Scripture Union Discovery 25 February 2018 Daily Devotional
TOPIC: Now and Not Yet
OPENING PRAYER
Our Father, “Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” May I pray and live this from my heart.
Read PSALM 98 (New International Version (NIV)
1 Sing to the Lord a new song,
for he has done marvelous things;
his right hand and his holy arm
have worked salvation for him.
2 The Lord has made his salvation known
and revealed his righteousness to the nations.
3 He has remembered his love
and his faithfulness to Israel;
all the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation of our God.
4 Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth,
burst into jubilant song with music;
5 make music to the Lord with the harp,
with the harp and the sound of singing,
6 with trumpets and the blast of the ram’s horn—
shout for joy before the Lord, the King.
7 Let the sea resound, and everything in it,
the world, and all who live in it.
8 Let the rivers clap their hands,
let the mountains sing together for joy;
9 let them sing before the Lord,
for he comes to judge the earth.
He will judge the world in righteousness
and the peoples with equity.
Reflect – WHEN DID GOD REVEAL HIS SALVATION TO YOU?
The psalmist speaks here of salvation. It is God who has “worked salvation”—salvation is not grounded in our efforts, but results from God’s action (1). God has “made his salvation known”—we cannot discover the way of salvation except by God’s revelation (2). This salvation is global, encompassing not just Israel, but the nations and all creation.
Scripture Union Discovery 25 February 2018 Daily Devotional – Now and Not Yet
But salvation and judgment are two sides of a coin. The exhortation to “sing to the Lord” is both because “he has done marvellous things” and because “he comes to judge the earth” (1,9). God’s righteous judgment, which will purge the earth of all evil, is inextricably interwoven with salvation. This is a glorious promise, but also a grim warning.
Creation is urged to “shout for joy” (4). Yet, the roaring of the sea or thunderous clapping of rivers often signals disaster (7,8). The call to make music includes reference to the “blast of the ram’s horn”—a trumpet used in worship, but also to sound a warning or battle-cry (4–6). God’s salvation is certain, secured by Christ on the cross, but the battle isn’t over. God’s kingdom is both now and not yet, and so obstacles and opposition form part of our faith journey.
APPLY
How will seeing yourself as a soldier in God’s army change how you view your work, wealth, relationships, talents and time?
CLOSING PRAYER
Thank You, God, for Your continued faithfulness to me. I will shout for joy to You, Lord!
God bless you for reading Scripture Union Discovery 25 February 2018 Daily Devotional – Now and Not Yet
