I’ve started reading the Daily Office over at The Mission of St. Clare every morning. Yesterday, the Psalm reading maybe me stop in my morning practice and write it down.
Specifically verse 3. Here it is from Psalm 25.
“Do not let those who wait for you be put to shame;
let them be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous.”
Shame. It scares me. Does it you? I hate to be ashamed. Actually, I hate to be embarrassed. Is that the same thing?
In fact, I have social anxiety because of it. I never want to be called out, degraded, fall down, have snot on my face, have anything someone could shout I have out of place.
And, I would never do that to anyone else.
My friend sent me a TikTok a few days ago of a speech Paul Harvey gave in 1965. Here is a link to the transcript. There are numerous videos on YouTube. If you haven’t heard it yet, it’s mesmerizing, powerful and hits you in the gut.
At least it did for me.
In it, he says, “I would confide that what’s bad is good, and what’s good is ‘square.’
Shame.
In verse 3, the psalmist writes, “…let them be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous.”
How is it that today, what was considered “bad” has no shame? What once was considered bad is now free spirited, complete and whole? What once was considered bad is now publicized on all social media and TVs and shown to us repeatedly without an after thought of how it will affect how minds, bodies, and children?
It’s a shame.
You see what I did there?
Now let’s talk about this when it comes to worshipping God.
Are you ashamed?
Jesus says in Matthew 10:33, “but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.”
The devil wants us ashamed, beat down and scared. He comes to kill, steal and destroy. But, Jesus came for us to have life with abundance.
When it comes to following Christ, the devil wants nothing more than for you to be ashamed. He wants us embarrassed to serve God. Do you find yourself changing your conversation for others? Do you stop talking about God in certain situations because it could affect you negatively?
It is now more important than ever that we know God’s Word and stand.
We can’t let the devil take over. He doesn’t win. Read Revelation. Our God wins. Stay true to your faith, my friends. Stay close to God. His word says that if you draw closer to him, he will draw closer to you. (James 4:8)
I know it can be hard. I am living through this with you trying to decide what to say and how much to share about my Christian faith. But, I will not allow the devil to squash my dreams. I live on the Word of God and his promises.
I will wait for you, Lord. And, I will not be put to shame.
Psalm 25
Prayer for Guidance and for Deliverance
Of David.
1 To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
2 O my God, in you I trust;
do not let me be put to shame;
do not let my enemies exult over me.
3 Do not let those who wait for you be put to shame;
let them be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous.
4 Make me to know your ways, O Lord;
teach me your paths.
5 Lead me in your truth, and teach me,
for you are the God of my salvation;
for you I wait all day long.
6 Be mindful of your mercy, O Lord, and of your steadfast love,
for they have been from of old.
7 Do not remember the sins of my youth or my transgressions;
according to your steadfast love remember me,
for your goodness’ sake, O Lord!
8 Good and upright is the Lord;
therefore he instructs sinners in the way.
9 He leads the humble in what is right,
and teaches the humble his way.
10 All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness,
for those who keep his covenant and his decrees.
11 For your name’s sake, O Lord,
pardon my guilt, for it is great.
12 Who are they that fear the Lord?
He will teach them the way that they should choose.
13 They will abide in prosperity,
and their children shall possess the land.
14 The friendship of the Lord is for those who fear him,
and he makes his covenant known to them.
15 My eyes are ever toward the Lord,
for he will pluck my feet out of the net.
16 Turn to me and be gracious to me,
for I am lonely and afflicted.
17 Relieve the troubles of my heart,
and bring me[a] out of my distress.
18 Consider my affliction and my trouble,
and forgive all my sins.
19 Consider how many are my foes,
and with what violent hatred they hate me.
20 O guard my life, and deliver me;
do not let me be put to shame, for I take refuge in you.
21 May integrity and uprightness preserve me,
for I wait for you.
22 Redeem Israel, O God,
out of all its troubles.
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