Journey to Jerusalem Day 20

Monday, March 16 Psalm 95:1-5
1 Oh come, let us sing to the Lord;
let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!
2 Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving;
let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!
3 For the Lord is a great God,
and a great King above all gods.
4 In his hand are the depths of the earth;
the heights of the mountains are his also.
5 The sea is his, for he made it,
and his hands formed the dry land.

How can anyone resist this invitation? Why would anyone decline to make a joyful noise and enter the presence of the Lord, the rock of our salvation, our great God?
Here are several:
Fear. This is a wise reason—God is a great God, a great King above all gods. And he teaches that the fear of him is the beginning of wisdom. His very presence—one cannot imagine it; but surely it was more than servile fear that kept the Israelites down below when Moses ascended alone.
Ignorance. Some are unaware they have received the invitation. They may be too preoccupied with the daily grind to look up and see the stars at full night, confined to a city where artificial light crowds out light from heaven, where night life reigns, where man effortlessly thinks himself God.
Rebelliousness. Some reject God’s revelation of himself. They may see the heavenly light, but they choose the lie it is simply a given. They hold there is no giver to nature. Often angry if pressed, they hurl insults at the One who gives both the seas and the dry land.
No matter. The invitation stands as long as anyone does. Accept it and turn away from fear, ignorance, and stubborn pride. Accept it and gain a complete joy yielding true praise; receive the bounty that comes alloyed with salvation.
Decline it and fall eventually into the hands that hold the depths of the earth itself, and the heights of its mountains. They are enormous, just hands, hands that formed the seas and the dry lands the hard-hearted attribute to airy randomness, their high idol. This folly will take their breath away forever.

Lord God have mercy on the stiff-necked as you have had mercy on us while we were yet sinners. Amen.