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THOUGHT FOR TODAY-
Right relationships are the soil in which the reward of righteousness can grow. And the only people who can sow these seeds, and who will reap the reward, are those whose life work it has been to produce such right relationships.
-- William Barclay, The Letter from James, Marriage Partnership, Vol. 5, no. 2.
(Ps. 27:4‑5). He yearned to be like the priests who lived in the tabernacle and had constant access to holy things. David wished he could even be a guest and pay God a visit, but did he qualify? Does anybody qualify?
GOD'S CHILDREN HAVE OPEN ACCESS INTO HIS PRESENCE THROUGH THE WORK OF JESUS CHRIST (HEB. 10: 19‑25). He is our High Priest and Advocate in heaven, and He welcomes us. WE COME ON THE BASIS OF HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS, not our own. But we had better be sure we have experienced the cleansing of Hebrews 10:22 before we rush into His presence.
THIS PSALM HELPS US EXAMINE OUR WALK, OUR WORKS, AND OUR WORDS (v. 2). The inventory includes our relationship with others (vv. 3‑4), how we keep our promises, and how we use our money (v. 5). MEDITATING ON THIS PSALM AND PONDERING THESE "QUALIFICATIONS" COULD HELP US DEEPEN OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD.
With the Word - Warren W. Wiersbe
Thomas Nelson Publishers
Nashville
"Used by permission of Thomas Nelson, Inc."
REWARDS FOR HONESTY
My son Jason's successes have come mainly in baseball, the most notable of which occurred in a single moment last summer. In the last three years, I doubt Jason has ever taken the field or the basketball court when he wasn't the smallest player on either team. Last summer, his lack of height was all the more noticeable because he was a seventh-grader playing in a seventh/eighth-grade league.
A fire-armed pitcher--more than a foot taller than my 4-foot-9 son--blazed a fastball right down the pike. I'm not sure Jason even saw the ball. Strike one. The second pitch scorched across the plate for a called strike two. The third pitch, unintentionally I'm sure, came right at Jason. He turned to avoid being hit and fell to the ground. His bat went flying. His helmet bounced off. The ball seemed to have skimmed his shoulder.
"Take your base," said the umpire.
Standing in the third-base coach's box, I was happy just seeing Jason alive, much less getting a free base. But now he was saying something to the umpire. What was going on?
"It didn't hit me," Jason said to the ump.
"Take your base, son," said the ump.
Our fans were most likely thinking the same thing I was thinking: Take your base, son. You've been wounded, soldier; your war's over. You're going home...
"But honest, it didn't hit me," Jason pleaded.
The umpire looked at Jason and out to the infield ump, who just shrugged. "OK," said the ump, "the count is one-and-two."
Should I intervene? Make him take his base? Jason was already digging in his cleats in the batter's box. I mentally shrugged and headed back to the coach's box.
The towering pitcher rocked and fired. A bullet right down the middle--the kind of pitch that would send the kid to the dugout. Instead, Jason ripped the ball into left-center for a stand-up double. Our crowd roared. The manager of the team in the field was standing a few feet behind me. He had no idea that the kid on second base was my son. He spit out his sunflower seeds and slowly shook his head.
"Man," he said, "you gotta love that."
¨ Bob Welch, A Father for All Seasons. From the files of Leadership.
LORD, WHO MAY DWELL IN YOUR SANCTUARY? Who may live on your holy hill? {2} HE WHOSE WALK IS BLAMELESS AND WHO DOES WHAT IS RIGHTEOUS, WHO SPEAKS THE TRUTH FROM HIS HEART {3} and has no slander on his tongue, who does his neighbor no wrong and casts no slur on his fellowman, {4] WHO DESPISES A VILE MAN BUT HONORS THOSE WHO FEAR THE LORD, WHO KEEPS HIS OATH EVEN WHEN IT HURTS, * {5} who lends his money without usury and does not accept a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things will never be shaken.
