This past year, we have suffered through loss of life, loss of health and loss of work. In our culture, fear, hatred and anxiety were already on the rise, but this pandemic has intensified them to epidemic proportions. Zoom sermons. Isolated worship. The list goes on.
But this is nothing new. The Bible is filled with stories of individuals, peoples and nations dealing with unexpected trauma. Let’s consider some of these trials they faced; their responses and the outcomes, and what we can learn from them. Whether it’s 2021 AD or 2021 BC, the LORD is God.
What Can the Righteous Do?
The foundations of law and order have collapsed. What can the righteous do?” But the Lord is in his holy Temple; the Lord still rules from heaven. He watches everyone closely, examining every person on earth. (Psalm 11:3-4 NLT)
So, have the foundations of law and order collapsed? Parts of them, certainly. And of course when there are cracks in the foundation, how long before the entire foundation collapses? Then comes the question, “What can the righteous do?” It may seem that King David dodged the question by turning his attention to the LORD. But there’s your answer. What can the righteous do? Worship.
But you may ask, why aren’t we trying to fix the foundations? Well, can a broken people fix a broken foundation? No. And that’s why God’s people need to be worshiping Him. Because even in this traumatic and tumultuous time, if our culture sees that we have fixed our eyes on the LORD, maybe they will realize that’s what they need to do. And when God fixes us, only then are we capable of fixing the foundations.
The other thing this Psalm shows us is not to be distracted. It’s easy to get caught up in the rhetoric, the emotions, the animosity, the whatever. But if we get caught up in Christ, then we have His perspective; and we can offer to our culture, to our world, a righteous perspective.
