Let us fight for justice, for peace, and for unity together in the shelter of our Father. Our war is not against each other, our war is against the kingdom of this world…and the Kingdom of Heaven has already claimed the victory.
There is no shortage of things to fear in our world today. Take a short scroll through your Facebook newsfeed or a 60 second listen to a cable news show and I have no doubt that your heart will begin racing at the terrifying updates being thrown at us on a daily, even hourly, basis. I could list them out here but I have a feeling you don’t need me to do that. They are always at the forefront of our minds leaving us filled with anxiety, stress, and hopelessness. Not only must we wrestle with these paralyzing fears, but the world around us seems to do it’s very best to use these fears to divide us into opposing groups – claiming that one fear is greater than another and anyone who says differently must be wrong and must be hated.
The truth of the matter is this – we live in a crumbling, broken, devastating world. If you are not feeling even an ounce of fear, you probably aren’t paying attention. David begins Psalm 2 by describing the state of the world he is living in. Nations rage. People plot in vain. The rulers of the earth set themselves against God and against his son. Sound familiar? He goes on to say, though, that He who sits in heaven laughs. Yes, you read that right. He laughs! It’s not because God finds this funny or because he isn’t concerned about his people. It’s because he knows how the story ends. He knows who is ultimately in control and he knows that victory has already been claimed. He says, “As for me, I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill.” He’s referring to Jesus. God doesn’t look at his lost, broken world and wonder how it will all turn out. He made a plan at the beginning of time to conquer all evil and to ensure that good prevails – and this plan was accomplished through the death and resurrection of his son.
David goes on to give a warning to those who oppose God, telling them to be wise, be warned, and to serve the Lord with fear. He is establishing the Father as the true authority, much more powerful than those who simply rule on the earth. They may war against the people of God, but they will never prevail. That battle has already been won.
David finishes this Psalm with these beautiful words, “Blessed are all who take refuge in him.” The fears we are confronted with on a daily basis are not going away. They may shift and change, but our world will always be broken and there will always be events, people, and situations that threaten our sense of peace. Let us always remember to take refuge in him. Not as individuals, but as brothers and sisters whose hearts long for the shalom of Jesus. Let us fight for justice, for peace, and for unity together in the shelter of our Father. Our war is not against each other, our war is against the kingdom of this world…and the Kingdom of Heaven has already claimed the victory.
