GOD DOES NOT TURN A BLIND EYE TO MEN OF EVIL
God does not turn a blind eye to men of evil
Address of Presbyterian Moderator Dr John Dixon
at the funeral of Fred and Bryan White
BEFORE leading the congregation in prayer, I wish as moderator of the General Assembly to convey publicly my personal sympathy and that of the entire Presbyterian family to Mrs Edith White and her wider family circle.
On Sunday night, as I did so privately in her home, I shared from God's word, truths that underline God's ministry of comfort. It is my prayer and I'm sure that of all God's people that that comfort may be realised and experienced even through our presence as friends in this house of God.
Coming into the house of God can give us a new perspective. It did for David the Psalmist. He lived in a violent sin-ruined society too. We can resonate with his feelings as he writes in Psalm 73, "I had almost stopped believing, I had almost lost my faith ... I saw wicked people doing well. They are not suffering... they wear pride like a necklace and put on violence as their clothing. They say 'How can God know? What does the most high God know?'
The psalmist continues "I tried to understand all this, but it was too hard for me to see until I went to the temple of the Lord. Then I understood what will happen to them ... You Lord cause them to be destroyed. They are swept away by terrors. Lord when you rise up, they will disappear."
May those words stabilise the people of God today, particularly those who mourn, are maimed and suffering and all who, like the psalmist, are unsettled by the activities of evil men.
Should the evil, wicked men who planned and perpetrated this vile obscenity ever listen to those who speak the word of God, may they be stunned to realise that Almighty God not only knows the desperate depravity of their hearts, but He has declared His righteous judgment against their sin in shedding innocent blood. He will not turn a blind eye to those who defy His command - You must not kill.
We affirm our utter support for our government and the government in Dublin in their declared intention to spare no effort in bringing such wicked men to justice. But I say further, on the authority of the good Lord, such men of violence will have nowhere to hide before the judgment seat of Christ. One day they too will die and will have no escape route from divine retribution.
May our focus in God's house today assure us that the judge of all the earth will do what is right. May it also serve to secure our feet to walk ever in the paths of righteousness and to re-echo the confidence of David, "I have no one in heaven but you, I want nothing on earth beside you. My body and my mind may become weak, but God is my strength. He is mine forever."
Address of Presbyterian Moderator Dr John Dixon
at the funeral of Fred and Bryan White
BEFORE leading the congregation in prayer, I wish as moderator of the General Assembly to convey publicly my personal sympathy and that of the entire Presbyterian family to Mrs Edith White and her wider family circle.
On Sunday night, as I did so privately in her home, I shared from God's word, truths that underline God's ministry of comfort. It is my prayer and I'm sure that of all God's people that that comfort may be realised and experienced even through our presence as friends in this house of God.
Coming into the house of God can give us a new perspective. It did for David the Psalmist. He lived in a violent sin-ruined society too. We can resonate with his feelings as he writes in Psalm 73, "I had almost stopped believing, I had almost lost my faith ... I saw wicked people doing well. They are not suffering... they wear pride like a necklace and put on violence as their clothing. They say 'How can God know? What does the most high God know?'
The psalmist continues "I tried to understand all this, but it was too hard for me to see until I went to the temple of the Lord. Then I understood what will happen to them ... You Lord cause them to be destroyed. They are swept away by terrors. Lord when you rise up, they will disappear."
May those words stabilise the people of God today, particularly those who mourn, are maimed and suffering and all who, like the psalmist, are unsettled by the activities of evil men.
Should the evil, wicked men who planned and perpetrated this vile obscenity ever listen to those who speak the word of God, may they be stunned to realise that Almighty God not only knows the desperate depravity of their hearts, but He has declared His righteous judgment against their sin in shedding innocent blood. He will not turn a blind eye to those who defy His command - You must not kill.
We affirm our utter support for our government and the government in Dublin in their declared intention to spare no effort in bringing such wicked men to justice. But I say further, on the authority of the good Lord, such men of violence will have nowhere to hide before the judgment seat of Christ. One day they too will die and will have no escape route from divine retribution.
May our focus in God's house today assure us that the judge of all the earth will do what is right. May it also serve to secure our feet to walk ever in the paths of righteousness and to re-echo the confidence of David, "I have no one in heaven but you, I want nothing on earth beside you. My body and my mind may become weak, but God is my strength. He is mine forever."
Further Information
Publisher: THE IRISH NEWS
Ref: IN/0125
Published Date: 20-Aug-98
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