UPDATED Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, prepared by Pastor Jason Sato who is currently serving in Japan as a missionary, is an updated version of his blog first posted on December 15, 2013.  Jason is a graduate of University of California, San Diego (BS) and Westminster Theological Seminary (M.Div.).

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“Freedom from Oppression”

Psalm 129:1-8

“Greatly have they afflicted me from my youth”—let Israel now say—2 “Greatly have they afflicted me from my youth, yet they have not prevailed against me. 3 The plowers plowed upon my back; they made long their furrows.” 4 The Lord is righteous; he has cut the cords of the wicked. 5 May all who hate Zion be put to shame and turned backward! 6 Let them be like the grass on the housetops, which withers before it grows up, 7 with which the reaper does not fill his hand nor the binder of sheaves his arms, 8 nor do those who pass by say, “The blessing of the Lord be upon you! We bless you in the name of the Lord

Have you ever been oppressed, not psychological but politically? Those who grew up in other countries may have but I doubt whether any of us who was born and raised in U.S. can say “yes” with a straight face.  But the nation of Israel was very familiar with oppression: first, Israel suffered as slaves in Egypt; and later, in the days of the judges, she was repeatedly oppressed by the surrounding pagan nations (i.e., the Canaanites).  Eventually, the Assyrians, the Babylonians, the Persians, the Greeks and finally the Roman Empire took turns in crushing this nation.

Yet in the midst of affliction, the Psalmist exudes hope.  While the common saying is, “Greatly they have afflicted me from my youth,” he adds, “yet they have not prevailed against me.”  The hope stems from his belief that the justice and blessings of God are still to come; the plowers have plowed his back but the righteous Lord will not abandon his people.  

What about us?  While very few of us have experienced political or material oppression, we are certainly familiar with slavery to sin.  Sin is a hard master, for it intends to inflict harm, causing misery (e.g., unfruitful life) and death (e.g., eternal separation from God).  But in Christ Jesus, we have been delivered from the domain of darkness and transferred to the Kingdom of the Son of God.  Now, as we cooperate with the ministry of the Holy Spirit, we can gain tangible freedom from those things, such as selfishness, insecurity or addictions that makes us miserable and unbearable to others.

Thank God for your freedom won by the body and blood of Christ.  Pray for and rejoice in the coming day when sin and death will be utterly destroyed.  Therefore, we who are in Christ can be joyful while leading a meaningful life—even in the midst of oppression or, in our case, pandemic.  Thank you, Lord.

Prayer: Father, my heart is often heavy in this world ruined by sin.  At times, suffering and disappointment are overwhelming.  I thank You that death does not get the last word.  I thank You that You stand by me and prevent sin from prevailing against me.  I trust in Your righteousness.  You will make all things right.  Mercy and life are coming soon.  In Jesus’s name I pray.  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Isaiah 38-39