STEP UP TO THE PLATE

Lucina Thompson

Central Truth

God is patient and doesn’t want anyone to perish, but in the end, He will judge wickedness wherever He finds it.

Rise up, O God, and execute judgment on the earth!
For you own all the nations.
(Psalm 82:8)

Rescue the Weak and Needy

A Psalm of Asaph.

1 God has taken his place in the divine council;
    in the midst of the gods he holds judgment:
2 “How long will you judge unjustly
    and show partiality to the wicked? Selah
3 Give justice to the weak and the fatherless;
    maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute.
4 Rescue the weak and the needy;
    deliver them from the hand of the wicked.”

5 They have neither knowledge nor understanding,
they walk about in darkness;
all the foundations of the earth are shaken.

6 I said, “You are gods,
sons of the Most High, all of you;
7 nevertheless, like men you shall die,
and fall like any prince.”^{1

82:7
Or fall as one man, O princes}

8 Arise, O God, judge the earth;
for you shall inherit all the nations!

Footnotes

[1] 82:7 Or fall as one man, O princes

I recently attended a Human Rights conference at SMU. I couldn’t believe my eyes at the rows of booths from countries all over the world where atrocities (mostly against women) are occurring. From stoning in Iran to human trafficking in Asia, evil is rampant, and innocent people are suffering.

Seeing these graphic images made me ask myself, “If the God I believe in and serve is real, then why isn’t He doing something?” I had been reading Psalm 82 as I prepared to write this devotional and was struck by how verse 2 says basically the same thing. The Psalmist knows God is judge of all the earth (just like I do), and he’s begging Him to step up to the plate. Things really aren’t that different now from what they were in ancient Israel.
This psalm goes on imploring us to take action. As believers, we have a responsibility to pray and work for a just society. Believe it or not, we’re the ones with the "To Do" list! Further, we should be warning people that the day is coming when all men will stand before God, the righteous Judge, and give an account for their life (Revelation 11:18).

And that takes me right back to my question about what God is doing with the evil in our world today. 2 Peter 3:9 says, “The Lord is not slow concerning his promise, as some regard slowness, but is being patient toward you, because he does not wish for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.” So for now, God is extending the opportunity to repent and escape judgment, even for the most heinous among us. In the meantime, I'm the one who needs to "step up" and do everything I can to make sure those I know and love hear God’s gracious offer of salvation (John 3:16).

1. Have you personally been reconciled to God? If not, mercy and forgiveness are yours through the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ (Romans 5:8).

2. If you have received God's mercy and grace, how are you extending that offer to others in your life? Do you have a Top 10 list that you pray for and plan intentional time with?

3. Where is God calling you to make sure justice prevails, either right outside your back door or halfway around the world?