The World Is Watching

How great is the goodness you have stored up for those who fear you. You lavish it on those who come to you for protection, blessing them before the watching world. [Psalm 31.19] 

Psalm 31 is about the distinction between those who trust God and those who trust idols. Verse 1 starts off with these words:

O LORD, I have come to you for protection; don’t let me be disgraced. Save me, for you do what is right. [Psalm 31.1]

Then, verses 3 and 4 say:

You are my rock and my fortress. For the honor of your name, lead me out of this danger. Pull me from the trap my enemies set for me, for I find protection in you alone. [Psalm 31.3-4]

Notice David's concern for the honor of God's name. Notice David's commitment to find protection in God alone. Then, consider that these two things are addressed directly in the first three of the Ten Commandments:

“I am the LORD your God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt, the place of your slavery. “You must not have any other god but me. “You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea. You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected—even children in the third and fourth generations of those who reject me. But I lavish unfailing love for a thousand generations on those who love me and obey my commands. “You must not misuse the name of the LORD your God. The LORD will not let you go unpunished if you misuse his name. [Exodus 20.2-7]

THINK! If debt, insurance, medicine and technology are "blessings from God" as widely alleged by many, what distinguishes God's people from the watching world if the world enjoys the same blessings? 

In fact, the four major idol industries of debt, insurance, medicine and technology of our day are endorsed and protected by a fifth major idol industry that promotes their widespread fallacy: religion. Religion is at the heart of the damnable lie of Satan that these industries are "gifts from God." Consequently, there is absolutely no distinction of God's protection over His people before the watching world.

There is only one solution for God's true people: ditch the idols! God's genuine followers need to have the same attitude David penned in Psalm 28.1 (also part of today's One Year Chronological Bible reading):

I pray to you, O LORD, my rock. Do not turn a deaf ear to me. For if you are silent, I might as well give up and die. [Psalm 28.1]

Idols are the way of man - the way of the watching world. Idols threaten that without their "help" one is destined for death and destruction... There is NO IRONY that Jesus would demand of His followers, in addition to giving up their own way, that they must also take up their cross - the very symbol of death and destruction - to follow Him:

If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. [Matthew 16.24 (also, Mark 8.34 & Luke 9.23)]

What David is saying in Psalm 28.1 above is that if God alone does not rescue him, he would rather die than resort to the world's idols. Jesus makes it clear that His TRUE followers will have the same attitude.

TRUE LOVE is never seen unless death is on the line. Jesus said it like this:

There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. [John 15.13]

Jesus calls us His friends... But do we consider Him our friend? Are we willing to lay down our lives for Him? He asks us to... no, He demands that we do, if indeed we wish to be His followers. His words, not mine:

If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. [Matthew 16.24 (also, Mark 8.34 & Luke 9.23)]

If we are not distinctly Christ's, then we are not Christ's at all. Religion won't preach this message...

Father, my prayer today is unchanging: may we be found obeying the truth of Your Word in giving up our own way (idolatry), taking up our cross (not even fearing death), and following Jesus. It is a simple directive with world-changing potential because the world, that so fears death, is watching... So be it.