Psalm 25:8
"Good and upright is the Lord; therefore He instructs sinners in His ways."
Sinner's School
The Lord's Sunday School is a Sinner's School. He instructs us and guides us not because we are good, but because He is good. We like to reverse the order sometimes. We think God teaches us because we are "good"; because we are seeking Him or trying to serve Him. He teaches us because He is good.
God is good. How many of us truly doubt this at times. We have our own "versions" of God and some of them aren't good. We may picture God as a tyrant, ready to pounce on us at any second. We may see Him as distant and not concerned with anything or anyone but His own glory. This sounds horrible doesn't it? Our God is good. He doesn't just do good - He is good.
Jesus came into the world to reveal to us what the Father was like. He said that "Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father." (John 14:9) Have we seen Jesus? Have we seen Him as he wept over Lazarus? Have we seen Him moved with compassion, healing the maimed, the lame and the blind? Have we seen Him touch the untouchables as he healed lepers? Have we seen Him break down prejudice and discrimination as He spoke with the woman at the well? Have we seen Him dining with sinners and tax collectors? Have we seen Him nailed to the cross, crying out "Forgive them Father, for they don't know what they are doing?" To see Jesus is to see the Father.
Seeing Jesus instructs us in God's ways. Jesus said, "The One who sent Me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him." (John 8:29) Everything Jesus did pleased the Father. As we read the Scriptures we should have it always in mind that Jesus came to show us what God was like and if our mental picture of God contradicts what we see in Jesus, it is our picture that is wrong and a false god.
I love the fact that is recorded here - God instructs sinners! Instead of letting my sinfulness be a barrier between God and Myself - I confess my sin to Him and take comfort that He teaches sinners his ways. I am not excluded. I am included in the category - sinners.
Thought for Today:
Father, I confess my sin to you and ask that you cleanse me. Cleanse my mind from all false gods that I may have created in your place. Instruct me in your ways. Open my eyes that I may see the great things in your word. Help me to keep my eyes on Jesus - the One who reveals your true nature. Give me a teachable spirit Lord - help me know that I am a sinner who needs to be instructed in Your ways - because Your ways are higher than my ways.