Pick Up And Read

Psalm 79:1-8

A psalm of Asaph.

1O God, pagan nations have conquered your land, your special possession.

They have defiled your holy Temple

and made Jerusalem a heap of ruins.

2They have left the bodies of your servants

as food for the birds of heaven.

The flesh of your godly ones

has become food for the wild animals.

3Blood has flowed like water all around Jerusalem;

no one is left to bury the dead.

4We are mocked by our neighbors,

an object of scorn and derision to those around us.

5O LORD, how long will you be angry with us? Forever?

How long will your jealousy burn like fire?

6Pour out your wrath on the nations that refuse to recognize you—

on kingdoms that do not call upon your name.

7For they have devoured your people Israel,

making the land a desolate wilderness.

8Oh, do not hold us guilty for our former sins!

Let your tenderhearted mercies quickly meet our needs,

for we are brought low to the dust.

He was a bright young man in a changing world. Aurelius Augustinus had studied philosophy and rhetoric and networked with Roman senators. He even served as a consultant to the emperor.

This was the end of the fourth century, and the Christians had taken over the empire. Bishop Ambrose of Milan was arguably the most powerful man on earth, so it was a good career move for young Aurelius to get to know him. He got more than he bargained for. Ambrose had a strong, passionate faith that intrigued Aurelius, who was officially a Christian (nearly everyone was), but he had never really surrendered his soul.

One day Aurelius was wrestling with these issues as he was sitting in a corner of his backyard. He cried out to God in the words of Psalm 79:5-8: “O Lord, how long will you be angry with us? . . . Oh, do not hold us guilty for our former sins!” Then he heard a child’s voice saying, “Pick up and read.” Taking a Bible, he opened at random to Romans 13:14: “But let the Lord Jesus Christ take control of you, and don’t think of ways to indulge your evil desires.”

The rest is history. Aurelius Augustinus let Jesus take control of his life. Giving up his political career, Aurelius used his abilities for the church, where he became the author and bishop we now know as Saint Augustine.

If a sinner such as I

May to thy great glory live,

All my actions sanctify,

All my words and thoughts receive;

Claim me for thy service, claim

All I love, and all I am.

CHARLES WESLEY

Bible Networking

In Psalm 103, David’s words provide soothing comfort to those who plead with God not to hold them guilty for their former sins (verse 8).

Notable Quotable

“A bar of iron, worth 1 pound, when wrought into horseshoes, is worth 2 pounds; if made into needles, it is worth 70 pounds; if into penknife blades, it is worth 650 pounds, into springs for watches it is worth 50,000 pounds. The more it is hammered and passed through the fire and polished, the greater its value. Those who suffer most are capable of yielding most.”

F. B. MEYER