And yet, there is another story here. It seems to me that it isn’t just about the Lord hearing the cry of the just and destroying the evil doers. If that were the case, none of us would be here long enough to reproduce the species. I don’t think the words of encouragement are sent to make us feel good about our obedience to God. I think we need to feel a tension here between the part of us that is just and the part of us that does not repent of our evil doing. If we are honest, we have to admit that we carry that tension around inside ourselves each day as we decide whether we are going to trust God or trust the ways of this world. Despite that tension, I think most of us can say that we have felt the Lord come near to us in our distress. Life is difficult but our faith keeps us trying to obey and trusting in God because we know that the Lord hears us. Those of us who have experienced delivery and rescue need to share that witness with those around us that we see who are crushed in spirit, those who are brokenhearted. We need to share those beautiful words of encouragement of how good the Lord is with others. That is one way we can bless the Lord today! |