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Day 189 Psalm 74 Psalm 74:1 O God, why hast thou cast us off forever? Why doth thine anger smoke against the sheep of thy pasture? 2 Remember thy congregation, which thou hast purchased of old; the rod of thine inheritance, which thou hast redeemed; this mount Zion, wherein thou hast dwelt. 3 Lift up thy feet unto the perpetual desolations; even all that the enemy hath done wickedly in the sanctuary. 4 Thine enemies roar in the midst of thy congregations; they set up their ensigns for signs. 5 A man was famous according as he had lifted up axes upon the thick trees. 6 But now they break down the carved work thereof at once with axes and hammers. 7 They have cast fire into thy sanctuary, they have defiled by casting down the dwelling place of thy name to the ground. 8 They said in their hearts, “Let us destroy them together;” they have burned up all the synagogues of God in the land. 9 We see not our signs: there is no more any prophet: neither is there among us any who knows how long. 10 O God, how long shall the adversary reproach? Shall the enemy blaspheme thy name forever? 11 Why withdraw thou thy hand, even thy right hand? Pluck it out of thy bosom. 18 Remember this, that the enemy hath reproached, O LORD, and that the foolish people have blasphemed thy name. 19 O deliver not the soul of thy turtledove unto the multitude of the wicked: forget not the congregation of thy poor forever. 20 Have respect unto the covenant: for the dark places of the earth are full of the habitations of cruelty. 21 O let not the oppressed return ashamed: let the poor and needy praise thy name. 22 Arise, O God, plead thine own cause: remember how the foolish man reproaches thee daily. 23 Forget not the voice of thine enemies: the tumult of those who rise up against thee increases continually. Turn on the news, open the Internet and read it on the web. What do you see or hear? People bring their hate and discontent to innocent bystanders. It fills every corner of your life like a cancer. God sent Israel into exile for their disobedience against Him. Asaph wondered how long they would contend with people who defiled God’s name. Everywhere he looked he saw wickedness and lived in the middle of wicked people. He called on God to end the destruction of His people. As Christians, you live in the middle of wickedness. People find humor in blaspheming God. What do you do? Do you pray as Asaph did for God to end the destruction of His people? When was the last time you did something constructive and spoke up for God? Does your life reflect your dedication to God, or do you go along with the crowd and compromise your faith in the name of tolerance? Little by little those in authority cut away what you believe. They make laws countering God’s laws. It’s okay to destroy unborn children. It’s okay to live in adultery. It’s okay for people to marry someone of the same sex. Everything God said was evil, man says is good. Where will it end? What will you do when they lock your churches and throw you in prison for being a Christian? You don’t need to physically live in exile to feel the weight of exile as those in authority strip away everything you hold precious. Asaph asked what happened to the prophets who warned them about what would take place. What will you do when your ministers no longer preach God’s Word because they are either dead or in prison? Will you take up the mantle and stand up for God as Asaph did and pray for God to intervene for His people? It’s time to intervene for God’s people and pray for their voices to be heard above the noise of tolerance. Let’s pray: Father, help me stand for You and Your Word as people cry out for tolerance and try to destroy the foundation of my faith in You. Lift up the voices of Your people. Let them take a stand against tolerance. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen. Copyright © 17 December 2021 by Valerie Routhieaux Image courtesy of Pixabay