Let Them Mock

"You, O God, are my king from ages past,

bringing salvation to the earth."

Psalm 74:12 NLT

I live in a world where God and His people are mocked all the time.  The way of life lived, strange values held and warnings of evil woven throughout society given by His own are made fun of for sport.  Little is made of God's holy name and while He may be acknowledged by some, the power of His indwelling Spirit is ignored and the Gospel of Jesus Christ is thought of as foolishness (2 Timothy 3:1-5, 1 Corinthians 1:18).  There is no doubt we are living in the end times.

This kind of behavior seems kind of like taunting a lion.  Just because God doesn't respond in defense of Himself or His people doesn't mean He isn't paying attention or lacks the power to do something.  He's biding His time, not to worry:  He can and will defend Himself, and each man will have to answer for his own words when the time is right (Matthew 12:36).  So let them mock.

Bring Salvation.  I sometimes feel defenseless, as if I'm alone and vulnerable in a cruel, cold world.  Then I see the hand of my Savior who rescues me from all my enemies.  And many are these adversaries.

He sent His Son to deliver me from the condemnation and death earned for me by the sin that wars against God's intention for me (1 Corinthians 15:56-57).  My mighty Warrior has also already won the battle against evil, defeating it and declaring me as conqueror (John 16:33, 1 John 4:4).  Even when the trials and tribulations of this world feel overwhelming, I am considered as victor through the love He lavishes upon me (Romans 8:35-37).

God brings salvation to His people no matter how irrelevant and powerless people make Him out to be.

Defy Nature.  Stop the sun as it moves across the sky?  No problem (Joshua 10:13).  Part the sea or stop the flow of a river at flood stage?  Why not (Exodus 14:21-22, Joshua 3:14-17)?   Make the virgin a mother?  Yes (Matthew 1:23)!

God can do whatever He wants.  After all, He created nature and it's laws so He can break them whenever He sees fit.  Therefore, there is nothing that is impossible for Him.   He can give something where there is nothing, provide a mode of rescue where no route seems available, or rescue under impossible circumstances.  I can trust this kind of God, no matter what I may hear people say to the contrary.

God is a powerful, supernatural God who cannot be contained even when people try to put parameters around Him.

Set Boundaries.  If I were to make up a game, I would be responsible for coming up with the rules for playing that game.  When people came along to use my creation, coming up with their own rules and definitions, they would be playing something else than the game I created.  It would be something entirely different than what I meant for it to be.

Similarly, God is the Creator of all things on heaven and on earth.  Therefore, even though I live here and often feel a sense of ownership, everything belongs to Him and was generated by His hand (Psalm 24:1, Genesis 1:1).  As the Maker of all that I see, He gets to decide how it all works, set boundaries in place, and define parameters for living.  As the Source of all things, this is His world; I don't have any say in how it is run.  I either go along with it, or fight a losing battle against it.

God is the Generator of all things who set everything in motion, even if His role in the world He made is diminished by foolish men.

God is minimized and mocked in many ways but the words of the foolish do nothing to take away from His might.  He brings salvation, can defy nature and as the Creator, sets boundaries for all things.  The Lord is sovereign over all, and I wouldn't want to be in the place of those who ridicule Him or His people when it comes time to answer to Him.  So let them mock.  He's got it all under control.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can let God handle those who make fun of Him. 

How do I feel the need to defend a God who is more than capable of doing this for Himself?

When am I incensed by other's attitudes when mine can be less than respectful at times?