“for dominion belongs to the Lord, and He rules over the nations.”
(Psalm 22:28 NIV)
Fridays have long been my favorite day of the week. It’s our day off and we typically sleep in. It’s the one morning where I don’t bound out of the bed before the sun. My husband and I begin the day together, at a much slower pace. Today we got to talking, sharing a full hour of conversation before our feet ever hit the floor. The most-pressing matter? The state of our nation.
Fast forward a few moments; I’d stumbled to the coffee pot and sat down with a steaming cup and Bible splayed open to the day’s prescribed passage: Psalm 22. I love how God hears our heart even when we weren’t talking with Him. This scripture speaks of unanswered prayers and a wayward nation. David laid his heart bare on the pages: exposed, bruised and rejected by his people. David shared his feelings freely but then he leaned in to his knowings. He prayed without obvious response, yet he rallied his hope in God’s past performance record, both personally and ancestrally. He then recommitted himself to God’s ways, promised to declare the holy name of God to his nation, even if no one listened. He recalled that one day all people will remember and return to the Lord. And then He reminded himself and the reader that dominion belongs to the Lord: He alone rules over heaven and earth.
David Guzik reminds us that the nations have no reason to rage against God, yet historically they rage anyway. There is no benefit in attempting to throw off His divine affections, but ever since Babel, men have bound together against God’s blessings. When we set ourselves against God, we have settled for a wrong view of Him. We erroneously label Him as a bondage maker instead of rightly recognizing Him as the bondage breaker.
The world feels a little out of control this week and this year. The chaos around us creates big feelings within us. But I encourage you to let your knowings do the convincing. God is still on the throne. This is His planet, His people. The nations plot and rage but God rules with righteousness. No man or assembly can stand in His way. God will have the final say.
“Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth rise up and the rulers band together agains the Lord and against His anointed saying “Let us break their chains and throw off their shackles.” The one enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them. He rebukes then His anger and terrifies them in His wrath saying “I have installed my King on Zion, my holy mountain.”” (Psalm 2:1-6 NIV)
Lord, forgive us for letting our feelings get louder than our knowings. Help us to rightly perceive You; a source of freedom not bondage. We recognize Your involvement in humanity as grace extended. Have Your way in our world. Save us from our wicked ways. Turn the eyes of the nation back to You, o holy God! Amen.