“By the rivers of Babylon we sat down and wept when we remembered Zion…. How can we sing the songs of the LORD while in a foreign land?”

Psalm 137:1, 4
One of the discouraging things we as Christians face today in America is the realization that we have so little cultural or political power. The game is over when it comes to any notion of “taking America back.” We are exiles, living at the margins of culture, never feeling fully at home. 

Thankfully, God’s Word is full of encouragement for us. A perhaps unlikely place to start seeing that is in Psalm 137. Here, we read of God’s people longing for a land that largely lives on only in their hearts. But there is also a land still held forth for them in God’s eternal plan. In the short term, they feel like hanging up their instruments and quitting. Sound familiar? 

This month’s Anchor will resound with God’s Word of encouragement to pick up your instruments again, so to speak. The changes in our culture have been jarring, no doubt. But our God and His salvation remain unchanged. Let’s struggle and persevere together in His grace. We can sing the Lord’s song as exiles here. It may be time to tune up our harps and our hearts! 




ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Stephen L. Roberts

Stephen Roberts, an Army chaplain for 12 years, lives near Fort Bragg, North Carolina. He specializes in counseling, apologetics, and finding novel approaches to engaging the culture. He has served as a church-based evangelist; Vice President of Joy to the World Ministries; and a contributing writer for Modern Reformation, The Federalist, and The Washington Times. He and his wife Lindsey enjoy writing articles side-by-side at night, and they often find themselves shepherding lost sheep. They also have three precious young children who delight them and keep them ever-leaning on the Lord.



Scripture Focus

Psalm 137

Insight

We do not sing of cultural or political gains and losses. Rather, we sing of God’s grace and His glory.

Bible In A Year

  • 1 Samuel 1-2
  • Psalm 120
  • 1 Corinthians 14

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