Do your enemies know God?

 Psalm 4:1–7 (ESV): 

1 Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness! 

You have given me relief when I was in distress. 

Be gracious to me and hear my prayer! 

2  O men, how long shall my honour be turned into shame? 

How long will you love vain words and seek after lies? Selah 

3  But know that the Lord has set apart the godly for himself; the Lord hears when I call to him. 

4  Be angry, and do not sin; ponder in your own hearts on your beds, and be silent. Selah 

5  Offer right sacrifices, and put your trust in the Lord. 

6  There are many who say, “Who will show us some good? 

Lift up the light of your face upon us, O Lord!” 

7  You have put more joy in my heart 

than they have when their grain and wine abound. 

8  In peace I will both lie down and sleep; 

for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety. 

Clearly this is another Psalm written at a time of distress and pain for David. He implores God to listen (v1), and knows that God does hear him (v3), reminding himself that God cares, is present, available and interested in his life. Once he has considered God first David then he goes onto speak to his enemies (v2-5);

2  O men, how long shall my honour be turned into shame? 

How long will you love vain words and seek after lies? Selah 

3  But know that the Lord has set apart the godly for himself; the Lord hears when I call to him. 

4  Be angry, and do not sin; ponder in your own hearts on your beds, and be silent. Selah 

5  Offer right sacrifices, and put your trust in the Lord. 

David has spoken to God about his frustrations and difficulties and recognises that the hands of men are to blame. In particular their incessant need to shame him resorting to lies and exaggeration. So, he ‘speaks’ to these enemies through this psalm, maybe he even spoke to them via letter or in person to exhort them to a different path in life. Even though David was hurt and persecuted by these vain, angry liars, he wants to show them a better way. He confidently informs them that they are not going to succeed because they are railing not just against him but against God. David wants his foes to know that God has selected himself as king of Israel, and that fighting against God is not going to end well for them. He attempts to show these men that even if they club together, they are no match for God. So he attempts to motivate them to a different course of action. 

David calls out to his enemies to try to persuade them to consider their purpose and actions, to really think about their motivating factors when making decisions. He knows they are angry and have set their anger towards himself (v4), but he invites them to soberly consider what they are doing. He knows they too have a conscience and a soul, and that they, even as kings, have a responsibility for their own personal actions and decisions as well as those for the nation. That is why he invites them to, 'ponder in your own hearts on your beds', sometimes the only alone time, the time away from the busy-ness of life is the time when they lie down. So David asks them to take time, when things are running around their heads after another busy day, to really think about what they are doing and why. The time of quiet and rest is a good time to reflect if they are doing the right things by God. 

At the end of the day, are you confident that your behaviour, words and actions have honoured God and His people? Or have you been busy working against them as these kings were? God cares about your soul and your eternal future, just like David cared for these men. Are you taking time out of the busy-ness of life to ponder what it is all about and whether you're going in the right direction? Are you taking time to think about your life and the impact it has on others? If you do take time to think soberly about your life, what different decisions would you be making? How would your relationships pan out and what would you do with what God says in the silence? 

The last command in this section is, 'offer right sacrifices, and put your trust in the Lord'. After reflecting on the purposes of your actions, it is probable that you may need to give some things up. Maybe things you are passionate about, things that it hurts to put to one side, but David's encouragement is that rather than trusting these things, 'trust in the Lord'. If God is asking you to live a different life, it may well feel like a huge sacrifice, but if, like David's enemies, you know that your life is against God rather than for Him, where do you think it is going to end up? Even if you enjoy what you are doing, and you feel confident that your life is going in the same direction as many others, do you really think that fighting against God is a smart and successful idea?

David was a strong, kind, powerful king, a man after God's heart, and he cared about his life and the life of those around him whether or not they were nice to him. He knew that anyone leading a life without considering God was in trouble. He saw that even those who were fighting against him needed to know God. Do you think the same about those who are against you? Do you pray for them to know who God is, do you even attempt to speak to them about God like David did? Are you concerned about those who are against you because they do not know God? David challenges us to reconsider our own perspective on those who do not like us and even those who seek our downfall. Are you upset/annoyed with them because they are hurting you, or are you more concerned for their soul and the result of them living a life without God?

Praying through the pain

Ever felt like the world is against you? That everything is going wrong, and no matter what you do there’s injustice, persecution, hardship and pain? Be assured, you are not alone. You are not the only one that has felt this way, and you won’t be the last. Many people from all walks of life, from ordinary men and women to great kings like David have felt peril, confusion, heartache and terror. Take a read of Psalm 3;

Psalm 3

A Psalm of David, when he fled from Absalom his son. 

