Remember to be bold to those who are teachers of false things (Titus 1: 10-13) but patient with those who are seeking but yet oppose themselves (2 Timothy 2: 23-26.)  As we no longer lie to our neighbours but declare the truth to them (Ephesians 4: 15, 25, 29) most will speak blasphemous things against the glory of our God.  There is such a thing as righteous anger for the hardness of man’s heart, as we see in our Saviour (Mark 3: 5).  But Lord help me to remember my sinful flesh is a deceiver—let not anger turn to sin, giving place to the devil (Ephesians 4: 26-27.)

I believe Paul quoted this from Psalm 4.  And I think Psalm 4 is the prayer of Christ when he was here as Man and faced the hardness of sinful hearts (Psalm 4: 1.)  Christ stood in awe—He was amazed, angered and trembled at the hardness of man’s heart who constantly turned His glory into shame (Psalm 4:2.)  But Christ knew that the LORD had set him apart for Himself therefore the LORD would hear Him when He called. (Psalm 4: 3.) So though He stood in awe at the hardness of man’s heart, He never sinned nor gave place to the devil, but communed with His own heart in private—opening His heart to the Father–and so He offered (and is) the sacrifice of Righteousness who put His trust in the LORD (Psalm 4: 4-5;Hebrews 7: 5-9..)  As the world denied the faithfulness of God, the prayer of Christ was (and still is) for the LORD to look upon us (Psalm 4: 6.) And the Father increased and stilled the Masters heart (Psalm 4: 7-8.) May the Lord help us to see His faithfulness to keep us as we see the faithfulness of the Father to his Son.  And may the Lord lead us to follow the example of Christ our Righteousness as often as we stand in awe at how this perverse and ungodly world continuously turns the glory of our all-sufficient Saviour into shame.  No matter the opposition we can lay down in peace and sleep for the LORD only makes us to dwell safely in our Redeemer and He shall do the same for all his sheep—that is the stuff that makes for a good night’s rest.      Clay Curtis

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