WordLive - Year OneSample

Prepare: You have your own private audience with the Judge of all peoples. What do you want to say to him? Are you ready to hear what he wants to say to you?

The heavenly Judge
Who do you turn to when you have been wronged? David took his case to God (vs 1,3,6). Notice David’s supreme confidence in God’s power over all people (vs 6–8), in his ability to protect (vs 1,10) and deliver justice (vs 9,11,12).

In human law courts miscarriages of justice sometimes occur because vital evidence is lacking. God, however, has all the evidence at his disposal: every act, thought and feeling (v 9). The heavenly Judge is neither corrupt nor biased: the guilty, whoever they are, will face the consequences and those who are innocent will be vindicated (vs 3–5,9,11–16).

Will we relent?
When suffering and evil have the upper hand we want God to act now (v 6)! God only delays judgement because he longs for people to relent (v 12). David is convinced that God expresses his wrath ‘every day’ (v 11).

Every time his Spirit pricks our consciences, he expresses his displeasure at the sinful attitudes and behaviour that mar his image in us. The question remains, will we ‘relent’ and turn to him? If we do not, he gives us over to the sin we have chosen (vs 14–16).

Respond: Cry out to God today for yourself or for others who are facing injustice of one sort or another.

http://www.wordlive.org/Session/Classic/2012-02-12