2 Chronicles 24:20-22
20 Then the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, who stood above the people, and said to them, “Thus says God: ‘Why do you transgress the commandments of the Lord, so that you cannot prosper? Because you have forsaken the Lord, He also has forsaken you.’ ” 21 So they conspired against him, and at the command of the king they stoned him with stones in the court of the house of the Lord. 22 Thus Joash the king did not remember the kindness which Jehoiada his father had done to him, but killed his son; and as he died, he said, “The Lord look on it, and repay!”
Acts 7:57-60
57 Then they cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and ran at him with one accord; 58 and they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul. 59 And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60 Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not charge them with this sin.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.
In our flesh, we wish to respond to those who do us wrong like Zechariah, or better yet, be like James and John who wanted to call down holy fire (Luke 9:50-55).
But being called out of the world by the Son, sent down to tell us that it’s the Father’s will to see us restored and reconciled, we are to follow another way.(Matthew 5:43-48)
Lest we excuse ourselves from keeping his command, let us also be reminded that before Stephen, Jesus set the example for him. (Luke 23:34) Indeed, Jesus stood up that He might welcome Stephen’s spirit.
Though the circumstances were different, the hearts of the men who spilled innocent blood after being shown kindness were all committing apostasy and evil.
In our humanity it would be satisfying if we could exact our own vengeance, sanctioned by G-d and anointed by the Spirit, but we’re not.
The fact is that G-d will repay (Romans 12:19-21), but the problem we have is that maybe it’s not immediate, or done in a manner or with the intensity that will gratify our vision as to how it should look. Let us be cautious, however, that while we are free to respond in the flesh, we don’t have to guess G-d’s will in the matter.
But our faith in Him challenges us to leave the consequences of up to Him to visit on those who’ve wronged us. We are told to pray for them and keep moving in the work we’re called to do, using our gifts to do it.
Another earthly problem is that we are reminded that judgement isn’t swift to come either, so mankind continues to serve itself to the peril of their souls. (Eccles 8:11-13)
So brothers and sisters, let’s keep our vows to follow and serve, to do and obey, to hear and to tell, and keep to the narrow road. We do well to remember that our Shepherd, Brother, King, Judge and Savior gives us the comfort of the Spirit, and repeats to us in times of fear, doubt, and even rebellion, these words: “Assuredly, I say to you….”
Therefore I pray:
Lord Jesus,
In our hurt, pain, and anger when those we trusted betray us, we thank You for understanding that in those moments it will be difficult to say as You did to Judas, “Friend…”(Matthew 26:50)
We thank You for giving us grace when we respond to such circumstances as Zachariah, John, and James did, wanting to be immediately gratified to see ourselves avenged by the Father, through Your oneness with Him.
And we thank You also, for not revoking the covenant of grace when we respond in our flesh, not to bless and forgive, but to lash out in our hurt, when we turn physical, judgmental, accusatory, and angry. It is the very thing Your enemy and the prince of this world does to us regarding You, and tells us there are sins You can’t, and indeed won’t, forgive us.
Have the Spirit bring to mind that You have called Him the father of lies, and told us his intentions. (John 10:10)
So today Lord, let us abide in You, renewing our minds and spirits with knowledge of the joy to come in a new and purified world, in the light of G-d shining in a glorified Heaven as we worship You, our High Priest and King who reconciled us by taking our place, praying for his enemies even as He died.
May it be done to us as You have said, as we, in faith believing, affirm it by agreement.
Amen.
believer55 