Coffee With The Lord

There’s an old, old worship song that goes something like this:

“Yes, He included me! Yes, He included me!
When the Lord said, ‘Whosoever’ (John 3:16) …
He included me!”

This morning during “coffee with the Lord” I read a wonderful passage in Exodus 19 at Mount Sinai just as the Children of Israel were about to embark on their journey to the Promised Land after having been delivered from Egyptian bondage. This is what the Lord directed Moses to say to God’s covenant people Israel…

“Thus you will tell the house of Jacob, and declare to the people of Israel: ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt and how I lifted you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. And now, if you will diligently listen to me and keep my covenant, then you will be my special possession out of all the nations, for all the earth is mine, and you will be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you will speak to the Israelites.” (Exodus 19:3–6 the NET Bible)

Now I am from German heritage – I am not Jewish! So it could be persuasively argued those words don’t apply to me – I can’t claim them. The special relationship described in Exodus applies to people from Jewish heritage – they are God’s covenant people!

That may be the argument – but that is not the facts. Apostle Peter under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit used this very passage when speaking to a bunch of redeemed, born again Gentiles, who had embraced Jesus Christ as their Savior…

“‘You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of his own,’ (it’s language right out of Exodus 19!) so that you may proclaim the virtues of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. You once were not a people, but now you are God’s people. You were shown no mercy, but now you have received mercy!”

One more time! The old worship song is absolutely correct!

“Yes, He included me! Yes, He included me!
When the Lord said, ‘Whosoever’ (John 3:16) …
He included me!”

Concerned about your children (and grandchildren) growing up in a world filled with temptation, violence, evil people and influences? Psalm 12 provides great comfort and assurance…

Our concern… our prayer…
“Deliver, LORD! For the godly have disappeared! People of integrity have vanished!

The Lord speaks…
“Because of the violence done to the oppressed, because of the painful cries of the needy, I will spring into action,” says the LORD. “I will provide the safety they so desperately desire.”

Our response to His words of assurance…
The LORD’s words are absolutely reliable. They are as untainted as silver purified in a furnace on the ground, where it is thoroughly refined. You, LORD, will protect them! You will continually shelter each one from these evil people! The wicked seem to be everywhere, when people promote evil!” (from Psalm 12, the NET Bible)

I’m a parent (grand-parent and great grand-parent)… I can tell you, I banking on His words of assurance!!

I’m frustrated… I admit it! It angers me to see evil win – to see violent people arrogantly take advantage of good people and destroy the innocent and children! Right now it ISIS or ISIL – but through human history there have been repeated expressions of this degraded and despicable evil! In fact, there may be an expression of it to some degree just down the street from you, in a supervisor where you work, or somewhere in your community. Oppressive, arrogant, evil can be found anywhere!

I read about it this morning in the Bible! The Psalmist prayed about it… and after reading what he had to say about it in his prayer, I decided to make his words my own… (I warn you… what he had to say was in many respects unvarnished…)

“Why, Lord, do you stand far off?! Why do you pay no attention during times of trouble?! The wicked arrogantly chase the oppressed; the oppressed are trapped by the schemes the wicked have dreamed up. Yes, the wicked man boasts because he gets what he wants; the one who robs others curses and rejects the Lord. The wicked man is so arrogant he always thinks, ‘God won’t hold me accountable; he doesn’t care.’ … He says to himself, ‘I will never be upended, I will experience no calamity!” His mouth is full of curses and deceptive, harmful words; his tongue injures and destroys. He waits in ambush near the villages; in hidden places he kills the innocent. His eyes look for some unfortunate victim… He says to himself, ‘God overlooks it; he does not pay attention; he never notices.’

^“Rise up, Lord! O God, strike him down! Do not forget the oppressed! … You have taken notice, for you always see one who inflicts pain and suffering! The unfortunate victim entrusts his cause to you; you deliver the fatherless. Break the arm of the wicked and evil man! Hold him accountable for his wicked deeds, which he thought you would not discover. You rule forever! … Lord, you have heard the request of the oppressed; you make them feel secure because you listen to their prayer. You defend the fatherless and oppressed, so that mere mortals may no longer terrorize them!” (from Psalm 10 the NET Bible)

Yes I prayed it! I prayed it passionately! And I believe God heard me!