Idly By

“God has taken His place in the divine assembly;
He judges among the gods:
“How long will you judge unjustly
and show partiality to the wicked? Selah
Provide justice for the needy and the fatherless;
uphold the rights of the oppressed and the destitute.
Rescue the poor and needy;
save them from the power of the wicked.” - Psalm 82:1-4 HCSB

I write a lot about making a difference. About getting out of the pew, off the bench, and doing something. About putting our faith to work while we still can.

I write about these things, not so that we will think that our actions and work will somehow earn our way into heaven or earn God’s approval.

No.

We do because we love... we love because He first loved us.

Today’s passage jumped off the page and slapped me this morning seemingly saying, “You write about these things, but what are you doing... really?”

“Are you, providing justice for the needy and the fatherless?
Are you upholding the rights of the oppressed and the destitute?
Are you rescuing the poor and the needy, and saving them from the power of the wicked?”

“Or is your lack of action showing partiality to the wicked and thus judging unjustly?”

As I sit back and wonder about this conversation with this passage, I am reminded of how God speaks through His Living Word and how the Holy Spirit convicts us, and even lights the flame of passion within us.

“So, how long will you sit and hear My voice and not act... and not respond?”

There are so many needs around us. So many that we count on others to handle while we sit on our hands and say “amen”:

Look around.
Open your eyes.
See the need,
the hurt,
the pain,
the sadness,
the lost.

How long will we remain on the sideline?

How long will we sit idly by?

How long?

Keep the Faith... Carpe Diem

“We must do the works of Him who sent Me while it is day. Night is coming when no one can work.” - John 9:4 HCSB