“Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds! So great is your power that your enemies cringe before you.” (Psalm 66:3 NIV)
God makes His enemies cringe before Him. God’s enemies should be our enemies. God has seven things He despises:
“There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies and a person who stirs up conflict in the community.” (Proverbs 6:16-19 NIV).
God’s enemies are our enemies.
Haughty is defined as arrogantly superior and disdainful. Think mean girls, this is the leader of the pack. She’s the one devising new ways to torture those less fortunate. God’s not a fan. Then there are the liars, Jesus came to tell the truth, not to lie. Hands that shed innocent blood, God finds them detestable. Someone who devises wicked schemes, this is the person who is constantly manipulating others for their own benefit, God knows their heart. Feet that are quick to rush into evil, this is the person who goes looking for trouble, for whatever reason. Someone who tells lies against another, that isn’t going to end well for them. And a person who stirs up conflict in the community, they’ll regret it. There are so many ways to stir up trouble; gossiping, slandering, lieing. People who do it deliberately. These are the enemies of God, they will cringe before Him when the truth is revealed.
We have all been enemies of God. That is a harsh truth, but it doesn’t make it any less true. I’ve lied, I’ve manipulated, I’ve instigated, I’ve stirred up conflict and God has made me cringe at those actions. He has held up the mirror of truth to me and reflected back to me what I have done. We are all guilty of detestable things, none of us are without sin. We want our enemies to cringe, we just don’t want to admit, sometimes that enemy is ourselves. We want God to make others pay for their crimes, but we don’t want to pay for ours. Vengeance is a slippery slope that is best left alone.
Grace is God’s answer. He wants us to draw near to Him:
“Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.” (James 4:8-10 NIV).
We all have been enemies of God at some point. But when we humble ourselves and draw close to Him, He covers us with His grace. In His awesomeness, He lifts us up and gives us new life.
Question of the Day:
How can you draw near to God today and let His grace lift you up?
Further Reading: Numbers 36:1-Deuteronomy 1:46 NIV, Luke 5:29-6:11 NIV, Psalm 66:1-20 NIV,Proverbs 11:24-26 NIV
