Forever!
Psalm 119:89-91 Forever, O Lord, Your word is settled in heaven. Your faithfulness continues throughout all generations; You established the earth, and it stands. They stand this day according to Your ordinances, for all things are Your servants
Did you hear what I heard?
FOREVER… Your word is SETTLED!
YOU established the earth… and IT STANDS! They(all the people, places & stuff of earth) stand THIS DAY according to your ordinances… for all things are YOUR SERVANTS!
Do you get it? It took me awhile but I know you are quicker than me!
Whether we BELIEVE or not… whether we AGREE or not… whether we INTERPRET differently or not… whether we KNOW HIM or not… whether we KNOW HIS WORD or not… IT STANDS!!!!
For ALL THINGS are… wait for it… YOUR SERVANTS!
Hello!!!
Maybe, just maybe, we are going about this “earth thing” the wrong way. Maybe we’re starting at the wrong end with the wrong person/people in charge.
We’re starting with a good idea… rather than starting with the truth. We’re starting with the perfect outcome… rather than all the jewels gleaned from the journey of life. We’re starting with our version of the experts (are they really experts??)… rather than the One True EXPERT – the Creator of all things – the One who knows every molecule of everything.
Maybe, just maybe, this is the very Person we are most afraid of. So afraid, we go to any lengths to make Him disappear, which only occurs in our FOOLISH MIND.
Therefore the Lord longs to be gracious to you, And therefore He waits on high to have compassion on you. For the Lord is a God of justice; How blessed are all those who long for Him. Isaiah 30:18
He waits… while we play. “To what then shall I compare the men of this generation, and what are they like? They are like children who sit in the market place and call to one another, and they say, ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not weep.’” Luke 7:31-32
I don’t know much about anything – or as I sometimes say to my tech consultants, “I know just enough to screw things up!”
I think there are a lot more of my style of expert living, than we know. They are the ones playing the flute, dancing, and singing the “Woe is Me!” (and the WHOLE world) if SOMETHING is NOT DONE! “So, give me all your stuff to do SOMETHING with!!!!”
What will generally be done, is to give the demand/command to the government (the imaginary nanny/mommy/caregiver of all) where of course it will be put in the High Priority to Ignore file. The demand/command will be given to anyone and/or everyone who cannot not and will not solve our weeping soul.
“Woe to the rebellious children,” declares the Lord, “Who execute a plan, but not Mine, And make an alliance, but not of My Spirit, In order to add sin to sin; Who proceed down to Egypt Without consulting Me, To take refuge in the safety of Pharaoh And to seek shelter in the shadow of Egypt! Isaiah 30:1-2
Israel tried it – didn’t work for them. In fact, taking refuge in anyone or anything but God (The God of Israel – The God who Loves) has NEVER WORKED because, though many promises are made, the promises are made without love and respect!
As my daughter mentioned last night, “It takes a village, sounds like community which we all seek and need, but then we discover the context is talking about THOSE who know best (government), not the people of the community. Without the people, the concept fails completely. Community requires neighbor, loving your neighbor as yourself!”
Not just any kind of love… the Love of God. “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. John 3:16-17 kind of love! The kind of love that keeps on loving, keeps on providing, keeps on sustaining His Creation, EVEN when and while we are MESSING IT UP!
FOREVER! Or until God decides the earth is no longer needed – then comes eternity. (Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away. But of that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone. Mark 13:30-32)
When you’re talking FOREVER until the Father speaks… well… this is THE EXPERT I want know – and walk with – and speak with – and follow in all His ways.
He is the One who will deliver us from all our earthly enemies (pain, suffering, hunger, homelessness, climate change & evil)…
And David spoke the words of this song to the Lord in the day that the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. He said, “ The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge; My savior, You save me from violence. 2 Samuel 22:1-3
He is the One who will direct our steps…
“ This is the way, walk in it,” whenever you turn to the right or to the left. Isaiah 30:21
He is the One who places us in this moment – “For a time such as this”…
Philippians 2:13 for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.
To serve Him and His creation…
For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. Ephesians 2:10
We got some walking to do… we best get started!
FOREVER! Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path. Psalm 119:10
**All Scripture quoted comes from the “Bible Gateway” app and is the NASB version of the Bible unless otherwise noted.