Today’s post is part of our Psalm Saturdays series from guest blogger Robert Chamberlain. You can contact him by sending a message to  bobjc88 @ gmail.com. You can also find him at his new blog at www.roberlain.blogspot.com .

Psalm 11:1–7 (ESV)
1 In the LORD I take refuge; how can you say to my soul, “Flee like a bird to your mountain,
2 for behold, the wicked bend the bow; they have fitted their arrow to the string to shoot in the dark at the upright in heart;
3 if the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?”
4 The LORD is in his holy temple; the LORD’s throne is in heaven; his eyes see, his eyelids test the children of man.
5 The LORD tests the righteous, but his soul hates the wicked and the one who loves violence.
6 Let him rain coals on the wicked; fire and sulfur and a scorching wind shall be the portion of their cup.
7 For the LORD is righteous; he loves righteous deeds; the upright shall behold his face.

The world would tell us to retreat into religious ghettos and keep quiet as it goes to hell. The Psalmist would say our refuge isn’t a cave but the omnipresent Lord of all creation. Who will we listen to?

Jesus tells us to weigh up the cost of following Him. Are we able to build our lives on Him. Or are we going to give up when opposition comes, as it inevitably will? 

God ordained family as the bedrock of society. But in the UK today, dysfunctional families are the norm. To be honest, even when mum and dad are present, due to our depravity, that isn’t the perfect family, but it is the ideal.

So if that societal foundation of family is being destroyed by satan, what can those of us who are just about holding it together do? The Psalmist suggests to consider the Lord and the fact He’s the one who is in control.

God loves it when we seek to honour Him as best we can in our lives, and those of our families and communities. On the other hand though, He hates it when people mess up families and communities. We would do well to keep on the right side of Him. He rewards the undeserving who nonetheless seek Him. And He punishes unrepentant rebels against Him and His blueprint for life: the Word of God.

“Lord our God, help us to trust You even though all the odds are stacked against us. May we dig deep into Your Word, for there we are secure. In His name, amen.”

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