Daily Devotional

I once traveled with another pastor, “sojourned” with him. Our trip took us across the US to a state on the east coast. We attended a church conference there, which turned out to be a blessed experience. All went well until we had a free night. After a simple dinner out together, he wanted to do something else, for fun. Coming across a theater nearby, we looked over the advertised showings. Nothing looked good to either of us, except one “maybe” to him. But it was an R-rated movie.

For about three decades, at that time, it had been the standard in our home and in our lives to avoid all R movies or worse. The couple of times we were influenced to “try” one were disastrous. But the pastor persuaded me that it could not be so bad, he wanted to do something and I regretfully gave in. The movie was foul and godless, with frontal male nudity, and repeated immoral sexual acts, all with a plot of disgust. I do not even want to tell you the title now! It haunts me from time to time to this day!

Such is the way of the world if we “sojourn” with them. Even with a pastor with low standards. We become like those we run with (Proverbs 13:20). So God has given us ways to think and live, such as in Psalm 15. It starts with two questions.

O Lord, who may abide in Your tent?
Who may dwell on Your holy hill?
Psalm 15:1

The answer is in the following four verses.

He who walks with integrity, and works righteousness,
And speaks truth in his heart.
He does not slander with his tongue,
Nor does evil to his neighbor,
Nor takes up a reproach against his friend;
 In whose eyes a reprobate is despised,
But who honors those who fear the Lord;
He swears to his own hurt and does not change;
He does not put out his money at interest,
Nor does he take a bribe against the innocent.
He who does these things will never be shaken.
Psalm 15:2–5

Holy living is to be our goal. We are urged to follow Jesus, that is, sojourn with Him. Travel with Him by day, camp in His tent by night. Sojourn (John 10). We learn to conform to His ways. Our desires are constantly filtered through His, constantly transformed. We become like Him. This is the delight of the believer. It is neither a sorrow nor a restriction.

We often think of Psalm 15 as a form of Old Testament Law. But it is really the outcome of the believer’s faith in Christ. We are called to be holy, called to be perfect (I Peter 1:14–16, Matthew 5:48). It is evidenced by what we think, say and do. There can be no substitute—either the tree is good and the fruit good, or not (Matthew 7:15–20). Don’t be embarrassed to have standards and live by them!

What does the holy, good fruit tree, a perfect tree look like? It looks like Psalm 15. We walk blamelessly and do what is right; we speak truth, even in our hearts; we do not slander another’s reputation; we do not do evil to our neighbors; we are faithful to our friends; we despise the way of the sinner; we honor those who go in God’s way (Psalm 16:3); we stand by our contracts and our word; we deal faithfully and generously with money; we testify to the truth no matter what.

What is the result? We shall be those who are not moved! We are headed to God’s holy hill, Zion, the New Jerusalem. Nothing will stop us! We have a wedding to attend, as the bride! We will be gloriously all dressed up (Psalm 45:12)!

Read: I Peter 1:1–25
Sing: Come and Let Us Go, Bill & Mary Anne Quigley

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