October 11 – Your Vindication (Isaiah 54:15-17)

“No weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and this is their vindication from me, declares the Lord.”(Isaiah 54:17)

IN WORD:
A cold, hard truth in this fallen world is that those who side with God will share His enemies. They are numerous, and they can be vicious. They often have little regard for truth and a great capacity for scheming. David found it to be so with Saul, the prophets discovered it with their prophetic rivals, Jesus experienced it with Roman & Jewish leaders, and Paul heard it from other preachers and churches. Whenever God does a great work, either in your heart or in your world, it will be greatly opposed. Those who are His servants will face the opposition firsthand.
The key to victory in such a situation is not in retaliation or rebuttal. It is in calm faith and patience. None of the above examples went on the attack. We who claim God as our defender must not take up our own defense. We must stand firm, and that means we must sometimes speak out. But we can never challenge ungodly attacks with like responses. And those who trust God have no need to do so, anyway. He gives us His promise: He will protect us. No weapon will prevail, no accusation will stick — at least not in the long run. God has a way of vindicating His servants that is beautiful in the end. The aggressors fade into oblivion; the righteous remain in His glory.

IN DEED:
Have you been under attack? It may be the overt work of aggressive people, or it may be the subtle work of devious spirits. Either way, your response is to be godly. God has allowed the attack, perhaps to strengthen you, to teach you godly warfare, or to instill faithful patience. So be faithful and be patient. The deeper your trouble, the more satisfying your vindication in the end. But the vindication can only come from God. When we try to work it out ourselves, it loses its savor. Let your accusers murmur. The promise of God will be forever fulfilled in its time.

“Patience is our martyrdom.” -Gregory the Great-