“Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him. Don’t fret, vex, and fume when evil people succeed in their ways—when they carry out their wicked spins, schemes, and lies. Dial down your anger and rage… again, don’t fret or sweat, or it will lead you into saying and doing evil things. A Day is coming when evil and evil makers will be destroyed. Hope in the Lord all the way into the new heaven and new earth.” (pp Psalm 37:7–9)
Faithful Father, you send your Word with Swiss timing, laser precision, and convicting power. Whenever we’re vexed or fretful, you anticipate it. Whenever we’re confused or anxious, you’ve already spoken wisdom about the matter in the Scriptures. Whenever we feel vulnerable or angry, you come to us in the Bible and bring us back to Gospel-sanity, time and time again. Thank you for the counsel, consolation, and centering of your Word.
Abba, I know you don’t want us to be passive as puppies in the face of evil, but I find myself responding in ways that reflect a lack of faith, a lack of love, and a lack of patient waiting for you. In triggerable moments, I feel the energy of a Tasmanian Devil welling up in my spirit—not the licks of a 4-month-old Labrador Retriever. But absolutely zero good comes from our obsessing about evil and evil making. Nothing profitable results from our spending extra time fertilizing our anger and fueling our disgust.
Neither “bad guys” nor “good guys” are gonna win history—for history isn’t a game; it’s your Story. Jesus gets the last word, victory lap, and glory. The very righteousness with which you have already robed us in the Gospel is the same righteousness with which you are going to fill the entire earth—and the sooner the better, Abba. So Very Amen.