Our Sin Meets His Sake

“Praise the Lord!
Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
    for his steadfast love endures forever!
Who can utter the mighty deeds of the Lord,
    or declare all his praise?..

Remember me, O Lord, when you show favor to your people…

Both we and our fathers have sinned;
    we have committed iniquity; we have done wickedness.
Our fathers, when they were in Egypt,
    did not consider your wondrous works;
they did not remember the abundance of your steadfast love,
    but rebelled by the Red Sea.
Yet he saved them for his name’s sake,
    that he might make known his mighty power.
He rebuked the Red Sea, and it became dry,
    and he led them through the deep as through a desert.
So he saved them from the hand of the foe
    and redeemed them from the power of the enemy.
And the waters covered their adversaries;
    not one of them was left.
Then they believed his words;
    they sang his praise.” Psalm 106:1-2,4,6-12

Sin in man has run rampant since the fall, and the psalmist recounts the great chasm between its proliferation and the mercy of God. He praises the Lord and gives Him thanks for bridging the chasm that stands wide, canyon after canyon, through history. God’s steadfast love, and intermittent, godly men who stood in the gap, continued striving with God’s people for the Lord’s and His covenant’s sake. The rebellion and folly of man show off the grace and majesty of God. (Psalm 106:13-46)

Many cultures focus life around individuals. We think that the world revolves around us, and live accordingly. We plan and do for our own sake, pursuing dreams and goals as we please, blinded to the greater purpose for which we have been created. The Lord made clear to His people early on that His favor was not because of their goodness but because of His sovereign love and divine will, and we would do well to take this to heart. We were created for His and His glory and praise. (Deuteronomy 7:6-8)

How different would my daily life look if I planned and behaved for God’s kingdom, His purposes, His name’s sake instead of my own? How would this mission change the way I spent my time and resources, and go about my relationships and work? What can I be doing that magnifies God’s mercy and mighty power so He is known, trusted, and praised? (Matthew 5:16)

What doubts or self-loathing could be swallowed up in His sake, His incredible and unconditional affection for me? What long-standing bitterness, rebellion, or stubborn refusal to forgive could be transformed by His steadfast love? What confusion, waywardness, or wasted time could be reenergized and redirected for His kingdom purposes? How can I invest prayer and effort and live more fully for Jesus’s sake?

“‘For Jesus’ sake’ shall be our theme;
His love, our richest prize;
For His dear name alone we’ll live,
And by His pow’r arise.

“’For Jesus’ sake;’ O blessed One!
Fulfill our heart’s desire;
We would unto Thy glory live,
And in Thy work expire.

“‘For Jesus’ sake’ shall be our song!
His right in us we own;
To Him our life and all belong,
To Him, and Him alone.” ~William Fawcett (1895)

Lord, daily conform my will to Your will, for Your sake and glory.