FaithWalkDaily January 13, 2009
Psalm 3:1-4 O LORD, I have so many enemies; so many are against me. So many are saying, "God will never rescue him!"
But you, O LORD, are a shield around me, my glory, and the one who lifts my head high. I cried out to the LORD, and he answered me from his holy mountain.
I don't know about you, but I feel like David sometimes. Here he is hiding from his own flesh and blood, his son Absalom, who wants him dead.
I don't have any family members who want me dead, thank God. But sometimes the oppression of the world makes me feel like running to the Amish. I just want to get away from the filth of the world and hide my head in the sand, pretending it doesn't exist.
The fact is, Jesus admonished us to live in the world but not of the world. To be salt and light. To be wise as serpents and gentle as lambs. We cannot spread the message hiding in a cave.
It is interesting that Jesus is described as both Lamb of God (John 1:36, 1 Peter 1:19) and Lion of Judah (Revelations 5:5.) He is at once obedient and fierce, gentle, but strong. He shows us how to live in the world according to His ways: Submit to our Master and be empowered in His strength to stand against all enemies. For if God is for us, who can stand against? (Romans 8:31)
Increasingly, people are slipping away from faith and it becomes more difficult with each passing day to take a stand. Statistics tell us the great majority of people call themselves Christians. Yet of those, how many actually worship God daily? Read Scripture regularly? Pray for our leaders? Share the Gospel? Before I was a Christian I called myself a Christian. The numbers would drop significantly if pollsters asked the question, "are you a Bible believing, God-fearing, church attending, gospel spreading Christian?" Where do you stand?
Shall we run and hide or seek refuge in the One who has all power and wisdom?
O Lion of Judah, merciful Lamb! You are God alone, majestic and marvelous. Holy Spirit infuse us with an avid desire to seek, obey and carry out Your plans. We claim the love and power of Jesus to stand firm in these dark days; to be salt and light, wise and gentle and to do all we do for your glory. In Jesus' name we pray, amen.
