Justice and Grace: the Contention

The David of verses 3-5 of Psalm 28 sounds a lot like the James and John (sons of thunder) of Luke 9: 54, "And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did?"

Of note is Jesus' response to James and John, "But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. For the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them." Luke 9: 55, 56. But why would Psalm 28 include David's desire to see the wicked suffer as they deserve; where's the grace theme in this passage?

Grace does not compromise the integrity of God's justice; it ever was and still is a fact that "the soul that sinneth, it shall die," (Ez 18: 4). What Grace has done is that Christ has died to satisfy the demands of justice, thus freeing each individual from the curse of eternal death under which we are all born (Ps 51: 5). Thanks to Grace, sinners only need to "confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved," (Rom 10: 9).

The persons that the Psalmist treats with in Ps 28: 3-5 are those who insist on denying, "the works of the Lord, (and) the operation of His hands," (verse 5). It in no way seeks to bar sinners from repenting and thus securing God's forgiveness. The cry of David must therefore be seen beyond the private struggles that individuals experience with others and should be seen to be addressing the macro theme of good v/s evil. And the very clear message here is that good will triumph over evil. So where God seems not to exist and individuals wantonly deny and disrespect Him - it shall not always be so; for He that is to come will come and will usher in a new dispensation on earth where righteousness will be the order of the day. "Even so, come Lord Jesus!" Amen.

This reading is based on Psalm 28.  To read and/or listen to Psalm 28 and read other related blogs, please click here.

I Love Straight Talkers

"Who speak peace to their neighbors, but evil is in their hearts." Ps 28: 3

I'd like to put a slight twist to the application of this text to suggest that sometimes this evil hides not so much in the heart of individuals, but is inherent in their actions. Hence, while they are speaking or acting in "love," they are but working to the sure ruin of the one being related to.

In my experience I've found it far more comforting and profitable to interact with persons who not have striven to be so politically correct as they have been keen to provide honest feedback to me. They don't just try to spear my feelings in saying, "good job," but they tell me where I've failed to meet expectations. In other words, they tell me how I can improve. Mind you, I'm not here advocating harshness and insensitivity. Jesus was never crass, but always truthful; we should be too.

Parents who give their children everything they desire, because they do not wish to have them cry or feel that they are not loved, do these children a grave injustice: life does not give us all we want; God does not give us all we want. When parents do this they are simply setting up their children for a future of rude awakenings and grave disappointments.

Many years ago I wrote a poem for who was then my "dream girl." Two lines in that poem said, "My mouth will speak constructively, though sometimes it'll seem to hurt/ But I only desire what's best for you, and as such my words will spurt."

This reading is based on Psalm 28.  To read and/or listen to Psalm 28 and to read other related blogs, please click here.

Like an Immature Schoolgirl Standing in the Rain

There’s often a thin line between love and infatuation, for often they are found doing the same things – only with different reasons and motivations. 

I watched her and shook my head, with a slight tint of “grown-up” arrogance – for I had thankfully outgrown the folly of youthful infatuation. You see, this school girl was standing in the rain, talking to a man sitting in a car. They had been there a while (before the rain started). Her body language betrayed her emotions and desperate desire to deviate this common man’s attention from his many interests in many of her female peers. If she won, she would secure the coveted ride in his posh car. So she stayed in the rain to make that winning impression. I knew of her and her dad. I knew that if he saw her he would be livid. Then I got to thinking…. 

What if I could love God like that; being too caught up with Him to be bothered by the flood rains of enemies and troubles of every sort? What if I didn’t fear the consequences of serving God: never “qualifying” for promotion, never being accepted in certain circles, inviting the wrath of someone’s interest that is frustrated by certain decisions that I make. Or maybe it is writing a letter to a national newspaper that articulates views that go counter to a certain powerful sect of society. What if my only care in the world is to seek the face of the Lord? 

Father in Heaven, with a deep longing inside I join the Psalmist in saying, “Hear, O Lord, when I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me, and answer me,” (Ps. 27: 7). Help me to see the enemy in the worldly ambitions, in the social pressures, the economically challenging times, and to not be so caught up in overcoming these as I’d be blinded by my all-consuming desire to be with you – with the seemingly carefree desire of an immature school girl standing in the rain. This I ask you in Jesus name, amen.

Hear Oh Lord - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhmC_3sGgNc

This reading is based on Psalm 27. To read and/or listen to Psalm 27 and to read other related blogs, please click here.