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Suffering, Surrender and God’s Sovereignty: an example for us

Published by S.M. Wibberley on July 22, 2018
 
 
In Nigeria, the Islamic group, Boko Haram, has targeted everything and everyone it views as being outside “true Islam.” This includes not only Christians, whom they call infidels, but also secular schools and irreligious Muslims. As a result, tens of thousands of families have been destroyed or torn apart.
One Christian woman, Deborah, was talking with her neighbor when five young men drove up in a pickup, jumped out with their guns, and ran into her house, shot her husband. They scooped up Deborah’s two daughters, aged 9 and 7, and drove off. Three months later her 12 year old boy was ambushed as he walked home from school and killed. Deborah then fled with her pastor and family to a refugee camp.
How did she handle losing her husband, her daughters, her son and home? “I wasn’t in my real mind, “she said. “I lost myself completely. I lost weight. I was going through a lot of trauma.” She struggled with hopelessness for about three years, but eventually began to trust that God had a plan and a future for her. “I feel whatever God’s plan is—if it is His will for me not to get the girls back, then lead them to heaven. But if it is His will to let us come together again, let the men release the girls. That is my prayer. I know that no matter what, we will still meet at God’s feet.” –from Voice of the Martyers Magazine
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Psalm 6:8-10

Published by S.M. Wibberley on July 21, 2018

Psalm 6:8 “Away from me, all you who do evil, for the LORD has heard my weeping.”

[Here is a statement of pure faith—nothing has changed, there is no sign of an answer, yet David, after looking to God in prayer, is ready to trust, to act on unseen Truth and believe in the faithfulness of his heavenly Father.]

Psalm 6:9 “The LORD has heard my cry for mercy; the LORD accepts my prayer.”

[He is certain, sure, convinced of God’s faithfulness and mercy, so he can state with trust that Jehovah has heard him and will answer. He looks to the character of God, the heart of his Lord, and is sure of an answer in the right time and right way. “I will call upon the Lord in the day of trouble, for he will answer me” (Psa. 86:7). ]

Psalm 6:10 “All my enemies will be ashamed and dismayed; they will turn back in sudden disgrace.”

[David ends his psalm with the statement of conviction and confidence. He does not have any visible sign of help yet, but he is sure of the outcome because he knows the living God who can and does act in power.

Praise be to you, Lord, for your great and wonderful character, full of unfailing love, unfailing wisdom, unfailing grace, unfailing help. You see all that is going on in our hearts, you know all our troubles, you hear all our prayers and you always answer in wisdom, power and grace.

We praise and thank you for your wonderful provision out of your glorious riches, your endless grace and your loving heart. May we live today in the light of these truths, bringing honor to you through our trust and confidence in you. Amen.]

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Psalm 6:5-7

Published by S.M. Wibberley on July 20, 2018
Psalm 6:5 “No one remembers you when he is dead. Who praises you from the grave?”
 
[While he is right that the dead cannot praise in this world any longer, David here did not seem to have a clear view of what came after death. We as believers will praise you, Lord, forever in Heaven. We will see you face to face, exalt you, and bring you honor as we see your glory more clearly. What a marvelous truth!]
 
Psalm 6:6-7 “I am worn out from groaning; all night long I flood my bed with weeping and drench my couch with tears. My eyes grow weak with sorrow; they fail because of all my foes.”
 
[David was overwhelmed with worry, with fears, with anguish over his difficulties, his problems, his many enemies. In the night his mind raced from one problem to the next and sleep eluded him. His attempts to deal with this met with failure; his strength is too little, his resources too meager.
 
So he cried out to you, Lord, the only true source of help, the only actual salvation available. He poured out his heart, hiding nothing. We know from other passages, that in lifting his soul to you, he was able to lay his burdens before you and be open to a renewed filling of the truth.
 
In Psalm 46:5, speaking of Jerusalem, David wrote, “God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day.” That is, after waiting through the coldest, darkest part of the night, God would come in to help. So often we have to wait in faith for the help we desire, knowing He will come in the right way at the right time.
 
May we turn to you, Lord, early on and not let with our worry and fear control us, not depend on our finite insight and wisdom. Help us to consistently lift our souls to you, telling you what we are thinking, feeling and wanting, and submit this all to your Word.
 
The imprisoned pastor in Turkey has done this, coming to rest in Christ in spite of the strong possibility of spending the next 35 years in prison. In his hearing this week he made this statement “I have forgiven those who have been unjust to me, hurt me, and separated me from my children,” adding, “Of course, suffering for the sake of Christ is also a privilege. I am suffering these anguishes for the sake of His name, I am glad that I share his sorrows.”
 
