Who Is the Lord?

Watching the evening news has become a health hazard for me. I seem to have the inability to remain calm as the news anchors report one human atrocity after the other. Fox news is my window to the world station of choice. They have the only reports I trust and yet, before the O'Reilly Factor is half way over, my blood pressure is at an unhealthy level.

Borrowing the words of the Psalmist I have cried out to God;

"If only you would slay the wicked, O God! Away from me you blood thirsty men! They speak of you with evil intent; your adversaries misuse your name. Do I not hate those who hate you? I have nothing but hatred for them; I count them my enemies." (Psalm 139)

Spending excessive time with this Psalm over the past few weeks, I found the Lord speaking to my warrior spirit. How ready I have been in the past to take up the sword in the name of Jesus. How willing I was to take up a holy grudge and issue a righteous rebuke on behalf of my King. Fortunately, God knew the nature of passionate children like me and wrote special scriptures to speak to hearts that abhor wickedness and sin.

"As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem. And he sent messengers on ahead, who went into a Samaritan village to get things ready for him, but the people there did not welcome him, because he was heading for Jerusalem. When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, "Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?" (Luke 9:51-54).

The villagers no doubt acted with evil intent. Their prejudice fueled their mistreatment and often harmful disrespect to Jews traveling to Jerusalem, (Luke 9:52 note). Their shameful treatment of the Lord and his disciples was surely upsetting. I can understand the anger of James and John. Still, their angry response to the Samaritan's sinful behavior was a poor representation of the God they claimed to follow.

"But Jesus turned and rebuked them, and they went to another village," (Luke 9:55).

I imagine James' and John's puffed out chests deflated quickly with their Lord's rebuke:

"You do not know what manner of spirit you are of," (Luke 9:55).

Oh what a tightrope we walk when we act on behalf of the Lord. Oswald reminds us that the Spirit of our Lord is governed with love. 1 Corinthian 13 defines love according to Jesus to be "patient, kind...it is not easily angered..." We are not told anger itself is a sin, however, we are warned, "In your anger do not sin," (Ephesians 4:26NIV).

While I accept one man does not run the country, or that a single woman does not govern congress, I find myself fighting thoughts and attitudes of impeachment and disdain. I cringe over abuse of power and double standard behaviors and I wonder if our country's role as world leader is coming to a sad and tragic end. Leaders that don't represent godly opinions, righteous dreams and wholesome desires drive me to my knees in prayer. Still, my prayers should be for the lost and depraved and not against them.

The Spirit calls me to remember we are in a battle and who the enemy truly is. Many times it seems like other people are the Lord's adversaries. Yet, scripture makes it clear that the enemy of God and of our souls is the devil. "Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour," (1 Peter 5:8). Those who are weak to his power are prisoners and often casualties of spiritual war.

The Psalmist appears to have received a rebuke from the Lord in response to his righteous anger, for his closing words depict a more humble spirit:

"Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting," (Psalm 139:22-24NIV).

Oswald continues with his insight; "We serve Jesus in a spirit that is not his, and hurt him with our defense of him." Like James and John we seek to smite the wicked ourselves, clearly forgetting our own sinful stumbles. Even so, all that we do to others we do unto our God. How much better to extend grace in love than pick up the hammer and nails of righteous indignation.

The brothers received a rebuke for their misrepresentation of Christ, Moses lost entering the promised land for modeling his own anger as God's before the people. How wise is the man or woman who can pause in trying moments to ask the question, "Who are you Lord?" and then responds in His same manner. (Acts 25:16)

"Search me, O God...know my heart...see if there is any offensive way in me...and then lead me..." (Psalm 139:22NIV).

Now I think I'll ponder Luke 9:54. Could James and John REALLY call fire down from heaven? AMAZING!