As I rode my bicycle for exercise today, thoughts about the hatred, lying and slander in our current day dominated my thinking for too long. Jesus suffered it, good people suffer because of hatred. You, a God fearing Christian are vulnerable to hatred and persecution just because you are! Remember what Jesus warned: “If the world hates you, you know that it hated me before it hated you.” John 15:18
But the hope in it all is that your LORD sees and
knows it all.
Look at this: the writer of Psalm 4 knew all about
it.
“O ye sons of men, how long will ye turn my
glory (honor) into shame (disgrace)? how long will you love vanity
(emptiness), and seek after leasing (falsehood, untruth)? Selah (pause).”
Stop and think about that!
When you do good, you make peace between adversaries,
or rescue someone in danger; if you risk it all to save the weak, defend the
vulnerable, and you are slandered, lied about and hated: stay strong. God
knows. He sees it all. He knows your motivation and your heart.
Joy Comes
with the Morning
Here is your solace: it is in Psalm 30:1 “ A
Psalm and Song at the dedication of the house of David. I will
extol thee, O LORD; for thou hast lifted me up, and hast not made my foes to
rejoice over me.
O LORD my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast
healed me.
O LORD, thou hast brought up my soul from the grave:
thou hast kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit.
Sing unto the LORD, O ye saints of his, and give
thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.
For his anger endures but a moment; in his
favor is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in
the morning.
And in my prosperity I said, I shall never be
moved.
LORD, by thy favor thou hast made my mountain to
stand strong: thou didst hide thy face (hide yourself), and I was
troubled.
I cried to thee, O LORD; and unto the LORD I made
supplication.
What profit is there in my blood, when I go
down to the pit? Shall the dust praise thee? shall it declare thy truth?
Hear, O LORD, and have mercy upon me: LORD, be thou
my helper.
Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing:
thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness;
To the end that my glory may sing praise to
thee, and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever.”
Psalm 30
Remember, you are known, loved…”surely goodness and
mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of
the LORD forever.” Psalm 23 is my favorite meditation when exercise keeps me
free to look around at nature and pray.
