** The Lord executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed. ** Psalm 103:6
** Forget not all his benefits. **
Righteousness and judgment, for the oppressed.
The nation of Israel will never forget the judgment that the Lord executed on the nation of Egypt when He delivered them from 400 years of oppressive slavery. We see it recorded and spoken of over and over again throughout the Bible. The Passover is celebrated every year to help them to remember.
It is an amazing story, a real event, but what does that deliverance have to do with New Testament Christians today? The obvious answer is our salvation through Christ, and the blood of that Holy Sacrificial Lamb for our sins. We all know that, right? But is that the only oppression that we have or will ever experience? If we are to not forget all his benefits, how else does he execute judgment and righteousness?
I have pondered this for a few days. Looking for a clear answer on how to explain it. Yesterday, the Lord gave me a good example.
Have you ever had someone in your life that was always pushing against you? Someone who challenges your words, actions, motives? If you work with people at all, I am thinking, yes! Of course, you have.
That person(s) might have made your life miserable, you begin to carry the hurt of it and it starts to weigh you down. An oppressive weight that steals your joy. Maybe you doubted your ability to do what you do. Maybe you questioned if you should even stick with it. Maybe the constant criticisms and insults pushed you to want to throw in the towel or worse…like fight back in a way that you know you aren’t supposed to.
Maybe it is taking all of your strength to be positive and continue to do your job. You want to fight back but you know there is a better way. Do right. Stay on task. Keep your eyes on the Lord.
But then, one day that person experiences a hard hand from the Lord. Maybe they lose their job, maybe an unexpected illness. Maybe their marriage falls apart. Or they lose their best friend. Or all their money. They have a Job moment. Then, after days or weeks of challenging you at every turn…click…they wake up to how wrong they are. They recognize the Lord’s chastisement and they are different. Humbled. They see their sin, their foolishness and they have a serious change of heart. Maybe you even get an apology. Maybe the relationship is restored.
But, more than anything, the pain stops, the weight lifts and you are free to love and give and care for others again with joy and not with serious personal effort to just keep going one more day.
**The Lord executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed.**
Not just the nations. Not just the day of salvation. But whenever the enemy uses your best friend, your key people, your closest allies to make your life a daily torment.
The Lord never loses sight of where we are and what we are experiencing. Every trial, every attack, every persecution (even when it comes from the brethren) does not go unnoticed by Him.
He is our God of MERCY and PATIENCE and GOODNESS. So, He gives the tormentors time to repent. He whispers to them, He waits, He prods them, He waits. And when they refuse to yield, and they continue with the same sin, He moves. Hard, quick and clear. So, there is no doubt. No doubt that it is from God, no doubt that the tormentor is at fault. His judgment is complete and bears the necessary fruit of repentance. The tormentor is confronted with the righteousness and holiness of God and accepts His judgment for his own correction.
** Forget not all his benefits**
The Lord is there for all of us. He doesn’t miss a thing. Not the nations who oppress their citizens. Nor the individuals that oppress His children. You and me. If you are still under the oppression of the tormentor who used to be your friend, your ally. Be strong and of great courage. Keep going. God sees it. Stay focused and do your thing. Leave it in the Lord’s hands. He loves that tormentor just as much as He loves you. He is doing it the right way. And if necessary, He WILL move. He WILL send a reminder of HIS righteousness and He WILL judge that person in a way that will change him and not break him.
Trust the Lord. He knows what He is doing and how to get it done.
** Forget not all his benefits **