1  O Lord, how many are my foes! 

Many are rising against me; 

2  many are saying of my soul, 

“There is no salvation for him in God.” Selah 

3  But you, O Lord, are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head. 

4  I cried aloud to the Lord, and he answered me from his holy hill. Selah 

5  I lay down and slept; I woke again, for the Lord sustained me. 

6  I will not be afraid of many thousands of people who have set themselves against me all around. 

7  Arise, O Lord! Save me, O my God! 

For you strike all my enemies on the cheek; you break the teeth of the wicked. 

8  Salvation belongs to the Lord; your blessing be on your people! Selah 

In this Psalm, David is suffering due to the actions of his own child. Anyone who has experienced the rebellion of a child, their wilful disobedience and purposeful destruction of relationship may understand something of what David is feeling as he writes this. Not only has his son rebelled, but he has gathered others to his side so that now there’s a sizeable, threatening army from which David needs to run and hide. Not because he has been a bad father or done anything wrong, but because of the sin, impatience and recklessness of his son. At times you too may suffer due to the sin of others and it can feel unfair, unjust and as if the whole world is against you. You can be threatened and chased down, not because of any error on your side, but because the world does not want men and women of faith to succeed and Satan is after you. It's a harsh truth, but it is the reality. 

If you are chasing after God, then do not be surprised if others are chasing after you - for your downfall and destruction. Yet do not despair, you are not alone and never will be. Psalms and Biblical teaching such as this can help you. Like David, you can pour out your emotions to God. Look at how David does it- he tells God how it really is; frustration, fear, pain, hurt, confusion - It is ok for you to do the same. To admit how hard your situation is and how terrified, worried and heartbroken you are. David does, so do many others in the Bible. I too have had many a rant to God about how hurt, upset, concerned, angry and disappointed I have been when I have felt threatened, persecuted, heartbroken and afraid. I have learnt to pray honestly to Father God by reading about how others in the Bible, like David, have prayed. I have implored God to intervene and turn things around, to help me, to sustain and guide me. You can too. It is ok to do that. Sometimes we need to be reminded that God is big enough and cares enough to see and hear our pain. He can take it - in fact He is the only one who can.

You can speak to God honestly about any situation and about the condition of your heart because God cares, protects and saves. David knows, even through this heart-rending experience that God is, 'a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head'. David knows the extent of the circumstances and the intent of his son yet he also knows and clings onto the intent and power of Almighty God. Even in the midst of life-threatening disaster David remembers the truth about God. He recalls that God gets to choose every outcome of every situation. He reminds himself that God is a shield - He protects and fights for His people, He is magnificent and beautiful, and transforms sorrow to joy. Do you, in times of trouble also call to your mind the truth of God? Do you, along with David, understand that when you rely and depend on God He can keep you going and give you what you need? 

As you cry out to God, know that He hears you and is working even when you do not see it. He is your shield, glory and lifter-upper too. God does and will sustain and protect you like He did David. When you consider these truths about God, it can easily lead into thanksgiving, like it did for David. From feeling despairing and desolate, David has poured out his emotions then made himself remember the truth about God which then led to praise and gratitude. When you also pray when you are in despair, don't stop there, don't stop once you have had your rant and let out your emotions, but also but call to mind your understanding and experience of God and see how your prayer also transforms into gratitude. Even in the darkest moments of life you have a Heavenly Father who cares and hears you, you are never alone or forsaken. When you consider what David was experiencing in these moments it is inspiring to see how in times of torment he continues to find reasons to praise. 

In the midst of turmoil what do you see God doing for you? Are you looking out for how God supports, loves, protects, sustains and is generous to you even when life is chaotic and disastrous? Do you look for the small, everyday blessings that you can be thankful for, like the rest David was grateful for? 

You may be in a season of suffering or turmoil, and it may not be your fault - do not despair, but do cry out to God - let your pain be known to Him and remind yourself who God is. When you do, you will be able to see that God is with you and is looking out for you, and remember that, 'Salvation belongs to the Lord'

Growing in the field

 Psalm 2:1–12 (ESV):

Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? 

2  The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against his Anointed, saying, 

3  “Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us.” 

4  He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision. 

5  Then he will speak to them in his wrath, and terrify them in his fury, saying, 

6  “As for me, I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill.” 

7  I will tell of the decree: The Lord said to me, “You are my Son; today I have begotten you. 

8  Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession. 

9  You shall break them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.” 

10  Now therefore, O kings, be wise; be warned, O rulers of the earth. 

11  Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. 

