DAY 18: God Will Be Vindicated

15 May 2019

4.3 MINS

by Bishop Rick Lewers, Senior Minister, Anglican Bishop of Armidale

Intention
Consideration of a nation’s future is a time for God’s people to seek, praise, meditate on and trust in the God who will be vindicated in all things.

Scripture
“God, You are my God; I eagerly seek You. I thirst for You; my body faints for You in a land that is dry, desolate, and without water. So I gaze on You in the sanctuary to see Your strength and Your glory. My lips will glorify You because Your faithful love is better than life. So I will praise You as long as I live; at Your name, I will lift up my hands. You satisfy me as with rich food; my mouth will praise You with joyful lips. When I think of You as I lie on my bed, I meditate on You during the night watches because You are my helper; I will rejoice in the shadow of Your wings. I follow close to You; Your right hand holds on to me.”
—Psalm 63:1-8

Reflection
David pens this Psalm amidst the darkness of an attack on his leadership and the leadership of the nation of Israel. Five things are worth noticing.

Firstly, this Psalm is a prayer, and it begins with the words, “God, you are my God; I eagerly seek you.” God’s King prays because God’s King understands his dependence upon and accountability to God. As the King prays so he sets the example for his people.

David is literally living in dry and desolate places as he composes the Psalm. His soul thirsts and his body faints for God and so he sets his gaze to the place, to the sanctuary, that brings God’s strength and glory into focus. Of course, the Christian’s gaze is set on Christ as our sanctuary. Amidst a battle for leadership, the second thing to notice is that David seeks God because God is the strong and glorious one. God is dependable and able to do more than any leader could ask or imagine.

The third thing this Psalm offers is the truth that “God’s faithful love is better than life”—a love that issues in praise. Charles Spurgeon writes,

“Life is dear, but God’s love is dearer. To dwell with God is better than life at its best. The withdrawal of the light of his countenance is as the shadow of death to us. Life is to many people a doubtful good; lovingkindness is an unquestioned boon; life is but transient, mercy is everlasting; life is shared by the lowest animals, but the lovingkindness of the Lord is the especial portion of the chosen.”

There is nothing like a restless night when the mind is filled with fearful adversaries and shattered circumstances. If pillows could speak, imagine the dark meditation of the sleepless that they could share. Like most leaders and their constituents, David’s pillow could speak of dreadful personal sin, but in Psalm 63 it speaks of his fears for the future of the nation. No wonder David prays to God, seeks God, praises God—and fourthly, meditates on God. Listen to these words:

“When I think of You as I lie on my bed, I meditate on You during the night watches because You are my helper.”

Elections can really unsettle people. As campaigns use fear to motivate, blur truth, create insecurity, leave some cynical and others depressed, the comfort of the Psalmist’s meditations is that God is our helper.

In uncertain times and places there is no more comforting meditation than God being our help and our strength. The Psalms are the song book of the King, and each and every Psalm anticipates the ultimate King—the Christ.

Remember Him. Put to death by evil, saving His people from their sin, vindicated in resurrection, enthroned forever. That’s worth our meditation because the fifth and most wonderful truth in this Psalm is that God will be vindicated.

Prayer
God, our God. Amidst times when people feel uncertain, insecure or fearful, please return the heart of this nation to the comforts You offer in Christ Jesus our Lord. Such is Your strength and glory. Help us individually and as a nation to seek You. As we seek You, please help us to find in You the source of all praise, and the joyful recognition that Your faithful love is better than life. Cause us, our Lord and God, to meditate on Your Word daily that all people might learn that You are our ever-present help in times of need. Irrespective of the outcome of the federal election, please grant Your people the faith to rest in You, and to be assured that You will vindicate Yourself among us. In the name of Christ, Amen.

Listen to: Psalm 632nd Chapter of Acts

Election Prayer Points
1. Pray that God would rule over this election – that righteous leaders would be elected to govern this nation in truth and justice because, “When the righteous are in authority the people rejoice”. Proverbs 29:2
2. Pray God’s blessing upon all our current parliamentarians and leaders, including their families and all the candidates of all the parties standing for this federal election. 1 Timothy 2:1-3
3. Pray for a multiplication of prayer and unity across the Body of Christ in Australia that people will wake up to the dangers facing our nation and respond in prayer. Ephesians 5:14
4. Pray for a Spiritual Awakening for Australia, Revival and Transformation for our nation and the proclamation of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. John 3:16

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___

DEVOTIONAL 18 Author, 15 May
God Will Be Vindicated
Bishop Rick Lewers

Rick grew up in the Sutherland Shire to the south of Sydney. Prior to training for the ministry at Sydney Missionary and Bible College and Moore Theological College, he worked in banking.

Before his consecration and installation as Bishop of Armidale in May 2012, Rick had served in parishes in Sydney and Canberra and was employed for a time by Evangelism Ministries in the Diocese of Sydney.

Rick and his wife have three adult children. While he loves to fish and is a passionate South Sydney supporter, his greater passions are to preach the Gospel, to teach God’s Word and to see people raised mature in Christ.

