Wed., 8/19/15 Devotion (1 Sam. 11:6)

Today's encouragement comes from 1 Samuel 11:6, where we read these words:

"Then the Spirit of God came upon Saul when he heard this news, and his anger was greatly aroused."

We know that King Saul of the Old Testament is not the greatest example; but this is an interesting text. Have we ever considered that there is no absolute disparity between the Holy Spirit (and His blessed influences on a person), and righteous anger? The wrath of man does not accomplish the righteous-ness of God (Jas. 1:20); but this does not mean that true believers should not, on occasion, be angry.

In fact, we *are* to "be angry," and yet not "sin," (Eph. 4:26a). Just as a Chris-tian cannot love God without hating sin and God's enemies—so we cannot stand idly by and see our Lord blasphemed without getting appropriately and honorably angry. Jesus showed us how to get angry, and when it is good—as in His cleansing of the temple (in Jn. 2:13-17).

[Puritan quote of the day: "When a man is shaken in his own righteousness, then he sees the emptiness and the lying disposition of it.” —William Bridge, in, "A Lifting Up for the Downcast"]