"Deal with them...that they may know that You, Whose name alone is the Lord, are the Most High over all the earth." (Psalm 83:9 & 18)
This is one of my favorite "combat' Psalms. Notice that the psalmist does not say that he will, "deal with them." He implores the Living Triune God to do so. When Jesus Christ, "The Word of God," our Glorious, "King of kings, and Lord of lords," does the "dealing," it will be Divine Justice, not human retribution. With the very real probability of violence towards America this week, the prayer of our text could not be more relevant.
I think David was certainly in the, "Deal with them," mode when he faced Goliath. Yes, he came to that battle well trained, just as thousands of those soldiers that day who were watching the events on the valley floor unfold. But unlike the rest, David had the boldness to trust His Shepherd, Jesus, to believe that in his own preparedness and with all his skill, life still needs the Lord Our God to do the ultimate, "deal with them," and David declared as much to his enemy. This must be the motive, the constant reminder that you and I are not the primary "deal-with-them" ones. Pat Boone once wrote that one day, instead of attempting to deal with his wife, He turned her over to the Lord, only to find when he did, Jesus showed him that half of the problem was Pat himself. Strange things indeed do happen with we pray the Lord Jesus to, "Deal with them."
Now those three words can sound, "Go get'em." That will be up to you and me as to what is in our hearts. Many times in the Scriptures we see, however, that Jesus speaks of the purpose of discipline as, "that they may know that I am the Lord." The Heart of our Lord Jesus Christ is expressed in Hebrews 12. "....The Father of spirits [disciplines]...for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness. Now no chastening ('deal with them')seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it." While the Hebrews text is directed primarily to Believers, this is still the Heart of God for all. And since Jesus lives in us, this should be the exact same attitude manifest in you and me, viz.,"....that they may know." Praying the Lord Jesus to, "Deal with them...for our (and everyone's) profit," will keep our attitude towards humanity, and perceived enemies, in God's perspective.
Father, in Jesus' Name, "Deal with them," all who oppose you, all who seek to destroy Your Church, "that they may know that You, Whose name alone is the Lord, are the Most High over all the earth." Amen.
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Carolyn Glick hits another one "out of the park." Read it at: jhs58.blogspot.com
This is one of my favorite "combat' Psalms. Notice that the psalmist does not say that he will, "deal with them." He implores the Living Triune God to do so. When Jesus Christ, "The Word of God," our Glorious, "King of kings, and Lord of lords," does the "dealing," it will be Divine Justice, not human retribution. With the very real probability of violence towards America this week, the prayer of our text could not be more relevant.
I think David was certainly in the, "Deal with them," mode when he faced Goliath. Yes, he came to that battle well trained, just as thousands of those soldiers that day who were watching the events on the valley floor unfold. But unlike the rest, David had the boldness to trust His Shepherd, Jesus, to believe that in his own preparedness and with all his skill, life still needs the Lord Our God to do the ultimate, "deal with them," and David declared as much to his enemy. This must be the motive, the constant reminder that you and I are not the primary "deal-with-them" ones. Pat Boone once wrote that one day, instead of attempting to deal with his wife, He turned her over to the Lord, only to find when he did, Jesus showed him that half of the problem was Pat himself. Strange things indeed do happen with we pray the Lord Jesus to, "Deal with them."
Now those three words can sound, "Go get'em." That will be up to you and me as to what is in our hearts. Many times in the Scriptures we see, however, that Jesus speaks of the purpose of discipline as, "that they may know that I am the Lord." The Heart of our Lord Jesus Christ is expressed in Hebrews 12. "....The Father of spirits [disciplines]...for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness. Now no chastening ('deal with them')seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it." While the Hebrews text is directed primarily to Believers, this is still the Heart of God for all. And since Jesus lives in us, this should be the exact same attitude manifest in you and me, viz.,"....that they may know." Praying the Lord Jesus to, "Deal with them...for our (and everyone's) profit," will keep our attitude towards humanity, and perceived enemies, in God's perspective.
Father, in Jesus' Name, "Deal with them," all who oppose you, all who seek to destroy Your Church, "that they may know that You, Whose name alone is the Lord, are the Most High over all the earth." Amen.
*********************************
Carolyn Glick hits another one "out of the park." Read it at: jhs58.blogspot.com
When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"
Hebrews 12:2
Hebrews 12:2
