The Ways of God

Psalm 94: 1-7

“1 O Lord, you God of vengeance, you God of vengeance, shine forth!

2 Rise up, O judge of the earth; give to the proud what they deserve! 3 O Lord, how long shall the wicked, how long shall the wicked exult? 4 They pour out their arrogant words; all the evildoers boast. 5 They crush your people, O Lord, and afflict your heritage. 6 They kill the widow and the stranger, they murder the orphan, 7 and they say, “The Lord does not see; the God of Jacob does not perceive.”

This psalm was originally the prayer of  a Jewish person who sought God’s vengeance on his enemies.  At first we are shocked when we read these words.  We think we would never pray such a prayer.  But have we all not had these thoughts?

Humans are people of anger, war, and vengeance.  And we want to think that the God we worship is just like us.  We want to think that God hates those that we hate; that when we are angry, God is angry; when we cry for war,  God also cries for war.

This is not true.  In fact, Jesus came into the world to lead us away from these things; to lead us in the direction of love, mercy, kindness and forgiveness.

Let us pray that God does not become like us, but that we become like Him.

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways

and my thoughts than your thoughts.”  (Isaiah 55:8-9)

May the love of Christ be with you,

Rev. Eric Lanier (Retired)