Psalm 37:12-13 “The wicked plot against the righteous and gnash their teeth at them; but the Lord laughs at the wicked, for he knows their day is coming.”
Even if US presidential results are declared official by the time you read this, the uncertainty about America’s future remains. Though I was born in a free land, many of my closest relatives spent decades under harsh totalitarianism and endured the betrayals of neighbors, co-workers, and even friends. I cannot help but regard any shift further to the Left – in federal, state, and local governments, corporations, schools, churches, etc. – as ominous for America.
Nevertheless, we can all benefit from some perspective. Over the past couple of days I revisited my blog posts from 2019 searching for Scriptural reflections on uncertainty. God’s eternal Word shows how to think about what’s happening and to remind myself that absolutely nothing falls outside of God’s plan. Here are excerpts from what I found:
12/12/2019: Psalm 37:7 “Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.” God is not caught off guard by any change, interruption, or crisis, nor is he tentative about what’s ahead. When society around me grows increasingly hostile toward Christianity and tries to discard reason and common sense, I must not despair. The proper response is to do good and place my trust in God. Even in circumstances where evil seems to be winning, I must not fret but instead stand for what is right and wait patiently for God to turn things around according to his timing. “He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.” (37:6).
7/16/19: Psalm 112:7 “He will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting the Lord.” This verse can be understood in two ways: [1] The man who fears God does not live in fear of bad news or fret about all the things that could go wrong; he does not waste time and energy on worry because he trusts God in everything. [2] The man who fears God is not overcome by anxiety when bad news comes; he does not panic but remains steadfast and unshaken, trusting God in everything. Either way, God wants me to honor him with my trust. The worst thing I can do is stop trusting him and take matters into my own hands, living by my wits and reacting to difficulties without seeking his wisdom and waiting on his guidance.
11/26/19: Philippians 4:4 “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: rejoice!” Always means always. In all circumstances. Note that this verse is a command. Rejoicing in the Lord is not a feeling, but an act of the will. Despite the temptation to lose perspective when things go wrong, I am not to be gloomy or miserable or annoyed or ungrateful. When I recognize that God is present (4:5) and he listens to my prayers (4:6), then I can be at peace (4:7). I find joy when I trust fully in God’s love and purposes for me. Like Paul’s repetition, that is worth contemplating twice.
Never forget that our Lord is sovereign. At his chosen time, after he has extended mercy and patience to give more opportunities for repentance, God will extinguish evil once and for all. With this in mind, he sees the raging tirades of those who hate him and his people – and he laughs at them.
Father, by the power of your Holy Spirit, help me and all of your redeemed people to: wait patiently for you to act, keep from fretting if things turn for the worse, reject fear, trust you with a steadfast heart, and rejoice in you always. Even if we face the same great suffering as our Christian brothers and sisters in dark places of the earth, you have promised to never abandon or disown us.
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This week: Over the next seven days, invest time (an hour, two hours, or more) saturating yourself in the eternal truths of Scripture. I’ve provided just a few verses above, but you will do well to read and re-read all of Psalm 37, Genesis 1, Job 38-42, Psalm 148, Isaiah 6, Revelation 22, and any other extended section of the Bible that points to God’s sovereignty, power, and unshakeable control over all that happens in the universe. It is a way of zooming out to get a glimpse at the perspective of the Almighty, Eternal, and Holy God who passionately loves and cares for you.
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