True Love

Read Psalms 5-7, 10-11
 
Psalms 7:9-11 End the evil of those who are wicked, and defend the righteous. For you look deep within the mind and heart, O righteous God. 10 God is my shield, saving those whose hearts are true and right. 11 God is an honest judge. He is angry with the wicked every day.
 
FROM all the verses of these psalms, you are perhaps wondering why we focus on God being angry with the wicked every day. Don’t we see enough of God’s judgment in other scriptures?
   Perhaps we don’t. It seems our culture, even the church is filled with such false teachings as, “God loves everyone no matter where they are.” In one way that is true. God has created all people, and he loves all people. But that kind of teaching can cause our sin nature to believe that God’s love means God accepts all things from all people.  We are always prone to justify any way we want to live as being okay with God. After all, he loves us, and just wants us to be happy, right?  
   Wrong. God loves us to the point he has given us his only Son, so we may be saved from eternal condemnation. The Holy God does not love us in any way we want to live. God’s love does not stop him from judging the wicked, expressing his anger to all who refuse his righteousness. Yes, we need to know God is angry with the wicked. If this were not true, the cross is useless.
   The words also express great trust and faith in God. David is proclaiming that God is a protector of the righteous, of those who seek his will and follow him. This is truly a passage of love and assurance, trusting God in his sovereign power will care for all who seek him.
   And the psalmist knew this wonderful truth: God’s wrath leads to hope! Yes, when we understand God cannot tolerate sin, we turn to the pure solution, which is the blood of Jesus. Because of God’s wrath on evil, he sent Jesus to the cross to satisfy his wrath. Our of God’s anger for sin came God’s mercy to redeem us when we understand our own good is not good enough. 1 Thessalonians 5:9 For God chose to save us through our Lord Jesus Christ, not to pour out his anger on us. 10 Christ died for us so that, whether we are dead or alive when he returns, we can live with him forever.
   The psalms show in poetic strength the vast truth of God’s unchanging character. One line, one verse can open our eyes to understand God in the way we need to know him at that moment. At this moment, it is good to know God’s anger over sin brought salvation to you in Jesus Christ.