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31 Comments

  1. Alexandra Auterson 15 May 2019 at 9:11 am - Reply

    Thank you Rick for reminding us that ‘God is dependable and able to do more than any leader could ask or imagine’ and also that ‘God’s faithful love is better than life’. Blessings

  2. Alison Sherrington 15 May 2019 at 9:18 am - Reply

    Bishop Rick Lewers’s article “God will be vindicated” is based on Psalm 63, and reminds Christians of how precious God’s faithful help and comfort are during times of great uncertainty.

  3. Bron 15 May 2019 at 9:30 am - Reply

    Great points!

  4. Alison Rowe 15 May 2019 at 9:44 am - Reply

    Wonderful devotion.
    They hv all bn so rich and prayers hv bn powerful.
    Thank you to all concerned

  5. Leanne Freeman 15 May 2019 at 9:50 am - Reply

    Amen!

  6. Mary 15 May 2019 at 9:53 am - Reply

    True

  7. Megan McGuire 15 May 2019 at 10:04 am - Reply

    The words of that psalm are so powerful, a reminder “Your faithful love is better than life”. A reminder God is in control of our nation steeped in Godlessness and will respond to the prayer of his people, those who truly praise and worship Him in spirit and truth. Thankyou for this beautiful prayer and reflection.

  8. Niall Gibson 15 May 2019 at 10:08 am - Reply

    Excellent

  9. Patricia Frost 15 May 2019 at 10:40 am - Reply

    So true

  10. Sue 15 May 2019 at 10:57 am - Reply

    Very true!

  11. Leanda Kayess 15 May 2019 at 10:58 am - Reply

    Amen

  12. Verrell Barnes 15 May 2019 at 11:19 am - Reply

    Thanking God for His continued mercy in allowing His Holy Spirit to speak to each of us in a personal way through His word daily.

  13. Jennifer Mok 15 May 2019 at 12:54 pm - Reply

    Amen

  14. Margaret 15 May 2019 at 2:30 pm - Reply

    Thanks so much

  15. Cecilia Seah. 15 May 2019 at 2:47 pm - Reply

    We only need to turn to God to redolve our problems as the psalmists remind us. God is all powerful and merciful and in His love, we will be saved and protected.thanks be to God for all His gifts and mercy.

  16. Marilyn Rowsome 15 May 2019 at 2:58 pm - Reply

    It’s so true – Elections can really unsettle people. As campaigns use fear to motivate, blur truth, create insecurity, leave some cynical and others depressed, the comfort of the Psalmist’s meditations is that God is our helper.

    Thanks for pointing us back to God by meditating on His Word daily so that we know for sure that He, alone, is our ever-present help in times of need. Yes, we are might fear for the implications of a change of Government, but irrespective of the outcome of this election, we rest in God and are assured that He will always vindicate Himself.

    Thank you Rick.

  17. Sandra 15 May 2019 at 3:08 pm - Reply

    The simplest message to pass on to those greatly in need of God’s help (thus, all of us) is the prayer……”Come holy spirit!”
    Always works. God is real!

  18. Lorna Rainbird 15 May 2019 at 4:14 pm - Reply

    Amen to this wonderful devotional. So true & very helpful in daily life.

  19. Karen Crossley 15 May 2019 at 4:17 pm - Reply

    Our God is good, His mercy and His faithfulness are amazing

  20. Wendy 15 May 2019 at 4:19 pm - Reply

    God’s faithfulness is all we need to face the future.

  21. Dawn 15 May 2019 at 5:31 pm - Reply

    I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth. Psalm 121 v 1-2

  22. Tom Hockley 15 May 2019 at 5:42 pm - Reply

    Nice reminder of that terrific group – seems like 40 years since I heard them.

  23. Dawn 15 May 2019 at 5:44 pm - Reply

    Awesome

  24. Loveday Key 15 May 2019 at 6:03 pm - Reply

    Thank you for bringing out these 5 points so clearly and applying them so sensitively to our nation today.

  25. Raylene McPherson 15 May 2019 at 8:14 pm - Reply

    Amen.

  26. Annabel 15 May 2019 at 8:46 pm - Reply

    Amen

  27. Jeanette 15 May 2019 at 9:21 pm - Reply

    Well said: we are reminded that God has and is in control – he simply desires us to seek Him and his ways.

  28. Roger 16 May 2019 at 2:20 pm - Reply

    I agree elections does unsettle many. We know God is in control, so we can face tomorrow totally secured in His love, during this time of uncertainty

  29. Jeannine Powell 16 May 2019 at 8:07 pm - Reply

    How good to be reminded that we need not fear, when our minds are being Bombarded daily with stressful news. Thank you .

  30. Christine 17 May 2019 at 12:30 pm - Reply

    Yes it is essential to remember that God is the strength of our lives, a very present help in trouble, always faithful even when we are weak and fail Him. He is Lord of all and all are accountable to Him. Leaders especially. Therefore we do not have to fear, instead put our trust in the Lord Jesus Christ and our loving Heavenly Father. He will have the final say on all things and is truly able to work all things together for good for those who love Him and are called according to His purposes.

  31. Sandra Wysman 18 May 2019 at 4:12 am - Reply

    So encouraging

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