Rage Against Evil or Do Good?

David never ceases to inspire me.  If anyone had reason to get enraged at the evils of politics, it was he; anointed to be king, then running for his life instead.

I tried to select just one verse from Psalm 37 today for meditation, but it was all so powerful and encouraging.  I have posted it in its entirety below.  Several words jumped out at me as I read, and I put them in Bold text.  

• Don't be upset
• Stop being angry
• Put away rage

These three things seriously struck home with me, as I tend to get caught up in the world's troubles, in politics, and all the evil I see around me. I know I am not alone in this.  As one who loves the Facebook and Twitter kinds of communication, it is obvious that many of us fall into this trap.  I believe we are not to be ignorant and uninformed about our world and the issues that affect us all,  but we are called to see it through the eyes of Love.  David had some powerful suggestions for us to accomplish this:

• Trust
• Do good
• Delight in Adonai
• Commit your way to Him
• Be still
• Wait patiently

By trusting in Jesus Christ, we are able to do good to those who oppose us.  As we delight in our heavenly Father, we cannot but commit our way to Him.  He knows the Way of light.  If you are finding this difficult, be still and wait patiently for Him. He is near and will not fail you.

Even in strong trials, our hope is secure in the Lord.  From the Cross, Jesus said, "It is finished."  He won. We win, in Him. Love never fails. A soft answer still turns away wrath.

As the world gets darker and more obscure, let us not succumb to the temptation to fight the darkness with more darkness.  Instead, let us light the lamp of the Spirit of Christ, and be a shining beacon  for those caught in the tombs of ignorance.

There is a link to a wonderful worship song at the very end of this post...enjoy!

Psalm 37  ( From The Complete Jewish Bible)

1 By David: Don't be upset by evildoers or envious of those who do wrong, 2 for soon they will wither like grass and fade like the green in the fields. 3 Trust in ADONAI, and do good; settle in the land, and feed on faithfulness. 4 Then you will delight yourself in ADONAI, and he will give you your heart's desire. 5 Commit your way to ADONAI; trust in him, and he will act. 6 He will make your vindication shine forth like light, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.

7 Be still before ADONAI; wait patiently till he comes. Don't be upset by those whose way succeeds because of their wicked plans. 8 Stop being angry, put aside rage, and don't be upset - it leads to evil. 9 For evildoers will be cut off, but those hoping in ADONAI will inherit the land. 10 Soon the wicked will be no more; you will look for his place, and he won't be there. 11 But the meek will inherit the land and delight themselves in abundant peace.

12 The wicked plots against the righteous and grinds his teeth at him; 13 but Adonai laughs at the wicked, knowing his day will come. 14 The wicked have unsheathed their swords, they have strung their bows to bring down the poor and needy, to slaughter those whose way is upright. 15 But their swords will pierce their own hearts, and their bows will be broken.

16 Better the little that the righteous has than the wealth of all the wicked. 17 For the arms of the wicked will be broken, but ADONAI upholds the righteous. 18ADONAI knows what the wholehearted suffer, but their inheritance lasts forever. 19 They will not be distressed when times are hard; when famine comes, they will have plenty. 20 For the wicked will perish; ADONAI's enemies will be like sheep fat, ending up as smoke, finished.

 

21 The wicked borrows and doesn't repay, but the righteous is generous and gives. 22 For those blessed by [ADONAI] will inherit the land, but those cursed by him will be cut off. 23ADONAI directs a person's steps, and he delights in his way. 24 He may stumble, but he won't fall headlong, for ADONAI holds him by the hand.

25 I have been young; now I am old; yet not once have I seen the righteous abandoned or his descendants begging for bread. 26 All day long he is generous and lends, and his descendants are blessed. 27 If you turn from evil and do good, you will live safely forever. 28 For ADONAI loves justice and will not abandon his faithful; they are preserved forever. But the descendants of the wicked will be cut off. 29 The righteous will inherit the land and live in it forever.

30 The mouth of the righteous articulates wisdom, his tongue speaks justice. 31 The Torah of his God is in his heart; his footsteps do not falter. 32 The wicked keeps his eye on the righteous, seeking a chance to kill him. 33 But ADONAI will not leave him in his power or let him be condemned when judged.

34 Put your hope in ADONAI, keep to his way, and he will raise you up to inherit the land. When the wicked are cut off, you will see it. 35 I have seen a wicked man wielding great power, flourishing like a shade tree in its native soil. 36 But I passed by again, and he was no longer there; I looked for him, but he could not be found.

37 Observe the pure person, consider the upright; for the peaceful person will have posterity. 38 But transgressors will all be destroyed; the posterity of the wicked will be cut off. 39ADONAI is the one who saves the righteous; he is their stronghold in time of trouble. 40ADONAI helps them and rescues them, rescues them from the wicked and saves them; because they take refuge in him.

Have a moment of worship:"Enough" By Chris Tomlin