Arise O Lord

“Arise, O Lord; O God, lift up thine hand: forget not the humble. Wherefore doth the wicked renounce God? he hath said in his heart, Thou wilt not require it. Thou hast seen it; for thou beholdest mischief and spite, to requite it with thy hand: the poor committeth himself unto thee; thou art the helper of the fatherless. Break thou the arm of the wicked and the evil man: seek out his wickedness till thou find none. The Lord is King for ever and ever: the heathen are perished out of his land. Lord, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear: To judge the fatherless and the oppressed, that the man of the earth may no more oppress.” (Psa. 10:12-18)

Our world today is full of great sorrow, confusion, and violence. We are suffering greatly now because we have abandoned our God and have lost the “fear of the Lord”. We no longer love Him and trust Him and are suffering the consequences. When Jesus Christ is removed from our land there can be no peace. The COVID-19 virus and racial tensions along with the earthly events that are happening are causing great anxiety and fear in the world. It appears that they are becoming worse and worse, just like the birth pangs before a baby is born. The Bible warns us of this, and they are signs that show us we are getting closer to the Lord’s return. The Lord, though, has not forgotten us. We must be watchful of what is happening in the heavens and on the earth. God is drawing us to Him and these things are meant to tell us to be ready and to not lose hope. We are to be as the wise virgins who had their lamps full and they were ready. We are to fill ourselves more and more with the power of the Holy Spirit and listen for His direction. We must be prepared to warn people and to speak of these things, as they will be searching for truth and comfort. We must not be afraid, but be vigilant, staying awake and being alert as to what is happening.

Do not be deceived! These are troublesome times, but we are told that there will be signs and we are to watch for them and realize the times that we are in. They are the time of Jacob’s Trouble just before the return of Christ. His Spirit is pouring out to all those who hear His voice and follow Him. “Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.” (Isa. 60:1-3) Many people among the nations are coming to Christ. His Spirit is drawing them to Him.

Though the world is full of darkness, we are His light in the darkness. He is our dwelling place. (Psa. 90:1) We are safe and secure in His everlasting arms; “The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms: and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee; and shall say, Destroy them.”(Deut. 33:27) We are weak but He is strong and we rest in knowing He is always there for us. Our hearts must be focused on Him and not on the outward things of the world. They will disappear but we have everlasting life with our Saviour, Jesus Christ.

Psalm 9:1-2; 11-20 says “I will praise thee, O Lord, with my whole heart; I will shew forth all thy marvellous works. I will be glad and rejoice in thee: I will sing praise to thy name, O thou most High…. Sing praises to the Lord, which dwelleth in Zion: declare among the people his doings. When he maketh inquisition for blood, he remembereth them: he forgetteth not the cry of the humble. Have mercy upon me, O Lord; consider my trouble which I suffer of them that hate me, thou that liftest me up from the gates of death: That I may shew forth all thy praise in the gates of the daughter of Zion: I will rejoice in thy salvation. The heathen are sunk down in the pit that they made: in the net which they hid is their own foot taken. The Lord is known by the judgment which he executeth: the wicked is snared in the work of his own hands. Higgaion. Selah. The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God. For the needy shall not always be forgotten: the expectation of the poor shall not perish for ever. Arise, O Lord; let not man prevail: let the heathen be judged in thy sight. Put them in fear, O Lord: that the nations may know themselves to be but men. Selah.”