Read Psalm 119:81-88
“Longing”
For what do we long? The things of heaven or the things of earth? In today’s stanza,
we see an increased longing on the part of the psalmist for God to deliver him,
to save him, from those who were actively persecuting him (mentioned 4-5 times).
This longing is seen in the first two verses,
“My
soul longs for your salvation;
I hope in your word.
My eyes long for your promise;
I ask, “When will you comfort me?” (v. 81-82)
I hope in your word.
My eyes long for your promise;
I ask, “When will you comfort me?” (v. 81-82)
Trusting God is
no guarantee that you will get whatever you want right now. If fact it is often
quite the opposite. However, he is with us right now in the midst of any trials
we are facing. It is in the tough times that we can learn from the psalmist’s
testimony. When facing persecution, he does not turn from the Word of God but
hopes in it and keeps it all the more faithfully. May we have the same resolve
when we are pressed.
This passage
causes me to look ahead to Revelation 12:10-11 where John describes the great
age-long battle between the dragon and the people of God.
"And
I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the
salvation and the power and the
kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death."
kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death."
My fear is that
our deep longing is not tied to our love for Christ and his Word but has become
more focused on the earthly things that make for a comfortable life. I hope we
would be able to stand “not loving our own lives even unto death” but I have my
doubts.
O Lord, you know
the desperate requests of your people around the world, the things they need to
stay alive and to stand firm. I pray that you would fulfill their sacred
longings even now. Please save, even those who don’t yet realize that they need
to be saved. Please comfort the bullied, vindicate the persecuted, and embolden the
harassed. Bring truth and justice to light along with the mercy available to us
through the promises of your Word fulfilled in Christ! Enable us to stand in
faith because you stood for us. Amen.
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