Thursday, January 29, 2009

It is not your fault… (Psalm 59) 290109

I just got my driving license, and I am very eager to get hold of a car to drive, especially during this Chinese New Year season. Lo, and behold, a sister in my church who owns a minivan, agreed to trust God by lending her minivan into my hand for two full days. Surely her faith is not in me, though she knows that I have been riding motorbike for the past three years and has much road experience, but letting a less than one-month-old driver to drive her minivan is another issue.

I thank God for her boldness, and before I drove off on the first day; my wife prayed that God will protect us and keep us safe. She seems to have less faith in me than my friend. Anyway, I returned the minivan without a single scratch and my wife is happy with my driving skill.

As I read today’s psalm, I know God is reminding me that it is His grace and protection that I am able to ride a motorbike and a minivan on the road and return safely. People who are behind the steering wheel and on the road, they can be rather or very reckless. I am not talking about you, if you are reading this. But there are many drivers and riders who are really like those bloodthirsty men (v2, NKJV) and wicked transgressors (v5, NKJV) describes in this psalm. They dashed pass me while I was already traveling at 80 or 90 km/h on the expressway. These are the speed thirsty drivers. They cut into my lane without giving me any signal and seem to be unhappy with my slow speed, but I am traveling on the left most lanes! These are the road transgressors.

No matter how hard I try to be alert, there are people out there who are out to get me. I think the psalmist must have felt the same. No matter how he tried not to sin, there are people who will lie in wait for his life, not for his transgression nor for his sin (v3, NASB). Bad things happen to us, and it is not our faults! No fault of mine, no guilt of mine (v4).

Maybe you are a victim of the current financial crisis, and it is not your fault. Maybe you are going through a marriage crisis because your spouse is not being faithful in keeping the covenant, and it is not your fault. Maybe you score badly for a group project because of a mistake make by one of your team members; it is not your fault. Maybe you are putting on some pounds in this season of Chinese New Year, so much good food; it is surely not your fault.

But psalmist regained his strength by singing (v16, 17). He sang of God’s lovingkindness, and acknowledged Him as His stronghold (v16, 17). As we are storming through this financial crisis, our marriages, and even our failures; let’s learn to remember God’s lovingkindness and look to Him as our stronghold.

Some of you are still recovering from the post-Chinese New Year blues, and don’t feel like working today. It is not your fault. I also don’t feel like working.


HHS…
Abel…

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