Lord, we praise you that you are our Rock, our Salvation and our High Tower. May we rush to you for help in each challenge so that you may be lifted up before men and angels as you save us yet again from our enemies who are too strong for us.]
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Psalm 6:1-4

Published by S.M. Wibberley on July 19, 2018

Psalm 6:1 “O LORD, do not rebuke me in your anger or discipline me in your wrath.”

[Our guilt is so great and your corresponding wrath is so mighty, we would be crushed in an instant if you disciplined us in your full anger. I praise you, O Jehovah, that while you are the holy, sinless, pure God who hates sin, yet you love sinners and have provided us a means of shelter, a way to escape your righteous wrath through the death and resurrection of Christ.

Praise be to you for your gracious, kind and forgiving heart, and for your mercy triumphing over justice. You, Lord Jesus, took the punishment and anger we deserved, and you, heavenly Father were willing to pour your righteous wrath on Him rather than us, opening the way for us into your Kingdom, into your family, into full forgiveness.]

Psalm 6:2 “Be merciful to me, LORD, for I am faint; O LORD, heal me, for my bones are in agony. My soul is in anguish. How long, O LORD, how long?”

[You have made body, soul and spirit so intertwined that the anguish of one strongly affects the others. Praise you, Lord, that your healing touch in one area also brings healing to the others. You are the answer to our anguish, you are the healer of our hurts, the cure to all that troubles us.

You are merciful in our need and we can turn to you, knowing that our salvation comes from you, you only are our Rock, our Salvation and our high Tower. Our soul finds rest in you alone, and when our soul is at rest, so is the whole of our being.]

Psalm 6:4 Turn, O LORD, and deliver me; save me because of your unfailing love.”

[You in your wonderful wisdom bring us through dark valleys where all seems to go wrong, where we are overwhelmed with failure and anguish, where we must walk by faith. And in this torment, we can appeal to your unfailing love—which is the only ground of approach to you, for we in ourselves do not deserve to even think of speaking to you; naturally we have no access. But you opened the way with your love, your everlasting, unfailing agape love.

You, Lord God, are great in grace, lavish in love, marvelous in mercy, mighty in forgiveness. We bow before you in awe, surrender to you in thankfulness, accepting your grace, putting on your full armor, and then rise up to walk with you into this day, shining in the light of your love, bringing hope and truth and grace to all we meet. Glorify yourself in us, through us, in spite of us, Lord.]

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Psalm 5:12

Published by S.M. Wibberley on July 18, 2018
Psalm 5:12 “For surely, O LORD, you bless the righteous;”
 
[Yes, you do, Lord, you bless those who have bowed before you, have received your pardon, have been cleansed of their sin by the blood of Christ, have been clothed with the righteousness of Christ and have become members of your family.
 
You bless us daily with your presence, your love, your grace, your goodness, your wisdom, your power, your protection and your purpose. To be your child, to know you is to be blessed beyond conception, beyond imagination, beyond belief!
 
Truly you are worthy of our wholehearted worship: “Now to the one who can do infinitely more than all we can ask or imagine according to the power that is working among us—to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever! Amen” (Eph. 3:20-21).]
 
“you surround them with your favor as with a shield.”
 
[Every day we live in your favor as your dearly beloved children, deeply cared for, doted on and delighted in. You are enthused to meet with us each morning as we awake– are we as enthused to meet with You? You are pleased when we come to you in prayer, you are delighted when we bring our problems to you, you are glad when we intentionally walk with you through the day.
 
Your favor surrounds us, covers us, protects us, guides us, provides for us. “As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the LORD is flawless. He is a shield for all who take refuge in him” (Ps. 18:30).
 
Heavenly Father, Shepherd Jesus, indwelling Holy Spirit, You are fully, truly, absolutely worthy of worship, obedience, exaltation and love. So I bow before you this morning, I give myself to you anew. I pledge my obedience to love and praise you for what you will bring today, no matter how it may appear to me. May you be glorified in my life today.]
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Psalm 5:11

Published by S.M. Wibberley on July 17, 2018
Psalm 5:11 “But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy.”
 
[Yes, you, Lord Jesus, are the source of true Joy. To know you brings belonging, worth, power, meaning, purpose, direction and rest. All that we long for is in You.
 
You are our Refuge and Strength, our Mighty Rock, our Fortress in the day of evil. You invite us into your protection, you open the way to safety, and for those who come, you give joy.
 
Truly, knowing you is wonderful; you are the Mighty Shepherd, the Powerful Creator, the Strong Sustainer, the All-knowing King, the Majestic Victor over all evil–who in the end will right all wrongs–and you are our High Priest who lives forever to intercede for us. Yes, knowing you is enough for joy!]
 
