[ Adeodata's Heart] Loving the Lex Luther's

[RT]

    The wicked man will see and be vexed, he will gnash his teeth and waste away; the longings of the wicked will come to nothing. Psalm 112:10

Admit it, no matter how riveting, visually stunning, or expertly written a movie, if the intended hero's life scores anything less than the big gig, pretty princess, or climatic knock out victory, it was a complete bust! We all love the good triumphs over evil stories.  One of my all time childhood favorites portrayed a handsomely caped hero that was "faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive, and able to leap tall buildings in a single bound", that's right, it's Superman! In his 1978 big screen debut, my little heart welled with anticipation and pride as America's hero rallied to save the world from Lex Luther's evil plan to take it over. In the end, not only did Superman win the princess, but he shut down Lex and his lackeys!

As we conclude our look at Psalm 112, we are left with a sharp contrast between the great goods of God's righteous versus the dreadful perils of the wicked. However, unlike the three snaps, "that's what you get" response I had to Lex's demise, sorrow for the wicked, another name used for those who don't follow Christ, floods my heart. Over the past couple months we've discovered and celebrated many of the blessings had by true followers of Christ; peace, provision, strong children, and the ultimate, Salvation and the promise of eternal life in the presence of our Creator. But what comes of the wicked should leave us motivated to recognize and rejoice in our own status and recognize and run to the aid of theirs (please slowly contemplate the tremendous despair accompanied by a life without Jesus):

The Results of Wickedness/Life without Christ

• No Peace: "There is no peace, says my God, for the wicked."  Isaiah 57:21

• Calamity: "Many are the woes of the wicked..." Ps 32:10  "In the paths of the wicked lie thorns and snares..." Prov 22:5 

• Emptiness: "For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers..." ^{1 Peter 1:18}          

• Slaves to sin/bondage: " But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin." Romans 6:17,  "We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one." 1 John 5:19                 

• Hopeless and separated from God: "....remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world."   Ephesians 2:12,  "They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart." Eph 4:18        

• Foolish and Deceived: "At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another" Titus 3:3,   " and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will." 2 Tim 2:26

• Eternal Separation from God/Eternal Suffering “As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."              Matthew 13:40-42

Dear Lord God, may we fulfill the great commission in Matthew 28, to go and share the life transforming news of Jesus to whatever nation/neighborhood/job/home you have placed us in. Forgive us for anger and apathy, secretly cheering on the demise of those who have hurt us or others, and forgetting about the awful plight of the lost and the fact that we were once there too. Help us to allow you to be the Judge, for your judgements are righteous and just. Please soften our heart toward the wicked/lost, giving us a renewed urgency and sincere desire to love them into your Kingdom, that they may be free from the bondage of sin with eyes and heart opened wide to the blessings of a life lived for and with You! Amen



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Posted By RT to Adeodata's Heart at 1/18/2013 09:26:00 AM