6 Arise, O LORD, in your anger; rise up against the rage of my enemies. Awake, my God; decree justice. 7 Let the assembled peoples gather around you. Rule over them from on high; 8 let the LORD judge the peoples. Judge me, O LORD, according to my righteousness, according to my integrity, O Most High. 9 O righteous God, who searches minds and hearts, bring to an end the violence of the wicked and make the righteous secure. 10 My shield is God Most High, who saves the upright in heart.

We serve a righteous and just God. Many take that as a real comfort because they feel they deserve to be treated with kindness, compassion and love and eventually given a home in heaven. However, when we understand the justice of a righteous God and we honestly look at ourselves, we realize that this means we only deserve punishment because we have all sinned against him. It is only because his love for us prompts his compassion which prompts his mercy that he extends his grace to us and offers to forgive us thru the sacrifice of his Son in our place.
What does he expect in return? He expects an upright heart. He expects us to respond to his love by showing love; both to him and to others around us. He expects us to respond to his mercy and compassion by being tender-hearted and showing mercy and compassion. He expects us to accept his forgiveness with assurance and confidence and then to show the same spirit by forgiving those who do us wrong. He expects us to respond to his righteousness by realizing our sinfulness and then in total humiliation for having offended the God of heaven we rid ourselves of all pride and self worth and humbly depend on him to make us new. He expects us to do his will.

There is a word that sums up all of this. The word is “faith”. Saving faith is defined by one word scholar as “complete trust; conjoined with joyful obedience.” This is why Paul could say he always had contentment and could encourage us to rejoice in the Lord always. He was no longer concerned about his own will but only doing the will of the Father. We find joy in submitting to the will of God and becoming like him.

O God, full of mercy and compassion. I thank you that you are my shield and my fortress. I thank you for your grace that provides forgiveness for my sin. I thank you for the confidence that grace gives me in my life as I struggle here in preparation to be with you in eternity. Please give a special blessing today on those who are sick, those who are undergoing treatments, those who are having tests run and those who suffer chronic pain. Use me to be an encouragement to them and to help them. Please give comfort to those who are suffering grief. I pray in the name of Jesus, my savior.