01/09/2009
Psalms 35:15 - 17 (HCSB)
15 But
when I stumbled, they gathered in glee;
they gathered against me.
Assailants I did not know
tore at me and did not stop.
16 With
godless mockery
they gnashed their teeth at me.
17 Lord,
how long will You look on?
Rescue my life from their ravages,
my very life from the young lions.
===
Have you ever known people who seem to find pleasure in other peoples’ misfortune? Whenever something happens to another, they gloat that: “he deserved it,” or some other pithy comment. It seems to be the same way in our spiritual walk. The ungodly especially seem to take some pleasure in the fall of the righteous. They pride themselves with reassurances of: “where is his god now?” They vindicate themselves for their refusal to acknowledge God.
There will be times like this in all our lives. It will seem like crowds have gathered to cheer and jeer at our misfortune. In a sense, I believe this is a natural response. We all want our belief system to be validated. And the ungodly find validation in the stumbling of the righteous. They have made the choice that there is no god, and they need some indication of that truth. Their father, the father of lies, further goads them on when they see the struggles of the Godly.
This will happen in your life, if it has not already. You can expect it. You can count on it. But do not be discouraged. Your God is still there and He still cares. Everybody struggles. Everybody stumbles – even the ungodly. But here is the difference: your witness is not in the falling, but in the getting up.
How do you conduct yourself when you recover from these situations? Those who have applauded your stumbling are also watching your recovery. Will you reflect your God in how you resume your life? Will God be glorified in your beginning again?
I am confident that the voices of the scoffers are silenced when they see the grace and dignity we portray as children of God when we pick ourselves up, praise our God, and endeavor to persevere. This is rescue from the “young lions.”
Do your best to live as you ought and don’t be afraid when troubles arise; this is just another opportunity for you to display your devotion to God.
Jeff Justus
Cleff Publishing
www.cleffpublishing.com
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