Read
An error occurred, and the scripture passage could not be retrieved.
Please try again later, or contact the website administrator.
Reflect
I must have only been on my journey in ministry a few months when I started to feel the weight of looming judgment around me. People who I thought were my friends seemed to be waiting for me to trip up and do something wrong. It was as if they wanted to “catch me red handed” in some great sin so that they could justify why I shouldn’t be in ministry. You don’t have to wait for me to show you I am a sinner.
However, I couldn’t help but feel betrayed. I felt much like David did as he describes his feelings here in Psalm 35. David feels as though people were just standing around waiting so they can say, “You did it! We saw you ourselves” (v 21). David was being treated with evil for the good things he was doing.
It’s almost as if we are poor innocent lambs and a lion is lurking in the bushes just waiting for us to trip up so it can pounce! I know how wretched my heart is, but I am so thankful that Christ has come in order that I could be blameless before God. Christ showed nothing but holiness and love, and yet he was repaid with evil, torture, malice, and ultimately death on the cross.
Because of what he did and because he rose from the dead we can say, “Great is the Lord.” We have a way even among our accusers to praise him all the day long.
Respond
Father, we know that outside of the blood of Christ we have much to be accused of. Thank you for the great salvation you have given us. Help us to remember your righteousness and praise you all the day long.
J. R. Bucklew
J.R. Bucklew is a visionary with ideas that are quickly becoming the standard in other parts of the world. Born a hearing child of deaf parents (CODA), his first language growing up was American Sign Language (ASL), and he still considers ASL his heart language. He has a strong desire for the Deaf community to know and understand the Word of God. This has allowed him to travel to many parts of the world, both ministering to and being an advocate for the Deaf. Prior to coming to Albuquerque, NM, JR and his wife ministered to the Deaf in Ethiopia. They started a Deaf church and opened a café that exclusively employed Deaf people. They also formed two sign language centers and helped train others to work with the Deaf. JR’s journey with Deaf Bible began in 2012 and is now President and visionary-lead of the Deaf Bible Society. JR also serves on the boards of several other Deaf ministries in the United States.