Reversal

November 7, 2018

“From the four corners of the earth people are coming to their senses, 

are running back to GOD. 

Long-lost families are falling on their faces before him. 

GOD has taken charge; 

from now on he has the last word.”

“All the power-mongers are before him —worshiping! 

All the poor and powerless, too —worshiping! 

Along with those who never got it together —worshiping!”

“Our children and their children will get in on this 

As the word is passed along from parent to child. 

Babies not yet conceived will hear the good news— 

that God does what he says.”

Psalm 22:29-31 MSG

On this, the day after midterm elections, this Psalm was in today’s reading. Most of it is a desperate cry for deliverance that was quoted by Jesus as he hung dying on the Cross for our sins. As it moves toward the end, that baleful plea turns into a defiant declaration of faith in the merciful providence of God who will bring about the great leveling that politicians talk about, going even farther than they would choose. I love where it says the power-mongers will kneel beside the poor and powerless and those who never got it together. No one will be lording it over another. Jesus said it succinctly: “The first shall be last, and the last first”—the Great Reversal!

Today, some are rejoicing while others mourn, but the truth is that no matter who is in office, though they have the best of intentions, they will not usher in the utopia they promise. All merely human effort will ultimately fall short, so on this day it is good to know that a time is coming when the kingdoms of this world will become the kingdom of God, while every knee bows and every tongue confesses that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God, the Father. In the meantime, may we keep our eyes on that promise and our hearts pure, so whatever this world throws at us for good or ill, we will not be moved.