Let your mercy come speedily to meet us

We are looking, from this morning's readings, at “Do not remember against us our former iniquities; let your mercy come speedily to meet us, for we are brought very low. Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of Your name; deliver us, and atone for our sins, for your name’s sake! Why should the nations say, 'Where is their God?'” (Psalm 79:8 – 10a). This passage is very much in line with the ongoing exposition of 2 Chronicles 7:14 where we the Church, are humbling ourselves, praying, seeking His face and repenting of our former iniquities. But it is also appropriate for today, it being Good Friday, and Good Friday being good, because we remember that this is the day that Jesus wrought our reconciliation with God, our atonement. But it is also appropriate, because on that day, the disciples were brought very low. That, and in this season we too, have been humbled and brought low.

There is a famous sermon that's preached over and over round this time. It is “It's Friday, but Sunday is acoming.” The Friday is of course the very day when things looked absolutely hopeless, and whatever could have gone wrong, had gone wrong. In the words of the disciples “We had hoped ...” (Luke 24:21). With twenty twenty hindsight however, we can look back and know that though everything looked bleak on that Friday, resurrection Sunday was just round the corner. And though many unbelievers are without hope at this time, we who believe must not be that way, since we have a sure hope (Hebrews 6:19). In the West where the material is thought to be all there is, the question “Where is your God?” is rhetorical and sarcastic. And with the Psalmist our petition asks God why they should say such things. And also with the Psalmist, we remind the Lord that with all this humbling, praying, seeking His face and repenting going on, His reputation (“for the glory of Your name”) is at stake.

Note that the petition in our passage, includes deliverance as well as atonement, and that it is the God of our salvation who is being petitioned. Salvation of course, is much more than a fire escape from hell. Healing, for example, is in the atonement, for “by His stripes we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5). The passage also points to the fact that the calamity had come upon Israel because of sin. And likewise because we have turned our back on God, we have taken ourselves out from under His protection. In doing this, we have given the enemy the legal right to engage in his agenda to kill, steal and destroy (John 10:10a). But again like the Psalmist as we engage in identification repentance,we can claim the promise that when we do these things that He will hear from heaven, forgive our sins, and heal our land.

Father, it is Friday, but Sunday is acoming. I am remembering the prophecy this morning Lord that given last August by Chuck Pierce, that a plague like invasion was coming that would test us through Passover. Passover is upon us Lord, and we petition You this morning to let Your mercy come quickly to meet us, we ask it for Your Name sake, and we ask it in Jesus Name Amen