In America, you can't watch TV these days without being shown some hideous crime that's been committed. It's horrifying what people are capable of doing to each other. Like this Psalm, we can't wait until there's an end to evil. It seems like the wicked get away with murder, literally. Long before TV, this same evil existed. It was hidden and much easier to get away with.
Psalms 94
1 God, put an end to evil;
avenging God, show your colors!
2 Judge of the earth, take your stand;
throw the book at the arrogant.
3 God, the wicked get away with murder —
how long will you let this go on?
4 They brag and boast
and crow about their crimes!
The good news is that God does notice. He sees what is going on. Men and women who are trained and instructed in the Word of God, are actually included in a circle of quiet from evil. I really like that, "Circle of quiet." I don't notice the contrast as much now. But I do remember a time when sitting to read the Bible was like a breath of fresh air. We really need that in our electronic age. Watching some TV shows brings confusion and fear. Reading the Bible brings wisdom on how to handle the bad stuff.
Psalms 94:12-23
12 How blessed the man you train, God,
the woman you instruct in your Word,
13 Providing a circle of quiet within the clamor of evil,
while a jail is being built for the wicked.
14 God will never walk away from his people,
never desert his precious people.
15 Rest assured that justice is on its way
and every good heart put right.
16 Who stood up for me against the wicked?
Who took my side against evil workers?
17 If God hadn't been there for me,
I never would have made it.
18 The minute I said, "I'm slipping, I'm falling,"
your love, God, took hold and held me fast.
19 When I was upset and beside myself,
you calmed me down and cheered me up.
In one of my office jobs, I had a manager following me around with goo goo eyes. He jumped out of cubes in front of me. He stood by my desk where I was trying to work and stared at me. One day I showed him my wedding ring and told him I'm happily married. I was very upset, this type of harassment shouldn't have been happening in 2009. And it's still not acceptable to talk about. I prayed, "Lord I don't know what to do, but my eyes are on You."
When I went to work the next day, he had turned himself into HR. He complained that I showed him my wedding ring... and was being mean. He was the first to get layed off when the time came in the company. His evil boomeranged back on him. Sadly many companies have their hands tied as to how they handle bad behavior in the workplace today. Along with electronic noise, we also have lawsuits. Laws that men have written to protect workers, protect the bad guys instead. But, God is our hideout, our mountain retreat. I left the company with honor and am so happy I did.
Psalms 94:20-23
20 Can Misrule have anything in common with you?
Can Troublemaker pretend to be on your side?
21 They ganged up on good people,
plotted behind the backs of the innocent.
22 But God became my hideout,
God was my high mountain retreat,
23 Then boomeranged their evil back on them:
for their evil ways he wiped them out,
our God cleaned them out for good.
THE MESSAGE
Rom 8:28
28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.
NKJV
Psalms 94
1 God, put an end to evil;
avenging God, show your colors!
2 Judge of the earth, take your stand;
throw the book at the arrogant.
3 God, the wicked get away with murder —
how long will you let this go on?
4 They brag and boast
and crow about their crimes!
The good news is that God does notice. He sees what is going on. Men and women who are trained and instructed in the Word of God, are actually included in a circle of quiet from evil. I really like that, "Circle of quiet." I don't notice the contrast as much now. But I do remember a time when sitting to read the Bible was like a breath of fresh air. We really need that in our electronic age. Watching some TV shows brings confusion and fear. Reading the Bible brings wisdom on how to handle the bad stuff.
Psalms 94:12-23
12 How blessed the man you train, God,
the woman you instruct in your Word,
13 Providing a circle of quiet within the clamor of evil,
while a jail is being built for the wicked.
14 God will never walk away from his people,
never desert his precious people.
15 Rest assured that justice is on its way
and every good heart put right.
16 Who stood up for me against the wicked?
Who took my side against evil workers?
17 If God hadn't been there for me,
I never would have made it.
18 The minute I said, "I'm slipping, I'm falling,"
your love, God, took hold and held me fast.
19 When I was upset and beside myself,
you calmed me down and cheered me up.
In one of my office jobs, I had a manager following me around with goo goo eyes. He jumped out of cubes in front of me. He stood by my desk where I was trying to work and stared at me. One day I showed him my wedding ring and told him I'm happily married. I was very upset, this type of harassment shouldn't have been happening in 2009. And it's still not acceptable to talk about. I prayed, "Lord I don't know what to do, but my eyes are on You."
Psalms 94:20-23
20 Can Misrule have anything in common with you?
Can Troublemaker pretend to be on your side?
21 They ganged up on good people,
plotted behind the backs of the innocent.
22 But God became my hideout,
God was my high mountain retreat,
23 Then boomeranged their evil back on them:
for their evil ways he wiped them out,
our God cleaned them out for good.
THE MESSAGE
Rom 8:28
28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.
NKJV
Yes, all things do work together for good---but we must love God and be called by Him. If we focus on Him instead of worrying and fretting we will be all right, indeed. Great story and I love your post. Blessings.
ReplyDeleteThanks Clint! Yes, we must love God and be called by him. Even in our weirdest situations He's still able to make things right :)
ReplyDeleteKaren, I thought this was a very nice post. :) I loved this line: "Watching some TV shows brings confusion and fear." How true! I was thinking of just how much of what is on TV should be avoided completely: "I shall not set in front of my eyes any good-for-nothing thing..." (Psalm 101:3) But even the news has so much badness it is inescapable. Thankfully we can have hope that one day the earth will be rid of the wicked: "And just a little while longer, and the wicked one will be no more; And you will certainly give attention to his place, and he will not be." "The righteous themselves will possess the earth, And they will reside forever upon it." (Psalm 37:10, 29)
ReplyDeleteYes I agree! There are times I just avoid the news- definitely TV I just don't watch. I too am looking forward to the day when the wicked will be gone. I like this part of Psalm 37 that you quoted "you will certainly give attention to his place, and he will not be." Not sure why, but lately I've been realizing how much we don't know. We have no idea how it will feel to truly be able to trust everyone, but that's how Heaven will be. Thanks for your comments- very nice :)
ReplyDeleteThank God for the grace to see his goodness even on our worst days, all things does work for the good of those that love him. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteYes! Even on our worst days for sure :) Thanks for your comment.
ReplyDelete