What right do I have?

Wow.  Ouch.  Uh oh.  Yes!

These are just a few of the expressions I felt after reading this passage of scripture from Psalm 50.  You see, I had been pondering my morning prayers and thinking about how I am so bad to present God with my wish lists all of the time instead of taking the time to thank Him, to praise Him, to see if there's something I can do for Him instead of me just all of the time telling Him what I want, think I need, and how to do His job.  I came into my Pretty Purple Room, looked through a couple of chapters of my Bible, and then thought "Well Stef, if you are sincere about wanting to please Him, perhaps you should head towards the Psalms.  They are more about Him than many of the other books that tell of His wonders and what He does for us.  Maybe if you go there, you will find someone writing a song to God, a praise of His glory, or some other form of worship that will propel you into a truer state this morning."

So, I did.  Read it with me now (in case you can't see the fine print on the photograph)?

16 But to the wicked God says:
“What right have you to declare My statutes,
Or take My covenant in your mouth,
17 Seeing you hate instruction
And cast My words behind you?
18 When you saw a thief, you consented with him,
And have been a partaker with adulterers.
19 You give your mouth to evil,
And your tongue frames deceit.
20 You sit and speak against your brother;
You slander your own mother’s son.
21 These things you have done, and I kept silent;
You thought that I was altogether like you;
But I will rebuke you,
And set them in order before your eyes.
22 “Now consider this, you who forget God,
Lest I tear you in pieces,
And there be none to deliver:
23 Whoever offers praise glorifies Me;
And to him who orders his conduct aright
I will show the salvation of God.”

See what I mean?  Wow.  Ouch.  Uh oh.  Yes!  How many times a day do I forward an email, re-post a pretty picture with some scripture reference on it, sing songs, and maybe even go so far as to write an encouraging word to another, all in the hopes of "declaring God's statutes" while on the other hand I sit back and allow the evils of the world to go on, to participate in looking the other way while the things God said to stand for instead I am rocking in the chair with the ones committing said actions, laughing even with them, as we proclaim how good and kind God is, so full of love, and just wants us all to get along?  Ugh!  Couldn't you just spit such bile from your mouths?  I know I can.

Thankfully, though, there is a "Yes!" in this passage that grants me--again--hope:

"Whoever offers praise glorifies Me;
And to him who orders his conduct aright
I will show the salvation of God."

Praising God: that is what this life is about.  The Lord God and it is Him to Whom I owe all of my praise, worship, and redemption.  Through His Son Jesus Christ, I was shown salvation.  I accepted it, gladly so.  Because of it, because of Him, I don't have to be torn into pieces. I am delivered, and I will not forget that it is God Who gives me this opportunity.  May I glorify You with my labors and praises, Heavenly Father, is my prayer today.  Amen!