Corona Devo 3094
The Lord knows the purpose of what we face today (even as we beg Him to remove us from it).
The Lord is always at work and in control: (yesterday...today...and He will still be at work in our lives and in control of them tomorrow).
So...why the hardships? Why the trials? Why the diseases and handicaps and suffering?
So...why the injustice and unfairness and persecution?
Why all of the lies and trickery and false-gods of this world?
Why is life (so often) an uphill battle?
Did we ask it yesterday?
Let's turn to the Bible so that we do not have to ask it tomorrow.
Psalm 129:1-8
From my earliest youth my enemies have persecuted me.
Let all Israel repeat this: (2) From my earliest youth my enemies have persecuted me, but they have never defeated me.
(3) My back is covered with cuts, as if a farmer had plowed long furrows.
(4) But the Lord is good; he has cut me free from the ropes of the ungodly.
(5) May all who hate Jerusalem be turned back in shameful defeat. ~Psalm 129:1-5
From his earliest youth he has been persecuted.
He actually says it twice (From my earliest youth my enemies have persecuted me), so that we will possibly grasp the weight of what he states.
But we do understand persecution and pain and difficulty in this life, don't we? It stares (slaps!) us in the face daily in one form or another.
The Lord knows the purpose of what we face today.
The Lord is always at work and in control in our lives.
Has life been an uphill battle?
Probably.
But--what is our attitude and stance? Are we accepting defeat, or are we defying it through the power of the Lord?
Yes...there absolutely will be trials and persecution, but we serve a risen Christ, and He has defeated darkness. The Lord knows what is happening with us today. The Lord knows the purpose of it (we do not). And the Lord is always at work and in control in our lives.
This is our truth and our attitude today.
It was the attitude of the Psalmist also: Let all Israel repeat this: (2) From my earliest youth my enemies have persecuted me, but they have never defeated me (Psalm 139:1-2).
We can trust the Lord, Brothers and Sisters! Keep kicking today! Keep persevering. Keep trying. Keep a good attitude, and for the Lord's sake and in His strength: we can keep a victorius attitude today.
Repeat it: but they have never defeated me! (Psalm 139:1-2).
LOUDER! (Because some of us need to believe it!): BUT THEY HAVE NEVER DEFEATED ME! (Psalm 139:1-2)
~~~
No single people-group has ever been persecuted as much and for-as-long-as...as the people of Israel, the Jews.
For no reason, except that they are God's chosen people (His words, not mine), other people have always persecuted the Jews.
But (still) the Jews remain God's treasured possession, and through His Son, Jesus-- God opened the door to us to also be His treasured possession.
But with the blessing also comes the curse (or persecution). However, we have to remember: The Lord knew what was happening. The Lord knows the purpose of what we face today. The Lord is always at work and in control in our lives.
Let's listen to God's call to the Jews and to us, His promise to us, and His sentence to those against His people:
For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession.
(7) The Lord did not set his affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples. (8) But it was because the Lord loved you and kept the oath he swore to your ancestors...
(17) You may say to yourselves, “These nations are stronger than we are. How can we drive them out?” (18) But do not be afraid of them; remember well what the Lord your God did to Pharaoh and to all Egypt. ~Deuteronomy 7:6-8, 17-18
Remember the promises that God has for His chosen peoples. It also puts Psalm 129 right into perspective.
From my earliest youth my enemies have persecuted me.
Let all Israel repeat this: (2) From my earliest youth my enemies have persecuted me, but they have never defeated me.
(3) My back is covered with cuts, as if a farmer had plowed long furrows.
(4) But the Lord is good; he has cut me free from the ropes of the ungodly.
(5) May all who hate Jerusalem be turned back in shameful defeat.
(6) May they be as useless as grass on a rooftop, turning yellow when only half grown, (7) ignored by the harvester, despised by the binder.
(8) And may those who pass by refuse to give them this blessing: “The Lord bless you; we bless you in the Lord’s name.” ~Psalm 129:1-8
~~~
To the people of Jerusalem today, and dating all the way back to when God allotted them all of their Country and land:
The Lord knows the purpose of what we face today.
The Lord is always at work and in control.
And to followers-of-Christ today, as we face trials, as we endure forms of persecution for following Him, and as we wonder (at times) if we can keep it up:
The Lord knew what was happening (when we had no idea what was happening).
The Lord knows the purpose of what we face today (even as we beg Him to remove us from it).
The Lord is always at work and in control: (yesterday...today...and He will still be at work in our lives and in control of them tomorrow).
~~~
Even in the midst of our trials and persecution.
He has always been here for His people, and He always will be. If we can grasp and trust that today...then we will see His sovereignty and power over today, just as the Psalmist did:
... but they have never defeated me...
(4) But the Lord is good; he has cut me free from the ropes of the ungodly. ~Psalm 129:2, 4
Blessings,
sarah
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