09172022 Included

Dear Missionary Lady,

Greetings in the name of our loving God. This God of love has extended His offer of salvation to all peoples. All of humanity has the possibility of a relationship with Him. I am so thankful that God included you and me in His great plan.

As I have read through the Psalms, a certain instance of parallelism has intrigued me. I find this particular “trio” three times, and the fourth time it becomes a quartet.

“O Israel, trust thou in the LORD: he is their help and their shield.

O house of Aaron, trust in the LORD: he is their help and their shield.

Ye that fear the LORD, trust in the LORD: he is their help and their shield”
(Psalm 115:9-11).

“He will bless the house of Israel;

He will bless the house of Aaron.

He will bless them that fear the LORD, both small and great” (Psalm 115:12-13).

“Let Israel now say, that his mercy endureth for ever.

Let the house of Aaron now say, that his mercy endureth for ever.

Let them now that fear the LORD say, that his mercy endureth for ever” (Psalm 118:2-4).

“Bless the LORD, O house of Israel:

Bless the LORD, O house of Aaron:

Bless the LORD, O house of Levi:

Ye that fear the LORD, bless the LORD” (Psalm 135:19-20).

The same three groups of people are included each time: the house of Israel, the house of Aaron, and those who fear the LORD. These three groups are instructed to trust God, because He is their help and shield. These three groups are assured of God’s blessing. These three groups can attest to the everlasting mercy (lovingkindness) of God. These three groups are to bless God.

Here's what I love about this. We would expect each of these for the first two groups: the house of Israel and the house of Aaron. After all, God singled out the people of Israel. Almost the entirety of the Old Testament is dedicated to His interactions with Israel. This people is special to God, and He went to great lengths to call them, preserve them, guide them, correct them, restore them.

What about the third group? Those who fear God. While the first two are narrow and exclusive, the third is wide open. It is for people of every tribe, of every nation, of every time period. There is no requirement based on ethnicity, language, gender, age, social status, or era in history. This includes us today. God wrote these words thousands of years before our existence, thousands of years before He turned His attention toward the church and the Gentile people. Yet even when those words were written, God allowed for us and included us. God made provision for us.

If we fear God, we can trust Him just as confidently as Israel could. If we fear God, He will be our help and shield just as He was for Israel. He will bless us as He blessed them. We can enjoy His unending lovingkindness just as those people did. Indeed, we have reason to bless Him just as Israel did.

“Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles” (Acts 28:28). Thank God that He included us. All we have to do is the same as what He asked of Israel. To fear Him. To trust Him. To follow Him. To believe in Him. To rely entirely on Him. Those who do this, both Jew and Gentile, both men and women, both young and old, both rich and poor, both privileged and deprived, will find Him to be a sure refuge. Those who do so will enjoy His blessing and will taste His lovingkindness. Those who do so will find abundant cause to bless His matchless name.

May God encourage you this week with His love that included you, and may He bless you with opportunities to see others embracing that same love.

Love in Christ,

Peggy Holt

member at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA

Archived letters: www.dearmissionarylady.blogspot.com.