The Ways of Evil
Hello from Short Mountain! If you follow me on Facebook, you have seen some random pictures of the first couple of days of a great week at Bible camp, including one where I repented for not having wanted to come. For some reason, most years I get very nervous about being here and ruin my first night. But this year, I turned that over to God and have enjoyed every minute (except the showers…although I’m thankful we have running water).
As one might expect, I have been getting a lot of great spiritual food this week from God’s word. Hopefully, I’ll be able to share parts of that in the near future. So much of that has been uplifting and restorative to my spirit because I am surrounded by God’s people in God’s creation. Some might be surprised by what I want to share today as, at first glance, it doesn’t seem uplifting … but hang with me ’til the end.
One evening speaker was talking about God’s use of metaphors and referenced an account in the Old Testament concerning the exiles who had returned to the city of Jerusalem. When they saw the rebuilt Temple their reaction was to weep. The older people remembered the glory and splendor of Solomon’s Temple and realized how far sin had taken them from that glory.
Later that same evening we sang the song “Break My Heart” and a line caught my attention in a way that it never had before: “the ways of evil cut so deep.” You see, the weeping exiles who had returned were not the ones who had done wrong. It was God’s faithful in exile who were allowed to return. They were simply suffering for sin done in generations before them.
How often is this true today? People suffer from sin and its consequences because of its far-reaching effects. So, where is the uplifting thought in that?
The uplifting thought is in the grace and mercy that allowed them to return home in the first place! If you will take the time to read Nehemiah 9, you will read over and over phrases like, “You are merciful,” “You are quick to forgive,” and “You have kept your promise.”
While the ways of evil surely do cut deep, never miss the fact that God always is ready to forgive and always ready to be there for the remnant of the faithful. He hears your weeping.
“But know that the LORD has set apart the godly for himself; the LORD hears when I call to him.” Psalm 4:3
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AUTHOR: Amber Tatum
