“In our worst condition—we have cause to praise God.”
Richard Sibbes
Last week, The Road heard from Charles Ackmann, pastor of Sovereign Joy Baptist Church. This week’s midweek devotional is a direct excerpt from that sermon. For those who missed the sermon, check on our website as the messages are almost always posted there. Here is the opening portion of Charles’ helpful sermon:
The beginning of this Psalm began with a call to praise. “I will bless the LORD at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul makes its boast in the LORD; let the humble hear and be glad. Oh, magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together!” (Psalm 34:1-3) So, we must fix this morning’s meditation on the fear of the LORD within the overall call of the psalm to bless the name of the LORD. The singular most important exhortation of Psalm 34 is “Magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together!”
Last week we received a call from the King: “Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!” (Psalm 34:8). We saw this call overwhelmingly defined by seeking the LORD and fearing the LORD. So there is something about seeking and fearing the LORD that constitutes taking refuge in him. There is something about pursuing the LORD with all of our heart and soul and trembling before him in all his majesty and holiness that is what it looks like on the street level of our lives to take refuge in God.
Last Sunday, around our dinner table, the question was asked: “What is the fear of the LORD?” There was something about last week’s text and last week’s sermon that raised the question: “What is the fear of the LORD?” Clearly, that’s the right question, because the very next verse invites us to sit down in the King’s classroom and learn the fear of the LORD from him. “Come, O children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD.” (Psalm 34:11)
Now we are listening to the teaching of the King. We want to know the fear of the LORD. We don’t just want to know about the fear of the LORD. We want to know the fear of the LORD. If the fear of the LORD is the path to taking refuge in the LORD, then we must learn the fear of the LORD. We will not survive the devastating attacks of death and sin if we are not taking refuge in the LORD. We will be dashed on the rocks by the thundering waves. We will be consumed by the overwhelming torrent of wickedness that continually tries to sweep us away to death. Wickedness in our own hearts and wickedness in the hearts of others. The world is a minefield that has been sown with the devil’s schemes. Schemes to make your heart see people as big and God as small. Schemes to paint your worries and fears with bright colors, and camouflage the glory of God. You will not survive without the fear of the LORD. He is your only refuge.
Thank you, Charles, for the sermon. I ask you, dear reader, have you trusted Christ today? Is the Lord Jesus your only refuge. See many of you this Sunday.
Love in Christ,
Pastor Dale
