Midweek Message: From a Distance

Psalm 10:1 Why, Lord, do you stand far off? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble? (NIV)

              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.

Only A Youth - Jeremiah 1:7

Jeremiah 1:7 But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am only a youth’; for you shall go to all to whom I send you, and you shall speak whatever I command you.” (NRSV)

            Ever since the tragic Parkland massacre, High School students in the United States have been at the forefront of our daily news. Our young people are gravely concerned about the violence in our nation and want to make changes. Their voice is raw with intense feeling and their statements are unfettered by any cultural niceties or social courtesy. They feel insecure and outraged; they express a strong desire to make a difference, so that their generation can live in a more peaceable world and a less intolerant one. They are determined not to let this moment pass away, so they are showing a high amount of solidarity which may eventually define this upcoming generation.

            Sadly, some people are dismissing their views because they are young and inexperienced in the ways of the world. There is a pushback against any proposed changes to our current laws and some folks are even disparaging the sincerity of the young people, accusing them of being political foils for clandestine groups. I find this difficult to accept because I’ve watched and listened to these young people on all sorts of different occasions, but I guess those who falsely promoted the Sandy Hook conspiracy theories are jumping on the same cynical bandwagon once more.

            When God chose Jeremiah to be a prophet to his generation, Jeremiah pushed back against God’s choice because he thought he was too young. He couldn’t see himself as being effective because of his age and inexperience, so he tried to get God to change His mind and pick someone else. But, as always, God knew what He was doing. He needed someone to be the voice of prophecy for an entire generation, someone who had decades of life ahead of him. God was enlisting Jeremiah’s youthful zeal to a prophetic call that would constantly challenge God’s people for many years. In other words, God knew what He was doing when He appointed Jeremiah to the role of prophecy. No matter how young he was initially, God would use Jeremiah’s voice for justice and mercy, truth and change; perhaps He is still doing this with our own High Schoolers today.

Point to ponder

What kind of world do I want young people to live in? Am I willing to help them accomplish this?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, when You were a teenager, You asked many questions in the Temple which amazed the elders and priests who heard You. Your life challenged traditional values and contemporary customs. You came to both save and change the world. Allow us to continue Your ministry in our communities, so that we may make this planet a more peaceable and less fearful place. In Your Holy Name, we earnestly pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to comment or ask questions about today’s devotion, please send him an email to Traqair@aol.com.

Today’s image is one of John’s drawings of a Celtic Peace Cross with the Liturgical colors surrounding it. If you would like to view a larger version, please click this link: Peace.