Psalm 101: 8 “My daily task will be to ferret out the wicked and free the city of the Lord from their grip.”
David writes this psalm and it is somewhat of a testimony of what he vowels to “do” and “not to do” in being faithful to the Lord. He closes with this proclamation that his daily task is to root out the wicked that the city of the Lord may be freed from evil’s grip. This suggest that the city of the Lord is under the grip of evil. What evil? What grip? It is another nation? Is it their own people? Is it an attitude? Is it a force or spirit? Is it sin? It’s as if David understands his call to be a leader of the people of God by ferreting out the wickedness that presently enslaves the people that the city of the Lord would be free. I can’t help but hear Paul’s conversation on purging evil through love along with Augustine’s “city of God”……Matthew’s City on a hill that will shine in the midst of darkness. What a great vision David has of what it means to be involved in God’s mission of the world. This is certainly a foreshadowing of Jesus; for it is Jesus that ferreted out the wicket and freed the city of the Lord to be the city of the Lord in the world.
Come Lord Jesus, Come…..repeat…..repeat…..In Jesus I have been freed from evil’s grip that sought to control, manipulate, and condemn my life. In that freedom, God calls me to now spend my life proclaiming that freedom to others. How often I get sidetracked into so much other mundane work. How often I find myself so far away from ferreting out evil’s grip on the world. Perhaps in that distraction evil is seeking to re-grip my life. Perhaps today is an invitation of grace to continue the race; to continue ferreting out wickedness around me that through grace others may come into contact with the love of Christ. What would it mean for my daily life to be around freeing God’s people from the grip of evil? What if I saw my life as a call to emancipation? What is keeping me from moving forward? Do I need emancipation? I’m prone to wonder God; I’m prone to leave the God I love……..do a work of grace in my life today; here’s my heart, take it and use it today to be this instrument of ferreting.
Lord Jesus, I am ashamed to admit today that far too often I find myself standing as a bystander instead of being a participator in the daily task that David talks about in this verse. I pray you would forgive me and empower me to be more intentional in this daily task of purging evil from your city. Give me opportunities today to live into this call; help me to not purge through the ways of the world but through your grace and love. Make space in my life today that conversations would be birthed and relationships born that would lead others to your freeing grace in Jesus Christ. Amen!!!
Through Jesus I am freed to join God in purging the city of the Lord of evil.
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