Today’s
Reading: Psalm 94, Exodus 34:5-7 & Isaiah 53:10
This last week
my husband and I finally got a chance to sit down and watch television
together. He had been working very hard on some projects for the last 6 weeks
and that day he finally finished and so he “invited” me to watch T.V. We sat
down expecting to find a time of rest, but then the unexpected…we started
watching the heart breaking images of so many people suffering worldwide not
only from natural disasters, but war and famine… then all the recurrent
femicides and the continual abductions in my country (Mexico) and the families
of these taken lives that cried out to the government for justice! What is
mankind turning this world into?” I
asked my husband!
A similar
situation was taking place when Psalm 94 was written: God’s people were being
afflicted by the wicked, and they watched how they apparently got away with it!
“O Lord God, You to whom vengeance belongs, O
God, You to whom vengeance belongs, shine forth [in judgment]! 2 Rise up,
O Judge of the earth; Give to the proud a fitting compensation. 3 O Lord,
how long will the wicked, How long will the wicked rejoice in triumph?” (94:1-3)
The psalmist
continues expressing his inner feelings unto the Lord, until he realizes that
God is Omniscient and Sovereign, nothing ever escapes from His Sight and
Control!
"He who made the ear, does He not hear? He who
formed the eye, does He not see?10 He who instructs the nations, Does He
not rebuke and punish, He who teaches man
knowledge?11 The Lord knows the thoughts of man, That they are a
mere breath (vain, empty, futile).” (89:9-11)
Yes He knows not only our thoughts but the motives of
our hearts, and it would be best that instead of us –His children- judging and
asking for vengeance, pray for the lost and that the evildoers would come to
their senses, remembering that:
" even when we were [spiritually] dead and separated
from Him because of our sins, He made us [spiritually] alive together with
Christ (for by His grace—His undeserved favor and mercy—you have
been saved from God’s judgment).” (Ephesians 2:5)
And so many of us are
still a work in process: we still fail and fall!
"Therefore
let the one who thinks he stands firm [immune to temptation, being
overconfident and self-righteous], take care that he does not fall [into sin
and condemnation].” (1 Corinthians 10:12)
But as the Psalmist writes, we as His beloved children
are:
12 Blessed [with wisdom and prosperity]
is the man whom You discipline and instruct, O Lord, And whom You teach from Your law, 13That You may grant him [power to calm himself and
find] peace in the days of adversity, Until the pit is dug for the wicked and ungodly.14 For
the Lord will not abandon His people, Nor will He abandon His inheritance.” (89:12-14)
Yes, He will not forsake us. He will not abandon us.
Justice is coming! We must continue to trust Him, and follow Him!
“The wicked may be the
upper spokes of the wheel just now, but they will be the lower spokes before
long. Truth may be in the mire today, but she shall be upon them tomorrow. The
revolutions of the wheels of providence produce strange changes. Wait; work;
watch; for the Lord will set things right in his own good time.” (C.H.
Spurgeon on verse 89:15)
Let us pray along with
the psalmist:
Thank you heavenly Father
for your amazing promises for us! We want to remain humble when you discipline
and instruct us when our foot slips. Thank you for Your compassion and lovingkindness
that will hold me up. May we continue to abide in Your Word, and be
willing to witness to the lost and hopeless! May you grant us the power
to remain calm and find peace in the days of adversity, always realizing that
You are our High Tower and Defense: the Rock of our Refuge! Thank you for
reminding us that you will never abandon us nor forsake us in no matter the
circumstances that surround us! In Jesus’ Name we pray. Amen!
Blessings,
Mari