This morning I read a comment on my “God Bless America?” post that surprised me – this anonymous commenter asked “what are YOU personally doing about it? i never see those posts….”

Now, my dear anonymous commenter, I am curious as to what you would suggest I “personally do” about the moral and spiritual decline in our country. We cannot change our society until our own hearts are correct before God, we disciple our children, we teach the truth to others, and very importantly – seek God earnestly in prayer. If you have been reading my other posts, as you seem to imply, I would hope that you have come to learn that all of those things are HIGH priorities to me. I would never claim to do them perfectly, but it is the desire of my heart that God would continue to so transform me by His Word and His Spirit and enable me to do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with my God.

This afternoon I came across this amazing section in Isaiah 26 that seems to fit so well here:

“Yes, Lord, walking in the way of your laws, we wait for you;
your name and renown are the desire of our hearts.
My soul yearns for you in the night; in the morning my spirit longs for you.
When your judgments come upon the earth, the people of the world learn righteousness.
Though grace is shown to the wicked, they do not learn righteousness;
even in a land of uprightness they go on doing evil and regard not the majesty of the Lord.”
Isa. 26:8-9

Even as we ask that God would have mercy on our land, there is a proper way to ask God to judge – for first and foremost, His name and renown are to be the desire of our hearts.

Have you ever wondered about the “imprecatory psalms,” the psalms in which David or the other Psalmists harshly pray that God would judge and destroy their enemies? Isn’t it interesting that the two times when David has the chance to take his vengeance against King Saul himself, he refuses to take his life, and even feels guilty for cutting the corner off the garment of the man who savagely hunted him like an animal for years? David understood that vengeance is God’s, not his. He would not raise his hand against Saul himself, but he passionately prayed that God would destroy him!

Remember that God is angry, and rightfully so, at sin. He has stored up wrath against those who are set against Him. God will judge sin, for our rebellion is a violation of His holy name. He will also judge, for as Isaiah points out, When your judgments come upon the earth, the people of the world learn righteousness.

As much as we would love for God to bless us, we know that a day is coming when God will judge the world for sin – for the sake of His holy name, and for the sake of His renown – that all would know that He is the only true God, the Holy One, the Almighty King of kings. One day every knee will bow, every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father!

So, what now? What to do as we “run the earth and watch the sky, playing hard and wiating for The Day?” We pray that God would show Himself clearly, that His name would be lifted high, that as we serve Him as ambassadors on this earth that we would do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with our God. And it starts in our own hearts.

Sadly, I can’t find a video for Steven Curtis Chapman’s “Coming Attractions.” You can click here and click on track #47 to hear this song…

A day is coming when all will be fed
There won’t be a single hungry mouth begging for bread
A day is coming when every disease
Will be swept away as mercy floods through every street

Shine Your light through me
Live Your life through me
Let the world see Your kingdom come in me

My heart has been heavy lately – I wonder about the choices our government is making, the state of our economy, and what might be coming “down the pike” financially. I am burdened for the unrest in Iran and the godlessness and evil in the world around us, even while frustrated that Michael Jackson videos have usurped things of weight and significance in the news and in the minds of the American people. The friends of NP’s sister and brother in law whose beloved husband and father was killed for the cause of Christ this past week are frequently on my heart, and I am burdened for these brothers and sisters in Christ I have never met who will be attending a solemn calling hours this evening.

This morning as I took a much needed trip to Aldi, I listened to this Steven Curtis Chapman song over and over and over again – It’s all Yours, Lord! This world and the people in it are precious in the sight of God, and He knows all about what is happening around us. And He has never lost control!

Why so downcast, o my soul? Put your hope in God! I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God!