Pages

Wednesday, February 15, 2023

Trusting Our God and Judge! -PSALM 94, Exodus 34:5-7 & Isaiah 53:10

 


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