THE LORD SPOKE (August 5)

Daily Reflections from Scripture:

Old Testament: Psalm 8-14

We all do it at times. We groan and our COMPLAINT (Ps. 10:1-11) begins the same way as that of the psalmist: “Lord look at this mess. Why don’t you do something about it?”

Because of the many terms used for the defenseless in this psalm it has been called “A Psalm for the Holocaust”. They’re described as the weak (Ps. 10:2), the innocent (Ps. 10:8), victims (Ps. 10:8,10,14), the helpless (Ps. 10:9[2x],12), the fatherless (Ps. 10:14,18), the afflicted (Ps. 10:17), and the oppressed (Ps. 10:18). Verbs describing their condition run from terrified, hunted down, caught, and crushed, to murdered. Your own “times of trouble” (Ps. 10:1) may not be at that level but at times they do reach such proportions. On the other hand, the wicked man of Ps. 10:2 is arrogant, greedy, prosperous, proud, wicked, haughty, and sneering, yet he is prosperous, happy, and very self-confident (notice: “he says to himself” appears three times in Ps. 10:6,11, and 13).

Out of that despairing situation comes a COMMITMENT (Ps. 10:12-15) as the victim turns to the ultimate Source of help (see Ps. 10:14). His imprecatory prayer comes after a plea for help and quickly turns to praise for the Lord who is “king for ever and ever” (Ps. 10:16).

The psalm concludes with CONFIDENCE (Ps. 10:16-18) that God does see our affliction, listen to our cry for help, and will defend and encourage us in our times of trouble.

If you want more confirmation of that, just look at the next psalm!


New Testament: Hebrews 13

Four significant activities are prescribed in this chapter with regard to spiritual leaders. This is what God expects of you:

1) REMEMBER YOUR LEADERS (Heb. 13:7a) - There are some obvious (and very heavy) implications in this verse for leaders! First of all, they must speak the Word of God, not their own ideas or some empty platitudes. And, they must be living those truths in their own lives. But it is then your job to listen, to learn, and to live the way they tell you. That may not be the way of current evangelical American independence but it is God’s way.

2) IMITATE YOUR LEADERS (Heb. 13:7b) - Again, the leaders are under tremendous responsibility here. They must be absolutely genuine and transparent in their lives. They must live like Jesus! But when you consider the outcome of their way of life, you are to imitate their faith. Not necessarily their every action, or style, or mannerism. But their faith and faithfulness.

3) OBEY YOUR LEADERS (Heb. 13:17) - Here’s the rub. Those leaders have authority and you are to submit. That means bending your own will or ideas to theirs. Never does this or any other Scripture teach blind obedience to human authority. That would be wrong and very dangerous. Those leaders are responsible and must be held accountable first to God, of course, but also to their followers. It is not a blanket authority. But it is authority.

4) PRAY FOR YOUR LEADERS (Heb. 13:18) - How important this is! When you do this, several things happen: (a) you find it easier to submit to their authority, (b) their accounting is much easier, (c) they find their work a joy and not a burden, (d) they will desire to live honorably in every way, and (e) their conscience will quickly reveal any lack of clarity and God will bring great conviction.

This will result, as it does here in Hebrews 13:20-21, in a great doxology:

May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.