LONGING FOR TIME WITH FELLOW BELIEVERS

WE LIVE SURROUNDED BY GOD’S ENEMIES - WE NEED OUR LOCAL CHURCH

Psalm 120

In my distress I called to the LORD,

and he answered me.

Deliver me, O LORD,

from lying lips,

from a deceitful tongue.

What shall be given to you,

and what more shall be done to you,

you deceitful tongue?

A warrior's sharp arrows,

with glowing coals of the broom tree!

Woe to me, that I sojourn in Meshech,

that I dwell among the tents of Kedar!

Too long have I had my dwelling

among those who hate peace.

I am for peace,

but when I speak, they are for war!

This psalm begins a group of psalms that are called ‘songs of ascents’. These songs were sung by the pilgrims who were returning to Jerusalem for the various feasts prescribed for the Jews. In this case, the pilgrim was coming from far regions: Meshech was in Asia Minor and Kedar was in Arabia.

It is wonderful to see that the writer recognizes the reality of answered past prayers and the need for prayer in his present distress.

One of the striking realities is how uncomfortable the pilgrims are, when surrounded by unbelievers who are deceitful and do not love peace, but actually live by warring with each other.

For the pilgrims, their return to Jerusalem for these feasts that honored Jehovah was a time of reprieve and of concentration on worshipping, surrounded by like-minded people. They knew very well the difference between living among Jews or Gentiles, and they were saddened by watching the ungodly behavior of those who worshipped other gods and oppressed others by their sinful lives.

Their life was totally different from those around them; God was their hope and their single-minded goal.

It is interesting that when Paul speaks of those around him, he says that they are in similar condition.

Romans 3:10-18

        as it is written:

        “None is righteous, no, not one;

                no one understands;

                no one seeks for God.

        All have turned aside; together they have become worthless;

                no one does good,

                not even one.”

        “Their throat is an open grave;

                they use their tongues to deceive.”

        “The venom of asps is under their lips.”

                “Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.”

        “Their feet are swift to shed blood;

                in their paths are ruin and misery,

        and the way of peace they have not known.”

                “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”

Both Jews and Gentiles were living in sin and rebelliousness towards God. Today, things are no different; we live surrounded by sin. We live around people who enjoy their sin and have disdain for God and godly behavior.

We should feel the same oppression, as we live out our Christian lives in the midst of a crooked generation. We should be uncomfortable with the lifestyle of those who do not love God. We should cringe at the philosophy of this world. But often, not only do we not have that attitude, but we are attracted by the sin of others, desiring the same things they desire and living with very similar mindsets. If we are not uncomfortable around sin, we should be alarmed!

We should love being around believers and love the reprieve we find in our local churches. The Jews lived in anticipation of their times of return to Jerusalem, and we should have the same longing for our times in corporate worship and Bible Study.

Philippians 1:3-8

        I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus.

       

Paul had such a love for those who were experiencing the reality of persecution for Christ, as he was. He loved the fact that other children of God were partners with him, because they had experienced the grace of God. Oh, how he longed to be with them.

How we, too, should long to be with Christ and, in the meanwhile, love to be with our brothers and sisters: the only ones who love the same things we do, live for the same things we do and long for the same things we do.