12  Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way, for his wrath is quickly kindled. Blessed are all who take refuge in him. 

Even though David himself is a king, he recognises that the fellow rulers ‘of the earth’ are not like him. He knows he has been set apart as ‘Anointed’ not simply by human hands, but by God’s, whereas other kings have, ‘set themselves’ in their position and are against God rather than for Him. So although he shares a common responsibility and power with these men, he knows that he is different as he has been selected and set apart by God to have this role. How David governs is impacted by that. Other kings may have inherited or fought for rulership, David however was set apart many years ago and sealed with the promise of God that he would have such authority. Therefore his vision and values for this kingdom are different than other nations because he knows the place he rules is not solely his, it has been entrusted to him to steward on behalf of God.

The same is true for you. 

If you are a follower of God, then you have been selected and appointed for a role and position in life where you have responsibility. Whatever your situation may be right now, however impressive or unimpressive it is - God has put you there. You may not be living in the position that you have been anointed for yet and you are probably not be set apart to become a king, but you still have a God-given role and responsibility to steward. Remember though that David did not become king overnight. He was not from a royal family and he was the youngest son given the most demeaning job of looking after the sheep. Yet God still set him apart. First he had to live through becoming a skilled shepherd before he became a king. Being a shepherd is not an easy job sitting in the sunshine stroking the fluffy heads of sheep. It was the job of those on the outside of the community; smelly, hard, dangerous work. Shepherds had to be alert, encounter danger and tackle it in sun and rain, day and night. David probably felt alone and overlooked, but he still did his job well. He knew that all sheep had to be accounted for so he took care of the animals; tending wounds, swatting away insects, protecting them from predators and searching out any that were missing. David took his responsibility in the sheep field seriously even though it was dangerous and lonely. He also took the opportunity, as he had lots of time on his own, to develop a close relationship with God. David learnt to communicate with and depend on God whilst he was a left-out lonely shepherd.

Are you using where you are to do the same?

David transferred the relationship and dependency on God he had built from the field of sheep to the field of battle and onto the throne room. David realised he had learnt a lot and his character had been developed in the lonely dirty work of his everyday life. Whatever your everyday life looks like right now, it is a training ground for where you are meant to be. It is an opportunity to develop your skills and invest in your relationship with God because these will be needed for the future God has planned for you. The field you’re in right now is a training ground for what is to come - what are you learning and how are you developing your understanding of God? 

Are you using your time now to prepare for your future? Are you honing your skills, making the best of it and growing in relationship with God?

The reality is, that training isn’t easy and when you attain to the place and position that God has set apart for you, it is not going to be easy then either! David, in this psalm recognises that other leaders are against him, that his enemies are no longer bears or wolves but power-hungry, violent men in charge of armies. Yet he has established a confidence in whom God is. He knows God is the King of all kings. Even though David is clearly encountering opposition at this time, he still is assured that God has appointed him and set him apart, so David is assured that nothing can change God’s plans, no matter how many come against him, David knows those men do not have the authority of heaven on their side, but he does. 

Do you have a confidence and faith like that? One that is not shaken or despondent by others; threats, words or authority? Instead confident in the fact that you have heaven’s backing as a child of God? 

If you’d like to grow more in relationship with God, or even in confidence and capability, then do what David did and spend time learning about God, talking to Him and learning who He says you are. It will prepare you well for the rest of your life.

Which way are you walking?

 Psalm 1:1–6 (ESV): 

1 Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; 

2  but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. 

3  He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. 

4  The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away. 

5  Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous; 

6  for the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.

In this Psalm God promises that however you choose to live your life there will be consequences; He will bless, provide for, sustain and strengthen the way of the righteous. He will not support, promote, or be present with those that take no interest in following Him, take part in evil or mock others. 

Which way are you walking?

Are you living life, ‘in the counsel of the wicked’ or delighting In God’s words? These are the two ways you can walk through life. You either choose to live as a righteous person who actively follows God, or you follow your own desires and are influenced by others - this what David refers to as, 'the way of the wicked'. If you are not someone who loves God’s word, considers it and applies it to life, then we see from this psalm that you are considered as going 'the way of the wicked'. Not because you are not a nice person, but because you have not made knowing God and living His way important in your life. Therefore your decisions and actions are not God-centred, but self-centred and this can end up in all sorts of chaos and disruption. If you’re reading this today and you know that you are not dedicating your life to God but others things, then know that God sees it and He does not want you to continue living this way. That's why psalms like this were written - to show that there is another way of life available. A life where you can live alongside God knowing His blessing and becoming righteous. Would you like to walk into that way of life?

