"Awestruck"

"Put them in fear, O LORD: that the nations may know themselves to be but men. Selah." (Psalms 9:20) Now then; some things are only known by the experience gathered in learning; such is the case in knowing God's justice, both for now, and in the hereafter; because, before you can actually give thanksgiving for His justice, you must know it! As to the case of knowing it now, we have numerous ways in which we come to know how God's justice works in our every day experiences; some learn well, and some, well, they don't learn so much. For Example; when it comes to frustration that is experienced by what this world places upon on us, we have great opportunity to draw closer to God, in and through those difficulties, which is how is should be. Yet, there are some for who these opportunities become nothing more than things by which they complain about to others; thereby causing that which should otherwise inspire hope, to be nothing more than shame to the hope that should be inside of them. God's justice which shall come in the hereafter, is the basis for that hope; by which we experience by the peace that is given to us in knowing where our final destination shall be. This works for all forms of trials, persecutions, difficulties, and even the conflicts that take place among each other: because hope looks beyond anything that could possible take place upon this earth! Again, let me say that the last verse in almost every Psalm reinforces, gives summary to, or expresses the meaning of what that Psalm is about; so it is with this verse that ends Psalms Nine. The first part of this verse applies to both the saved and the unsaved, the believer and the unbeliever, for it says, "Put them in fear, O LORD"; to which fear is that which must be inspired in the hearts of those that do not believe; which is much the same as Paul explains in Galatians 3:24, how that the law was our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ; because without the law, how else would we know how far short we fall, and how much we needed Jesus to save us from our sin. For those who are believers, this "fear" is that which speaks of reverence; an awe-inspiring spectacle or deed; which is what should be our response to a wonder-working God, who not only loves us enough to die for us, but also prepares a place for us in heaven, that we might come to live with Him! This is also the response that is generated by knowing and believing "that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose". (Romans 8:28) The remainder of this verse can be looked upon as something which is geared towards those that are outside of God's protection, and those that need to be reminded of who they are; whether that be those who do not believe, or those who have strayed away and are walking in their own strength. The point which David is making when he says, "that the nations may know themselves to be but men", is precisely what it implies; however, "nations" is the same word that was used for "heathen" in the prior verse; thus, the implication goes beyond that of nations, and extends to those that are strangers to The True Religion, which includes those that have walked away from God, in search of their own desires. Furthermore; in case you missed the point, this would also include those who hold onto unforgiveness, and who do not love as God has ordained love to be, in our love one for another. And with that, we have another learning curve; one which speaks of learning that we are but men: men who are fallible and are subject to make mistakes; for the word "know" means to learn, or to perceive; to know by experience; something by which we all have the same opportunity to learn, in one way or another. Therefore, I feel that I must clarify something, for which I am sure that some received as my complaint; but as to the frustration I feel in my own situation, I am but a man; and given that is what I am, I long for that day when my wife shall be healed; therefore, it is only normal that I hold onto that emotion, seeing that to this point, she is still in the state that she is; however, in the same manner, I am awestruck by the way God works through our circumstance, and how the hope that is within me triumphs over that which is seen; for in the process of waiting for her to be healed, I am brought not only to the point of trust, but also to the point of living out the hope which can only be realized by the frustration that I live; because that for which I ask for, although not yet realized, does not mean that I stop asking and holding out for it to happen...Selah!!!