Do You Oppose or Praise the Lord
Daily Old Testament Reading: Psalm 57, 95; 2 Samuel 22-23
Daily Focus Passage: Psalm 95
David speaks of two different approaches to living in the presence of the Lord in Psalm 95. He addresses the situation where one may be identified with the people of God but oppose the Lord in their lifestyle. David also speaks to the child of God who approaches the Lord with a heart of worship. As we consider our lives in light of Psalm 95, do we demonstrate a life that displays the characteristics of opposition or the attributes of praise?
THE CHARACTERISTICS OF OPPOSING THE LORD
David noted that the children of Israel in the wilderness demonstrated a heart of opposition to the Lord. The children of Israel were marked as God’s chosen people, but they still faced his wrath because of their disobedience. Today, people may identify with the church or Christ but still live in opposition to the Lord. David detailed five characteristics of this heart of the opposition.
First, there is the presence of a hardened heart. A hardened heart occurs when the heart becomes hardened to the place where the truth, conviction, and work of the Lord no longer penetrate the depths of the heart. The hardened heart occurs because of the presence of selfishness and pride. When one becomes focused on their wants and begins to place themselves on a pedestal, the heart becomes hardened because of the constant rejection of the calling of the Lord. The hardening of the heart leads one to live in a state of testing the Lord.
Second, there is a testing of God. The children of Israel tested the Lord at Meribah because of their hardened hearts. Testing the Lord occurs when a failure to trust and believe in his goodness occurs. The testing happens as the person wants God to prove his goodness and that the Lord is worthy to be trusted and followed. The testing extends from a hardened heart because the act is carried out due to selfishness.
Third, there is a rejection of experience. The hardened heart leads to opposing a past experience with the Lord and rejecting his past work. In the lives of the children of Israel, they have already experienced the goodness and work of the Lord as he brought them out of the land of Egypt, yet the people-centered their faith on a what have you done for me lately mentality. Thus, they forgot and rejected what the Lord had already done.
Fourth, there is ignoring and neglecting God’s ways. The people demonstrated opposition when they chose to live for the self and their wants instead of living for the glory of the Lord. They desired God to serve them instead of doing the Lord. As a result, the people neglected to follow the Lord in faithfulness and desired the Lord to serve their perceived needs. Thus, the rejection led them to the place of missing eternal rest.
Fifth, there is no eternal rest. The result of a hardened heart is the absence of eternal rest. David understood eternal rest as the dwelling with the Lord in heaven. Thus, when the heart is hardened and opposes the Lord, the individual faces the eternal wrath of the Lord and not the eternal rest offered.
THE CHARACTERISTICS OF PRAISING THE LORD
David did not only address the heart of the opposition, but he also addressed six characteristics of one who lives praising the Lord. First, the individual makes praising the Lord an intentional act. David declares that praising the Lord is an intentional act of the believer. This truth means that when the follower of Christ seeks to worship the Lord, they take intentional steps to follow the ways of the Lord, rejoice in the Lord, and worship the Lord. Thus, worship is not left to a haphazard approach but is an intentional component of all one does.
Second, the worshipper acknowledges God as the true foundation and strength needed for life. David understands that the Lord must be the Rock that all life is established. He trusts in the foundation of the Lord to hold firm during all of the dynamics of life and that the foundation will provide the needed strength to endure whatever is faced. Thus, David reminds believers that we must praise the Lord for his existence as the needed foundation.
Third, the child of God has a heart of thanksgiving. David was thankful for the Lord’s presence in his life and for the work of the Lord in his life. The thankful heart worships the Lord because of a deep gratitude that flows from the thankfulness for God’s grace and mercy. When grace and mercy are genuinely experienced, the attitude of thankfulness cannot be stopped, and the heart overflows in worship.
Fourth, the believer acknowledges God’s greatness. David declares the greatness of the Lord in mentioning his work of creation. As Creator, the Lord has authority over all and understands the innermost parts of all. Recognizing the Lord as Creator fuels the ability to see the ultimate authority of the Lord and promotes the understanding that he deserves all praise. David notes that when the believer understands the Lord as Creator, the follower is left standing in our of God’s greatness.
Fifth, the individual approaches the Lord with a proper posture. David came before the Lord in humility. He bowed before the Lord because of His greatness, holiness, and power. The position of humility promotes worship because it recognizes the character of God and the limited nature of humanity. When we enter the state of humility, we worship the Lord in a posture that honors his character and acknowledges his greatness.
Sixth, the person lives in complete trust in the Lord. David worships the Lord in a life of obedience. A life trusting in the Lord completely is a life that honors the Lord in every aspect of life. This approach to life praises the Lord as the child of God honors the Heavenly Father in obedience to the ways of the Lord and in complete reliance on the Lord. Thus, we must evaluate our hearts and worship today and see if we are authentic or hardened.
