Day 275: Tough for People Pleasers

Revelation 19; Isaiah 5-6; Psalm 109:20-31

In an earlier post I wrote about who or what the prostitute referred to in Revelation could be. In this chapter, it doesn't sound like messed up, unfaithful Israel, but Babylon, which I think might be the center for the new one world religion that would be set up in end times. I'm getting some of this from what I'm reading here and some of it from the Left Behind series, which is very much based on scripture too (they are probably smarter than I am and have studied it more). Anyone who has any thoughts on this, feel free to comment! Revelation can be really confusing.

Later in this chapter, it has the wedding feast of Christ and his church, and the final battle of this time (there is one more after 1,000 years). I love the idea that Jesus Christ will celebrate and accept us like a bride at a wedding. His love for his people is extravagant, passionate, complete. This passage promises that we will be given clothes of purity, representing the good we have done. God knows what we do and in these times everyone will be rewarded for what we do. I think about that moment, when I will someday stand before Jesus and get my gown of white. I want him to be proud of me, so what must I do? Live and breathe for him and the kingdom of God. Then later in this chapter, Christ wipes out the vast armies and rulers that come against him with a double edged sword that comes from his mouth. That's a weird image. Most people believe this simply represents his Word. Jesus is going to defeat the evil of this world with words, scripture, the Bible's teaching. What? Those must be some powerful words! We need to trust in the word of God like this, that scripture breathed in our lives and hidden in our hearts can overcome evil, pain, and destruction.

Isaiah presents a pretty bleak outlook on humanity in these two chapters. It begins by saying that God had hoped for goodness in his people, but because of their freedom, they chose dishonesty and wickedness. God is angry because the people are focused on drinking and partying, being impure, not following God's commands; they "say wrong is right, darkness is light, and bitter is sweet." I think that is a perfect description of what we humans are sometimes prone to do. We like to justify the wrong we do and so we call it right. I think of many of the major issues in our nation and world today that God condemns in his word and yet humans, including some Christians, say that they are ok. In my Bible, this chapter is called "Isaiah Condemns Social Injustice." That's one of the things that I'm noticing more and more is part of God's heart. How do we love God? We care for those who can't care for themselves: the poor, the widows, the orphans. We work to fix social injustices. Just like Christ will destroy evil with his word, we need to read God's word with our hearts open and willing to accept its truth and power, even if it goes against what the world says.

I love this passage in this psalm: "Please help me Lord God! Come and save me because of your love. Let others know that you alone have saved me. I don't care if they curse me, as long as you bless me." God saves us because of his great love for us. He doesn't rescue us because he has to, because we deserve it, but simply because he loves us that much. The psalmist wants everyone to know what it is that does save him when it happens. This is his testimony, his sharing of God's impact on his life, and if we are saved by God, we have a story to tell as well. The last part of this would be tough for people pleasers: I doesn't matter if other people curse us, say bad things about us, don't like us--but doesn't it sometimes feel like it does matter? Yeah, because we like to focus on others' opinions. This scripture reminds us that what really matters is not the opinions, curses, thoughts of others, but God's thoughts, opinions, and blessings on us. God's approval is the only one that matters. That's something to live for!