‎I recently read that one of Satan’s favorite temptations is apathy. Jesus came to seek and save the lost, and we are called to do the same. The writer asserted that the opposite of that loving pursuit is apathy. Can you see it? We don’t even have to hate another person. We just don’t care about anyone.Â
I had a nightmare many years ago that can still play in my mind like a horror movie. I went to hell searching for someone and it was as hideous and vile as you could imagine. Amid all the violence and torture, the most shocking thing I observed was the apathy. No one helped the screaming victims. Many people stood in the shadows watching with no concern on their faces, some looked terrified, most had blank stares. No one responded to me when I asked about my lost loved one. No one cared about anyone else – utter apathy – and that was as terrifying as the violence.
The writer of Psalm 119 doesn’t just want to avoid hell, he wants to live for God. He repeats his plea for obedience and longs for the Lord’s promises to be fulfilled. He asks the Lord to turn his heart toward God’s law and away from selfishness. It is very clear that our hearts should follow God and not our own self-seeking desires. The God-follower asks the Lord to turn his eyes away from worthless things. Like it or not, the things we look at tend to dwell in our minds. Like the Psalmist, we want to live holy, caring, loving lives. In verse 40 he cries, “Preserve my life in your righteousness.” That’s exactly what Jesus did for us! Apathy has no room in our hearts when we are full of God’s Word and Jesus’ righteousness. Preserve our lives, Lord, so we can give them back to You. ~Tracy