Tag Archives: ISIS

Do you have an upholder?

14 Thursday Sep 2017

Posted by in Bible, Devotionals, Psalm 37, Psalms

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Reading:                                      Psalm 37

(Verses 12-17)
The wicked plot against the righteous
and gnash their teeth at them;
but the LORD laughs at the wicked,
for he knows their day is coming.
The wicked draw the sword
and bend the bow
to bring down the poor and needy,
to slay those whose ways are upright.
But their swords will pierce their own hearts,
and their bows will be broken.
Better the little that the righteous have
than the wealth of many wicked;
for the power of the wicked will be broken,
but the LORD upholds the righteous (NIV).

Reflection
As stated in my first post on Psalm 37, this psalm is a stark night and day comparison of the life of the evil person with the life of the individual who does right in God’s eyes. The contrast is profound.

2017-08-24c

Where land ends, Bruce Peninsula National Park — photo by Karen Kitz

I cannot read the passage above without thinking of the evil that is loose in the world today. Here in Canada in recent years, we had the trial of Luka Magnotta for the slaying of Jun Lin, a Chinese born university student. Magnotta posted his killing of Jun Lin with an icepick on YouTube. After dismembering his body Magnotta mailed various body parts to schools and political party headquarters.

In Iraq and Syria, ISIS militants defiantly beheaded journalists and international aid workers in a cowardly display of their depravity. Any who hold different religious views have been executed, their women raped, their children enslaved. It appears we live in a wicked world where hatred and evil are trumpeted as worthy pursuits—pursuits that attract adoring young fanatics.

The opening line of this psalm posting is as true today as when it was written three thousand years ago. The wicked plot against the righteous and gnash their teeth at them… The wicked draw the sword and bend the bow to bring down the poor and needy, to slay those whose ways are upright.

The sin process is still at work in the hearts of men.  When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death (James 1:13-15).

But thanks be to God! We have this promise: for the power of the wicked will be broken, but the LORD upholds the righteous. God will uphold us as we put our trust in Him.

Response: LORD God, you are my my upholder—my help in evil times, in times of trouble. I put my trust in you. Hold me in the palm of your hand. I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Your Turn: How do you fight evil? Where does it start? We must examine our hearts.

There is a God who Judges the Earth

17 Monday Aug 2015

Posted by in Psalm 58, Psalms

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Reading:                                         Psalm 58

For the director of music. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” Of David. A miktam.

Do you rulers indeed speak justly?
Do you judge people with equity?
No, in your heart you devise injustice,
and your hands mete out violence on the earth.

Even from birth the wicked go astray;
from the womb they are wayward, spreading lies.

 Their venom is like the venom of a snake,
like that of a cobra that has stopped its ears,
that will not heed the tune of the charmer,
however skillful the enchanter may be.

Break the teeth in their mouths, O God;
LORD, tear out the fangs of those lions!
Let them vanish like water that flows away;
when they draw the bow, let their arrows fall short.
May they be like a slug that melts away as it moves along,
like a stillborn child that never sees the sun.

Before your pots can feel the heat of the thorns—
whether they be green or dry—the wicked will be swept away.
The righteous will be glad when they are avenged,
when they dip their feet in the blood of the wicked.

Then people will say, “Surely the righteous still are rewarded;
surely there is a God who judges the earth” (NIV).

Reflection

The overall title of my devotional posts is, ‘I Love the Psalms’. Do I love Psalm 58? Ah, not so much.

There is a term for this type of psalm. It’s called an imprecatory psalm. According to Wikipedia imprecatory psalms “are those that invoke judgment, calamity, or curses, upon one’s enemies or those perceived as the enemies of God.”

The sword of justice -- David Kitz

The sword of justice — David Kitz

Currently, I don’t feel an urge to call down curses on others. I am at peace with those around me. That’s a good thing and I praise God for the joy and security I experience. In such an environment imprecatory psalms are completely out of place. They do not reflect my current reality.

But what if my reality was completely different? What if my son had been killed by ISIS militants? What if my daughter had been kidnapped and raped by jihadists? Or closer to home—what if my unarmed, teenage son was shot by police? I would be outraged. I would call for divine justice. In times such as these, the imprecatory psalms have profound resonance. We want and need a God who will judge the earth. At such times, we call on a God who cares to rise up and act on our behalf.

Response: LORD God, in a world filled with injustice, we call on you to help and defend the innocent. Help the victims of violence and war and bring the perpetrators to justice. Amen.

Your Turn: Have you been praying for Christian communities ravaged by war in Iraq and Syria?

Who is upholding you?

01 Wednesday Oct 2014

Posted by in Psalms

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Reading:                                     Psalm 37

(Verses 12-17)

The wicked plot against the righteous     

and gnash their teeth at them;

but the LORD laughs at the wicked,     

for he knows their day is coming.

The wicked draw the sword     

and bend the bow to bring down the poor and needy,     

to slay those whose ways are upright.

But their swords will pierce their own hearts,     

and their bows will be broken.

Better the little that the righteous have     

than the wealth of many wicked;

for the power of the wicked will be broken,     

but the LORD upholds the righteous. (NIV)

Reflection

As stated in my first post on Psalm 37, this psalm is a stark night and day comparison of the life of the evil person with the life of the individual who does right in God’s eyes. The contrast is profound.

Petrie Island -- David Kitz

Petrie Island — David Kitz

I cannot read the passage above without thinking of the evil that is loose in the world today. Here in Canada, this week marks the start of Luka Magnotta’s trial in the slaying of Jun Lin, a Chinese born university student. Magnotta posted his killing of Jun Lin with an icepick on YouTube. After dismembering his body Magnotta mailed various body parts to schools and political party headquarters.

In Iraq and Syria, ISIS militants defiantly behead journalists and international aid workers in a cowardly display of their depravity. Any who hold different religious views are executed, their women raped, their children enslaved. It appears we live in a wicked world where hatred and evil are trumpeted as worthy pursuits—pursuits that attract adoring young fanatics.

The opening line of this psalm posting is as true today as when it was written three thousand years ago. The wicked plot against the righteous and gnash their teeth at them… The wicked draw the sword and bend the bow to bring down the poor and needy, to slay those whose ways are upright.

The sin process is still at work in the hearts of men.  When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death (James 1:13-15).

But thanks be to God! We have this promise: for the power of the wicked will be broken, but the LORD upholds the righteous. God will uphold us as we put our trust in Him.

Response: LORD God, you are my help in evil times, in times of trouble. I put my trust in you. Hold me in the palm of your hand. I pray in Jesus name. Amen.

Your Turn: How do you fight evil? Where does it start? We must examine our hearts.