I see violence and strife in the city

                                                                        Psalm 55: 9-19

 

June 4, 2022

 

Destroy, O Lord, divide their tongues; for I see violence and strife in the city.  Day and night they go around it on its walls, and iniquity and trouble are within it; ruin is in its midst; oppression and fraud do not depart from its marketplace.  For it is not an enemy who taunts me—then I could bear it;
it is not an adversary who deals insolently with me—then I could hide from him.  But it is you, a man, my equal, my companion, my familiar friend.  We used to take sweet counsel together; within God's house, we walked in the throng. Let death steal over them; let them go down to Sheol alive; for evil is in their dwelling place and in their heart.

 

 But I call to God, and the Lord will save me.  Evening and morning and at noon I utter my complaint and moan, and he hears my voice.  He redeems my soul in safety from the battle that I wage, for many are arrayed against me.  God will give ear and humble them, he who is enthroned from of old, Selah
because they do not change and do not fear God.

 

Once again I’m reminded of my dad, saying we learn nothing from history, for if we did it would not be repeated.  As in David's day so is it in ours, violence and strife, no longer is a different opinion listened to by either side, and there is no place for discussion or reasoning.

 

Our problem is Spiritual, it has always been the person who claims to be a Christian, I’ve heard them refer to it as Christian atheism.  They have no fear of God.  David did not see this coming, but a man he trusted and thought to be a friend has shown his real colors.

 

Now David was a man after God’s own heart, but often he acted in what we now call our flesh, and yet when confronted by a man of God, he repented and was broken about his sin.  But before you pray as David has done it may be helpful to listen to these words of Jesus.  In Matthew 5:43-46, we find this instruction;  “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’  But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.  For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?  Many who state they are followers of Christ, have fallen victim to the foolishness of the world system and ignored the instruction of the One they say they are followers of.  It is easy to become a casualty of the culture, but when we do it breaks the commands of our Lord.  More than once I’ve been a victim of my flesh, and I’m so thankful for a pastor that confronted me when I’ve done so.

 

From the Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice