I call on the Lord in my distress, and he answers me.
Save me, Lord from lying lips and from deceitful tongues…
… Too long have I lived among those who hate peace.
I am for peace; but when I speak, they are for war. (NIV)
Have you every been confronted for hypocrisy? What did you
feel and how did you respond to it?
Many years ago on a mission trip, I was asked by one of the
leaders who came with me what I thought about my country. This was a trigger
topic and so I started ranting and complaining about the poor administration,
the apparent discriminations and lack of freedom. At the end of these rants,
the leader looked me in the eye with sadness and said, “You better repent! You
are a Christian leader and ought to love your neighbours. How is it that you hate the
country that the Lord has placed you in?”
Being confront by truth (in love) was never comfortable
especially when it revealed my deep-rooted hypocrisy. I have professed my love for
God and people often, but when I was asked about my country, all I had to say
were hurtful, bitter and resentful words. Oh, how the Holy Spirit rebuked me
that day and all I could say was: Save me, Lord from lying lips and from
deceitful tongues.
The Psalms today is a prayer of repentance and for
deliverance. The Psalmist came to realize of his own hypocrisy and out of his deep
distress called out to God for deliverance from the pending wrath. He
recognizes that “God opposes the proud and gives grace to the humble” (Pro.
3:34; Ja. 4:6), and so implores to God for mercy in a form of deliverance from “lying
lips and deceitful tongues.” He sought for divine help for a personal
transformation (reformation). He also recognized that he had been among people
who hated peace, though himself was for peace, all he had to say from his heart
was war and violence. Jesus did say that “out of the abundance of the heart the
mouth speaks” (Mat. 12:34; Pro. 10:11). Thus, it was his words that revealed
his hypocrisies; and it is our words that will reveal ours.
Perhaps the Lord is reminding you of your hypocrisies.
Perhaps, while you spoke to others about forgiving others you are harbouring
unforgiveness in your heart. Or you have been telling people not be judgmental
but you are secretly despising a fellow believer. Today, we can learn from the
Psalm by turning to God in sincere repentance. Let us confess our hypocrisies
and seek the Holy Spirit to bring transformation in our lives that will glorify
the Father!
I pray that we will be saved from our hypocrisies. The Lord
be with you.
(Take time to journal and pray on what the Holy Spirit may
be revealing to you through today’s devotion.)
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