Skip to main content

Lord, We Believe

             Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth rise up and the rulers band together against the Lord and against his  anointed, saying, “Let us break their chains and throw off their shackles.”

            The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them. He rebukes them in his anger and terrifies them in his wrath, saying, “I have installed my king on Zion, my holy mountain. (Psalm 2:1-6)

 

            I am not fond of humor. It seems to me that most popular humor is all about making fun of and belittling someone. In other words, I see it as a sort of abuse. That’s why I’ve tended to be reluctant to deal with this psalm. The idea of God laughing in derision. Today, as I considered it, a slightly different picture came to mind. I can’t say that I ever saw the kings as God’s equal. I knew better than that. But somehow, there was that hint of arrogance on God’s part – well-deserved, but arrogance none-the-less. Today, I found myself thinking about a young child trying his hardest to pull free from his father's grip, or of the videos I’ve watched recently as a very young gorilla pesters his father.

            We almost can’t help but laugh at the antics of someone very inferior trying his/her luck at overpowering someone who is more powerful.  It can even seem tender - until the child goes too far. The laughter is gone in the blink of an eye, and the young one is put in his place.

            As I look around, there’s another way that this passage should give us comfort. Our reaction to the situation around us tends to be concern. We pray to God because things seem so bad – and we should. But while our response to perceived danger and evil should be to run to God and take refuge in Him, our response should also be that of the child who has complete confidence that his/her daddy is the biggest, strongest, best-est… you know… “my daddy can beat your daddy blindfolded with both hands tied behind his back!”

            As Christians, we should have that attitude, but we don’t. It’s not polite, but more importantly, even if our Father can beat all their daddies blindfolded and with both hands tied behind His back, I suspect we tend to feel that He won’t. Instead, He’ll allow us to be beaten. Our perspective is so temporal that we struggle with the idea that the victory won after death is probably bigger than a victory won during our lives. Can there even be a victory after death? The good Sunday School answer is a resounding “Yes!” but I suspect we don’t really believe it.

            Lord, we believe. Help us in our unbelief. Teach us to laugh.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Higher Thoughts

  “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the  Lord . “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. (Isaiah 55:8-9)           The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments,   for, “Who has known the mind of the Lord      so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ. (I Corinthians 2:15-16) If you read about the ancient gods of the various peoples, you’ll find that they think just like people. In fact, they think just like the sort of people we really wouldn’t want to be around. They think like the most corrupt Hollywood producer or, like hormone overloaded teens with no upbringing.   It’s embarrassing to read. I have a friend who argues that because God is not just like us, He is so vastly dif...
2 comments
Read more

Think About These Things

                 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. (Philippians 4:8) This passage is a major challenge for me. Like everyone else, I struggle to keep my thoughts from wandering off into the weeds, then wondering what possible benefits those weeds might have… Sigh. But as a writer, I have to delve at least a little into the ignoble, wrong, impure, unlovely, and debased. After all, there’s no story if everything’s just as it should be and everyone’s happy. As Christians, there are times when we need to deal with all the negatives, but that makes it even more important that we practice turning our minds by force of attention to what is noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy. It’s just too easy to get stuck in a swamp. With my...
1 comment
Read more

A Virgin?

           Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. (Isaiah 7:14)           This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. (Matthew 1:18)           But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.”            “How will this be,” Mary asked the...
Post a Comment
Read more