Speak Out! Psalms 39-40; First Thessalonians 2

May the mumbling commence!

What does the Lord require of us?  It is a question that is often asked in Scripture – the passage from Micah comes first to my mind.  But there are other scriptures that speak to this question that help give a more complete view.  Read from Psalm Forty:

You take no delight in sacrifices or offerings.

Now that you have made me listen, I finally understand—

you don't require burnt offerings or sin offerings. 

Then I said, "Look, I have come.

And this has been written about me in your scroll: 

I take joy in doing your will, my God,

for your law is written on my heart." 

I have told all your people about your justice.

I have not been afraid to speak out, as you, O Lord, well know. 

I have not kept this good news hidden in my heart;

I have talked about your faithfulness and saving power.

I have told everyone in the great assembly

of your unfailing love and faithfulness. (Verses 6-10)

Obedience is better than asking forgiveness through sacrifices and offerings.  And obedience means doing the will of the Lord.  Where do we find the will of God?  We comb through the Scriptures.  We plant the Scriptures in our hearts.

And we find joy in our lives that we didn’t think was possible.  What does that joy call us to do?  We do not put God’s Word on our hearts to hide it.

We tell people about the salvation of the Lord in His love and faithfulness.  We tell those who are willing to listen.  We tell those who are not willing to listen.  We cast fear aside and speak out.  We praise and worship the Lord in this way.

To tell and to speak about the Lord is one of the reasons we were made… one of the original plan of our Creator.  No wonder it feels so right regardless of the consequences of speaking out!  And, at times, there are consequences.  Read from First Thessalonians chapter two:

And then, dear brothers and sisters, you suffered persecution from your own countrymen. In this way, you imitated the believers in God's churches in Judea who, because of their belief in Christ Jesus, suffered from their own people, the Jews. 

For some of the Jews had killed their own prophets, and some even killed the Lord Jesus. Now they have persecuted us and driven us out. They displease God and oppose everyone by trying to keep us from preaching the Good News to the Gentiles, for fear some might be saved. By doing this, they continue to pile up their sins. But the anger of God has caught up with them at last. (Verses 14-16)

As we seek to do the Lord’s will, may we keep focused on the more eternal perspective of God.  For we are but travelers in this world!  We are moving through this world as aliens to the great city that will be finally established by our Lord.

Enough mumbling for now…

Peace Out