"HIS JUDGMENTS ARE IN ALL THE EARTH" Bible Reading Thoughts for March 1st

“HIS JUDGMENTS ARE IN ALL THE EARTH”

     Our Psalms reading (105) stresses that God is fully conscious of all that happens among his creation.  Many examples are given that illustrate the reality of what Paul told the Athenians, that God “is actually not far from each one of us” [Acts 17 v.27) that “we have our being” within the Divine presence and, as Job expressed it, “In his hand is the life of every living thing” [12 v.10]  Look at some of the illustrations of this in today’s Psalm, note how it tells us to “seek the LORD and his strength; his presence continually.” [v.4]

    We do not have to travel to seek his presence, we need to start each day by doing that: we need to “remember the wondrous works that he has done.” [v.5]  These works are seen, both in creation, and in the wonderful way “all things work together” (see Romans 8 v.28) to achieve God’s purpose.  This is seen in history; David reminds us of “his miracles, and the judgments he uttered” to the “offspring of Abraham” [v.5,6].  But it is not just with Israel that God is involved, “his judgments are in all the earth” [v.7] and the full reality and climax of this will be seen when Jesus returns.

    The detail of the divine involvement in human life is made clear in our Leviticus reading (ch. 5 & 6). We read of more of the divine laws being put in place to cause the nation being formed in the wilderness to become a genuine “”holy nation” (Exod. 19 v.6).  Sadly, they failed in this. David and his son Solomon did their best in their days to lead the people into becoming a holy nation.  Then God’s son came to inspire people to develop personal holiness.  The aim must be, as we will read next week in Paul’s 2^nd letter to the Corinthians, to “cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God.” [7 v.1]

     In our chapter today Paul is urgently encouraging them to “let all things be done for building up … for God is not the author of confusion but of peace …” [14 v.33].  Confusion comes when God’s word is not read properly – we should not pick and choose the parts which suit us, fully realizing that when “his judgments are in all the earth” when Christ returns,  “then each of us will give account of him(her)self to God.” [Rom. 14 v. 12]  Let us “seek … his strength and “his presence continually.”