Falling Foundations

Pixabay

I have a news app on  my iPad. This morning, like many other mornings, I took a peek at the headlines and shut-down the app. I don’t want to know. The world is too ugly a place for this bright sunny morning with its fresh fall of brilliant white snow on the ground.

Evil is overwhelming. Whether it happens on the streets of Rainbow Village, in the remote regions of the Far North, in the back halls of power, in the quiet backyards of suburbia, or in some third-world rocked by perpetual conflict, it’s just too much.

Enough, already.

How do you stand firm when the ground underneath is shaking? I remember a few nasty tremors of the earthquake variety. Their arrival was a reminder of just how insecure our hold on anything is, no matter what the venue may be.

Psalm 11 is made up of only seven verses, but they powerfully address the issue of rocking foundations.

"In the Lord I take refuge. How then can you say to me: 'flee like a bird to your mountain. For look, the wicked bend their bows; they set their arrows against the strings to shoot from the shadows at the upright in heart. When the foundation are being destroyed, what can the righteous do?' The Lord is in his holy Temple; the Lord is on his heavenly throne. He observes the sons of men; his eyes examine them. The Lord examines the righteous, but the wicked and those who love violence his soul hates. On the wicked he will rain fiery coals and burning sulfur; a scorching wind will be their lot. For the Lord is righteous, he loves justice; upright men will see his face."

Today’s verse confirmed what the psalmist so well said: “For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.” (2 Chronicles 16:9)

In combination, the two passages provide comfort to the believer. In the first we are assured that God sees what is going on and is going to administer justice. In the second we are assured that standing when the foundations of our society are rocking is not something we can do on our own. God looks to find those committed to Him, committed to the task of standing firm, and those He strengthens so that they are able to remain firm and confident that God sees, knows, and acts.

There are no limitations on this strength that He offers. Even when the evil is perpetrated on His children, His strength is equal to the task of enabling us to stand firm, no matter what. And in the midst of whatever happens, those who seek Him will see Him.