Tuesday, January 31, 2023

God Has Not Left Us Empty-Handed

Meditations on Christ in the Psalms

 January 31, 2023

God Has Not Left Us Empty-Handed

Just as the mountains surround Jerusalem,

    so the Lord surrounds his people, both now and forever.

Psalm 125:2

A syndicated columnist recently lamented the vestiges of latent and sometimes overt racism still prevalent in many sections of our country. The columnist mused about various causes and solutions, but in the end wondered if things would ever be different. If asked, I would suggest the columnist read Psalm 125.

About three hundred years ago, there was a seismic shift in worldview. The birthing of the scientific and industrial age was also the birthing of the Age of Enlightenment. The moral foundation of nations shifted from the Bible to government. Society would now advance and improve through good government and good education, leading to good habits. Many of the churches of that time were corrupt, and thus, a Bible-based worldview was vulnerable to challenge.

The fatal flaw in their new philosophy was that the foundation they built on was shifting sand. They replaced Godly moral absolutes with a new morality defined by whoever may hold the power. I can imagine the promoters of this failed worldview excusing their choice with the classic line, “It seemed like a good idea at the time.” If they had looked, perhaps they would have discovered the timeless truth of scripture: “There is a path before each person that seems right, but it ends in death” (Proverbs 14:12). The Apostle Paul warned his student Timothy of such dangers: “For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. They will reject the truth and chase after myths” (2 Timothy 4: 3-4).

When the psalmist proclaims, “The wicked will not rule the land of the godly” (v. 3a), we remember the Kingdom of God now rests in the hearts of God’s people. We do face the forces of evil in our times; however, God has not left us unattended or empty-handed. God has provided all the armor and weapons we need. (See Ephesians 6) Therefore, we can rest in the sure promises of our God,

My Takeaway:

“Those who trust in the Lord are as secure as Mount Zion;

    they will not be defeated but will endure forever.”

Psalm 125:1

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 © 2023 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.

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