Who Can Stand Against God?

April 23, 2023 Download: Audio

Psalm 76

People often enjoy discussing new ideas, particularly new philosophies and ways of explaining the world. It’s a left-brained activity that often gets hungry around the age of 20. I suspect it is why so many college campuses host speakers to come and present their ideologies and worldviews. It’s where worldviews are often shaped. While there are good things about this, there are also dangers. Life can’t be lived in the realm of ideas alone. Ideas have to be rooted in something real or they can cause problems for the holders of those ideas. The more you try to build your life upon ideas of the world that don’t match reality, the more trouble you will find in it.

Paul warns the Colossians of this,

See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. (Col 2:8)

How do we stay grounded? Our thinking must be rooted in reality, and history helps us see this. This is why the psalmist is often putting into song the stories that tell of God’s activities in history. These historical events teach us about God and guide us as we seek to build our lives. As the Psalmist teaches in this account, no one can stand against God.