Enjoying the Presence of God
Psalm 69:1 Save me, O God! For the waters have come up to my neck.
2 I sink in deep mire, where there is no foothold; I have come into deep waters, and the flood sweeps over me.
3 I am weary with my crying out; my throat is parched. My eyes grow dim with waiting for my God.
My eyes grow dim with waiting. This is where an attitude adjustment is needed. Why am I waiting and not enjoying? This is a choice we can make, we either accept our situation and make the best of it or we become more and more discouraged.
Solomon was a king who tried everything to find happiness. He lays out a litany of experiences in the book of Ecclesiastes. In chapter 3 he speaks the words, “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:” (Ecc. 3:2) And after a long list of conditions he concludes with, “What gain has the worker from his toil? I have seen the business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with. He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man's heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end. I perceived that there is nothing better for them than to be joyful and to do good as long as they live; also that everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil—this is God's gift to man.” (Ecc. 9-13) According to Solomon, God does His best for us. We need to accept our “lot” in life and move on. Apparently, we have a choice, although many times finding the switch to change from “eyes growing dim” to “being joyful,” is not an easy thing to do.
Why do I focus so much on the circumstances than on the blessings God has given me? Because, right now, I do not see the blessings as blessings. I see the circumstances as in the way of my plans and I do not see any benefit for me in my situation. What does it take to change that thinking to, “Whatever situation I find myself in, God is with me and He is going to help me through this and together we will be victorious?” I heard a quote last week that I liked, “We live in fear” and I might add, frustration, “because we project our past into our future.” Why not project the truth into our future, God has given us life to be busy with and He has made everything beautiful in its time? Let’s look to the future with the eyes of faith that God will always do what is best for us. And that includes the circumstances we currently find ourselves in.
10 When I wept and humbled my soul with fasting, it became my reproach.
11 When I made sackcloth my clothing, I became a byword to them.
12 I am the talk of those who sit in the gate, and the drunkards make songs about me.
David talks about the reaction he receives from the people around him. There is a fine line between having people like you so you can share the gospel with them and sharing the gospel with them whether they continue to like you or not. David talks about God and gets persecuted. Do we avoid talking about our faith to remain friends with those who might not like what we have to say? This is not an either-or question. There might be times when the best approach is to ease up on our conversation to give others a chance to process the faith in their own time. And there might also be times when if we do not say something about our faith in Jesus and their need for the same, that might never again have a chance to know Jesus. Are the fields ripe for harvest, as Jesus called it, or are we still in the process of cultivating the field?
There is no right answer to this question. We each have to decide that timing for ourselves. But do not wait too long to avoid persecution that you fail to share with others the reason for the hope within you.
22 Let their own table before them become a snare; and when they are at peace, let it become a trap.
23 Let their eyes be darkened, so that they cannot see, and make their loins tremble continually.
27 Add to them punishment upon punishment; may they have no acquittal from you.
David’s approach of what He wants God to do to his enemies is contrary to the Christian way of thinking. It is much in line with what we feel often. Somebody has done something to us, and we want them destroyed. We are so angry we would like their plans to backfire and consume them. We would like to have them wallow in their own circumstances and have it be difficult for them. And we might even feel like David, let them receive punishment upon punishment.
That is our old nature coming out. The human attitude is to have the enemy destroyed. Yet Jesus said we should turn the other cheek when we are confronted. Meaning we should not let our enemies get the best of us by wearing us down and causing us to think and do the same evil they do.
God said that vengeance belongs to Him, and He is the only one who can clearly bring judgment in the best way possible. Any attempt I would have on dishing out judgment on others would not be enough, that is why the first thought is to wipe them off the face of the earth. But God says, “love your enemy, do good to those who hate you.”
What is God trying to do? If you love others, with the love of Jesus Christ, no matter how they treat you, you will show them something they do not have. Jesus knows they will appreciate this love and strength in such a way that they will think about changing from “the kingdom of darkness” to the “kingdom of light.” It is when they cannot understand the love that they melt. If we treat them like they treat us, they do not see the difference between us and them. They cannot see a benefit to following Jesus if He does not make a difference in our lives. But if we live in such a way that they see a disconnect between their way of thinking and ours, then they will question where we have something more real than they do. And they just might then be able to listen to the Holy Spirit and make a change.
Life is good, God in present, and He is blessing you, no matter the circumstances in your life.
Do not hide your faith in Jesus, especially not to avoid persecution.
And do not seek revenge against others, Let God handle them, just love them with the love of Jesus.
Be Blessed Today.
Edd Bredden
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