2005-01-30 Communion Dedication - Baldwin Christian Church

Psalm 30
1. [A Psalm and Song at the dedication of the house of David.] I will extol thee, O LORD; for thou hast lifted me up, and hast not made my foes to rejoice over me.

Foes: It's nearly impossible to live in this world and not have enemies. No matter how hard I might try to "get along" with people, or try to be a "good person," eventually there will be foes; those who rightly or wrongly hate me.

When a stranger becomes my foe, it doesn't hurt my feelings too bad, and I think to myself, "Well, they don't even know me, so that must be why they're doing this. If they knew me, they couldn't possibly have a reason to hate me, could they?" I convince myself that their ignorance is the problem, and march on indignantly, reckoning the stranger is the problem, not me.

When an acquaintance becomes my foe, it hurts, but I think, "It must be because they don't know me well enough. If they knew me like my friends do, they would have no reason to cause me this trouble. In fact, if they knew me like my friends do, they would immediately come right here and apologize."

When my friend becomes my foe, it really hurts. Now I have very little covering for my pain. Everywhere I turn, I'm reminded of it, and now it causes me to lose sleep, tossing and turning as I try to figure out why someone who knows me so well... hates me.

When someone in my family becomes my foe, it does more than hurt. Now the wounds are raw to the bone, and there is no covering for the pain. Tossing and turning, tears and torment, but no answers.

Even closer to home: When I realize that I am my own worst foe, my own greatest enemy, how do I react to that?

The nearer I get to Jesus, the clearer I can see His undeserved suffering. The more I learn about how He suffered silently, the more power He gives me to silence my own complaints. The more I think about how He taught us to, "Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you," it becomes harder for me to point an accusing finger of judgment at anyone else but myself. The closer I come to Jesus, the better I can see how many of His wounds were inflicted by me.

When I saw this, what did I do?

2. O LORD my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me.
3. O LORD, thou hast brought up my soul from the grave: thou hast kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit.
4. Sing unto the LORD, O ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.
5. For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.
6. And in my prosperity I said, I shall never be moved.
7. LORD, by thy favour thou hast made my mountain to stand strong: thou didst hide thy face, and I was troubled.
8. I cried to thee, O LORD; and unto the LORD I made supplication.
9. What profit is there in my blood, when I go down to the pit? Shall the dust praise thee? shall it declare thy truth?
10. Hear, O LORD, and have mercy upon me: LORD, be thou my helper.
11. Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness;
12. To the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever.

If the LORD has ever rescued you from the enemies without, or the enemies within, they have no reason to rejoice over you, but you have reason today to give thanks at the remembrance of His holiness.