The Wrath of Man 5/12

12 May 2017, The Wrath of Man Shall Praise – Manna by Dorothy Callies

Psalm 76:10 “Surely the wrath of man shall praise You . . .” (Other translation).

Augustine said that God “judged it better to bring good out of evil, than not to permit any evil to exist.” So God takes the worst evil that men and women can do to us and turns it into good. “Even the wrath of ungodly men brings praise to Him” (Ps. 76:10).

God has not promised that your life will be easy—indeed it may not be. But He has promised to sustain (support) you in your struggle and uphold you with His mighty arm. If you trust Him, He will empower you to make your way bravely through extraordinary difficulty with faith, hope, and love.

The trials God permits in your life will lead to His praise and glory, if only you will abide in Him. [Dorothy: This is where the song, Abide with Me, brought to my memory, even though some of the words are difficult to grasp. You could use the imagination to really turn it into ASL song].

God will use men’s wrath to bring glory and praise to Himself, but when that purpose is fulfilled, He will then restrain it [hold them back from doing things worse].

God will not allow you to be pressed beyond endurance. That is His sure promise. When we have experience the lesson God wants us to learn, and when God’s revelation of glory is complete in us, God will raise His hand against evil and say, “No more.”

Dorothy: I was reading this devotion about God’s Restraint from the Daily Bread written by David Roper. What impressed me was “Even the wrath (violent anger) of man shall praise You.”  I use my imagination to understand what this meant. Many people might be angry with God for allowing things to happen, but soon people will realize that God is a Sovereign God who rules … yet He gave men (people) … a will to choose, God or Satan.

I was thinking of Pearly Gates which is only for the “suffering Christians” who will enter heaven.  Paul said, “We must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22). So let us endure the suffering like Christ has endured suffering for us. Christ has done so much for us and let our hearts be filled with love of Christ that they may see God in our lives. Through that, they might invited Jesus Christ into their hearts. That's the best testimony we could do for Him.

 Prayer Song: Abide with Me

Abide with me: fast fall the even-tide;

The darkness deepens; Lord with me a-bide!

When other helpers fail and comforts flee,

Help of the helpless, Oh a-bide with me.

I need Thy Presence every passing hour;

What but Thy grace can foil the temper’s power?

Who, like thyself my guide and stay can be?

Thro’ cloud and sunshine, Lord, a-bide with me.

[Lyrics: Henry Francis Lyte]

 
 May the Lord blessed you! 

Dorothy