Until a Pit Is Dug
Meditation on Psalm 94
One of the hardest things about suffering at the hands of others is the wait for justice. We hope and long for God to show up and do something about the evil. We begin to wonder if God sees our anguish, and whether He cares, because it seems like wicked people are getting by without punishment. It's not fair! If vengeance belongs to the Lord, why doesn't He DO something?
We form the false belief that our faith is worth nothing; that what we do doesn't matter because evil seems to escape judgment, so we may as well live for ourselves. I only know because I've been there.
Psalm 94 gives us a peek inside the unseen world of justice in God's economy. The writer affirms God's oversight of good and evil: He holds the power to judge both. Then he turns to comfort us, those who seek God for help and walk in His ways:
"Joyful are those you discipline, LORD, those you teach with your instructions. You give them relief from troubled times until a pit is dug to capture the wicked." ~Psalm 94:12-13
The experience of suffering often goes something like this:
Isn't this what you would hope for? That God would reach down into your pit, draw you out and set you in a safe place first, and address the enemy later?
We must free ourselves of desiring destruction of our enemies as part of our own healing. Our enemies are not our problem--they are God's project. He is the one who exercises vengeance; it is not up to us.
As surely as God delivers those who cry out to Him, He is digging a pit to capture the wicked. There is great comfort in knowing that our God is sovereign: He sees all, and possesses the power to set things right. His ways are higher than our ways; His methods are far different than ours; His values are righteous. He will certainly do what is right (Genesis 18:25)!
. . . since it is just for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you and to give relief to you who are afflicted, along with us. This will take place at the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven with his powerful angels, when he takes vengeance with flaming fire on those who don’t know God and on those who don’t obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. ~ 1 Thess. 1:6-8
Subscribe to free weekly articles in your inbox HERE; your information will never be shared. :-)
©2022 Julianne Knapp. First published 10.25.22
One of the hardest things about suffering at the hands of others is the wait for justice. We hope and long for God to show up and do something about the evil. We begin to wonder if God sees our anguish, and whether He cares, because it seems like wicked people are getting by without punishment. It's not fair! If vengeance belongs to the Lord, why doesn't He DO something?
We form the false belief that our faith is worth nothing; that what we do doesn't matter because evil seems to escape judgment, so we may as well live for ourselves. I only know because I've been there.
Psalm 94 gives us a peek inside the unseen world of justice in God's economy. The writer affirms God's oversight of good and evil: He holds the power to judge both. Then he turns to comfort us, those who seek God for help and walk in His ways:
"Joyful are those you discipline, LORD, those you teach with your instructions. You give them relief from troubled times until a pit is dug to capture the wicked." ~Psalm 94:12-13
The experience of suffering often goes something like this:
- We are victimized by evil
- We cry out to God for help
- God hears our cry
- God provides a way of escape or deliverance
- God trains us to seek Him for our answers and deepens our relationship with Himself as we lean into Him
- Time elapses while "a pit is dug to capture the wicked"
- Justice for the oppressed
- Justice for the oppressor
Isn't this what you would hope for? That God would reach down into your pit, draw you out and set you in a safe place first, and address the enemy later?
We must free ourselves of desiring destruction of our enemies as part of our own healing. Our enemies are not our problem--they are God's project. He is the one who exercises vengeance; it is not up to us.
As surely as God delivers those who cry out to Him, He is digging a pit to capture the wicked. There is great comfort in knowing that our God is sovereign: He sees all, and possesses the power to set things right. His ways are higher than our ways; His methods are far different than ours; His values are righteous. He will certainly do what is right (Genesis 18:25)!
. . . since it is just for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you and to give relief to you who are afflicted, along with us. This will take place at the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven with his powerful angels, when he takes vengeance with flaming fire on those who don’t know God and on those who don’t obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. ~ 1 Thess. 1:6-8
Subscribe to free weekly articles in your inbox HERE; your information will never be shared. :-)
©2022 Julianne Knapp. First published 10.25.22