Arise, Lord! Lift up your hand, O God. Do not forget the helpless. Why does the wicked man revile God? Why does he say to himself, “He won’t call me to account”? But you, God, see the trouble of the afflicted; you consider their grief and take it in hand. The victims commit themselves to you; you are the helper of the fatherless. Psalm 10:12-14
Holy Father, there are times when it’s important to feel and say, “No more; not here”—to get red in the face and fire in the pants; to get fueled with holy disgust and kingdom longings. Looking into the eyes of helpless victims, and hearing the sneer of agents of evil, is just such a time. Today we take up the psalmist’s impassioned cry, “Arise, Lord! Lift up your hand, O God. Do not forget the helpless” (Ps. 10:12).
It’s inconceivable, unconscionable, and unacceptable: Over 40 million people wake up today in slavery to fellow image bearers of God; and nearly 100 billions dollars a year is made in the porn “industry”—just to mention two of many manifestations of the kingdom of darkness.
Righteous Father, “break the arm of the wicked man; call the evildoer to account for his wickedness that would not otherwise be found out” (Ps. 10:15). We don’t pray with self-righteous arrogance, but with heart-breaking passion—longing for justice to flow like a river through the streets of every metropolis and hamlet in the world; and for your righteousness to be the never-failing stream, cutting its way throughout the earth (Amos 5:24).
We long for the Day of no more evil, in any form. No more racism or nationalism; no more traffic stops as terror moments; no more suicide belts or pornography shops; no more out-of-control greed or children going to bed unfed; no more dealing drugs or court excused thugs; no more political craziness or Satanic darkness; for no more meanness or madness in any form.
Because the gospel is true, that forever Day is coming. Until then, use us, Father, as a means of your mercy and justice, rescue and righteousness, healing and hope. So very Amen we pray, in Jesus’ name… with intense longings and great anticipation.
