FROM TODAY’S READING (10/9/2020)...
“When enemy armies defeated Israel [586 BC], they sacked and burned Jerusalem, trying to wipe out every trace of God. This has often been the response of people who hate God. Today many are trying to eliminate God from our public life and particularly from our schools. Do what you can to maintain a Christian influence, but don’t become discouraged when others appear to make great strides in removing all traces of God. They cannot eliminate his presence among believers.”
LAB Study Note (Psalm 74:8)
Psalms 74:1-12 (NLT) O God, why have you rejected us so long? Why is your anger so intense against the sheep of your own pasture? Remember that we are the people you chose long ago, the tribe you redeemed as your own special possession! And remember Jerusalem, your home here on earth. Walk through the awful ruins of the city; see how the enemy has destroyed your sanctuary.
There your enemies shouted their victorious battle cries; there they set up their battle standards. They swung their axes like woodcutters in a forest. With axes and picks, they smashed the carved paneling. They burned your sanctuary to the ground. They defiled the place that bears your name. Then they thought, “Let’s destroy everything!” So they burned down all the places where God was worshiped.
We no longer see your miraculous signs. All the prophets are gone, and no one can tell us when it will end. How long, O God, will you allow our enemies to insult you? Will you let them dishonor your name forever? Why do you hold back your strong right hand? Unleash your powerful fist and destroy them.
You, O God, are my king from ages past, bringing salvation to the earth.
Image: CC "In God We Trust (Reversed Len)" by wilson.cheong
