I often forget I’m a stranger & and exile in this world (1 Peter 2:11), living among people who are hostile to God & his representatives, like I once was (Colossians 1:21). I need to remind myself often that this world is not my home, and I’m surrounded by people who often remind me of that reality. I can’t settle down in this world. I should never feel comfortable here on planet earth. This is something like what the writer of Psalm 120 experienced. Psalms 120-134 are the “Songs of Ascent” that Jewish worshippers sang as they traveled to Mt. Zion (Jerusalem) three times a year for special times of worship. This singer lived figuratively between a rock (Meshech) and a hard place (Kedar), two geographical places that were far from Israel and each other. They were places of exile for God’s people and represented a world without God and hostile to God’s people. This was a distressful time for this poet (1), so he prayed for deliverance from their lies & deception (2), two trademark qualities of a world dominated by Satan, the master liar (John 8:44). He lamented such deceitfulness (3), yet left their judgment up to God (4). Like Lot, this righteous man lived too long among “those who hated peace” (6). IOW, he would never be reconciled with the world because of their hostility to God and his truth & righteous ways. He and the world in which he lived would always be at odds (7). Likewise, I must realize that I cannot be a friend of this world and a friend of God at the same time, lest I, too, find myself to be at odds with God (James 4:4). It’s okay for me to grieve and lament over this world’s hostility to me, since I know they are really hostile to God. However, I must not give the world any reason to be hostile towards me (1 Peter 2:12). I must always remain a man of peace and speak the truth about true peace in Jesus Christ. The answer for this world is not reconciliation with me but reconciliation with God; and that will only happen through the regenerating work of God. That’s why I must always be a faithful witness in this world speaking God’s truth to anyone who will listen. Thank God there are those in this world that God has chosen who will listen.
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