Saturday, February 4, 2012

150 Days of Psalms - Psalm 35

I don't really have a bunch of personal enemies. Well... at least they haven't told me about it if I have them. But I was thinking about how our Lord Jesus Christ and Christianity have a LOT of enemies. Our society is turning more and more hostile toward Christians. Even organizations which at their beginning were Christians organizations have turned their back on faith and have many times even become hostile toward Christians.

I read articles on Fox News or other places with many examples of this and I'm interested in the comments left by other readers. But something I've noticed is that the comments left by Christians - directed to comments left by non-Christians - is often as hateful and mean and rude as those left by unbelievers. This should not be so! These comments are a very poor reflection of Christ and His church.
I like David's approach. He looked to God. And he displayed the attitude Jesus asked from us. He turned the other cheek.
13 But as for me, 23when they were sick, my 24clothing was sackcloth; I 25humbled my soul with fasting, And my 26prayer kept returning to my bosom. 14 I went about as though it were my friend or brother; I 27bowed down mourning, as one who sorrows for a mother.

I don't know about you, but it is extremely difficult for me to be sad for someone who has made himself my enemy. The only way David could pray for and enemy when he was sick was to let God's Spirit work in his heart. It doesn't say that here in the Psalm, but that is the only way we can do godly things - especially when our enemies are involved.

Here are Jesus' words found in Luke 6
30 "Give to everyone who asks of you, and whoever takes away what is yours, do not demand it back. 31 "1Treat others the same way you want them to treat you. 32 "2If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. 33 "If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. 34 "3If you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners in order to receive back the same amount. 35 "But 4love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return ; and your reward will be great, and you will be 5sons of 6the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men. 36 "Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

Now go out there into the mean ol' world and live like sons of the Most High. God's Spirit working through you is the key.


1 comment:

Phyllis Hobson said...

Psalm 35 was a little of a mystery to me. I don't understand all the vindictive speech that David had for his enemies: "Let those be ashamed and dishonored ... Let their way be dark and slippery ...Let destruction come upon him unawares." When I have been treated unfairly or bad, it is my human tendency to want revenge. But I figured that we are suppose to pray for enemies and not in a way of "Get them, God!" I don't know if this Psalm more teaches me what not to do or say; to realize how it sounds and that to someone else I may be the one they want revenge on....