When God laughs, do people listen? Psalm Two
Through the centuries men and women have tried to throw off the shackles God has placed on them. In response, God laughs at those efforts and warns them. “Be careful how you treat my Son. I’m paying close attention.”
God laughs for two reasons
This is funny for a couple of reasons. First off, we see that God laughs at the foolish efforts of humanity. Man, in all his glory, stands boldly in his suit of clay and tells the One who made him, he wants to be left leave him alone. We’ve seen and read about this bold futility stretching back as far as history records. Man refuses to be ruled by God in heaven. God gets a good chuckle out of it but he certainly isn’t threatened by the man of clay.
God laughs at the efforts to throw off the imagined shackles
Second, and this is very important, there are no shackles. There are no shackles! Mankind screams at the God he cannot see and tells him to leave him alone. “Let me run my own life!” This is similar to a young teenager fighting for release from a controlling parent. We can also compare it to a five-year-old child who throws himself on the ground when his mother refuses to give him more candy.
Those ‘shackles’ or controls are real in a family. Parents have a love for their children and an obligation to raise them in a protective home. But with God, there is something noticeably different. He loves us but grants a freedom we don’t realize exists. If any man or woman in their clay suit screams at God and says, “I will live my own life!” God will let them. The Lord of the heavens does not require anyone to obey. But–He does make it clear there will be consequences for the choices made.
God laughs at our lies too. ‘Eat the fruit if you want’
But there are no shackles. Eve was free to take fruit from that tree, and she did. Cain was free to kill his brother, and he did. David was free to commit adultery with Bathsheba and he did. The Jewish leaders were free to force the crucifixion of Jesus, and they did.
None of us are required to live with God in heaven. The choice is ours. Oh, such freedom.
Shackles of Freedom
In this Psalm, the writer speaks about man’s foolish efforts to rail against the controls of God. The leaders among men insist they will do something about it. “He will not lead us!” They claim. “And his Son, we will kill him if we must!”
With the crowds behind them, leaders of men have boldly marched on in their efforts to break the shackles of God. Oh, how foolish they all must feel when they pass from this life to the next. There they realize, that any bonds they felt, were placed upon them by their own efforts. Humanity actually runs from freedom in Christ to the shackles of a life of sin. It’s a freeing feeling to do what one wants, but in the end that ‘freedom’ isn’t free at all.
So as humanity continues in their efforts to free themselves from the shackles of God, I must turn to one of the great philosophers of history.
Yoda, the great and wise.
Yoda has this nugget of wisdom for us.
Go ahead and break off the imaginary shackles you say God has placed on you. Shake your dusty fist at him. Tell him what you think. He only laughs and gives a subtle warning about his Son. If you will be wise you should be careful what you do with Jesus.
When Jesus was on trial before Pontius Pilate, the governor received a warning from his wife. She had a troubling dream about Jesus the night before. She came to him with a warning.
Pilate’s wife dreamed
Matthew 27:19
Besides, while he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent word to him, “Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have suffered much because of him today in a dream.”
Pilate didn’t listen to the warning, instead, he listened to the crowd that hated Jesus. The crowd insisted that Jesus deserved to die.
The rest is history and God has a record of it all. None of us can escape our own history. We can shake our fists at God if we must, but when Jesus stands before us, take care.
God laughs and has the final word
Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way.
These are the final words in the Psalm from the God who laughs.
Stop fighting imaginary shackles. Embrace the Son who gave his life for you. He will speak well of you to His Father. God will smile and warmly receive you into heaven.
Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain?
The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD and against his Anointed, saying,
“Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us.”
He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision.
Then he will speak to them in his wrath, and terrify them in his fury, saying,
“As for me, I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill.”
I will tell of the decree: The LORD said to me, “You are my Son; today I have begotten you.
Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession.
You shall break them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.”
Now therefore, O kings, be wise; be warned, O rulers of the earth.
Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling.
Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way, for his wrath is quickly kindled. Blessed are all who take refuge in him.
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White Stone Watcher
Hello readers,
I’ve served as a children and youth pastor for over three decades. It was a great honor and pleasure to serve the Lord in that way. It’s been my prayer, that many of them will learn of Jesus’ love and decide to commit their lives to follow Him.
I wrote the fiction story, ‘White Stone Watcher’ for them and their parents. In the story, we see a young man, and his best friend, Amanda. They face the normal challenges that today’s kids face at school. But with one huge difference.
Their challenge is twelve feet tall to be exact with an enormous set of six wings. Just like the prophet Isaiah saw in the throne room of God. He’s a Watcher, an angelic being who is still invisible to Amanda. The messenger from God is about to lead both of them on a spiritual journey. They find they can’t escape the unseen war that rages all around them. They will become key players that God will use in the battle between the Sons of Darkness and the Children of Light.
I invite you to pray about a youth who might enjoy and benefit from this story. As the world grows darker, our youth must become aware that the Lord is calling them to join the Children of Light in the fight for what is righteous. We’re all involved, whether we realize it or not. If they won’t go to church, maybe they’ll read a book about someone just like them facing challenges at school.
God is calling them.
Praying for the youth, and spiritual awakening.
Pastor Doug
Let me know what you think.