“The LORD is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. Those who know your name trust in you, for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you (Psalm 9:9,10).”
It’s a day to think about enemies. In two days, the 10th anniversary of September 11 will roll around.
Some people out there just have it in for you. That’s a big lesson we learned from the terrorist attacks in America on that fateful day.
Usually, it’s because they have an agenda and you are standing in the way. For those people to move ahead, from their point of view they have to abuse you or even take you out.
Some enemies are national and some are personal. Either way, when you run up against them, you encounter a plethora of emotions, including fear, frustration and anger.
It hurts when people you are loyal to and want to help treat you like an enemy. The pain is deep because you feel misunderstood and lonely.
Just this week I had someone I am trying to assist demean me. Oh, they were pleasant enough. It’s just that behind the smile were teeth.
This person had a “suggestion” for me. When I tried to respond, they interrupted me. They had no desire to listen to me at all.
As it turned out, as I talked with this person I could indeed see behind the smiles that they had a not so hidden program that involved me and their selfish purposes.
I tried to be polite in return. although I did confront them on their interruptions. However, the interaction with this person was quite frustrating in the end.
People and nations that use subterfuge to get their way are difficult to deal with. You just don’t know what they have up their sleeve, although you are pretty sure that whatever it is, it doesn’t bode well for you.
What it seems to me we need when we have enemies like this is a friend, a supporter. Those who got wind of the September 11 attacks beforehand didn’t have that.
Newsweek magazine reports this week that some FBI personnel in Minnesota were beginning to piece together the terrorists’ plans. Yet, they were blown off by arrogant supervisors. We paid dearly on September 11, 2001 because these skilled law enforcement people didn’t have the backup they needed.
David knew what it was like to have enemies when he was even a young man. In his case, his opponent was the king of Israel. Having the head person in your country against you is not a nice place to be.
King Saul would have gotten him, too, except David had a friend in high places. His best friend Jonathan, Saul’s son, came to his aid.
Jonathan at first couldn’t believe David when he was told that his father was out to get him. However, he found out the truth and when he confronted his Dad about it, Jonathan was called a bad name and was almost pinned to the wall with a spear by his own father.
Jonathan made sure David got to know the situation. They wept and grieved over it together. Jonathan was a dear friend who saved the life of his pal and supported him to his own hurt (I Samuel 20:1-42).
When he had to flee Israel, David found himself alone and without support. In fact, he had to run to Israel’s enemy, the Philistines. He was so lonely and afraid he acted like a madmen so the Philistine ruler wouldn’t harm him in revenge for his previous military exploits for Saul and Israel (I Samuel 21:1-13).
At this point in time, David had to be depressed. He didn’t have a friend in the world, at least locally.
It was at times like these that David found that, despite all appearances, he did indeed have a friend he could depend on absolutely. David could call on God anytime, anywhere.
James Taylor says it best:
When you’re down and troubled and you need a helping hand
and nothing, whoa, nothing is going right.
Close your eyes and think of me and soon I will be there
to brighten up even your darkest nights.
You just call out my name, and you know where ever I am
I’ll come running to see you again.
Winter, spring, summer, or fall, all you have to do is call and I’ll be there, yeah, yeah,you’ve got a friend.
Immediately after September 11, Americans thought this way about God. Church attendance skyrockete. Out of the smoke of the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and Flight 93 in Pennsylvania, they sought the presence of the Lord.
Again, Mr. Taylor has the best words to describe that time:
If the sky above you should turn dark and full of clouds
and that old north wind should begin to blow,
keep your head together and call my name out loud.
Soon I will be knocking upon your door.
You just call out my name, and you know where ever I am
I’ll come running to see you again.
Winter, spring, summer, or fall, all you have to do is call and I’ll be there.
However, 10 years later, Americans are back where they were before the day. It seems we are as far from God as a nation as we have ever been, and in fact some of our people are in league with our enemies, and His.
At the end of a long week, I am sure glad to hear from the Scriptures that I do have at least one friend out there. I may not be able to see Him, but He is there.
James Taylor has some encouragement and some good advice for my personal situation this day:
Hey, ain’t it good to know that you’ve got a friend? People can be so cold.
They’ll hurt you and desert you. Well, they’ll take your soul if you let them,
oh yeah, but don’t you let them.
You just call out my name, and you know where ever I am
I’ll come running to see you again.
Winter, spring, summer, or fall, all you have to do is call, Lord, I’ll be there, yeah, yeah,
you’ve got a friend. You’ve got a friend.
Ain’t it good to know you’ve got a friend. Ain’t it good to know you’ve got a friend.
Oh, yeah, yeah, you’ve got a friend.
Slow New Day 