How to Make Wickedness Shut It's Mouth

 

One of my favorite quotes of all times is this:

Sometimes I would like to ask God why He allows poverty, suffering, and injustice when He could do something about it. But, I’m afraid He would ask me the same question. 

Think about that for a minute.

Now read it again.

Sometimes I would like to ask God why He allows poverty, suffering, and injustice when He could do something about it. But, I’m afraid He would ask me the same question. 

In Psalm 107 there are all kinds of cool verses.  Verses 41 and 42 make me sit up and take notice:

but he raises up the needy out of affliction
and makes their families like flocks.

The upright see it and are glad,
and all wickedness shuts its mouth.

God will raise up the needy.   He may use us to do it (in fact, he has no plan B.  We are his hands and his feet) and it’s goign to get done.

And that next verse is such a great thought — he takes the needy out of their affliction and makes their families like flocks.   Whatever image comes to your mind when you think of a flock, it is way different than the disarray of many of the families in our communities.  And yet God can do that.  Again, he uses his people to make it happen, but he does it!

And what is the response of the “upright?”   They are glad.  They rejoice when the underdog wins…. when the prodigal returns…. when the least deserving get grace…. when the worst of us gets mercy.  The upright rejoice when good things happen to those we don’t think are worthy.

And what happens after all this?   

After God’s people step in to raise the needy from affliction...

After God’s people assist in making the families of the needy like flocks ....

After the upright see what God is done and rejoice in it…

THEN wickedness shuts its mouth.

Profund.