You “Spread your protection over them,”
 
[You yourself are our our tent of refuge over us every day, every minute: “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty”!!! (Psalm 91:1).
 
As we choose to live in the grace of your presence, your light banishes darkness, your power defeats fear, your plans erase confusion. You are our personal protection, our gracious guide, our constant keeper and our persistent provider.
 
We can praise you for whatever comes, good or ghastly, delightful or difficult, nice or nasty, for you are wise and good, powerful and protecting, allowing only what can be used for growth, good and your glory!]
 
“that those who love your name may rejoice in you.”
 
[It is such a privilege to love your name, Lord Jesus. You are Yahweh, the Eternal One, the Holy I AM. You are Elohim, the Triune Creator and Faithful Redeemer. You are Adonai, the Lord of all who has the right to demand full obedience and faithfully provides all we need so we can do so.
 
We love your name and with all our being rejoice in you wholeheartedly, enthusiastically, willfully! May this bring you much honor today as we continually offer the sacrifice of thanksgiving in whatever you allow.]
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Psalm 5:9-10

Published by S.M. Wibberley on July 16, 2018

Psalm 5:9 “Not a word from their [my enemies] mouth can be trusted;”

[Satan is the father of lies: his native language is deception, so nothing he says can be trusted. Just look at how he dealt with Eve in Genesis 3. Every statement was a twisting of truth either by insinuation (“Did God really say….?”), by outright contradiction (“You will not surely die….”) or by accusation of God (…for God knows that when you eat…you will be like God….”). Not one word from Satan or his forces is reliable.]

“their heart is filled with destruction. Their throat is an open grave; with their tongue they speak deceit.”

[In our enemies there is no life or light or love, all is rebellion against what is true, right and good. The words and thoughts of Satan and his hordes are destructive, debilitating and demonic. Yet we somehow naturally believe the lies of the devil, like, “If you do this, you will be happier than in denying yourself for God,” and “Don’t miss this one, you’ll never have another chance to indulge yourself like this.”

We are drawn like moths to the flame, to the illusion of comfort and power, excitement and fulfillment. But we end up getting burned and having, as the Psalmist says, a mouth full of gravel, broken teeth and ongoing pain. Such is the result of listening to advice from the kingdom of darkness.]

Give us wisdom and insight, Lord, so that we might discern willfully reject the lies of the enemy and walk instead in the light of Truth and Righteousness and Grace, so that your Spirit can have full reign in our lives, bringing you ever more glory.

Psalm 5:10 “Declare them guilty, O God! Let their intrigues be their downfall. Banish them for their many sins, for they have rebelled against you.”

[You are the One who must deal with my enemies, O Lord, whether they be demons or people being used by the devil. And praise you, Lord Jesus, that you have vanquished them through your incarnation where you were weak and vulnerable as a man.

You have defeated them through obedience, humility, meekness and self-denial. In doing so, you have rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into your Kingdom of Light

What a wonder, what a joy, what security, safety, purpose and freedom–freedom from the evil of the enemy, the lies of Lucifer, the seduction of self and the rot of rebellion! Help us to rest in your protection today by walking in obedience and praise.]

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Psalm 5:8

Published by S.M. Wibberley on July 15, 2018

Psalm 5:8 “Lead me, O LORD, in your righteousness because of my enemies—make straight your way before me.”

[Praise be to you, Lord Jesus, for you are my Shepherd, who faithfully, consistently, without fail, leads me. Praise you that you guide me in your righteousness, meaning that you never lead me to make a mistake or a wrong turn, never cause me to get lost. If I do go wrong, it’s my own decision to not follow you.

In your leadership you are sinless and pure, your motives are good, your purposes are positive, your plans are constructive, your decisions are right, your help is powerful. You are the One to be trusted.

And I do desperately need your leadership, because I am the opposite of these qualities: I am small, ignorant and sinful; I have mixed motives, have no control over the future and do not know what is best.

Plus I am faced with powerful spiritual enemies who desire to bring me down. As it says in Psalm 62: 2,3, “How long will you assault me? Would all of you throw me down— this leaning wall, this tottering fence? Surely they intend to topple me from my lofty place….”

The devil and his demons want to defeat God’s plans by destroying my spiritual life, my witness, my marriage, my family, my future. Alone I am helpless against them, lost before the battle begins.

But you, Lord Jesus, are the mighty Victor. You have conquered Satan and his forces, and I must flee to you for protection: “My salvation and my honor depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge” (Ps. 62:7).

You, Lord, equip me, empower me, employ me in your grace and might against the forces of evil, and in your armor and strength I can “resist the devil and he will flee” from me. (James 4).

