Devotional
Daily Bible
Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels.
And the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness.
This verse in someways goes with 1 John 5:19b "the whole world lies in the power of the evil one." The Christian is not of this world and do not follow the prince of the power of the air - Satan (Ephesians 2:2). A believer, who has been born again, does not live in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind (Ephesians 2:3). One does not need to decern far to see the Devil at work: openly and blatantly despising God’s design for people and living a life of self-indulgence and hate.
There is a great tenancy for some to assume the worse: no Christian without evidence should assume a particular person or persons are involved in a sinister plot. Further, the human mind is rather feeble, and incapable of knowing all things: humans are not omniscient (all knowing). There is much we cannot investigate - as one has said, humans cannot know everything. So, stop making it up!
On the other hand, stop being sceptical of God: this the Devil wants and the world's "influences" seek to achieve. The Bible does not explain how God created the world – just the fact He did, nor where the SARS-CoV-2 virus (Covid) came from. Yes we must think critically, but our lives are not one of seeking what cannot be discerned. In any case, we do not require this knowledge to present ourselves as living sacrifices in order to serve God (Romans 12:1).
A Christian's lot is not explaining the unexplainable - the Bible sets forth our work: to bring people to the saving knowledge of Christ (no, we don't convert people or even save people - the latter is the purview of the Holy Spirit.) And sure, we would like justice to be done now and done properly. But God is very fortunately slow to anger (else you might have been severely punished by now) but He will exercise justice upon those that have harmed His own. As the Psalmist says: "But the LORD sits enthroned forever; he has established his throne for justice, and He judges the world with righteousness; he judges the peoples with uprightness." (Psalm 9:7-8)
The King of love my shepherd is,
whose goodness faileth never.
I nothing lack if I am his,
and he is mine forever.
Where streams of living water flow,
my ransomed soul he leadeth;
and where the verdant pastures grow,
with food celestial feedeth.
Perverse and foolish, oft I strayed,
but yet in love he sought me;
and on his shoulder gently laid,
and home, rejoicing, brought me.
In death's dark vale I fear no ill,
with thee, dear Lord, beside me;
thy rod and staff my comfort still,
thy cross before to guide me.
Thou spreadst a table in my sight;
thy unction grace bestoweth;
and oh, what transport of delight
from thy pure chalice floweth!
And so through all the length of days,
thy goodness faileth never;
Good Shepherd, may I sing thy praise
within thy house forever.
