God is Always Worthy of Our Praise

Psalm 55     Deuteronomy 15-16                    Jude

Nothing hurts more than betrayal of someone we thought was our friend. Today David pores out his heart to God in song as he reflects on how his friends, those he trusted, have betrayed him and the pain is deep and lasting. We expect our enemies to pass on lies and to mislead others, but when it is a friend we thought we could trust, it brings great distress.

David sings that even if all have abandoned him God will always be there and worthy of praise. God is the one we can bear out soul before and he will hear our voice. We must trust that God will return to those around us that they have done to us, for good or evil. Our trust in all times must remain in the One who sustains us and that he will never allow those that seek God’s ways to be shaken. In the end there is only one in whom we can trust, the Lord our God.

Moses instructs the people of Israel about how to treat debts to other members of the nation. This includes how long someone can be held in bondage as part of a work agreement. God demands the very best be what is offered to him.

He reminds them the importance of practicing the celebration of Passover to remind the people what God had done to bring them to this land overflowing with crops and animals. Everyone is to give back to God as they are able in the way of a sacrifice. They are to have judges to make sure the ways of God are followed, and justice is done.  Everything about their life is to direct their thanks to the God that saved them.

Jude calls the church to live out a life where mercy, peace and love will be multiplied to you. He recognized that there are those the have crept into the church and misled the church to believe that ungodly ways are okay. He reminds the that those that choose to not follow the ways of God as they came up out of Egypt were destroyed. When we sin, do things contrary to the word of God, we invite judgement upon ourselves. It is not God that judges but our action that convicts us.

These deceivers will hide their true motives but dwell in your midst if you are not paying attention to them. They follow their own lusts rather that the commandments of God. These are the causes of division even among the church.

We are called to build ourselves up in faith, praying to the Holy Spirit for revelation and transformation and then to trust in the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ. Our praise is always to be directed toward God.

Each of today’s readings is about our relationships with others and how they should reflect the way God treated us. No matter what comes when our faith is in Jesus Christ, we can praise God for the life we have been given. God is always worthy of our trust and praise.