Psalm 119:23
Even though princes sit plotting against me, your servant will meditate on your statutes. Psalm 119:23
Continuing in Charles Spurgeon’s “The Golden Alphabet,” he points out that “Princes saw in him (the Psalmist) a greatness that they envied, and so they mistreated him. On their thrones, they might have found something better to consider and speak about, but they turned the seat of judgement into the seat of the scorner (Psalm 1:1).”
Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law, he meditates day and night. Psalm 1:1-2 ESV
Spurgeon continue in his writing on this verse, “Most people covet a prince’s good word about them, and so to be spoken of unfavorably by a great man is a great discouragement to them. However, the Psalmist bore his trial with holy calmness. Many of the lordly ones were his enemies, and they made it their business to speak unfavorably about him. They held sessions for scandal and slander and parliaments of falsehood, yet he (the Psalmist) survived all their attempts upon him.”
What do you do when the kings/princes and prophets in your circles come against you? In their misguided flesh, they come again the local “bride of Christ,” the church creating division and disunity. What does one do?
Modern secular psychology would say that the human response to this is either “fight or flight.” Right, this is what we have heard all our lives as if we have no other choice. But then, they change it and added “freeze.” We humans can now fight, flight, or freeze. However, as believers in Jesus, we have another choice. A way not available to non-believers.
We can abide. Jesus said…
I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. John 15:5 ESV
BibleGateway points out, “The word “abide” is found with great frequency in the gospel and epistles of John. Christ used the figure of the vine to illustrate the necessity of His disciples abiding in Him, and taught that they will bear fruit for Him only as they abide in Him (John 15).”
I love that it is John, the priestly gospel writer, that points out abiding often. I do believe that the priestly ones among us are particularly more vulnerable to the hurtful words and actions of others. It would appear that John had some experience in needing to abide personally and that may be the reason he is known to have written on the topic more.
How can you shake off the old patterns of fight, flight, or freeze? How can you rest in God and abide in Jesus more. The Burke Care team would love to discuss this more with you and look for ways that the ministry of the Word speaks to your circumstances. Would you consider abiding as the better way?
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In the day of my trouble I seek the Lord. Psalm 77:2 ESV
Father, you know my grief, my pain, and my anger. You’ve heard me ask, ‘How do we go on?’ I do not understand Your purposes, much less why You’ve chosen this troubling path for me. Is this how You teach Your children the humility to walk by faith? O Righteous Father—please revive my spirit and give me strength to turn my attention to You.
