Living in a frightening world . . .

 

 

READ Psalm 1-5

This morning’s news is the same as yesterday: “The six-week-old war has forced more than 4 million people to flee Ukraine, destroyed cities and prompted a slew of Western restrictions on Russian elites and the economy. Russia has denied targeting civilians and said Ukraine and its Western backers are gripped by discriminatory anti-Russian paranoia.”

Bad news like this often turns me to Psalm 2 for assurance and I’ve used it to calm others who are fearful for the world’s future. Not to deny that current events could lead to something worse and more widespread, but the truth is that God is still in charge.

Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against his Anointed, saying, “Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us.” He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision. Then he will speak to them in his wrath, and terrify them in his fury, saying, “As for me, I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill.” I will tell of the decree: The Lord said to me, “You are my Son; today I have begotten you. Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.” Now therefore, O kings, be wise; be warned, O rulers of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way, for his wrath is quickly kindled. Blessed are all who take refuge in him. (Psalm 2:1–12)

It is easy to fret about bad news but futile to stew over a war that I cannot do anything about. As if worry will fix it? The psalmist (likely David for all five) had all sorts of troubles. His own son threatened his life yet he was a man after God’s own heart and knew that no mattered what happened, those who trust the Lord are in His remarkable care:

I lay down and slept; I woke again, for the Lord sustained me. I will not be afraid of many thousands of people who have set themselves against me all around. (Psalm 3:5–6)

Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness! You have given me relief when I was in distress. Be gracious to me and hear my prayer! (Psalm 4:1)

In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety. (Psalm 4:8)

He could sleep at night. But this does not mean sleeping when shells are exploding all around; it means a calmness that comes with trust even in the midst of great danger. Outer horrors are not incompatible with the peace of God that passes understanding for those who understand that evil will not prevail. Only God prevails.

The boastful shall not stand before your eyes; you hate all evildoers. You destroy those who speak lies; the Lord abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man. (Psalm 5:5–6)

This may not be immediate, but in the end of things, God’s will will be done. The worst that can happen is giving in to fear and letting those who lie and destroy ruin that confidence. Even if their weapons find their mark, the people who trust the Lord are immediately with Him. Is that such a horrible thing?

But let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them ever sing for joy, and spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may exult in you. For you bless the righteous, O Lord; you cover him with favor as with a shield. (Psalm 5:11–12)

I know — this is easy for me to say sitting at a desk with nothing more than the noise of traffic and the construction of a high-rise outside the window and the calm voice of an announcer covering the Masters golf event in the background. Yet this is the Word of God speaking, not my authority or experience. He never lies. For reasons unknown, He seems to allow the evils in our world to run unchecked but never fear; He is able to do all of the above and then some!

Lord God, trusting You makes sense to me. The other options do not. Keep my heart focused on You, even in this messy and very scary place.

 

Going deeper . . .

At our church, the theme has been “Deeper” with the music and the sermon pointing us to Almighty God and a closer relationship with Him. Yesterday was a wonderful time of worship. Several people said, “That sermon was just for me, just what I needed.” It was about “Life Changing Prayer” and our pastor showed from Ephesians 3 how discouragement affects everyone and how we can pray for ourselves and one another. We were blessed by the rich invitation of God who loves to meet our needs.

In the evening, we gathered to pray, and that was like icing on the cake. While our prayers were mostly for the ministries of our church, we also prayed for one another. Mostly, it was another time of worship. Our God has blessed us in so many ways.

Tozer offers another idea about worship. He says it is God’s desire to lead us into greater depths of communion with God, deeper into Himself because we have much to learn in the school of the Spirit. We worship God for His goodness to us, yet one aspect of worship covers something about Him that is also important: God is holy and will judge the world in His righteousness . . .

Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; bring an offering, and come into his courts! Worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness; tremble before him, all the earth! Say among the nations, “The Lord reigns! Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved; he will judge the peoples with equity.” Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; let the sea roar, and all that fills it; let the field exult, and everything in it! Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy before the Lord, for he comes, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness, and the peoples in his faithfulness. (Psalm 96:8–13)

It is one thing to adore and admire God for His power, goodness and blessings. This is almost a natural part of being fascinated with God. As Tozer says, God wants us to be astonished at His magnitude and splendor, yet there is this quality that I also need to remember and be thankful for — can I worship Almighty God because He will judge the world in faithful righteousness?

The psalmist describes it vividly. He says that the “heavens will be glad” and the earth will rejoice,” and the “trees of the forest” will “sing for joy” when the Lord comes to judge the earth. Even the New Testament says,

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. (Romans 8:18–23)

I wonder about this aspect of worship. I am thankful and can worship Him that He has set ME and others free in our redemption, but there will be a great judgment where the entire world will be held accountable before Him and everything will change. How readily do I worship God because He is coming to set creation free from the bondage of sin and judge those who do not worship Him?

There is a positive side to this, but also a negative. I can understand judgment for blatantly evil people, but aside from those, I cannot bear the idea that some will refuse His offer of redemption. How can the whole earth be glad and the trees sing for joy when God comes to judge the earth? I can feel the longing for my own full redemption, even that day when sin is no more, yet find worship a challenge when it comes to God judging in righteousness those who have rejected Him, those who seem like good folks but say no to the gospel. I don’t want anyone to fall into that category.

This is something to think about. Do I value human survival more than I value the rightness of God’s authority and power to judge them for their sin? I think I am yielded to God, but am I resisting His wisdom in this? What is the Lord saying to me about my own heart when I get upset about His holy wrath? Have I thought that since His salvation is not based on what we do, then His wrath should fall into a different category?

^^^^^^^^

Jesus, Tozer says that the person who has not been humbled in the presence of God will never be a worshiper of God at all. Lord, I get that. My pride thinks my opinions about how the world should turn out and how the people of the world should be treated is contrary to Your Word. You can do whatever You decide to do, and I have no business thinking otherwise. Instead, I should worship You because You will do what You deem best. Instead of not liking that or approving of this idea of a final judgment, I should even sing for joy like the trees and be glad that evil will be judged because You are that kind of God. This is a tough question and really challenging. It is going deeper.