"That Sinners Might See" July 17 Readings: Nehemiah 5-6, Acts 15:1–21, Psalm 83:13–18, Proverbs 17:22–23

Today's Readings - Nehemiah 5-6, Acts 15:1–21, Psalm 83:13–18, Proverbs 17:22–23

Devotional - That Sinners Might See

Who hasn't seen the despicable video in which Planned Parenthood treats human life as a commodity, or ISIS videos depicting unspeakable cruelty? What a world we live in. They anger us, disgust us, and fill us with indignation. And, frankly, they make us want to strike back at these people.

The psalmists knew that feeling. The Psalms are full of prayers that pour out anger over the sin of the world - often called imprecatory prayers. Psalm 109 is among the most extreme of these, but Psalm 83 is definitely in the category. In it, Asaph calls on God to destroy the enemies of Israel and invokes previous instances in which that took place.

He asks God to make these enemies like Sisera (83:9), who was killed when Jael drove a tent peg through his skull while he slept. I've had enemies but I've never prayed that God would arrange tent pegs through their skulls. He mentions kings who came against Israel when Gideon was judge and were killed because they butchered Gideon's family. In verses 13 and 14 he calls out for God to make these enemies like whirling dust and chaff, and to rain fire down on them, to "pursue them with (his) tempest and terrify them with (his) storm."  That is harsh.

There are a lot of issues working here but the last verse of this Psalm explains the heart of this strident prayer-song coming from Asaph's lips. The fact was that these people had set themselves against God and against God's people. They were working against what God was doing and they were doing so with impunity. They lived as if there was no God in Israel who would take note of the evil deeds and respond.

So, Asaph prays, in verse 18,

May they know that you alone—

whose name is the Lord—

are the Most High over the whole earth.

The primary motivation of these prayers is the fact that people live in ignorance of the power and glory of God. They act as if they can do as they please, treat God's people any way that benefits them, and live with impunity. These sinful people need a wake-up call, a reminder that there is a God in heaven who sees, who will respond, who will accomplish his purposes, protect his people and to whom each of them must answer.

At its core, Asaph's prayer is that these sinful people will realize that there is a God and that he is sovereign over this world. 

When we pray for sinful, rebellious, destructive, abusive, hurtful people today, we need to pray the heart of this prayer. Jesus told us to love our enemies and one of the best ways to love them is to pray that they will see and understand God, that God alone is Most High over all the earth and that they need to live their lives in obedience and submission to him! We ought never to pray for their destruction, but for their eyes to be opened to the power and glory of the God who created and rules this world and will one day consummate its history in his glory.

That is what solves mankind's problems. Not money, or counseling, or education, or any other human solution. The revelation of the glory of God is what we need. 

Father, may we never be vengeful or destructive toward those who stand against you, against your church and who seek to hurt your people. But I pray that you would reveal yourself in such a way that these people know you are real, you are God, and you are all in all. 

Think and Pray

Which of the readings spoke most powerfully to you today?
Is the Spirit of God moving you to repent of something you are doing, to begin something new, or to change something about your life as a result of your readings? What?

Do you have enemies, people who seek to make your life difficult, unhappy, or stressful?
Do you pray for them, and ask God to reveal his glory to them?