Dividing Lines-Dividing Lives

How long, O God, will You allow our enemies to insult You? Will you let them dishonor Your name forever? Why do You hold back Your strong right hand? Unleash Your powerful fist and destroy them. Psalm 74:10-11

Unless you’ve been on a deserted island with no link to the outside world, you can’t miss the upheaval that’s been going on in our country (or the world at large.) I’m not one to start a political debate, because I don’t feel qualified. That doesn’t mean I don’t have an opinion, and if someone cares to hear it, I’m happy to share. However, I’m not going to jump into the fray like so many are apt to do these days. There are extremists on both sides, and that’s where Satan does his best work. We are becoming increasingly divided in this country, with everyone screaming their views and closing off their ears to any other position. It’s disturbing, nauseating, and disgusting. But if you spend much time in the Bible, it’s not unexpected.

Although King David was credited with writing most of Psalms, there were portions written by Asaph—Psalm 50 and 73-83. He was a gifted musician appointed in David’s day to be part of the Levitical choir. I’ve read Psalms many times, but there is a reason the Bible is called the living, breathing Word of God. It doesn’t change, but our hearts do, and we can always learn something new about the Lord and ourselves when we read it again.

I was lamenting to the Lord about the wickedness of those in government. Whether you’re a democrat, republican, libertarian, or something in the middle, I don’t care. What I do care about, however, is that we as a country have fallen so far away from what God calls us to as individuals and as a nation, and we are seeing the consequences for our actions, and in some cases, non-action (apathy). What better time to discuss this but on Independence Day? If things continue as they are, it won’t be long before we will not exist as a nation.

“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.” This was once credited to Edmund Burke, but that has since been debunked. It doesn’t really matter who said it—it’s true. Lukewarmness is another name for apathy, and it’s what Jesus charged the church in Laodicea with in Revelation (3:15). He can work with His followers who are cold—but apathy is not caring one way or the other.

It stirred my heart and mind last week as I witnessed those who claim to believe in pro-choice coming unhinged over the Supreme Court’s overturn of Roe V Wade. The hate, anger, and downright lies that are being slung at anyone who doesn’t side with their belief that women have a constitutional right to abort their babies—some even up to the time of birth. I could go off on a tirade about my views, but I doubt you want to read them. Instead, I went to the Lord, and He took me to Psalm 74.

The introduction in my Bible regarding Psalms 73-77 explain that Asaph is asking the hard question—Why do the wicked flourish while Israel flounders? (Psalm 73-74) “By focusing on God’s justice (75-76) and God’s faithfulness to his people (77), Asaph discovers a solid foundation of hope, even as the wicked seem to get away with murder.” (The Daily Walk Bible: Explore God’s Path to Life—pg. 669)

And literally, people are screaming about their rights to get away with murder. You can justify it anyway you want, but every child conceived is in the image of the Almighty God. At the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington, D.C, on February 5, 1994, Mother Theresa had this to say about abortion:

“By abortion, the mother does not learn to love, but kills even her own child to solve her problems. And, by abortion, that father is told that he does not have to take any responsibility at all for the child he has brought into the world. The father is likely to put other women into the same trouble. So abortion just leads to more abortion. Any country that accepts abortion is not teaching its people to love, but to use any violence to get what they want. This is why the greatest destroyer of love and peace is abortion.”

This Supreme Court decision has divided us even more. But is that a bad thing? There are no shades of gray with God. Either you’re for Him or you’re against Him. You can’t stand with one foot on Team God and the other on Team Satan. It’s time to take a stand. The Lord will judge and destroy the wicked, I have no doubt in my mind. I pray every day that the eyes of those who don’t know Him, or who know Him but reject Him, will be opened. We cannot hang our hopes on the next president, or what the Supreme Court says. Our only hope is in the person of Jesus Christ. When this world collapses (and it will), it will be a glorious day for those of us who love God. But for the wicked? It doesn’t matter how much fame, fortune, and/or respect they garner in this life; it’s not going to buy them a place in the heavenly kingdom.

The words Asaph penned in Psalm 73:25-26 had me in literal tears, because this is truly my heart and my hope: Whom have I in heaven but you? I desire you more than anything on earth. My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever.

Rejoice. The wicked will never prevail!

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