For the leader; A miktam of David (for teaching), when he fought against Aram-Naharaim and Aram-Zobah; and Joab, coming back, killed twelve thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt.
I
O God, you rejected us, broke our defenses;
you were angry but now revive us.
You rocked the earth, split it open;
repair the cracks for it totters.
You made your people go through hardship,
made us stagger from the wine you gave us.
Raise up a banner for those who revere you,
a refuge for them out of bow shot.
Help with your right hand and answer us
that your loved ones may escape.
II
In the sanctuary God promised:
“I will exult, will apportion Shechem;
the valley of Succoth I will measure out.
Gilead is mine, mine is Manasseh;
Ephraim is the helmet for my head,
Judah, my own scepter.
Moab is my washbowl;
upon Edom I cast my sandal.
I will triumph over Philistia.
III
Who will bring me to the fortified city?
Who will lead me into Edom?
Was it not you who rejected us, God?
Do you no longer march with our armies?
Give us aid against the foe;
worthless is human help.
We will triumph with the help of God,
who will trample down our foes.
Psalms 60:1-14
This is a psalm about going into battle, isn’t it? It seems like I read these psalms and picture people living in a time when there is constant battle. I become very content and grateful that we don’t have to worry about such things.
Am I just closing my eyes to the very real battles that I should be fighting? Maybe we need to think more about what we can do to win the war over popular culture. Are we going to sit idly by and watch young people being indoctrinated into a secularist morality that devalues human life and promotes materialism and instant gratification?
Pope St. John Paul II wrote about the feminine genius and encouraged women to take on their rights and responsibilities for our society. I heard someone describe recently how the feminist movement made a shift. It seems that most Christian women were going about their daily lives focused on families and careers, and others took advantage of our lack of attention to the cultural issues. Now, decades later, feminism seems to be synonymous with pro-choice or pro-abortion, among other things.
Sisters, I believe we have to step back into the battle. If there is any chance for a return to civility, I believe it is going to have to come from us. Now, let me be perfectly honest, I have no idea what that looks like right now. I’m still not very good at dealing with confrontation, so don’t picture me marching around with a sign in my hands and protesting anyone or anything. I just don’t think that’s my calling.
I also still believe that we won’t accomplish this goal by “fighting” in the traditional sense of the word. We have to find ways to fight this battle by demonstrating God’s love above all else. The secularists would love nothing more than to find some video clips of Christian women attacking someone. Look what they did with those kids from Covington, in an attempt to discredit the pro-life march in Washington.
So look for ways to contribute to winning back our culture. Find something you can do that fits with the gifts God gave you. If you want a small way you can contribute to the pro-life message, please go to the movies this weekend and see Unplanned. Remember, how long this important movie lasts in cinemas is partially dependent on its box office receipts this weekend.
I pray we will all find ways to join the fight. “We will triumph with the help of God, who will trample down our foes.”