Help me follow you as you lead, Lord Jesus, to be strong in you and the power of your might, to keep on and use your full armor through each day. Help me to fight the right enemy with the right weapons so that I may join you in what you are doing, and that you may be honored in my life today.

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Psalm 5:6-7

Published by S.M. Wibberley on July 14, 2018
Psalm 5:6 ‘You destroy those who tell lies;’
 
[To lie is to reject truth, to reject you, Lord Jesus, for you are the Way, the Truth and the Life. To lie is to rely on self, elevating my intellect over your Word; it is to take the short-term, easy way out. What a wonder to know that your truthfulness, Lord, is not superficial conformance, but what permeates your whole being: it is part of your essence, your essentialness, your heart.
 
Lies automatically destroy those who use them, leading them away from reality into a web of delusion and insanity where the devil keeps them captive.
 
“bloodthirsty and deceitful men the LORD abhors.”
 
[This is far more than just disliking—you are repulsed, repelled by lying and murderous men who lightly take the lives of others, who live in deceit, using, hurting others for their own personal benefit.
 
Today’s human traffickers come to mind, living off the brief and miserable lives of others they have essentially condemned to death. ISIS is a more urgent example: men who enjoy killing and try to deceive others into thinking this is good. Khomeini, Saddam Hussein, the leaders of Sudan and Egypt, China and Russia also come to mind. In such leaders and their brutal followers there is no stability, no goodness, no redeeming factors. They are the opposite of what you are, Lord, and you abhor them.
 
At the other end of the scale is gossip–which is also deceitful and destructive, killing reputations if not bodies, and we must avoid it.]
 
Psalm 5:7 “But I, by your great mercy, will come into your house;”
 
[Before you called us into your family, each of us was one of the abhorred: liars mired in evil and deception. We all had the potential to be what these blood thirsty, murderous and deceitful men were, we just didn’t have the gall or opportunity to act it out.
 
I praise you that you abhorred what we were in our natural state, but at the same time loved us, redeemed and transformed us by your great mercy.
 
This is an unbelievably wonderful and great turning of the tables, an incredible restoration of reality, far beyond what any human being could imagine or create. You are a wonder, O Lord of love, God of goodness, King of kindness!
 
“in reverence will I bow down toward your holy temple.”
 
[What other response could there be than worshiping before you, in awe, in adoration, in thankfulness, in joy, in peace, in submission, in belief, in willing, wholehearted obedience.
 
You are God, you are Great, you are Good, and therefore right now I bow before you. May you be glorified in my life today in each decision, each word, each thought, each response, for you are entirely worthy of this honor and much more!]
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Psalm 5:4-5

Published by S.M. Wibberley on July 13, 2018

Psalm 5:4” You are not a God who takes pleasure in evil;”

[Praise be to you, Yahweh, for you are holy and wholly good: you hate evil, you abhor wickedness, you are repulsed by sinfulness and will punish it.

It is wonderful that You, O Lord, are the opposite of evil, being pure, pristine, kind, loving, gracious, righteous, forgiving, merciful and positive. You do no evil, wish no evil, promote no evil. You are good through and through.]

“with you the wicked cannot dwell.”

[In your holy presence, in your blinding, shining light of purity, the wicked are excluded, unable to stand before you. This is a marvelous truth, because it means that in the new Heaven and the new earth there will be no wickedness!

Even in this world, those who choose to remain wicked– rejecting your offer of forgiveness in Jesus and cleansing from sin, receiving the righteousness of Christ–cannot live with you. They cannot be in your family, they cannot dwell in your light, they cannot live in your joy because they choose not to do so. “Light has come into the world, but men love darkness instead of light because their deeds are evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.” (John 3:19,20).

I praise you, God, that with you there is righteousness and justice to deal with the problem of evil and eliminate it. You offer your righteousness to all who will come; we desperately need your forgiveness which brings the righteousness of Christ into our lives.]

Psalm 5:5 “The arrogant cannot stand in your presence; you hate all who do wrong.”

[The proud, trusting in themselves, in their own power, wisdom, work and worth, think they can make it on their own. They think they know better than you and reject your counsel, your wisdom, your way (Lord show me when I have such an attitude so I may quickly repent!). They cannot enter your sanctuary and in the end they will be cast out because, in their pride, they have rejected your Son and chosen to get justice (what they deserve) over receiving mercy and grace (the opposite of what they deserve).

Praise be to you, Lord God, for you take no pleasure in evil, but have great joy in forgiving, cleansing, adopting and loving those who come to you through the blood of Jesus! May our wonder at your great and gracious heart ever grow and deepen, leading us to new depths of surrender and heights of worship.]

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