We have seen them, the wicked, those with calloused hearts, crouching like lions, lying in wait for those we love.
Our Dear Little Friends, our dear family members, some have been separated from the flock, tracked down, surrounded, and thrown to the ground, as a lion would a young gazelle, ready to feast.
Would you like to turn away just now, quickly? Sometimes I do. It’s too horrible, it seems too much like a bad fairy tale … until I look and I see that this is no fiction. Those close to us, and many who are far, some we have never met, some just represented by people groups, witches, abortionists, terrorists, atheists, pedophiles, prisoners, gang members.
We have turned from them, in our hearts and with our speech. “They are ruining our culture, our nation, our children.” But look! The Lord is a God who will rise up; He will confront the wicked, and if JUST ONE abortionist, gang leader, pedophile, dabbler in darkness might be rescued FROM THOSE THAT CROUCHED NEARBY, LYING IN WAIT FOR THEM, if just ONE pedophile might be saved, even vindicated from the evil trespassing in his or her heart for so long, if JUST ONE might awaken and see the Lord’s face, even see it in the mirror, impossible as that would be apart from grace and truth, apart from the blood of Jesus Christ, and be satisfied to see the Lord’s likeness looking back, then we are the Lord’s own, His army of warring intercessors, saving some even if from fire (Jude 23,) ever in search of the one lost sheep, and bringing them back to the flock of God.
Now, we pray concerning the REAL enemy, the devil, the dragon, the accuser of the brethren, and on behalf of even just one we ask,
Rise up, Lord, confront them, bring them down;
with your sword rescue [this one] from the wicked.
14 By your hand save [those we love] from such people, Lord,
from those of this world whose reward is in this life.
May what you have stored up for the wicked fill their bellies;
may their children gorge themselves on it,
and may there be leftovers for their little ones.
[Somehow, O Lord, our spiritual enemies will turn upon themselves when You rise up to defend.]
15 As for me, I will be vindicated and will see your face;
when I awake, I will be satisfied with seeing your likeness.
Heinrich Harder, by permission, public domain, death of the artist, Wikipedia