Functional Atheist

Meditations on the Psalms

July 15, 2022

Functional Atheist

Lord, you know the hopes of the helpless.
    Surely you will hear their cries and comfort them.
You will bring justice to the orphans and the oppressed,
    so mere people can no longer terrify them.

Psalm 10:17-18

In the Hebrew Bible, Psalms 9 and 10 are combined as one psalm. Thus, the foundation of praising God with “all my heart” continues. To praise and pray in this way is indicative of a lively, personal relationship with the LORD.

It is a common practice in churches to receive memorial gifts. These are gifts given for the glory of God in memory of a particular person. When we see a plaque or other notation for the memorial gift, we pause and remember that person. That’s a good thing to do.

However, too many people live their lives as though the church is a memorial to Jesus Christ. They tend to live as though the church is a place to remember Jesus’ life and the things he did and spoke. Jesus wants more than just to be remembered; he wants a lively, personal relationship with each of his followers, as the Lord of their lives.  While the people building memorials to Jesus may be well intentioned, they may be living as functional atheists.

In her devotion, Jesus Calling, Sarah Young encourages us to pause before responding to people or situations, thus giving the Holy Spirit an opportunity to lead us. When we react with hasty words and actions, we are living as though we do not have a lively relationship with Jesus, and this is atheistic living. An atheist does not believe in God and thus seeks to solve their problems out of their own wisdom, strength, and resources. Some people truly believe in God, but they live as though they are totally responsible for the course of their lives. They function as an atheist because they are not living as though they expect God to act in their lives.

Christians affirm God as being personally present in their lives, a living Spirit; and with nothing between us and God, our faces shining with the brightness of His face. We are transfigured like the Messiah, and our lives gradually become brighter and more beautiful as God enters our lives, and we become like Him. (See 2 Corinthians 3: 16-18 The Message)

My Takeaway: My heart resonates with this affirmation from Second Corinthians, and I appreciate the lament of the psalmist. He is surrounded by atheists; nevertheless, his hope is in the LORD.  I am inspired to make a list of my struggles, the issues I am facing, and how my adversaries are taking advantage of me. Now, with my list in hand, I will pray with the psalmist:

The LORD is king forever and ever!

    The godless nations will vanish from the land.

 LORD, you know the hopes of the helpless.

    Surely you will hear their cries and comfort them.

 You will bring justice to the orphans and the oppressed,

    so mere people can no longer terrify them.

Psalm 10:16-18

Sē’lah

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(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

 

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com.

 

Copyright © 2022 by Alex M. Knight

 

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.