Turning the Corner
Two minutes of silence
Psalm 10:12-13
12 Arise, Lord! Lift up your hand, O God.
Do not forget the helpless.
13 Why does the wicked man revile God?
Why does he say to himself,
“He won’t call me to account”?
In verse 12 the Psalmist begins to turn the corner and have some hope. Up to this moment he has been honest about his feelings of sadness and despair. He has wondered why God has allowed him to suffer, he has been honest about the arrogance of the wicked and their ability to destroy lives. But now he seems to find some hope.
The writer says, “Arise, Lord! Lift up your hand, O God.” It’s amazing to see the Psalmist calling out to God even after he has suffered so much. You might expect him to give up on God or deny his existence, but deep down he knows that there is a good God. And if he really is a good God he will hate what is evil.
How about you? Even after being a victim of unspeakable pain, can you still believe that a good God exists? Maybe one way to begin is by taking a walk. Walk through the green forest. Get outside. Or enjoy a tasty treat. Eat a bowl full of fresh strawberries (with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, of course). Look around you to see God’s good fingerprints everywhere. Then look inside of you. Your body is an amazing, complex living machine, filled with advanced technology that is beyond our wildest dreams. You also have incredible gifts and profound emotions. There is no escaping it. You know a good God exists.
Then, if you are ready, find that good God where he most clearly reveals himself: The Bible. You might begin by reading the first verse of the Bible, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth…and it was very good.” Because a good God exists, he will hate what is evil. He will call the wicked to account.
Prayer
Lord God, I don’t see you, but I do so some of the many good things you have made and done. Convince me again that you exist and that you are good and that you hate what is evil. Lord, in your mercy, hear my prayer. Amen.
Two minutes of silence
