Thought for May 30, 2024

•  1431: Joan of Arc burned at the stake
• 1539: Hernando de Soto lands in Florida
• 1806: Andrew Jackson kills Charles Dickinson in a duel after Dickinson accuses Jackson's wife of bigamy
• 1848: Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo gives US California, Nevada, Utah  and most of New Mexico, Arizona and Colorado for $15 million
• 1868: Decoration Day first observed in Northern States--now Memorial Day
• 1911: First Indy 500
• 1987: Philips unveils the compact disc video
• Born: Benny Goodman, Gale Sayers, Idina Menzel
• Died: Voltaire, Boris Pasternak, 

Thought:

Psalm 56 contains a question which is repeated in verses 4 and 11--" What can mere man do to me?" and "What can man do to me." If someone asked that question of you today, what would you say? Man can take my stuff, my health, my life. Man can take my family, my freedom, my job. Man can take my home, my money, my retirement. So why would the Bible ask "What can mere man do to me?" The writer of the psalm lists some things that man might take:

• Man might trample me. [56:1] Run over me physically, emotionally. Beat me up or beat me down. We have all had days when we feel like and maybe look like we got run over by a train. Man may trample my dreams, my plans, my goals. 
• Man might oppress me [56:1]. He may try and make me a slave to his power, his position, his rules. Christians might be ordered to make cakes for weddings, work on the Sabbath, provide healthcare for abortions. Christians may be ordered to hire those whose lifestyles or beliefs are in total conflict with his. 
• Man can distort our words or what our words mean [56:5] We may be called biased, hateful, fanatical. Our words of warning in love may be called harassment or hatred. 
• Man may attack us--physically, emotionally, spiritually. [56:6]
• Man may be watching us to try and catch us is some socially unacceptable practice or words. Think about Daniel--they sought to catch him praying to someone other than Darius. Or the three Jewish boys in the furnace--you violated the law that required you to bow to Nebuchadnezzar. 

So, what do I do in response? Mere man cannot take my freedom in Christ. Mere man cannot snatch me from my Father's hand. Mere man cannot determine my eternity. Mere man cannot control my destiny. Why? I put my trust in God [56:3-4]. I trust Him with my life and my eternity. And I know God is for me while mere man may be against me. [56:9]. And God is more powerful, more gracious, more loving, more merciful than any human. He is for me---I am on His side in this battle and He is the winner. In Christ I have already been delivered from death to life--so what can mere man do to me. 

Down through the ages this has been the hope of those under opposition, persecution, attack. Polycarp stood in the fire rather than deny Christ. Luther was ousted from the church but would not relent. The Confessing Church in Germany would not kneel to Hitler. So the question comes to me this morning--how will I respond to the world when it tramples, oppresses, distorts, persecutes--trust God to keep His promises [56:12]. He never fails. What can mere man do in opposition to the living God. 

Blessings

Larry