Today’s Lectio Divina: Excerpts from Psalm 109. (MsgB)
A David Prayer.
My mouth’s full of great praise for God, I’m singing His hallelujahs surrounded by crowds,
For He’s always at hand to take the side of the needy, to rescue a life from the unjust judge.
Did you ever wonder what Satan’s resume might look like?
Satan. AKA Lucifer, The Devil. The Opposer. Father of Lies.
• Adversary to God. 30,000 BC to present.
• Deceiver to Adam and Eve. Founder of forbidden fruit, half-truths and cunning deceptions.
• Antagonist to Job, Abraham, Issac, Jacob, Moses, and King David. Expert in making trouble to all of God’s chosen people.
• Accuser to Isaiah, Elijah, Elisha, Jeremiah, and other assorted prophets of God.
• Persecutor of Jesus of Nazareth, Peter, John, Paul and other New Testament men and women.
• Destroyer to Francis of Assisi, Martin Luther, John Wesley, John Calvin, George Fox and other church reformers.
• Murderer of Jews and Gentiles alike. 3,000 BC to present.
• Provoker of world-wide hatred and war. From beginning to the end.
• Prosecutor and Unjust Judge to all. For all time.
Keep in mind that the best resumes are ones that just hit the bullet points of a career. If you’re in business as long as Satan has been, it would take pages and pages of paper to give a healthy glimpse at all he has been able to do with the little talent he actually has.
In truth, Satan is one solid over-achiever. A driven machine looking to do as much harm as he can in the short amount of time God has allowed him. Satan, you see, is not forever. While he lives throughout human history on planet earth, that’s no match for the timeless God who was in existence long before Satan ever came into being, and will be in the redemption business long after Satan is just a distant memory in the minds of those who prevail with Christ.
But like C.S. Lewis said, Satan, without a doubt, is a raging bull-dog. Not an animal to be trusted, let alone a pet to play with. But Lewis also states that Satan, though an angry, rabid bull-dog, still is one that is solidly chained to the ground by a God who has set limits on his domain. One mean junk-yard dog that is pre-destined to be graciously euthanized at some day in the future. But until that day, beware the sharp teeth of this bully on steroids. His bite can be fatal and his bark frightening, indeed.
Think of it. Every evil event on the planet, from the murder of Abel at the hands of his brother, Cain, to the mass-extinction of 11 million souls at the hands of Adolph Hitler and his Third Reich can all be traced back to the DNA found within Satan’s spirit. Every act of terror, every word of hatred, every abuse of an innocent child, every wound found in every soul has its roots in the heart of this self-centered, self-promoting creature from the abyss.
Without a doubt, Satan is the unjust judge. The self-appointed prosecutor, the self-proclaimed judge and jury of the human race. Parading as an agent of light, but full of darkness and despair.
But Hallelujah, like Psalm 109 states. God is always at the side of the needy ones, rescuing lives from this unjust judge who attempts to set up his traveling court of justice whenever and wherever he can. Like the old purveyor of snake oil, Satan loves to sneak into town when we least expect it, placing his traveling road show in the middle of our lives. He slips on his long robes and puts on the wig of justice, knowing most of us will be fooled by the disguise.
Fortunately, Jesus of Nazareth came into town as well and pulled the covers off of this charade of justice. And there Satan stands, resume in hand. Naked as a jaybird, as my grandmother used to say. Lucifer, standing there all alone, hoping someone will stand up for him on that final day of judgment.
But praise God, not even one amongst his legion of demons will speak up on that Day. In the kingdom of darkness you see, it’s everybody for himself. But the Bible says there will be one true voice on that Day speaking words of justice that no one else can. Jesus of Nazareth, the perfected Son of God, will place His nail-scarred hands on the Bible, swearing to tell the truth and nothing but the truth. The judge will listen intently as Jesus tells the story the way it really was. Satan will slump in his seat, knowing that this Truth can not be smeared or suffocated like he’s done before.
At long last, after the full story is revealed, the Judge will command Satan to stand in front of the Court of Justice. The verdict? Guilty as charged. The unjust judge has finally been exposed. His resume destroyed. God’s universe returned back home to the One who always knew truth from lies.
Hallelujah, my friends. And all of us will be there. Watching from a front row seat when once and for all the bad guy really does get what he deserves. For Jesus’ name’s sake!
My prayer: Father, I’m so thankful that Satan has no authority over You. While I hate the evil Satan does here in our lives, I’m so thankful that the damage is not permanent, nor is it forever. His time is limited while Yours is not. I choose to believe Your Words of Truth rather than listen to the lies of the unjust judge. For Your name’s sake. Amen.
My questions to ponder: How have I fallen prey to the accusations of the unjust judge? Where am I listening to his cunning talk, believing his hideous half-truths about me and others in my life? How might I better war against this evil judge, exposing his ridiculous charade that’s parading through my life and the lives of others?
So what is God speaking to you today as you ponder the Psalms?
Over a 50-week period, you and I will take a deeper look at The Psalms: God’s Songbook of Prayers. In order to keep all the blog sessions organized, we suggest you bookmark our Contemplating the Psalms home page for ease of use. Keep in mind that one of the best ways to explore the on-going applications of this blog series is to walk alongside a biblically-based, Christ-centered spiritual director who is familiar with how to make material like this part of your overall spiritual formation in God. Many of our directors in our Contemplative Activist network are available to companion you in your journey with Jesus. Click here for more info.
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