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Responding to the Moral Whiplash

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The pace of the moral revolution provides us with an almost daily case of whiplash. The headlines come to us in this 24-hour-news cycle with unashamed boldness and creativity. There is the encroachment upon religious liberty in the name of erotic liberty. There is, what was previously unthinkable, a debate about whether a man may use a woman’s public restroom. Those with the loudest voices are able to cheer on the proponents of such change while also hush all opposition.

As Christians we wake up, read the news, and yet again get whiplash. “What in the world is going on?” And more importantly, “What do I do?”

It is good to know that we are not the first believers in the midst of a post-Genesis 3 world. In the 12 Psalm, in the hymnbook of the covenant community, David penned a song to remind the godly of how to process this type of thing. Though he was most assuredly not thinking about public restrooms he was dealing with the same seedlings of rebellion. Therefore we can find instruction from him.

Respond with Prayer

The Psalmist begins this hymn by saying that “the godly are gone” and that the “faithful have vanished” (Ps. 12.1). Perhaps a bit of hyperbole but nevertheless, we get the picture. There is a moral and spiritual decay happening.

How does he respond? Notice that he prays. Does this strike you as odd? Perhaps it is what you would expect as you think about it. You would think to find this in the Bible. But, how do you respond? Do you blow off a little steam on Facebook? Do you rip people apart with friends over coffee? Do you write blogs about it? These things aren’t bad of course. However, notice that he does pray. It should convict and instruct us that he prays.

It should also remind you why he prays. He understands that sin, while it may nauseate and unsettle us, it is chiefly against God. It is an affront to him. Therefore, David, jealous for God’s glory, appeals to God to act. “Save, O LORD” (Ps. 12.1) and he prays for judgment in 12.3. May the Psalm bring much-needed calibration to think and respond biblically to a fast paced moral revolution. Christian friends, let’s respond by praying for God to act. “Lord, Save and judge. Vindicate your honor through salvation and judgment.”

Rest in God’s Word

He does more than pray however. We see him draw life and strength from the Word of God. In the midst of the lying, flattering words around him (Ps. 12.1-4) he runs to the mouth of God to find the pure words of God.

“The words of the Lord are pure words, like silver refined in a furnace on the ground, purified seven times.” (Psalm 12:6)

He remembers that the Word of God is and will remain pure. Like silver heated intensely in the fire with all dross removed, the Scriptures are that pure word. We can trust it. The fact that the Bible is pure causes him to run to it and rest in it amid the cultural backwash at his feet.

He is reminded in the Scriptures that God will persevere his people. God will “keep and guard” his people (Ps. 12.7). Isn’t this good news? While the world around us will persevere in sin God will persevere his people!

Instead of being anxious, hopeless, bitter or despairing believers run to God in prayer and rest in God’s Word. Have you ever thought that one of the reasons why God may, in his wisdom, allow such things to happen is to make his people more godly? If everything was Edenic all the time how would we long for the new city? These things prod us forward making us less comfortable here and more hungry for heaven. Don’t miss the point of the present moral whiplash: respond in prayer rand rest in God’s Word. The daily news headlines are bidding you to do this. Will you?

[image via Shutterstock]

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