Psalm 40:6
The reason, as we saw yesterday, why David in Psalm 40:6 said, "Sacrifice and offering Thou didst not desire: Mine ears hast Thou opened,'' is that the blotting out of our sins has two requirements. The everlasting punishment our sins call for must be suffered and brought to an end; and the ceaseless obedience He demands of us must be brought to Him in full measure.
This no man can begin to do. Only the eternal Son of God can bring an everlasting punishment to an end. He only can bring a full measure of obedience for all of us to the Father. What a gift then it is that God gave as stated in John 3:16: "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.''
How beautiful then are those words of our versification (PRC Psalter):
The off'ring on the altar burned
Gives no delight to Thee;
The hearing ear the willing heart,
Thou givest unto me.
Then, O my God, I come, I come,
Thy purpose to fulfill;
Thy law is written in my heart;
'Tis joy to do Thy will.
Can you say with David, "Mine ears hast Thou opened''? From the day that man fell into sin, God said that He would crush Satan's head and save us from his power. In time He sent His Son to do this through His cross. In Ephesians 2:10, through the apostle Paul, He tells us that we are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works,'' and not because of the good work of believing in His Son.
Has He opened your ears so that you have heard this truth and received it into your heart? Have you heard Him say that Christ fulfilled all the conditions that our salvation requires?
If He has opened your ears, you will not boast of your works, but thank Him for a free gift. And your offerings will express that thankfulness. You will then say, ''All that I am I owe to Thee, Thy wisdom, Lord, hath fashioned me."
Read: Ephesians 2:1-10
Psalter versification: #109:1
Daily Meditations on the Heidelberg Catechism
Song for Meditation: Psalter #418
Why not sing along??
Through the Bible in One Year
Read today:
Numbers 33:40-56 ; Numbers 34 ; Numbers 35:1-34
Luke 5:12-28
Psalm 65:1-13
Proverbs 11:23
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Quote for Reflection:
…Every sin is so exceedingly sinful, that it cannot be expiated by the eternal destruction of any creature. … It was proper, however, that this punishment should be finite in respect to time, because it was not necessary that the Mediator should forever remain under death; but it became him that he should come forth from death, that he might accomplish the benefit of our redemption. -- Z. Ursinus
Additional Info
- Date: 22-March
Heys, John A.
Rev. John A. Heys was born on March 16, 1910 in Grand Rapids, MI. He was ordained and installed into the ministry at Hope, Walker, MI in 1941. He later served at Hull, Iowa beginning in 1955. In 1959 he accepted the call to serve the South Holland, IL Protestant Reformed Church. He received and accepted the call to Holland, Michigan Protestant Reformed Church in 1967. He retired from the active ministry in 1980. He entered into glory on February 16, 1998.