As we struggle - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing,
majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of
him and what came to my mind and heart in Psalm 44:23-24,

"Awake, O Lord! Why do you sleep? Rouse yourself! Do not reject us
forever. Why do you hide your face and forget our misery and
oppression?"

In this psalm, the Sons of Korah recalled from their history that God
was the One who brought Israel the victory to take the promised land
from its wicked inhabitants. It was through him they pushed back their
enemies and trampled on their foes, verse 5. They acknowledged it was
not their sword, but God who brought them that victory, verses 6-7.

In spite of this acknowledgment and confession of God, they observe
that God has now seemingly abandoned them. They say, "But now you have
rejected and humbled us; you no longer go out with our armies. You
made us retreat before the enemy, and our adversaries have plundered
us. You gave us up to be devoured like sheep and have scattered us
among the nations. You sold your people for a pittance, gaining
nothing from their sale." Verses 9-12.

Surprisingly, this came at a time when Israel had been true to God. We
often think of the horrific difficulties the nation of Israel
experienced as a result of their turning away from God, their embrace
of idols or sinful folly of one form or another. This, however, is not
the case at the present time. The psalm goes on to say of this present
trouble, "All this happened to us, though we had not forgotten you or
been false to your covenant. Our hearts had not turned back; our feet
had not strayed from your path. But you crushed us and made us a haunt
for jackals and covered us over with deep darkness." Verses 17-19.

This account does not fit neatly into most folk's theology. We tend to
assume we can control our own good outcomes by manipulating God with
our good behavior. Not necessarily so. While it certainly is true that
we reap what we sow, as the Lord taught us, something else altogether
is afoot here. It is such a unique feature that Paul quotes this psalm
as he teaches us how God works in our lives to conform us to the
likeness of Jesus Christ. In Romans 8:28-39, Paul tells us this
process often involves some unpleasant things. There he speaks of
things like "trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness
or danger or sword." Through it all, we will not be separated from
God's love for us... he is working in us to grow us into the likeness
of his Son. To make his point he quotes our psalm here in Romans 8:36.

Some, with limited knowledge of the Scriptures, assume that when
others face difficulties in their lives, such as sickness or financial
reversals or abandonment of a spouse or offspring going astray or
whatever, they must have fallen short of God's expectations. They must
be harboring some secret sin or must be slipping in their faith. Job
got a belly full of this from his "friends." After his friends
confident assertions that Job must be engaged in some sin or had
drifted from God since he was suffering, God said to them, "I am angry
with you and your two friends, because you have not spoken of me what
is right, as my servant Job has." Job 42:7.

We may be right in the middle of what the Lord wants of us and yet
find ourselves going through very difficult times. While others may be
judgmental of us when we struggle, it just may be that God has
determined that we are now mature enough to move on to another level
in our walk with him. It is those who are judgmental that may not be
capable of being stretched yet, as they continue in their "happy"
lives.

Something to consider as the Lord works in our lives. As he does so,
we can count on the Lord to be very effective, and in the midst of it
be able to identify with David as he says, "I am poor and needy; come
quickly to me, O God. You are my help and my deliverer; O Lord, do not
delay." Psalm 70:5. As the Lord builds us up we will find ourselves on
the other side, able to say with David's confidence, "Cast your cares
on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous
fall. But you, O God, will bring down the wicked into the pit of
corruption; bloodthirsty and deceitful men will not live out half
their days. But as for me, I trust in you." Psalm 55:22-23.

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share
what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to
hear from you!

Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com