Grace and Truth

“Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, but to Your name give glory, because of your mercy [steadfast love, chesed], because of Your truth [faithfulness, emeth]. Why should the Gentiles say, ‘So where is their God?’” (Psalm 115:1-2).  

“Praise the LORD, all you Gentiles! Laud [praise] Him, all you peoples! For His merciful kindness [steadfast love, chesed] is great toward us, and the truth [emeth] of the LORD endures forever” (Psalm 117:1-2). 

Dear Praying Friends: 

I first encountered the words of Psalm 115 when Archbishop Iakovos of the Greek Orthodox Church quoted them at the opening of his prayer at the inauguration of John F. Kennedy as president. They left an indelible impression on me. What I didn’t notice, however, was the double reason why we should offer praise to God: his steadfast love and his truth. Nor did I ask, "Why does the psalmist address this exhortation to Gentiles, that is, non-Jews?" 

Not until many years later did I realize that when John wrote, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14), he was saying that God's steadfast love and faithfulness, now translated as grace and truth, were embodied in Jesus Christ, and that this revelation of God’s love and faithfulness was now available to all peoples, not just Jews, through faith in Jesus. 

Now I see that, no matter what my circumstances may be, God’s grace and truth, and thus his peace, can be mine if I only place my trust again in Jesus as my all in all. 

Thank you for praying last week. God helped Dori and me to lead the Bible study and Chinese Sunday school class. He also brought another new person to the class. 

To our Chinese friends: We wish you a Happy Year of the Horse! 

Yours in his grace and truth, 
Wright