SOAP Devotion: Psalm 15

Honestly, when I asked God what to read today, I heard “Psalm fiftee…and knew He was saying Psalm 15, but I remember what that Psalm is and I guess didn’t want to read it (again!) so I think I changed it to Psalm Fiftee-two…I do that sometimes…I know what God is saying but I don’t want to hear it so I change it to something else. Not a good practice, really. It’s the human in me, I guess. But, after reading Psalm 52, I knew that just wasn’t it and I had interjected my own thoughts into the answer so I read Psalm 15. Again. Have you read Psalm 15? If so, can you see why I avoid it?  God brings me back to this passage repeatedly…He must be trying to tell me something…

Today’s reading is Psalm 15

Scripture: Those who live a blameless life, who behave uprightly, who speak truth from their hearts… Psalm 15:2

Observation:  Who can live in Your tabernacle…who can live on Your holy mountain? Who can abide in Your Presence? Those who live blamelessly…uprightly…truthfully…

Application:  Um…so doesn’t that mean no one can live there? Who really lives blamelessly? Is it the all-or-nothing-ness of the way my mind works that makes me think that blameless means perfect…no sin, no mistakes. Not humanly possible!! Isn’t this completely unfair?

The Strong’s entry for “uprightly”: 

from <H8552> (tamam); entire (literal, figurative or moral); also (as noun) integrity, truth :- without blemish, complete, full, perfect, sincerely (-ity), sound, without spot, undefiled, upright (-ly), whole.

—Strong's Talking Greek & Hebrew Dictionary

There it is…just as I suspected…“perfect”. But also, a glimmer of hope, as “sincere” is listed there. I know, and so does God, that perfect is impossible in this life. He also knows my heart, and that I sincerely want to “get it right.” Thankfully, His Son is my strength! Through Christ, I can do all things…even those that seem impossible. And because of His great mercy, there is forgiveness when I blow it.

I think that’s why I have not wanted to read this Psalm. It just seemed like an impossible standard…one more thing for me to use to beat myself up for not “measuring up”. I will never, in this body…in this life on earth…measure up to Christ, but it is still the goal for which I strive. To love others as He did. To walk in truth. To be so connected to the Father that everything I do and say is only what the Father does and says.

Lofty goals, to be sure. Unattainable, impossible…on my own. God always has a way of reminding me that apart from Him, I can do nothing. That I need Him as much as I need air, water and food.

Prayer:  Abba Father…thank you for finally helping me to overcome the dread at reading this passage. Thank You for helping me to see that it isn’t meant to belittle or demean me, but to encourage me to keep reaching for that goal of perfection in Christ. Thank You for Your great and tender mercy that you lavishly pour out when I blow it and seek your forgiveness…the one thing I always find when I look for it! Thank You that today, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.