Minister Message

This past year, I taught a Psalms course on Wednesday nights and the morning I wrote this month’s message, my personal Bible reading took me into the Psalms. Some ideas stood out to me as I read the 22nd through 24th Psalms.

The 24th Psalm opens in verses one and two with the words, “The earth is the Lord’s and all it contains, The world and those who dwell in it. For He has founded it upon the seas and established it upon the rivers.”

God made us. He owns this world. According to passages in John and Colossians, Christ, the Son, acted with God the Father in the creation. That makes it all the more wonderful that such a mighty and powerful one cares about us individually, cares about us amid all the things we go through in life, and is indeed the Good Shepherd of the famous 23rd Psalm: 1The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters, 3 He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake. 4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil; for Thou art with me; Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me. 5 Thou dost prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; Thou hast anointed my head with oil; My cup overflows. 6 Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life, And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

All this makes something I read back in the 22nd Psalm all the more remarkable. This One who bears with us in all of our circumstances, this One who made us in the first place, loved us so marvelously, that He went to the cross to save us from our sins. Part of Psalm 22 is a stark prophecy of Jesus’ suffering on the cross. The creator of the universe, the One who made us, the One who is with us throughout life, suffered and died for us! Listen to Psalm 22.13-18: 13 They open wide their mouth at me, As a ravening and a roaring lion. 14 I am poured out like water, And all my bones are out of joint; My heart is like wax; It is melted within me. 15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and My tongue cleaves to my jaws; And Thou dost lay me in the dust of death. 16 For dogs have surrounded me; A band of evildoers has encompassed me; They pierced my hands and my feet. 17 I can count all my bones. They look, they stare at me; 18 They divide my garments among them, And for my clothing they cast lots.

Read the accounts in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John and see how this all unfolded as Jesus died for us. As the old hymn says, “Oh! How marvelous! Oh! How wonderful is my Savior’s love for me.” The One who made us, did so knowing what He would have to do to save us. Doesn’t this touch you? Be sure you take Jesus as your Lord and Savior by obeying the Gospel and living in Him.

If you aren’t saved, or don’t know whether you are, go to our Path to Salvation page on this web site. If we can assist you by answering your questions or by baptizing you, contact us. We want you to know our marvelous Savior, Jesus Christ.

O, HOW MARVELOUS!