Today’s Reading: Psalm 51-53, Romans 2
Today’s Reflection: Psalm 51:12-13 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.
Upon what grounds shall we teach transgressors of the ways of The Lord? Upon what character traits of the Almighty shall sinners be converted unto Him? It is, in verse one, His ability to restore the JOY of His salvation, and to uphold us with His FREE spirit! So we see restoration, joy, salvation, and freedom.
What, in this list of God’s “ways” is there NOT to be desired? Is it not the heart cry of every single human being to have that which was lost restored to them? Is not every person crying out for a Savior to save them from their seemingly permanent condition of hopelessness? Are we not starving for joy in an otherwise dark and gloomy world around us? Do we not wish above all else to enjoy freedom in its truest sense?
I would give the answers to all of these questions a resounding YES! Even so, I now hope to focus in on one specific word in these “ways” of The Lord that have profound depth, meaning, and implications; and that is the word “free”. The Psalmist prays, “…uphold me with thy free spirit.” Now, looking more deeply into the Hebrew dictionary, the original word from which we get our translation “free” means NOBILITY.
Webster defines nobility rather exhaustively to include, but not be limited to, the following meanings; “greatness, grandeur, antiquity of family; descent from noble ancestors; distinction by blood, usually joined with riches, and persons collectively who enjoy rank above commoners.” Looking at these meanings, can you now see why I’m so excited to point this out? David is literally praying that he will be upheld by God’s free (aka noble, great, distinct by blood) spirit.
Friends, when we are forgiven of our sins and washed in the blood of Jesus, we become heirs and joint heirs with the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. We rise above the common place of sin in which He found us. We are no longer slaves or peasants to sin and shame; we are, in fact, nobility. And it is in THIS spirit of FREEDOM that we are to be UPHELD! Having said that, one can then truly understand, based upon THIS knowledge, that we can then and only then be able to “teach transgressors thy ways” and see sinners converted to Christ!!
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Floodgates of Heaven
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copyright © by Gary D. Caudill
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