| A Better Relationship |
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June 11, 2007Key Passage: Psalm 103:1-22Topic: God's Love; Faith/Trust"But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, and his righteousness to children's children" (Psalm 103:17, ESV). Here at NotReligion, we talk a lot about how being a Christian is more about having a relationship with God than it is about following a bunch of religious rules. For many people, this is comforting. They discover they can draw near to God like they never thought was possible. But I'm willing to bet many of you are in the opposite situation. You've had it with relationships. You've been used and abused in the name of love. You've had promises broken or loved ones suddenly snatched away. And if that's what Christianity is, you don't want any part of it! Psalm 103 is written by David for people who've had it with relationships. In nearly every one of these 22 verses David tells us why God's relationship with us is far superior to even the best relationships we experience on earth. There are a lot of things to focus on, but I want to call your attention to one phrase in particular. In verses 4, 8, 11, and 17, we read about the "steadfast love" of God. "But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, and his righteousness to children's children" (Psalm 103:17, ESV). Did you notice what this psalm says about God's "steadfast love." Most people have no trouble admitting God will be around forever. But this also means His steadfast love will be around forever too--"from everlasting to everlasting." God loves you today, He'll love you tomorrow as well. Maybe you look at your life and God's amazing promise and think, "There's no way I measure up." You're not alone. Next to God, it's impossible for anyone to measure up--He's too perfect and we're too sinful. But that's another amazing thing: God's steadfast love isn't just an eternal love, it's a merciful love. If you read this Psalm in Hebrew (the language David spoke), you'd see the word hesed which most of the time is translated "mercy." God doesn't base His love on what you or I do. His love is unconditional; it's merciful, and it's nothing we deserve. Yes, Christianity is about a relationship, but it's a relationship unlike any you've had before. Consider It As you read Psalm 103, think about the following questions:
Apply It Read through Psalm 103 again and make a list of everything that shows how God relates to us. Choose five of these and write your own psalm, or poem, around them. Express It Respond the way David does and praise God. Read through your list again and thank God for the way He loves you and provides for you. Pray that, as opportunities come up to share this news with others, you would have the words to say.
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