aside these true and oh so meaningful words of Jesus, that He spoke to the Samaritan woman at the well of Jacob. ‘But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well (fountain) of water springing up into everlasting life.’ (John 4:14) And though the woman didn’t fully understand what Jesus was talking about, she immediately replied: ‘Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw.’ (John 4:15)
But in these supposed enlightened times, where we know all about what Jesus is referring to, we refuse to accept His offer. How wise and bright is that eh my people? Please listen to Jesus as He pleads with us to accept His merciful and gracious offering of eternal life nuh. ‘I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.’ (John 6:35)
Awright!!! That’s the bread that gives life, spiritual and eternal life! Don’t we want it? Yes! We ought to desire it, in fact to hunger for it, because it’s so much better than the only other option available, hellfire with Satan.
And our only hope is to think and say like Bruh David did at the end of the psalm. ‘O continue thy LOVING-kindness unto them that know thee; and thy righteousness to the upright in heart. Let not the foot of pride come against me, and let not the hand of the wicked remove me (drive me away). There are workers of iniquity fallen: they are cast down, and shall not be able to rise.’ (Ps. 36:10-12)
Yes friends, that’s what happens to the workers of iniquity; they are cast down, removed forever. And that’s what will happen to us if we don’t smarten up and get our eyes and hearts focused back on Jehovah God, our Maker and Provider, our true source of life, physical and spiritual!
Now, for those of us who are endeavouring to live righteously, let’s go home proclaiming our Tuesday Mantra. Altogether now: ‘In God’s eyes, I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with the world. Amen!’
Our responsibility now is to go out and share that amazing friendship and awesome LOVE of Jesus with others, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him. Much LOVE!
…free will doesn’t come with wisdom…but only a fool…turns away from his source of life… to embrace death…
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