How Long Can This Go On?

Winter's muted sunlight dawns on this day when the scripture reminds us of murderous capabilities. (The Holy Innocents: Matthew 2:13-18). Murderous capabilities claim news headlines today as well. The media is focused upon the world's response to Benazir Bhutto's assassination, the obliteration of a leader....and the continuous flow of blood spilled -- leaders, followers, protesters, innocent bystanders, children.

And here I sit...in prayer....wondering about Psalm 94. Thousands of years ago, long before Jesus was born to us, the human heart and mind sang the tones of lament and painful wonderment about the way the violent capabilities of people determine the quality and span of life. How long can this go on? In the course of human history how can I stand upon the stepping stone of this particular day and feel safe and certain of anthing good....true...hopeful? My heart joins the cries emerging throughout history....

Psalm 94


O Lord, you God of vengeance,
you God of vengeance, shine forth!
Rise up, O judge of the earth;
give to the proud what they deserve!
O Lord, how long shall the wicked,
how long shall the wicked exult?


They pour out their arrogant words;
all the evildoers boast.
They crush your people, O Lord,
and afflict your heritage.
They kill the widow and the stranger,
they murder the orphan,
and they say, ‘The Lord does not see;
the God of Jacob does not perceive.’

Understand, O dullest of the people;
fools, when will you be wise?
He who planted the ear, does he not hear?
who formed the eye, does he not see?
He who disciplines the nations,
he who teaches knowledge to humankind,
does he not chastise?
The Lord knows our thoughts,
that they are but an empty breath.


Happy are those whom you discipline, O Lord,
and whom you teach out of your law,
giving them respite from days of trouble,
until a pit is dug for the wicked.
For the Lord will not forsake his people;
he will not abandon his heritage;
for justice will return to the righteous,
and all the upright in heart will follow it.


Who rises up for me against the wicked?
Who stands up for me against evildoers?
If the Lord had not been my help,
my soul would soon have lived in the land of silence.
When I thought, ‘My foot is slipping’,
your steadfast love, O Lord, held me up.
When the cares of my heart are many,
your consolations cheer my soul.
Can wicked rulers be allied with you,
those who contrive mischief by statute? They band together against the life of the righteous,
and condemn the innocent to death.
But the Lord has become my stronghold,
and my God the rock of my refuge.
He will repay them for their iniquity
and wipe them out for their wickedness;
the Lord our God will wipe them out.


There is only one certainty. In the midst of the dark capability for doom and disaster a light shines -- we celebrated His birth only days ago! He weeps with us even now at the senseless, frenzied struggle of humanity for power and control.

As the muted winter sun shines on this winter day, our only sure hope is to cling faithfully with all the children of God to the blaze of His Light...His Love...which guides and sustains. We are reminded that we must not bow down before fear and injustice....we are to bow down in loving trust to the only stronghold we have. God, the rock of refuge offers respite from all of "this"....nomatter how long it goes on. Resting in God, we see and experience the eruption of His peace even in the midst of the violent capabilities so apparent on this day.

Today, on this particular 2007 December day, most people will either be reading about or viewing the accounts of this most recent eruption of violence. I pray that you find time this day, also, to languish in the peaceful presence of the God who has sustained the deepest soul of His people throughout the ages.