Compiled By: Lisa K Gonzales
From: The Life Application Study Bible
4 “Will those who do evil never learn? They eat up my people like bread; they would not think of praying to the LORD. 5 Terror will grip them, for GOD is with those who obey HIM.” ~ Psalm 14:4-5
There is a clear distinction between those who worship GOD and those who refuse to worship HIM. David worshiped GOD, and under his leadership Israel obeyed GOD and prospered. However, several hundred years later, Israel forgot GOD, and it became difficult to distinguish between GOD’s followers and those who worshiped idols.
When Isaiah called Israel to repentance, he, like David, spoke of people who had gone astray. – “All of us have strayed away like sheep. We have left GOD’s paths to follow our own. Yet the LORD laid on Him the guilt and sins of us all.” – Isaiah 53:6 – Isaiah spoke of Israel straying from GOD and compares them to wondering sheep. Yet GOD would send the Messiah to bring them back into the fold. We have the hindsight to see and know the identity of the promised Messiah, who has come and died for our sins. But if we know all that Jesus did and still reject Him, our sin is much greater than that of the ancient Israelites, who could not see what we have seen. Paul quoted this psalm in Romans when he made the image of straying sheep even more general, referring to all people. The whole human race – Jew and Gentile alike – has turned away from GOD. – 10 “As the Scriptures say, ‘No one is good – not even one. 11 No one has real understanding; no one is seeking GOD. 12 All have turned away from GOD; all have gone wrong. No one does good, not even one.’” – Romans 3:10-12 – Although we are valuable to GOD, we have all fallen into sin. But GOD, through HIS Son Jesus Christ, has redeemed us and offers to forgive us if we turn to Him in faith.
If “GOD is with those who obey HIM”, then those who attack GOD’s followers – are attacking GOD. To attack GOD is utterly futile. Even though we may feel we are losing the battle, there can be absolutely no doubt that our ultimate victory is in GOD!
Father we have all strayed from YOUR path from time to time, to follow our own desires. We ask You Holy Spirit to give us real understanding of the Scriptures and how our Father GOD thinks. But most of all give us understanding of how very much HE loves us and longs to have a relationship with us.
Photo: Sand Harbor (Tahoe, Nevada)
Photo By: Lisa K Gonzales
Click on the photo to enlarge
