Today's the DAY!!! It's Wedding Day!!!
Gah!!
Praise GOD, everybody!
Applaud GOD, all people!
His love has taken over our lives;
GOD's faithful ways are eternal.
Hallelujah!
"The truth of God, in this passage, is properly introduced as an attestation of his grace. For he can be true even when he menaces the whole world with perdition and ruin. The prophet, however, has placed his mercy first in order, that his faithfulness and truth, comprising an assurance of his paternal kindness, might encourage the hearts of the godly. His power and justice are equally praiseworthy; but as men will never cordially praise God until they are drawn by a foretaste of his goodness, the prophet very justly elects God's mercy and truth, which alone open the mouths of those who are mute to engage in this exercise."
(Commentary from Heart Aflame: Daily Readings from Calvin on the Psalms)
Note: In modern translations, mercy and truth are rendered love and faithfulness.
"Grace Provided"
Romans 6:14
Reading from the English Standard Version
For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.
In the previous verse, which parallels Romans 12:1, we are told to present ourselves to God as people who have been brought out of death into life, and to present our "members" (that basically means body parts...) to God as "instruments for righteousness." In context, we have assurance that God gives us the ability to carry out this commitment. Verse 11 encourages us to count ourselves "dead to the dominion of sin and alive to the enabling power of God." So we see that God not only "asks us to commit ourselves to the pursuit of holiness, but provides the grace to enable us to do it."
Grace, in this context, is God's enablement through his Holy Spirit. It is the basis for our commitment to this pursuit for holiness.
"An all-out, unreserved, nothing-held-back commitment to the pursuit of holiness may be exhausting, but it will not be oppressive if it's grounded in grace. But to be grounded in grace, it must be continually referred back to the gospel. So don't just preach the gospel to yourself every day merely to experience the cleansing of your conscience. You certainly need to do so for that reason. But as you do, reaffirm your commitment to God as a response of love and gratitude. And do so in reliance on His Spirit that by His grace He will enable you to carry out your commitment."
Amen.
I thank you for the mercy and truth, the love and faithfulness that encourage us to praise you.
I am grateful for this day in history, Lord; the day that Martin Luther essentially started the Reformation. Because of this day, I am able to read your word in my own language. I am able to understand what your Word really says to me without having to trust in another man's interpretation. Praise be to you, God!
Finally, I pray for this day today. I pray for the wedding ceremony that will occur this afternoon. Keep everything in your loving hands today. I pray for the union that is happening between Rachel and Justin. I pray again that you will be in the center of their marriage, and that it will last for eternity.
Hallelujah, my God!
Grace and peace, friends!