Foolish or Faithful?

June 29

(Psalm 74:10-23 NIV) “How long will the enemy mock you, O God? Will the foe revile your name forever? {11} Why do you hold back your hand, your right hand? Take it from the folds of your garment and destroy them! {12} But you, O God, are my king from of old; you bring salvation upon the earth. {13} It was you who split open the sea by your power; you broke the heads of the monster in the waters. {14} It was you who crushed the heads of Leviathan and gave him as food to the creatures of the desert. {15} It was you who opened up springs and streams; you dried up the ever flowing rivers. {16} The day is yours, and yours also the night; you established the sun and moon. {17} It was you who set all the boundaries of the earth; you made both summer and winter. {18} Remember how the enemy has mocked you, O Lord, how foolish people have reviled your name. {19} Do not hand over the life of your dove to wild beasts; do not forget the lives of your afflicted people forever. {20} Have regard for your covenant, because haunts of violence fill the dark places of the land. {21} Do not let the oppressed retreat in disgrace; may the poor and needy praise your name. {22} Rise up, O God, and defend your cause; remember how fools mock you all day long. {23} Do not ignore the clamor of your adversaries, the uproar of your enemies, which rises continually.”

(Matthew 24:44-51 NIV) "So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him. {45} "Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time? {46} It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns. {47} I tell you the truth, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. {48} But suppose that servant is wicked and says to himself, 'My master is staying away a long time,' {49} and he then begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards. {50} The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. {51} He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."

How did God know we would live in a land where His name would be reviled and mocked? How did God know we would live in a nation where “haunts of violence” would “fill the dark places of the land”? How did God know that the clamor of His adversaries and the uproar of His enemies would rise and seem to continually grow in strength? God knew because it has always been like that. There have always been those with no respect for the Lord. They have always been brash, noisy, and vile. God is long suffering and gives people a free will to choose Him or reject Him. But a day is coming when God will no longer hold back His hand. He will come in power, bringing salvation to the Earth. He will rise up and separate the fools from the faithful. He will crush His enemies and silence those who curse Him. Will you be among the fools or among the faithful?  Make a decision. -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day