Consumed and Mocked

DEVOTION

PSALMS

CONSUMED AND MOCKED

Ps 69:5-12

5 You know my folly, O God; my guilt is not hidden from you.

6 May those who hope in you not be disgraced because of me, O Lord, the LORD Almighty; may those who seek you not be put to shame because of me, O God of Israel. 7 For I endure scorn for your sake, and shame covers my face. 8 I am a stranger to my brothers, an alien to my own mother's sons; 9 for zeal for your house consumes me, and the insults of those who insult you fall on me. 10 When I weep and fast, I must endure scorn; 11 when I put on sackcloth, people make sport of me. 12 Those who sit at the gate mock me, and I am the song of the drunkards.

NIV

Whatever we do in the sense of folly, we might think no one knows about it, but the Lord surely does. But what would be considered folly or guilt? It is more like silliness and sin. But although we know what sin is, what would silliness be? Certainly God does not except us to constantly walk around with a frown.That just does not represent Christ one little bit. But silliness is defined as lack of common sense and proper judgement. So we can have a great smile and look good on the outside but still lack common sense and proper Judgement. The Idea is that we can act in a manner that not only keeps from bringing glory to God, but we can act in a manner that brings shame to God. However, as that psalmist continues along this theme, we see quite the opposite of bringing shame to God. All the mannerisms, the lifestyle, the way in which he conducts himself separates him from all others. He is a stranger to his brothers, an alien to them. He is insulted because of his zeal for the Lord. People make spot of him because he acts like he is a true believer. Are we like that? Do we get insulted because we trust in the Lord? If we are not being scorned, if we are not an alien to those who do not know the Lord, even in our own family, are we fitting in too much? Does the zeal for the Lord consume us? Is the Lord the primary mover in our life? Maybe we just go about our daily lives fitting into our social setting and serving the Lord sort of on a part time basis. Do we ever put on sackcloth? In the days of old it was a sign of mourning or repentance. Do we even repent? Or do we sort of repent, kind of halfhearted asking God to forgive us for some infraction of the rules. Would anyone ever know, it’s not that we put on sackcloth to go to work, or church? But the point still remains that we should be different enough in our daily lives everyone we come in contact with has no doubt that we are a believer in Jesus Christ. We should have distinct aura about us, after all the Holy Spirit is dwelling within us and he must have an incredible aura, unless of course we are squelching the Spirit, keeping him hidden deep within. Then we just look like everyone else and never are made sport of, or insulted because of our unwavering faith and trust in God.  Even in church do we just fit in to how everyone else expresses their worship? Or do we praise God with all our heart, mind, spirit and strength? There has to be something different about us, and not our level of seriousness, but our level of joy, excitement, enthusiasm for God. When we are consumed,  then we might just be mocked.