Monday, October 31, 2016

Take Courage

Psalm 12 (NASB)

"1 Help, Lord, for the godly man ceases to be,
     For the faithful disappear from among the sons of men.
2 They speak falsehood to one another;
     With flattering lips and with a double heart they speak.
3 May the Lord cut off all flattering lips,
     The tongue that speaks great things;
4 Who have said, “With our tongue we will prevail;
     Our lips are our own; who is lord over us?”
5 “Because of the devastation of the afflicted, because of the groaning of the needy,
      Now I will arise,” says the Lord; “I will set him in the safety for which he longs.”
6 The words of the Lord are pure words;
      As silver tried in a furnace on the earth, refined seven times.
7 You, O Lord, will keep them;
     You will preserve him from this generation forever.
8 The wicked strut about on every side
     When vileness is exalted among the sons of men."

I read this Psalm this morning in my devotions and found it super helpful in light of the upcoming election. This Psalm summarizes so well what this current political season seems like to me. It's tempting to fear the outcome and what it will do to our government and to our freedoms, particularly as Christians. But this Psalm was such an encouraging reminder that the Lord is still in control! He is not powerless to save us, and He truly does care about us. Because of His pure words we can trust that He will keep His promise to "cause all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose" (Romans 8:28). It just might not be in the way that we expect. Even when a situation seem bleak, we can still have hope. The greatest battle between light and darkness has already been won.

"These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world" (John 16:33).

1 comment:

  1. So very well put, Em! How encouraging to see that when your anxious thoughts multiply within you, the Lord's word is consolation to your soul (one of my "favoritist" Psalms lately!) Yep . . . He has not, nor will He, give up His throne to another. Ever. Our hope is secure. And our security rests in His unchanging word . . .not in man's empty promises.

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