“Blood Thirsty!” [PAY BACK TIME!]

When you're ready to take revenge,
remember this number: 12-12-21 *(explained at the bottom of this blog.)



Ps 58:10 “The righteous will be glad when they are avenged, when they bathe their feet in the blood of the wicked.

Seen from the viewpoint of a pastor, dwelling in the church, among God’s people, feeling love and giving love – this psalm doesn’t fit the frame. My Christian paradigm is knocked over by the blood thirst and anger and revenge of Ps 58 – But if I go over to David's viewpoint: A king, ruler, defender, warrior, man of God in battle – then I can see that David called on his God to give him victory over his enemies and let justice be done.

I’m not that different from David, really. Deep down, behind my spiritual countenance, I too cry out for justice! I too rejoice when the wicked get some of their own medicine. I love it when evil is put in its place!
- One thing Ps 58 teaches us though, is to leave this revenge up to God (see v. 6 & 7). David calls on God to do the “vengeance work”.

Prayer:
Lord – in this world we see a lot of injustice, evil, calamity. I pray for a heart like David. To be able to pour out my fervent desires for justice to You – and then to rejoice when I see my God balance the scales. You will make all things right. I can but only cling to You through life’s storms.


* (Romans 12:12-21)
Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.

Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.

Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.

Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord.

On the contrary: "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head."

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Consider turning to this passage in your bible, then mark / highlight every sentence that talks about revenge. This 12-12-21 number is worth remembering!

Eau de parfum Amazing Grace

While surfing the web I stumbled across a blogger who wrote about a gift she received. A bottle of Perfume called ‘Amazing Grace.’



The blogger wrote the following:
“Incidentally, I received the ‘Amazing Grace’ as a gift, and I had to return it. I thought it was too sweet smelling.”

That ‘one line’ read to me like a sermon illustration of someone who rejected the Gospel.
"Grace as a gift... returned it... too sweet smelling."

The Apostle Paul had this to say about the perfume of Grace.
Through us, God spreads the knowledge of Christ everywhere like perfume. God considers us to be the sweet smell that Christ is spreading among people who are being saved and people who are dying. To the one, we are the smell of death. To the other, we are the perfume of life.
(2Co 2:14-16)

But all this got me thinking. If God had to post a picture on Google to portray His kind of Grace, what would He post?
Probably a picture of His Son.
Maybe a picture of the wooden cross on which Jesus died.
But you know what? The more I think about it, it would probably be a picture of you, dressed in a clean white robe, with a big smile on your face because you’ve been forgiven... and you’ve been excepted... in spite of your sins and mistakes...
Now that’s amazing grace!

And because we’ve received such an ‘amazing grace,’ Paul commands us to “Lead a life of love, just as Christ did. He loved us. He gave himself up for us. He was a sweet-smelling offering and sacrifice to God.”
Eph 5:2