April 2 Daily Devotional

Bible Reading

Devotional

Perspective enhances the truth. As long as you are a party to a quarrel, you cannot hear the silly things you say and see how foolishly you are acting. Looking back, painfully, many years later, you see clearly what a fool you were. A husband-wife squabble is always embarrassing for a third party; it would be the same way for the husband and wife—if only they could see themselves in perspective.

If human perspective enhances the truth of our folly, how silly people who rebel against God must look from the perspective of God's throne. From such a distance, the angry ants look silly. "The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them."

The psalm promises that these disobedient and rebellious people will eventually be brought into line by God's Messiah. Therefore all little kings are advised to bow before God's King. Otherwise he will dash them to pieces like pottery.

Jesus is this Messiah. He did not seem like a fearful ruler when he was born in Bethlehem—and certainly not when he was killed near Jerusa­lem. But God raised Jesus from the dead. "You are my son," God said. "I will make the nations your inheritance."

Today Jesus holds ultimate power. All of us are at his mercy—in the most literal sense of the word. To reject him or try to ignore him is not only a grave sin, it is stupid. Be wise and take heed, all people. Bow or perish!

The means by which Christ brings the nations to their knees is the Word of the gospel. The gospel is the good news about God's love. Only those who cannot be won over by the story of God's love are bound to meet with the rod of his anger. Viewed in the proper perspective, what choice do we have?

REFLECTIONS

What picture of God does this psalm give you?

Andrew Kuyvenhoven's Daylight, a modern devotional classic, was originally published by Paideia Press in 1977. This updated edition is copyright 2009 by Faith Alive Christian Resources. You can order a copy of this revised version of the book directly from the publisher.

A man of many accomplishments, Andrew Kuyvenhoven is probably best known for his contributions to Today (formerly The Family Altar), a widely-used monthly devotional booklet associated with the Back to God Hour. Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations for this updated edition of Daylight are from the Holy Bible: Today's New International Version copyright 2001, 2005 by the International Bible Society.