Hate Evil - Celebrate Goodness

You who love the Lord, hate evil!  He protects the lives of his godly people and rescues them from the power of the wicked. Light shines on the godly, and joy on those whose hearts are right.  May all who are godly rejoice in the Lord and praise his holy name! (Psalm 97:10-12 NLT)

Aldous Huxley said, "Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored." Many try to ignore the fact of God's existence, his power displayed in the wonders of nature, and even the evidence of a divine creator in the incredible complexity of one human cell. I might be able to ignore the speed limit sign, sailing down the highway at a tremendously fast speed, but it doesn't make the fact I am going faster than is designated! I can deny I have a problem with a particular habit or hang-up, but eventually that habit or hang-up will reveal itself in some form within or through my life - it doesn't cease to exist because of my denial. As much as we cannot deny the evidence of truth within us or displayed in our actions, we cannot deny the evidence of truth all around us that a divine creator exists and his existence demands light to shine where darkness once existed.

Two things God requires of those who will choose to believe in his existence and follow him: 1) to hate evil, and 2) to celebrate him with all that is within us. In other words, we don't cover-up evil, or deny the existence of darkness and dark places in our lives or the lives of others. There are indeed unholy forces at work in us and around us. We only mask them when we deny they exist - it doesn't make them any less "present". God's "ask" of us is that we move from denying evil, or covering it up, to a place of "hatred" toward it. This is a word I don't use very often, simply because I know God wants me to operate in the realm of love much more than in the realm of "hating" anything. The exception is sin and evil! God is really asking us to acknowledge evil and the injury it brings into our lives and the lives of those we love. Then we are to turn away from it - have a total aversion toward it.

When we have an aversion toward evil, we are less likely to respond to it in any manner which is positive - we will turn away because we find it repugnant. We don't want to pursue it because it isn't going to produce anything good. God asks that we learn to celebrate him instead of pursuing evil. Why? There is a power and a replenishment that comes when we worship him. When we turn our eyes toward the things of goodness and grace, kindness and love, we find we are filled to overflowing with the feelings of his presence. There is something that is transformed within us when we give ourselves to celebrating his goodness and grace - something not found in any other pursuit. God doesn't ask us to deny evil, but to turn from it - flee it - for his presence demands holiness. His presence is what brings holiness - and it is there we find we develop the "repugnance" we have toward all things evil. 

We cannot deny the existence of a creator - for his presence declares his existence! When we hate evil and turn to God in loving adoration, we are saying we choose obedience to truth above any other action in our lives. Just sayin!

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