The life lived with God is described as, ‘a tree planted by streams of water’. Well nourished, strong, secure, patiently growing over time, and will ‘in its season’ bear fruit. A righteous life following God will one day be shown for what it is. The patient endurance and dedicated application of God’s word to life will be seen one day as good and profitable, of use and beautiful. A tree slowly growing by a stream may seem like a long boring existence as it takes years to grow and develop, but it will grow. It always has nourishment, it will not grow fast and weak, but slow and strong. Take comfort today if you are walking this way, the way of faith. You may not see the benefit straight away, or even recognise that you are growing or changing much, but one day your dedication and love for God will be seen as good and fruitful. If you keep going, settling by the stream, absorbing God's words, nourished by His Holy Spirit, then you will grow into a strong, beautiful, fruitful tree.

How different to the image of the, ‘chaff that the wind drives away.’ This is the result and expectation of the way of the wicked that do not follow God. They are like worthless husks, the leftovers of threshing that have no use and are not even thrown away, but left to the will of the wind that takes them wherever it wants. Those that live life without acknowledging God are like that. One day their prosperity and apparent success will be shown for what it is; temporal, ungrounded, rubbish. A life not founded on God is not founded on anything substantial as its values can change like the direction of the wind. A life like that can be whisked away in a moment. A tree by a stream has deep roots that keep it grounded and secure when the wind or even storms come, chaff has no such security. Dependency on God is a strength that nothing else in the world can match. 

Which way are you walking?

connected community

My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, 20 let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins. 

James 5:19–20 (ESV)

These final verses from James’s letter may seem an odd way to end, but James is clearly reinforcing the need for considerate, accountable relationships amongst believers. The exhortation here is that you should look out for other believers, noticing if something is awry in another's life and then go after them. This can only happen if you have a genuine love and concern for other believers that is intentional, deep and life-changing. Otherwise in an effort to correct and guide someone to the correct path, you could  misunderstand them, cause pain and push them farther away from God and His community. 

It is quite refreshing to read the eternal truth that we are built for connection in a community that loves, cares for and challenges each other. It is quite pertinent in today’s society that we are able to understand that James is commending close, connected and accountable community. The world we live in is quite different, it commends an overwhelming view of tolerance and an 'anything goes' attitude, where everything and everyone has to be accepted and tolerated no matter what. So James encouragement to challenge someone we see someone moving away from God and living a life that is not Biblical is quite cross-cultural. 

To challenge believers when they are following society instead of the word of God will be seen by non-believers as controlling and restrictive. In our current culture, people are allowed to do whatever they like whenever they like, be whoever they want to be, and no-one is permitted to question it. Most of us grown up believing the same, and support equity and equality, tolerance and acceptance. These are good things, but in an effort to support and commend these attributes society has lost the ability to really; understand, challenge, care for, love and support one another, as questioning or challenging someone's ideas, lifestyle and beliefs and behaviour has become taboo. James is confronting this worldly view by saying that we should go after those that wander off ‘from the truth’. How refreshing! 

If you see a fellow believer get caught up in wrong thinking, sinful behaviour, an altered attitude, swamped by society's influence, then the charge is to bring them back! Show that your love for that person and the church is genuine. Do not let your fellow brothers and sisters go down the path that leads to destruction without a fight. Instead, show that you notice, that you care and that you can help them by reminding them of the truth. The reality is, in a society that does not challenge, question, or seek to understand, people do not feel loved, noticed or cared for. They feel lonely, unnoticed and outsiders. Do not let that happen in your community of believers. The reality is that accepting and tolerating all things is not progressive, it is negligent. Having the awkward conversations, being upfront and honest and leading people to the truth that is The Word of God can be difficult, but it can radically transform someone's life for the better. As you may well have the opportunity to lead someone to repentance and forgiveness because you have demonstrated love and kindness through discipline, guidance and understanding, through being brave, noticing and caring enough to do something about it and challenge them. 

If you are part of a church, you should notice and care enough about the individuals to notice when they are not ok and in danger of wandering off. You are part of the kingdom of God and in God’s kingdom there is a Father that cares about each individual - He will leave the 99 to look for and rescue the 1, and He invites you to do the same. You have a duty to chase after others when you see them going off track and heading away from God. It may feel awkward, cross-cultural and you may offend, but you may also,  ‘save his soul from death’, regret, disgrace and sin, Isn’t it worth the awkwardness and being uncomfortable if you can save your brother or sister from that great peril?