At the Remembrance Day service at Cherry Tree Court this morning, we spent time praying for the survivors of war and their families and observed two minutes’ silence on this Remembrance Sunday. Afterwards, Garry spoke from Ps 5 which looks at all the things God does not like. He is not pleased with wickedness or evil (which can also be translated as ‘malignant’) and does not like the arrogant or boastful and hates those who do wrong and the bloodthirsty. Many of us would not put ourselves in these categories, but the psalm also says that God will destroy all those who tell lies and we may well feel at this point that there is no hope for us, then, to be accepted by God!
Ps 5:7 tells us that we can come into God’s house by His great love. To get to God, we simply have to rely on His love. God’s love reaches out to everyone (see John 3:16) and there is no need for us to be destroyed, for we can be welcomed into God’s presence. (Rev 3:19-20). The God who does not even associate with the wicked is the same God who loves us and has made a way for all to be welcomed into His presence. As we remember men’s sacrifices for us during war time, we remember also Christ’s sacrifice for us which has made it possible for all to receive new life and to be accepted in God’s love.