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| A field of bluebells, Worcester, Wednesday 23rd April 2020 |
News of a Vaccine
News of a possible vaccine for Covid-19 is a reminder of the blessings of modern medicine.
By contrast, the knowledge of medicine during the 1300s, when plague ravaged Europe was so poor - and so brutal - that someone called medicine a branch of torture!
Almost every suggestion of the "experts" to cure the plague was wrong. Some medics in Paris, for example, said that keeping your house windows that faced south closed would help. Another suggested that putting ground up emerald powder into your food would protect you.
The only cures that worked did so for reasons different from the ones the doctors suggested. For example, one suggestion was a good diet, but the reason they said a good diet would help was false.
How grateful we should be for God's gift of medicine.
Did you clap in your street on Thursday night, for those who administer this gift of medicine?
Our verses today, verses 5 and 6, conclude Psalm 1:
Not so the wicked!
They are like chaff
that the wind blows away.
5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.
6 For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.
but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.
The tragic end of the wicked
Two thoughts as we close out Psalm 1. First, the tragic end of the wicked. The destination of those who do not believe is destruction. Someone has said that we should never mention hell without a tear in our eyes. Surely, O surely, he was right. When their moment in the Court of the Last Judgement comes, the wicked will not stand, they will not be able to defend themselves, and they will be found guilty.
And therefore they will be banned from the eternal assembly of the righteous.
What a tragic - and terrifying - end. And it should move us to one thing - to share the Gospel with the lost and to pray for the salvation of their souls, knowing that nothing is impossible with God. No-one is beyond the pale, no-one beyond the long reach of his love or the transforming power of his grace.
One sentence from a sermon I heard 40 years ago now deeply challenged me: "Do you believe in the peril of the ungodly?" Did I really - no, really - believe in the eternal punishment of unbelievers?
Do we really believe that neighbours, friends and relatives who do not know Christ are going to hell?
May the Lord give the church a renewed sense of urgency to share the Gospel with the lost. May his love compel us to urge people, "Be reconciled to God!" And especially in today's world, when hearts are more open to God, and when we as churches, have more time to populate our websites with Christian testimonies and Gospel answers.
Rescue the perishing,
Care for the dying,
Snatch them in pity from sin and the grave;
Weep o’er the erring one,
Lift up the fallen,
Tell them of Jesus the mighty to save.
The Security of the Blessed
"The Lord watches over the way of the righteous."
What a contrast! The psalmist does not need to divide the present from future eternity, for God's present "watching over" extends beyond the grave and into the world to come. The Lord watches over us today, and tomorrow and into all of eternity. "The Lord watches over the way of the righteous" covers all of time.
It is a comfort to know that we are being watched over and protected by his loving and powerful hand. It is a joy to know that nothing can snatch us out of the Father's hand.
A SONG FOR THE DAY
I was going to choose Matt Redman's "You alone can rescue" (sing it HERE). But instead I've chosen and older hymn which outlines the mystery of salvation.
I know not why God’s wondrous grace
To me He hath made known,
Nor why, unworthy, Christ in love
Redeemed me for His own.
But “I know Whom I have believed
And am persuaded that He is able
To keep that which I’ve committed
Unto Him against that day.”
I know not how this saving faith
To me He did impart,
Nor how believing in His word
Wrought peace within my heart.
I know not how the Spirit moves,
Convincing men of sin,
Revealing Jesus through the Word,
Creating faith in Him.
I know not what of good or ill
May be reserved for me,
Of weary ways or golden days,
Before His face I see.
I know not when my Lord may come,
At night or noon-day fair,
Nor if I’ll walk the vale with Him,
Or “meet Him in the air.”
Daniel Webster Whittle
You can sing along HERE
A PRAYER FOR THE DAY
Our Gracious and Merciful Father in heaven,
We thank you for the security of your people, we thank you that you watch over us eternally, both now and for everymore.
But we pray that you will have mercy on those who do not know you, those who have rejected you, those who have walked out on you.
We pray for every member of our families, immediate and extended who are not walking with you. We mention them now by name........
We know that you are merciful. We know that it is not your will that any should perish. We know that it your will that all should come to repentance.
Show us our part in loving them, sharing the Gospel with them and above all else praying for the regenerating power of the Spirit to bring them new life, for you alone can save.
We pray these things in the precious name of Jesus Christ, Saviour of the world,
Amen
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