Vengeance

"To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy--to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore" (Jude 24-25)!

Awaken again, such noise, the clanging of metal, the screeching of brakes, the roaring of engines, the 'beep' 'beep' of the backup safety device; I look at the clock, it is 5:00 am.  I didn't know there was a 5:00 am! How can that sound travel so far? Across a field, through the double pane sliding glass door, past the louvre blinds making its way into the inner recesses of my dream.  The cat gets excited, "he is here again" and pushes back the louvre blinds to check out this commotion, a flash of bright light cuts through the darkness and somehow finds its way past my closed eyelids and into my sleep.  I am awaken again, it is the messenger from Satan, I know it is, he is here again to torment me; laughing I'm sure in his truck at all of us who by now are looking for a way to take some form of vengeance on this demonized individual. Oh Lord! I cry out, throw him into the abyss lock it up and seal it over him (Revelation 20:3).  Is it from You Lord? (2 Corinthians 12:7).  I know that You have commanded us to "to keep me from becoming conceited...there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me""Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you" (Matthew 5:44).  But Lord, I want to take vengeance, this demonized individual is wrecking my sleep and I just know that he is getting a sense of joy from all this noise he is making.  He hates it, I am asleep and he is working at 5:00 am in the morning. Sadistic, morose, I have made a plan.  It is a good plan where I can take my vengeance and have a good case to defend myself. "Now that I have prepared my case, I know I will be vindicate. can anyone bring charges against me? If so, I will be silent and die. Only grant me these two things O God, and then I will not hide from you:"  (Job 13:18-20). Then in my anger I recall: "In your anger do not sin; when you are on your beds, search your hearts and be silent" ((Psalm 4:4). So, I grimace and pull the bed covers up over my head; I glance at the clock it is 5:10 am; it seemed like an eternity.

How often we just want to take up our case and defend ourselves.  Vengeance sounds so sweet.  Especially against the one who has spoken evil of you behind your back.  It is so easy to be offended darkening our hearts, playing out the role of an avenger against that one who offended us.  At those times our carnal nature shifts into high gear we want satisfaction and it is easy to forget that we have an Avenger, One who takes up our battles, gives us strength to endure.  "O LORD, the God who avenges, O God who avenges, shine forth.  Who will rise up for me against the wicked? who will take a stand for me against evildoers? Unless the LORD had given me help, I would soon have dwelt in the silence of death. When I said, " My foot is slipping, your love, O LORD, supported me. when anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought joy to my soul" (Psalm 94: 1, 16-19).

I pull the bed covers back over my head, slip silently into a deep sleep.  I do not have to take vengeance, I have the Creator of the Universe on my side and that messenger of Satan, the one who awakens me each Thursday at 5:00 am, will return again next week and once again I will have to call upon the strength of the LORD: "The LORD gives strength to his people; the LORD blesses his people with peace" (Psalm 29:11).  "I trust in the LORD" (Psalm 31:6b).  Will You?

Daily Prayer:

Father in heaven thank You for Your presence in my life. For all the times You have kept me from stumbling when I wanted to avenge myself even over little things that later turned out to be so petty.  You are my strength, my Rock, my sure foundation.  I lay my life out before you; use it as You will.                 Amen