Our daily reflections follow the M'Cheyne Bible reading plan, designed for those who want to read the whole Bible in one year. Each reflection focuses on one of the chapters from that day's readings. Darllenwch rhain yn Gymraeg.
Lord, prepare me to receive your word. Clear my mind and warm my heart. Assure me of your loving purposes for me, and speak into my life today.
In Psalm 15, the focus moves away from endurance in the face of attack to an emphasis on God's blessings. 'Lord, who may enter your Temple? Who may worship on Zion, your sacred hill?' the psalmist asks (verse 1). Other translations talk of 'dwelling' in the temple and 'living' in Zion. In other words, what sort of person is comfortable and at home in the presence of God? Someone, he says, who obeys God, is truthful, sincere, faithful, generous and acts with integrity.
The reason this person 'will always be secure' (verse 5) is that their character mirrors the character of God. They intentionally model themselves on him.
What we have in Psalm 15 is a picture of goodness. Perhaps we aren't very good at deliberately aiming to be good. Most of us probably reach the end of the day hoping we haven't done anything too bad. But the life of the believer is not just about avoiding sin – important though that is, it's quite a negative virtue. God wants something better for us than that, as Jesus showed in his earthly ministry. Again and again he clashed with those for whom righteousness was about not doing things, like healing on the Sabbath. For his followers today, goodness involves a positive determination to be godly.
How would our lives be different if, at the end of each day, we asked ourselves how we had lived out the goodness of God?
God, help me to live in such a way that I'm at home in your presence, because I live in the way you made me to live.
This reflection was written by Mark Woods, Bible Society's Editor
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