Newsletter — August 24, 2025
“He pours contempt on princes and makes them wander in trackless wastes; 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. Whoever is wise, let him attend to these things; let them consider the steadfast love of the LORD” (Psalm 107:40-43).
Pastor Joe’s sermon on this Psalm was illuminating on how it applied to Israel in the wilderness, fleeing Egypt. But a little reflection and one can see how the church today appears to be in the wilderness as well, as we are torn asunder from within and without. Our princes certainly have had contempt poured on them, and seem continual candidates for it because of their wickedness, which is unending with greed and covetousness and false worship. Yet in the midst, God blesses the church and its families.
So what should we do? Verse 43 encourages us to act wisely and attend to these things, and consider God’s steadfast love. So, let us pray for our princes and their repentance and their submission to Jesus and his law—all of it. But let us also pray for all those other leaders in our society between the rulers and families, such as local police, city leaders, business leaders (retail and commercial), media and social media leaders, charity leaders, NGO leaders, and the myriad volunteer leaders that shape our society, at this point, mostly for evil. Too often we tend to focus on the political leaders, and so continue the lie that life is mostly political. But that is to worship the state, and we don’t believe in that. We believe in worshipping the one who is above the state, who exhibits steadfast love.