From heaven you pronounced judgment, and the land feared and was quiet—Psm 76:8
It has been a while since I have been able to write a devotional article here at Lillie-Put. My world has been anything but quiet. And during busy seasons (which seems my lot in life just now) it is a lot easier to post a quick pic than it is to set aside a slab of time to read and consider a response to a verse of Scripture. But a slab has thankfully presented itself and so here I am!
Our verse about Heaven today includes within it the subject of judgment. My personal meditation on Psalm 76:8 almost immediately took me to Romans 8:18-23.
18 Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later.19 For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are. 20 Against its will, all creation was subjected to God’s curse. But with eager hope, 21 the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay. 22 For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23 And we believers also groan, even though we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, for we long for our bodies to be released from sin and suffering. We, too, wait with eager hope for the day when God will give us our full rights as his adopted children,[a]including the new bodies he has promised us.
I seldom think of the world as a quiet place. A broken place, a groaning place, a hectic place,a busy place sure all these things fit… but a quiet place? Not hardly, unless of course I was to rise at 2 A.M. every morning and frankly who has the energy for that?
Now not all hustle and bustle is a bad thing. God has called us to be productive and to work at what our hands find to do to further his kingdom; But the world has forgotten the Reason for its hustle and the Purpose for its bustle and has bypassed God in the name of self-progress. And so it is that world groans just waiting…just waiting for God to reveal Himself and His children. When God does reveal Himself all those who have forgotten Him will remember and will mourn. His revelation will come in the form of judgment and then the hustle and the bustle will stop and all the land will be quiet with a holy fear.
The Scripture says of that time,
Then everyone—the kings of the earth, the rulers, the generals, the wealthy, the powerful, and every slave and free person—all hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains. 16 And they cried to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of the one who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb. 17 For the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to survive?”Rev. 6:15-17
You forgave the guilt of your people— yes, you covered all their sins. Interlude 3 You held back your fury. You kept back your blazing anger.
4 Now restore us again, O God of our salvation. Put aside your anger against us once more. 5 Will you be angry with us always? Will you prolong your wrath to all generations? 6 Won’t you revive us again, so your people can rejoice in you? 7 Show us your unfailing love, O Lord, and grant us your salvation.
8 I listen carefully to what God the Lord is saying, for he speaks peace to his faithful people. But let them not return to their foolish ways. 9 Surely his salvation is near to those who fear him, so our land will be filled with his glory.
Yes God is coming to judge the world. Yes He is going to bring to silence all the world’s futile activity but His real desire is to save people out of judgment by forgiveness. What we must do is turn from our forgetting about God and turn to a remembrance of Him. If you wish to do that please pray with me using the prayer written below!
Prayer: Lord Jesus today I remember that You are God and I am not. Forgive me for all the ways I forget about You daily. rescue me from my rushing and help me to find rest in Your presence today. Help me to follow You and you alone throughout this day. In Jesus name…Amen!
Lillie-Put 
Thank you, Pastor J for sharing this word and I’ll be joining you in your prayer today.
Thank you Deb! May God hear and answer!
Thank you JE for a great devotional.
I totally agree with your words about the hustle and bustle of the world. There is little peace, unless we can get away to a clear mountain with a quietly running stream and a waterfall and singing birds – or something similar – but even then we are likely to encounter spoilage of God’s creation by foolish mankind, and as you say, even creation groans because of the curse.
My sister last night escaped the world and heard the longed for “Well done, good and faithful servant” for that she was. Despite much pain for many years as she suffered from arachnoiditis and many other problems, she was one of the happiest, always encouraging others and witnessing of her Saviour. I will miss her, but I cannot grieve for her or wish her back. One day soon I will see her again.
Oh so soon and very soon we are going to see our King! Praying for you sister.