Clergy/Leaders’ Mail-list No. 2-182 Sunday 15 Sep 2002

Reading: Psalm 125 – RIGHTEOUSNESS AND OBEDIENCE

‘0 Lord, do good to those who are good, whose hearts are in tune with you.'(Ps 125:4, New Living Translation)

Here is another psalm which works with the theme of trust in the face of difficulty. But hidden in the middle is the strange and challenging verse 3. It seems that the psalm was written at the time of some unjust and ungodly government – that would not be difficult to find in the history of Israel. But what are we to make of the possibility that ungodly government can lead the righteous into evil?

A little reflection will tell us that this rings true to human experience. When the leadership is corrupt, standards around slip, and even those who know and love God can find themselves caught up in great evil. This must challenge us in a number of ways. How much do we care about national leadership. How do we inform ourselves? How much do we pray for our leadership? Where do we bring a challenge?

But perhaps the issue goes deeper. The righteous are oppressed. The promised land has been given to the people, but has been removed by their own rulers. This was the fear that Samuel had expressed (1 Sam 8:10-18) and which has only too quickly come to fruition. This is not the pain of oppression by foreign powers, however agonising. This is the people of God denying their heritage while living in it! They are failing to be what they are called to be, and although the responsibility starts with the leaders, it can be carried through very quickly to the people as a whole.

What was true for Israel can be true for the church. We, too, can deny our calling, and when that happens, none of us can escape the responsibility.

Where do you see the church failing to be what God has called it to be? What could be done? Make this a matter for prayer.

– John Grayston

Copyright Scripture Union, 2002

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