Seeking Vindication
The world’s march toward darkness has quickened its pace in recent years, trampling over long recognized standards of decency and right to impose its ungodliness on the whole of our society. Satan’s wish list of years ago has become the prevailing dogma of today. In a world gone mad, we increasingly hear people call evil good and good evil (Isa. 5:20). They may mask it in politically correct terms, but promoting homosexuality, in the name of love, abortion in the name of women’s health, and transgenderism in the name of tolerance is simply Satan’s angels doing Satan’s will. Therefore, it is unsurprising that they would attack anyone supporting the Bible’s view in no uncertain terms, using the words phobia, hate, and intolerant so much that you would think they did not own a thesaurus. Christians feel this deeply. As the world they know crumbles beneath them, they tend to cling to the hope that others will soon come around—or perhaps that they will wake up from a nightmare to discover that all is actually right with the world. Unfortunately, this is reality, and the people advocating more and more unrighteousness are not likely to admit their error even when the ultimate consequences of their foolishness becomes all too apparent. We should not expect nor seek vindication from Satan’s minions, knowing without doubt that the LORD will provide vindication of the truth according to His own timetable.
On one of the many occasions when David found himself threatened by enemies (Psa. 17:9-14), he offered a perspective that God’s people need desperately in a world filled with sin. Rather than giving up or giving in, David offered his cause to the LORD in prayer (Psa. 17:1). Rather than expecting the world to accept his righteousness, he looked to the LORD in confidence that He would see his life as it truly was (Psa. 17:2). Rather than compromising with evil to avoid the judgment of men, David stood firm and counted on the righteous judgment of God (Psa. 17:3-4). Therefore, as we await that time and continue to battle for the hearts and minds of souls in a lost and dying world, we can still find comfort in the knowledge that God is still with us, He still listens to us, and He still cares about us (Psa. 17:5-8). The world will never accept righteousness—from God or in us. Therefore, we should not spend our energy seeking the world’s acceptance or vindication at all. Instead, we should look to that day when we meet the LORD face to face and live so that we, like David, can “be satisfied when I awake in Your likeness” (Psa. 17:15).