Listen, O daughter, consider and incline your ear; forget your own people also, and your father’s house; So the King will greatly desire your beauty; because He is your Lord, worship Him. (Psalm 45:10-11)

In the previous devotion we emphasized the importance of hearing as opposed to seeing. Hearing God’s voice and then acting upon what we have heard is, more or less, the definition of faith from a Hebraic point of view. In fact, our primary example of this is found in Abraham — a man who heard God speak these words: “Get out of your country, from your family and from your father’s house, to a land that I will show you” (Genesis 12:1). Motivated by faith, he did exactly that because he heard, and because he heard, he acted. He left all that was familiar in order to demonstrate his trust and devotion to God.

Notice that the psalmist, speaking to the King’s daughter (a term of endearment for His bride) challenges her to do the same as Abraham. She is called upon to exhibit the same kind of faith as righteous Abraham and leave everything she is familiar with in order to please the King. I cannot help but think of Ruth — a virtuous woman who left her country, her family and father’s house to be joined to Naomi and her people. Her vow, spoken to Naomi, still resonates through time speaking to us, today — “Wherever you go, I will go and wherever you lodge, I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God” (Ruth 1:16).

According to the Bible, Ruth’s devotion to Naomi and her willingness to leave everything behind and be joined to the people of Israel made a big impression upon Boaz, the kinsman redeemer. Likewise, those who have left all to follow the Messiah will find favor in His sight. Based on what is written in this psalm, and by what we see in other passages of Scripture, nothing or no one is more beautiful to the King than the person who gives up everything to follow Him. This demonstration of love and devotion appeals greatly to the King because it defines the kind of bride He is searching for — one without spot or blemish and who is wholly devoted to love and serve Him. May we all exhibit this depth of devotion and be counted worthy to be called His daughter and bride.

Blessings and Shalom,  

Bill 

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