Children have a sense of justice and truth. While growing up, we all face situations when someone took advantage of us. After bringing home a spoiled banana from a grocery store, we demand a refund. When a movie doesn’t live up to its billing, we feel cheated. Our life insurance policy doesn’t cover a procedure listed in the small print so we get angry.

The Psalmist faced a similar situation or just cause and felt violated (Ps. 17:1). He wanted justice! How do we protect ourselves from moral relativism and the associated injustice we all face in the world? The rest of the Psalm will answer that question so let’s take a look:
1. Judge your own heart first (Ps. 17:1b-4). Take the log our of your eye to correctly judge the situation (Matt. 7:1-5). So many times, we get on our moral crusade criticizing the government, schools, supervisor or another person before looking at the sin in our own heart first. We will be judged in the same standard we judge others (Matt. 7:2).
2. Hold fast to God’s word (Ps. 17:5). The wisdom in the Psalms, Proverbs and Job are especially helpful here.
3. Cry to God and expect an answer (Ps. 17:6). How often do we pray and either don’t listen or figure that since God won’t answer our prayers, why continue asking, seeking and knocking (Matt. 7:7-12).
4. Experience God’s love (Ps. 17:7-8). We are the apple of God’s eye. He loves us more than we can imagine. The word, Savior, literally means “to be open, wide, or free.” God’s love has no bounds. He wants us to be free and not cramped so we can fulfill all our God-given potential. He pays such particular attention to us like He had no one else to care for in the universe. Did you get that? God is wild about you and wants you to succeed beyond anything you could imagine! 
5. God watches and guards us from worldly philosophies (Ps. 17:8-12). The world is crafty. Even Christian organizations get trapped in prioritizing business management techniques instead of asking for God’s counsel as we observed in the last blog concerning the Gibeonites (Josh. 9). At its best, the lure of the world’s promises for success or short-term pleasure. Ultimately, it will enslave
us. At its worst, we experience an unfeeling heart instead of compassion. The church is better equipped than government in social service because believers in Christ have the power of God that overcomes the world (John 16:33).

The Psalm ends with the just cause like it began. How do we obtain the justice and integrity we so desperately long for? It comes only through a relationship with Christ as we continually meditate on Him through the pages of Scripture (Ps. 17:15; 2 Cor. 3:16-18; James 1:25). Christ provides all the resources we need to live in a moral relativistic culture.

Meditate on Psalm 17. How has your thought process changed concerning a circumstance or troubled relationship you currently face after meditating on Psalm 17.

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