God Gives Hope

Today's Reading: Psalm 82

God presides over heaven's court; he pronounces judgment on the heavenly beings: "How long will you hand down unjust decisions by favoring the wicked? "Give justice to the poor and the orphan; uphold the rights of the oppressed and the destitute.  Rescue the poor and the helpless; deliver them from the grasp of evil people.  But these oppressors know nothing; they are so ignorant!  They wander about in darkness, while the whole world is shaken to the core.  I say, 'You are gods; you are all children of the Most High.  But you will die like mere mortals and fall like every other ruler.' "  Rise up, O God, and judge the earth, for all the nations belong to you.

     This is a psalm about judgment.  Asaph is asking the king to judge more fairly.  He has been ruling in favor of the wicked while the poor and orphaned suffer unjustly.  In the end of this chapter, verse 7 tells the ruler that he will fall like every other ruler before him.  He's not invincible.  Asaph ends with a prayer to God, for he knows God judges fairly without reproach.  God is the One True Judge.
     This sounds really familiar.  It seems to me our leaders and court system are in the same boat today.  They seem to think they are invincible or at least that they will continue to be in office.  The courts let the wicked walk free while the innocent suffer and then have the audacity to wonder why our society is in the condition it is in...Hmm. It sounds like a no brainer to me. 
     But there is hope-God.  He will comfort the innocent and bring justice to a lawless land.  He sees it all.  Don't think He'll just sit back and do nothing.  Remember God's timing is not ours.  He is working in His time.  Just like He does in every human heart, he must prepare the way before action can be taken and understood or at the least accepted.

Power Verses:
Psalm 46:1
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

Psalm 62:5
For God alone my soul waits in silence, for my hope is from him.

Proverbs 23:18-19
Surely there is a future and your hope will not be cut off.  Hear, my child, and be wise, and direct your mind in the way.

Phillipians 2:13
It is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.

God always gives His best to those who leave the choice with Him.  --Hudson Taylor

God's gifts put man's best dreams to shame.  --Elizabeth Browning