For Those With Enemies

This is going to be a long one. I’m writing out of the overflow of my life, my heart, what God is teaching me.  I write in no way boasting of myself but only by the power of the Spirit. I hope you will be encouraged, moved and brought to repentance and then to thankfulness and praise.

My Psalm reading for the day brought me to Psalm 37. For me it compared and contrasted righteousness and wickedness. (This is gonna get ugly. If I had Audrey here to help, she could make me one of those Wordle things because I think that would fit Psalm 37 perfectly. Alas, she’s not here. Bear with me.)

Of the Righteous

• Do not fret
• Do not be envious
• Trust in the Lord
• Do good
• Dwell in the land
• Enjoy safe pastures
• Delight in the Lord
• Commit your way
• Trust in Him
• Be still
• Wait patiently
• Do no fret
• Refrain from anger
• Turn from wrath
• Do no fret
• Hope in the Lord
• will inherit the land
• enjoy great peace
• better to have little
• days are known
• inheritance will endure forever
• will not wither
• will enjoy plenty
• Give generously
• will inherit the Lord
• will not fall
• never forsaken
• are generous
• lend freely
• children will be blessed
• Turn from evil
• Do good
• Dwell in the land forever
• protected forever
• will inherit the land
• will Dwell in the land forever
• utters wisdom
• speaks what is just
• law of God in his heart
• feet do not slip
• will not be condemned
• Wait for the Lord
• Keep his ways
• inherit the land
• see the wicked cut off
• Consider the blameless
• Observe the upright
• a future for the man of peace
• Take refuge in Him

Of the Lord

• give you the desires of your heart
• makes righteousness shine
• upholds the justice of your cause
• laughs at the wicked
• upholds the righteous
• blesses
• curses
• makes his steps firm
• loves the just
• will not forsake faithful ones
• will not leave evil in power
• salvation of righteous
• stronghold in time of trouble
• helps them
• delivers them
• saves them

Of the Wicked

• will soon wither
• will soon die
• will be cut off
• will be no more
• their day is coming
• swords will pierce own heart
• bows will be broken
• power will be broken
• will perish
• beauty will vanish
• will be cut off
• offspring will be cut off
• soon pass away
• could not be found
• will be destroyed
• future will be cut off

The list for the wicked extends back into Psalm 36

There is no fear of God before his eyes. For in his own eyes he flatters himself too much to detect or hate his sin. The words of his mouth are wicked and deceitful; he has ceased to be wise and to do good. Even on his bed he plots evil; he commits himself to a sinful course and does not reject what is wrong. 36: 1-4

Many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things. Philippians 3: 18-19

Now turn back to Psalm 36 again. It’s a jolt. It comes right on the heels of the description of the wicked.

Your love, O Lord, reaches to the heaven, your faithfulness to skies. Your righteousness is like the might mountains, your justice like the great deep. O Lord, you preserve both man and beast. How priceless is your unfailing love. 36: 5-6

Whoa! Unexpected. Why would David switch gears so suddenly? Because the Lord loves. He does not love the wickedness in man- that He detests, hates. And when the fullness of time has come, those who have chosen wickedness, themselves over and over instead of repenting and turning to the Lord, will be “thrown down”. But until then, He does not want any to perish. (2 Peter 3:9) He loves them.

To those who know him, he continues his love, he lifts up, pours blessings, overflowing their life now, certainly, but also forever more.

But for the wicked, the unrepentant, his hand is heavy. It takes the very life out of their bones. Read Psalm 38.

So what to do? For the wicked, for the sinner caught, troubled by their sin- confess your iniquity. (Iniquity means wickedness, sin- dictionary.com)

“Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I will confess my transgressions to the Lord- and you FORGAVE THE GUILT OF MY SINS.” Psalm 32:5-6

“Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon.” Isaiah 55:6-7

For the righteous, for me, struggling with the “Eerrgh!”, the apparent flourish of the wicked, the pain that comes with it all-

Repent, for remember, you too, were once enemies

“For ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23

Love

“We love because he first loved us.” 1 John 4:19

“Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.” Matthew 6:26, 27

Hope

“We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. May your unfailing love rest upon us, O Lord, even as we put our hope in you.” Psalm 33:20-22

I write all these things because I NEED THEM!! I MUST BE REMINDED!! I’ve longed prayed, cried out, been desperate. I wanted an answer that brought me the truth. Not fluffy stuff. It’s meaty. It’s hard. It hurts- deep down. But I want God’s glory reflected in me and I will give up my pain because I want to be mature, complete, not lacking anything. (James 1) I will count my pain as loss for the sake of knowing Him. (Philippians 3) I will slip. I will mess up. I will still cry with tears in eyes because until He returns this will be our struggle,  our flesh. My soul cries out, but my flesh fails.

He has answered me. And someday, when His word is complete, when it has accomplished what He has desired, and achieved it’s purpose, I will

GO OUT IN JOY AND BE LED FORTH IN PEACE; THE MOUNTAINS AND HILLS WILL BURST INTO SONG BEFORE YOU AND ALL THE TREES OF THE FIELD WILL CLAP THEIR HANDS. Isaiah 55: 11, 12