What The Lord Loves

-September 8, 2023-

Good morning, happy Friday,

“The Lord loves the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob.”

(Psalm 87:2).

We studied the seven things that the Lord hates over the past two days. Today we will think about what the Lord loves. Just as we need to hate what the Lord hates, so too, we must love the things the Lord loves. After all, we are His children. God loves His city, Jerusalem, His people Israel, and all of us who compose His church.

There are three things the Lord loves beside Jerusalem, also called Zion: the righteous, those whom He chastens, and justice. All three of these show His heart of love.

• The Lord Loves The Righteous – As we have mentioned in previous lessons, the phrase “The righteous” refers to those who are believers. It is found many, many times in the Bible, especially in the OT. We remember that no one is righteous in and of themselves. We are made righteous through the sacrifice of Christ and faith in His finished work on the cross. Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 5:21, “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”

• The Lord Loves Those Whom He Chastens – The Lord chastens only those who are His children. The Lord loves us and disciplines us for our good, not to harm us, but to help us. Hebrews 12:11 says, “Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.”

• The Lord Loves Justice – Justice in the Scriptures means fairness, equality, and inclusiveness. God has a special love for the poor, the outcast, the downtrodden, and the oppressed. He especially loves widows and orphans. Micah 6:8 says, “He shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.”

To sum up, let us love what God loves, and hate what God hates. Let us love the Lord and His people, and live lives of justice, righteousness, and holiness daily. Have a blessed day. Stay safe and healthy.

Loving what He loves,

Dean