The following is taken from our silent devotion time that we normally begin our worship gathering with on Sunday evenings @ Solomon’s Porch.
Psalm 83:1-5
[1] O God, do not keep silence; do not hold your peace or be still, O God! [2] For behold, your enemies make an uproar; those who hate you have raised their heads. [3] They lay crafty plans against your people; they consult together against your treasured ones. [4] They say, “Come, let us wipe them out as a nation; let the name of Israel be remembered no more!” [5] For they conspire with one accord; against you they make a covenant—
Do you ever feel as if God is silent or seems to not be moving in your life or in the local church? If that’s how you feel, vs 1 shows us that it’s ok to voice those feelings to God, and to further ask him to speak and move, or at least to stir your heart so that you can hear and see Him moving. Take a moment and ask God to speak and move in your life and in the life of your local church.
As our culture increases in hostility towards God, especially His Law and Gospel, it becomes easier for His people to be tempted to retreat into silence, and grow fearful. Ask the Lord to give you as an individual, and the church together, boldness to proclaim the truth of the Scriptures as they are demonstrated in both the Law and the Gospel, even though it maybe unpopular to do so.
Vs 5 gives us a very important perspective for the Christian life. The world hates us because it hates Him. It is against the Lord that they conspire. That is helpful for us to know, because we are small in number and weak. If it was about merely wiping us off the face of the earth the task would not be hard. But their true malice is against the Lord, and therefore we are under the protection of His glory. No weapon formed can defeat us because it cannot defeat Him.
Isaiah 54:17
“no weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed, and you shall refute every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD and their vindication from me, declares the LORD.”
Take a moment and thank Him for His divine power and the safety and protection He gives to His people.