I love the absolute honesty in the Book of Psalms. Whoever wrote those ancient poems certainly wore his heart on his sleeve. Psalm 10 is a good example of someone who finds it difficult to deal with the greed and injustice in his society. His complaint to God is that the rich get richer, the wicked become more powerful, and the proud are brazen about their vanity. If ever a psalm was written for our times, this one is very fitting, meaningful, and relevant.
The psalmist’s complaint, however, is directed at God for what appears to be God’s absence in the midst of so much injustice. The ancient poet finds it difficult to see what is happening around him and that the God of his heart is doing nothing to change things. God appears to be impotent, unmoved, and distant. Evil triumphs when God is silent; good is cast aside when God does not respond. The author states that he has personally put a lot of time, commitment, and devotion into his religious belief. He is perplexed when God is inactive; he is deeply disappointed when God does not challenge or remove the evildoers.
Sometimes I deal with the same frustration. I want things to be fair and just for everyone. I want the world to be a place that is free from fear or cruelty. I want the oppressed to be delivered and the marginalized to be accepted. I want all sorts of real godliness to be apparent in our leaders. But when these things don’t happen, I want God to come bursting into our world to set things right, to make things smooth, to restore hope, peace, and love for everyone.
And then I remember that God has already done these things on the Cross at Calvary. Every mistake has been pinned to that tree of shame. Every sin has been nailed to Christ’s broken body. Every injustice has been impaled on Jesus. Instead of being at a distance, God has come beside us; instead of being far off, God through Christ has penetrated our unjust society and is present in our painful times.
Point to ponder
What things would I like God to change in my community, society, and the world? What am I personally doing to accomplish those changes?
Prayer: Lord God, it’s very easy for us to complain
and shift the responsibility for our broken and divided world onto someone
else. We forget our sinful part and ignore our unjust ways. None of us are
perfect; not one of us is innocent. Challenge us to be changemakers; teach us
to lovingly transform our community; encourage us to get involved. In Your Holy
Name, we pray. Amen.
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